desert

Yellow-bellied Marmot Pup In A Crack In Some Rocks

By |2022-04-04T04:59:21-05:00April 4th, 2022|Categories: Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was delighted to find and photograph a Yellow-bellied Marmot pup peeking out of a crack in some lichen-covered rocks on the 1st of April in northern Utah.

Spring Male Yellow-headed Blackbird Portraits

By |2022-04-03T05:28:36-05:00April 3rd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I was up in northern Utah two days ago there was a male Yellow-headed Blackbird that was so close that all I could do was take portraits of him.

Young Golden Eagle On A Cliff

By |2022-04-02T06:16:07-05:00April 2nd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Golden Eagles, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I found and pointed out quite a few birds yesterday but my favorite was this young Golden Eagle on a cliff in morning light because it was so beautiful.

American Tree Sparrow On A Fragrant Sumac

By |2022-03-06T05:53:08-06:00March 6th, 2022|Categories: American Tree Sparrows, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I am sharing a simple photo of an American Tree Sparrow perched in a Fragrant Sumac that I took last month near a freshwater seep in the desert.

Swallow Photos

By |2024-03-25T07:58:05-05:00March 5th, 2022|Categories: Bank Swallows, Barn Swallows, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Cliff Swallows, Morgan County, Northern Rough-winged Swallows, Tooele County, Tree Swallows, Utah, Violet-green Swallows, Wasatch Mountains, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today I wanted to share swallow photos that show the six species of swallows I see and photograph in northern Utah while they are here for their nesting season.

Northern Utah Winter Waterfowl Photo

By |2023-02-27T15:13:50-06:00February 27th, 2022|Categories: American Wigeons, Birds, Canada Geese, Great Blue Herons, Mallards|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The photo I liked the most from yesterday was of winter waterfowl on a small pond with mist rising from the water and hoar frost covering the vegetation. 

The Golden Eagle – Utah’s Official State Bird Of Prey

By |2022-02-25T05:59:14-06:00February 25th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Golden Eagles, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I would like to celebrate the State of Utah's newly designated official state bird of prey, the Golden Eagle.

Wild Turkey Hen Perched In A Netleaf Hackberry Tree

By |2022-02-04T06:24:48-06:00February 4th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Wild Turkeys|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last month while up in Box Elder County looking for birds I spotted this Wild Turkey hen perched in a Netleaf Hackberry tree not long before noon.

Groundhog Day 2022 – What It Means To Me In Utah

By |2022-02-02T05:38:53-06:00February 2nd, 2022|Categories: Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Groundhog Day is simply another day where I grow even more concerned about life giving water here in Utah. I'm not superstitious. I rely on facts.

Adult Male Rough-legged Hawk In Early Morning Light

By |2022-01-30T05:22:42-06:00January 30th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Of all the photos I took yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge the one I liked the most is of this Rough-legged Hawk in early morning light.

Adult Male Prairie Merlin At Bear River MBR

By |2024-02-15T03:52:05-06:00January 28th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Merlins, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of the birds I photographed yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge was an adult male Prairie Merlin that I spotted on a fence post close to the road.

Squirrel Appreciation Day 2022

By |2022-01-21T06:24:38-06:00January 21st, 2022|Categories: Box Elder County, Least Chipmunks, Morgan County, Summit County, Uinta Ground Squirrels, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

January 21st is Squirrel Appreciation Day around the globe. There are many reasons to appreciate these furry, four legged, cute creatures. 

Yellow-bellied Marmot Out And About In January

By |2022-01-16T05:10:02-06:00January 16th, 2022|Categories: Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I found and pointed out dozens of birds yesterday but the biggest surprise to me was spotting a Yellow-bellied Marmot out and about in the middle of January.

Welcome 2022 – Time To Put The New Year Into Focus

By |2022-01-01T06:53:40-06:00January 1st, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As I sit here this morning wrapped in a blanket to ward off the morning chill I welcome 2022 and realize that it is time to put the New Year into focus.

ABA Bird Of The Year 2022 – The Burrowing Owl!

By |2022-04-26T09:24:42-05:00December 20th, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was announced yesterday that the Burrowing Owl is the 2022 ABA Bird of the Year! Burrowing Owls are small, long-legged, sandy-colored, charismatic owls with bright yellow eyes.

Ferruginous Hawk In Bright Morning Light

By |2021-12-01T06:20:07-06:00December 1st, 2021|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I took this photo of a Ferruginous Hawk bathed in bright morning light back in October while I was out driving on dirt roads of the West Desert of Utah.

Dark Morph Red-tailed Hawk Lifting Off With Prey

By |2023-05-05T10:06:04-05:00November 22nd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I spotted this dark morph Red-tailed Hawk high on a cliff and I was able to photograph him as he lifted off with prey in his talons.

Loggerhead Shrike On A Wild Rose In Front of The Dying Great Salt Lake

By |2021-11-16T06:10:13-06:00November 16th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Loggerhead Shrikes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Had I taken these Loggerhead Shrike photos four to five years ago the background wouldn't have been dry lake bed. It would have shown water. Precious, life-giving water.

Focusing On Fall Wild Turkey Tom Photos

By |2021-11-15T05:16:16-06:00November 15th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Wild Turkeys|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning the first birds I focused on taking photos of were Wild Turkey toms as they displayed for each other on desert ranchlands in northern Utah.

Ferruginous Hawk In The Changing Light Of Dawn

By |2021-10-22T05:30:28-05:00October 22nd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The first bird photos that I took yesterday morning in the desert were of a Ferruginous Hawk perched on a fence post in pre-dawn light.

Immature White-crowned Sparrow Photos In Fall

By |2021-10-20T05:25:57-05:00October 20th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, White-crowned Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I was way up north in Box Elder County three days ago I had the opportunity to take immature White-crowned Sparrow photos with fall colors in the frames.

Fall Wild Turkey Hen Foraging On Desert Ranchlands

By |2021-10-19T05:47:35-05:00October 19th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Wild Turkeys|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The first photos I took with my newly refurbished Nikon D500 with a new shutter assembly were of this Wild Turkey hen foraging on desert ranchlands.

October West Desert Views Of Clouds, Mountains, And The Moon

By |2021-10-10T06:19:13-05:00October 10th, 2021|Categories: Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today I wanted to share these photos of some West Desert views of clouds, mountains, and the moon because I'd like to be out there seeing and photographing them all.

Dark and light morph Red-tailed Hawk Photos

By |2021-10-09T06:00:23-05:00October 9th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I almost missed finding this adult dark morph Red-tailed Hawk last Sunday because when I first spotted the hawk he was behind a tree in dark shadows but I recognized the shape and form of the raptor.

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