breeding plumage

Dapper Drake Common Merganser At Bear River MBR

By |2023-02-18T03:31:36-07:00February 17th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Mergansers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today I am sharing photos of a dapper drake Common Merganser in his finest breeding plumage that I took four mornings ago at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Urban Drake Common Merganser Photos

By |2024-01-15T04:08:01-07:00January 20th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Common Mergansers, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I can be way too picky when it comes to sharing my images. Today I'll explain why with these urban drake Common Merganser photos taken at my local pond.

Winter California And Herring Gull Comparison In Utah

By |2023-03-27T03:47:22-06:00November 8th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, California Gulls, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Herring Gulls, Pinellas County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Since I frequently get asked which is which I thought this would be a good time to do a winter California and Herring Gull comparison and ID feature post.

Male American Goldfinch With Ripe Serviceberries

By |2022-08-08T04:33:43-06:00August 8th, 2022|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was happy to have this male American Goldfinch perched with ripe serviceberries in front of him for a few moments yesterday high in the mountains.

Lazuli Bunting Male – Small In Frame

By |2022-07-17T05:00:10-06:00July 17th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Lazuli Buntings, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I shared so many images yesterday that today I am keeping it simple with one image of a Lazuli Bunting male I photographed high in the Wasatch Mountains last week.

My Great Two Bunting Morning

By |2023-06-19T14:46:40-06:00July 11th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Indigo Buntings, Lazuli Buntings, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Late last week I headed up into the Wasatch Mountains to look for birds in cooler temps and had a great time photographing two bunting species before 8 am.

Male American Goldfinch Perched Above A Creek

By |2022-06-24T04:47:17-06:00June 24th, 2022|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today I am keeping my post short and simple with a male American Goldfinch in his breeding plumage perched high above a Wasatch Mountain creek.

It’s A Special Day Here At On The Wing Photography

By |2023-02-17T06:41:12-07:00May 17th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Lazuli Buntings, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today is special day here at On The Wing Photography because it marks my 4000th post AND it is also my Mom's 90th Birthday!

Spring Chipping Sparrow Images

By |2022-05-15T04:25:09-06:00May 15th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Chipping Sparrows, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I had a Chipping Sparrow in breeding plumage perched on sage at the edge of a forest in my viewfinder for a few seconds.

Spring Male Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

By |2022-05-14T06:39:43-06:00May 14th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was thrilled to find and photograph a male Blue-gray Gnatcatcher in spring breeding plumage yesterday at the edge of a juniper woodland in Tooele County.

American White Pelican In Low Light

By |2022-04-10T05:22:43-06:00April 10th, 2022|Categories: American White Pelicans, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I am enjoying seeing the birds that have returned to breed in Utah including this American White Pelican I photographed in low light two days ago at a local pond.

American White Pelican In Bright Morning Light

By |2022-03-22T05:01:38-06:00March 22nd, 2022|Categories: American White Pelicans, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have a lot going on right now so this morning I'm only sharing one image of an adult American White Pelican in bright morning light taken five days ago.

Drake Hooded Merganser On The Bear River

By |2022-02-22T05:48:30-07:00February 22nd, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Hooded Mergansers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Earlier this month I stopped to take photos of a drake Hooded Merganser floating on the Bear River before the sun lit up that part of the refuge.

Pied-billed Grebe Going Into Breeding Plumage

By |2022-01-26T05:25:58-07:00January 26th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Pied-billed Grebes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I was down at my local pond a few days ago I noticed a Pied-billed Grebe that is going into breeding or Definitive Alternate Plumage.

Three California Gull Photos

By |2022-01-28T02:47:56-07:00January 19th, 2022|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, California Gulls, Davis County, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While taking a short break yesterday morning I went down to my local pond for a few minutes and took a few California Gull photos while I was there.

Christmas Day Birds 2021

By |2021-12-26T05:18:25-07:00December 26th, 2021|Categories: American Coots, Birds, California Gulls, Common Goldeneyes, Great Blue Herons, Great-tailed Grackles, Mallards, Rough-legged Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I did get out to find and photograph birds on Christmas Day at Farmington Bay WMA and then later in the morning I found more closer to home.

Remembering Higher Water In The Great Salt Lake

By |2021-11-29T05:36:40-07:00November 29th, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Conservation, Davis County, Green-winged Teals, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I came across this photo of a Green-winged Teal with Northern Shovelers in the surf of the Great Salt Lake that I took in December of 2011 yesterday. It was a punch in the gut.

Help With Drake Scaup Identification

By |2021-11-28T06:26:25-07:00November 28th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Greater Scaups, Lesser Scaups, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Every fall and winter when Lesser and Greater Scaups are seen in northern Utah I hear questions about scaup identification.

Drake Northern Shoveler Landing On A Chilly Pond

By |2021-11-26T05:52:03-07:00November 26th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I am sharing a simple photo of a drake Northern Shoveler landing on a chilly pond that I took in early December of last year.

Young Pied-billed Grebe In Juvenal Plumage Compared To Adult Plumage Phases

By |2021-09-26T06:10:07-06:00September 26th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Pied-billed Grebes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

About a week ago I photographed a young Pied-billed Grebe that was still in juvenal plumage on a pond at Farmington Bay WMA.

Male American Goldfinch Perched On A Chokecherry Tree

By |2021-07-04T05:47:59-06:00July 4th, 2021|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

At the end of June I had a few moments to focus on an adult male American Goldfinch perched on a chokecherry tree high in the Wasatch Mountains.

Chipping Sparrow With Food For Its Chicks

By |2021-06-03T05:28:36-06:00June 3rd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Chipping Sparrows, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was photographing a Lark Sparrow when I spotted this Chipping Sparrow with food in its bill fly in and land on a juniper bough.

Male Western Tanager Close Up Image

By |2021-05-29T06:35:00-06:00May 29th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert, Western Tanagers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I had the opportunity to photograph a male Western Tanager up close in the foothills of some of the sky island mountains in the West Desert of Utah.

Spring Male American Goldfinch

By |2021-05-26T06:15:47-06:00May 26th, 2021|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Morgan County, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I photographed this male American Goldfinch and thought about how he is as bright as the dandelions that are blooming now in the mountains.

Resting Ruddy Turnstone

By |2021-05-17T06:20:46-06:00May 17th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Ruddy Turnstones|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Twelve years ago today I was on the beach at Fort De Soto County Park focused on photographing a male Ruddy Turnstone resting on the warm sand with the Gulf behind him.

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