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Autumn Sharp-shinned Hawk Portraits

By |2023-10-14T05:45:50-06:00October 14th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The last bird I photographed yesterday at Farmington Bay WMA was a surprise Sharp-shinned Hawk that flew in so close I could only take portraits of her or him.

Bird Battle: Belted Kingfisher vs. Merlin

By |2023-10-15T04:08:15-06:00October 13th, 2023|Categories: Belted Kingfishers, Birds, Merlins, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Little did I know that on my last trip up into the Wasatch Mountains, that I would witness a battle between a Belted Kingfisher and my first-of-season Merlin.

Aerial Yellowjacket Nest In The Wasatch Mountains

By |2024-02-13T03:24:22-07:00October 11th, 2023|Categories: Aerial Yellowjackets, Summit County, Utah, Video, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I first found and photographed this Aerial Yellowjacket nest in August, high in the Wasatch Mountains. Now that the leaves have fallen, I can see it better.

Red-tailed Hawk On A West Desert Weather Station

By |2023-10-19T03:13:49-06:00October 9th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A West Desert weather station wasn't the prettiest perch, but that is where I found this handsome Red-tailed Hawk last week when I went looking for birds.

Autumn Flatbud Prickly Poppy

By |2023-10-08T05:04:33-06:00October 8th, 2023|Categories: Flatbud Prickly Poppy, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I drove out to the West Desert for some peace and solitude three days ago, I was thrilled to spot this Flatbud Prickly Poppy still in bloom.

Black-footed Drone Fly On Rabbitbrush

By |2023-10-07T05:00:56-06:00October 7th, 2023|Categories: Black-footed Drone Flies, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While out in the West Desert two days ago, I photographed this adult Black-footed Drone Fly, a member of the hoverfly family, on a rabbitbrush.

Fall Male Horned Lark Plus A Bonus Photo

By |2023-10-07T04:35:02-06:00October 6th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Horned Larks, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning, I spent time photographing a male Horned Lark perched on a barbed wire fence in the West Desert, with Stansbury Island in the background.

American White Pelicans Fueling Up For Fall Migration

By |2023-10-27T02:54:38-06:00October 4th, 2023|Categories: American White Pelicans, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week, I was happy to photograph a small flock of American White Pelicans fueling up for their fall migration in the wetlands of Farmington Bay WMA.

Female House Finch In Sunflowers Gone To Seed

By |2023-10-02T04:38:11-06:00October 2nd, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, House Finches, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was tickled to photograph this female House Finch last week in sunflowers that had gone to seed. I liked the finch, the autumn colors, and the morning light.

Fall Great Blue Heron Flasher

By |2023-09-29T05:19:11-06:00September 29th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Earlier this week, I found this adult Great Blue Heron in a Flasher pose while resting on a human-made nest in a pond at Farmington Bay WMA in northern Utah.

Male Lesser Goldfinch Under A Leafy Umbrella

By |2023-09-28T03:32:21-06:00September 28th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Lesser Goldfinches, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Having fast reflexes and being able to stop my Jeep quickly helped me photograph this male Lesser Goldfinch under a leafy umbrella three days ago.

Interior West White-crowned Sparrow Adult

By |2023-09-27T05:20:58-06:00September 27th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah, White-crowned Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I was at Farmington Bay WMA on Monday, I found and photographed a gorgeous Interior West White-crowned Sparrow adult perched on a Greasewood shrub.

Snowy Egret In Marsh Morning Light

By |2023-09-28T05:06:23-06:00September 26th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Snowy Egrets, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of the first birds I photographed this autumn was this fluffed-up Snowy Egret glowing in a natural spotlight in the marsh at Farmington Bay WMA.

My Birding By Ear Affliction

By |2023-07-27T03:41:28-06:00January 7th, 2023|Categories: American Crows, Barred Owls, Birds, Blue Jays, Florida, Hillsborough County, Lettuce Lake Regional Park, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My birding by ear affliction isn't that I can't hear birds; it is that I can't not hear them. Even when I am on the phone with my friends.

My 2022 Year In Review

By |2023-11-10T04:24:07-07:00December 31st, 2022|Categories: American Kestrels, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Box Elder County, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Golden Eagles, Great Horned Owls, Horned Grebes, Morgan County, Ring-billed Gulls, Rock Wrens, Ruffed Grouse, Tundra Swans, Utah, Warbling Vireos, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On this last day of the year it is time for my annual 2022 Year in Review post. In some ways 2022 has been great for me and in others not so good.

Some Mammals I Loved In 2022

By |2022-12-28T07:17:09-07:00December 28th, 2022|Categories: American Badgers, Davis County, Elk, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Least Chipmunks, Long-tailed Weasels, Morgan County, Mule Deer, Summit County, Uinta Ground Squirrels, Uinta Mountains, Uinta National Forest, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I am sharing some photos of the mammals I loved finding, seeing, photographing and having in my viewfinder in 2022.

Immature Ferruginous Hawk In December

By |2023-11-24T03:56:36-07:00December 23rd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was overjoyed to see an immature light morph Ferruginous Hawk in my viewfinder four years ago in December while I was out in Utah's West Desert.

First Winter Hooded Merganser

By |2022-12-19T05:52:16-07:00December 19th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Hooded Mergansers, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago at one of my local ponds I was able to take only a few photos of a Hooded Merganser before it disappeared from my line of sight.

Female House Finch Eating Crabapples

By |2022-12-18T04:26:51-07:00December 18th, 2022|Categories: Birds, House Finches, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was able to get outside in the bitter cold for about an hour yesterday and found myself focused on a female House Finch eating crabapples close to home.

Immature Male Common Goldeneye And Catfish

By |2022-12-16T05:45:37-07:00December 16th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, San Juan County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On this day two years ago, I photographed this immature male Common Goldeneye with a catfish at the pond in my neighborhood. It was a chilly, wintry afternoon.

Immature Rough-legged Hawk, Staring Prey And Feaking

By |2022-12-15T05:30:05-07:00December 15th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I am sharing photos of an immature Rough-legged Hawk, its staring prey, of the bird feaking and a bonus image that shows the tongue of the hawk.

December Snow Storm Plus An American Coot

By |2022-12-13T04:28:23-07:00December 13th, 2022|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Salt Lake County, Salt Lake Valley, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday, after I cleared the snow off of my Jeep for the first time, I drove down to my neighborhood pond in a December snow storm to enjoy the snow.

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