Fledgling Short-eared Owl in Tumbleweeds
How could I resist taking images of a fledgling Short-eared Owl in tumbleweeds? I just couldn't.
How could I resist taking images of a fledgling Short-eared Owl in tumbleweeds? I just couldn't.
I know that blurs aren't everyone's cup of tea but I have grown quite fond of this beautiful, shaking, Short-eared Owl blur.
It felt amazing to be alone with these northern Utah Short-eared Owl chicks for a few brief moments yesterday.
Yesterday morning while in Box Elder County I was delighted to photograph a Western Kingbird with a Hint of Black Mustard in the background as it perched on a fence near the road.
I liked this image of the side lit Short-eared Owl more than I thought I could.
I found an exceptionally obliging Turkey Vulture in Box Elder County warming up in the morning sun.
I photographed this juvenile Burrowing Owl balancing act last year in northern Utah not long after the sun came up
The harlequin faced Lark Sparrows are unique, easily identified and quite striking for sparrows which are known for being "little brown jobs".
I am not sure why the Red-tailed Hawk lifted off with nesting material in its bill from the nest, maybe the hawk felt that piece of nesting material wasn't suitable.
I thought I would share a few Lark Sparrow facts, a sound recording and of course an image of a Lark Sparrow on the ground.
This banking Red-tailed Hawk is one of the pair that are busy building their nest and making nearby forays to find nesting materials.
I was able to take quite a few images of a very cooperative first spring Northern Harrier that was perched on an old post next to the road in Box Elder County.
I was able to take images of a Box Elder County Yellow-bellied Marmot further south next to the road near the foothills of the Promontory Mountains.
This adult Western Kingbird close up was photographed two years ago on Antelope Island State Park as it perched on a sign post close to a nest site.
This West Desert Horned Lark in golden light was taken in the foothills of the Stansbury Mountains of Tooele County on a clear morning last month.
It has been a while since I photographed this Short-eared Owl in Tooele County at the James W. Fitzgerald WMA
Seeing these uncommon Western Bluebirds in Tooele County in the Stansbury Mountain Range yesterday is part of why I love bird photography so much.
A couple Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays in Ophir Canyon Road in Tooele County were the most cooperative of the jays that I found.
This adult Sage Thrasher with prey was photographed on public lands in Tooele County in one of the canyons of the Stansbury Mountains last July.
When I photographed this Turkey Vulture in Box Elder County last summer it flew from the post it had been perched on and landed a bit further away where it quickly began cleaning its bill
There are always exceptions. So yes, Red-tailed Hawks do sit on wires and that is one rule of birding to discount.
Yesterday I spent the morning in Box Elder County driving along the Promontory Mountain Range and Red-tailed Hawks were the most numerous raptors I saw.
I don't often have the opportunity to photograph young Lark Sparrows so I jumped at the chance last Saturday when I saw this one on Antelope Island State Park.
You might wonder why I think it is tough being a bird photographer when it comes to Burrowing Owls.
I went wandering in the West Desert of Utah yesterday because the views are always great and because I hoped to find a few birds.
I think I could photograph juvenile Burrowing Owls for two months straight and not get bored with them.
Leopards don't change their spots but juvenile Burrowing Owls do change their spots on their chests as they mature.
Burrowing Owls and American Robins are about the same size but they are two very different species of birds.
Lark Sparrows are the easiest sparrows to identify that inhabit Antelope Island State Park with their bold facial patterns and white edged tails.
When I looked at this Burrowing Owl image on my monitor I had to chuckle because in a strange way it reminded me of myself when I first dove off of a 10 meter platform and how my toes were the last to let go.