California Gull Up Close
All this California Gull would need to get some people excited about it is talons instead of webbed feet and more of a hook to its bill and people would go absolutely bat-sh*t crazy over them.
All this California Gull would need to get some people excited about it is talons instead of webbed feet and more of a hook to its bill and people would go absolutely bat-sh*t crazy over them.
I was surprised to see this Marbled Godwit on the island but over the years I have learned to expect the unexpected whenever I am out photographing birds!
The California Gulls and the Marbled Godwit came in close and I decided to do some portrait images of the gull.
Yesterday I had my best opportunities thus far this year to photograph Sage Thrasher courtship behavior and bilateral wing displays on Antelope Island.
I don't have as many Black-tailed Jackrabbit images as I would like, I need to change that.
Yesterday I had my first opportunity to photograph a Sage Thrasher with nesting materials in its bill on Antelope Island State Park.
Can the disappearance of Sagebrush Seas be stopped? Yes, it could be but we need lawmakers that believe in science and act on it.
I was absolutely delighted to spot a pair of Sage Thrashers on Antelope Island yesterday because I have been anxiously awaiting their arrival since they left last fall.
Last week while looking for birds on Antelope Island I was fortunate to watch and photograph two young Bison fighting by butting heads.
Yesterday there was a springtime chorus being sung almost every where on Antelope Island and the flute-like melody of the Western Meadowlarks resonated the loudest.
The first year I after I moved to Utah was great for photographing Burrowing Owls and their young both on Antelope Island State Park and the causeway to it.
Except for one fleeting glance of a Chukar at the end of November I have not seen Chukars on Antelope Island for several months.
Yesterday morning found me on Antelope Island in low light and falling snow with a pair of Golden Eagles wishing for better light and clear skies.
Yesterday morning started out gray and cloudy on Antelope Island and I photographed a few Bison bulls grazing and charging each other.
It has been a while since I have seen Pronghorn on Antelope Island State Park close enough to photograph so I was delighted when they were within my focal range.
I think the 10 Lords A-leaping are hanging up their their shoes after this Western Meadowlark out leaped them!
The light and clouds looked iffy this morning but Antelope Island didn't disappoint when it came to bison and birds plus some dramatic light.
I have started seeing Rough-legged Hawks again in northern Utah and that has me excited. I have seen them in Utah County and Davis County but I haven't gotten any quality photos of them yet
Personally, I love to see American Robins any time of the year and to watch them searching for prey. Common? Yes, but delightful too.
Two years ago during the worst of the summer heat I photographed this Coyote and watched while it was pestered and probably bitten by a persistent Deer Fly.
I thought I would share another American Badger portrait that I took back in May of this year on Antelope Island State Park in northern Utah.
This Rufous Hummingbird had a favorite perch that looked out over its favorite patch of Rocky Mountain Bee Plant.
It was delightful to have light and a six-pack (plus) of birds out on Antelope Island yesterday to test my new Nikon D7100.
This morning while Antelope Island there was a Loggerhead Shrike perched on a dead branch that was near the north shoreline of the Great Salt Lake.
I had a fantastic time yesterday photographing an American Badger at its burrow with its prey and a couple of Long-tailed Weasels, both alive and dead.
Western Kingbird After several days of not being able to photograph birds because of bad weather I was pleasantly surprised to have a medley of birds to photograph on Antelope Island Monday.
While on Antelope Island yesterday I was able to photograph these two Sage Thrashers in two different locations with one perched on Sagebrush and the other on Rabbitbrush.
Sage Thrashers are considered sagebrush obligates meaning that they require sagebrush for some part of their life cycle and for the Sage Thrashers in Utah that means they need it during the breeding cycle.
These Coyote portraits were created yesterday morning after finding the Coyote hunting voles along the causeway to Antelope Island State Park.
I spent some time yesterday on Antelope Island State Park photographing and listening to a very cooperative and melodious Sage Thrasher.