Owl See You at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
I've said before that owls fascinate me; probably more times than I can count, and Short-eared Owls are always a delight.
Northern Harriers in flight
Northern Harriers fascinate me partly because they are sexually dimorphic; meaning that the males and females look different even though they are the same species, and also because of their owl-like facial discs.
Female American Kestrel in the West Desert
A few days ago I spotted this female American Kestrel on the road to Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, and I do mean in the road. She almost didn't move even when the pickup was 20 feet from her as we rolled to a stop.
Great Horned Owls and Horned Larks – Birds with Tufts
Great Horned Owls and Horned Larks are species of birds that have tufts that I photograph regularly here in Utah.
Female Great Horned Owl in Montana
This female Great Horned Owl was resting at the opening of an old granary in Glacier County, Montana when I photographed her.
A Lark, Or Two, Or Four
The only native true lark that lives and breeds in North America is the Horned Lark.
Female Horned Lark and the moon setting over the Stansbury Mountains
I photograph tons of male Horned Larks but don't have that many images of female Horned Larks, I was happy to find this beautiful female dancing and singing on a boulder in early morning light yesterday in Tooele County, Utah.
High key Ring-necked Pheasant hen
Just a simple high key image of a hen Ring-necked Pheasant this morning that was taken in January at Farmington Bay WMA in Davis County, Utah.
Nesting Osprey pair at Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
It is cloudy and snowing hard outside this morning so I dug into my files and edited these nesting Osprey images I took last year at Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area in Utah.
The Pale Male Coyote And His Injured Mate
Yesterday I spotted a Coyote on Antelope Island, it was down a slope near a herd of Pronghorn and not in the best of light. I noticed almost right away that the Coyote was limping rather badly.
Female Long-billed Curlew
Since I moved to Utah I think of Long-billed Curlews as my personal harbinger of spring.
Short-eared Owl in a fog
Isn't this Short-eared Owl lovely with her big yellow eyes? It had been a while since I had seen a Short-eared Owl and I was quite surprised when I spotted her on top of some snow-covered Rabbitbrush late last month along the causeway to Antelope Island State Park.
Female Duck ID Quiz
I photographed this female duck yesterday morning at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area in northern Utah, she was on ice that was covered by frost flowers and was moving towards a group of males that were in open water.
More on Escaped Falconry Birds
Throughout these three experiences in finding escaped falconry birds what I have learned is that falconry is for experts not for people who just think it is cool to have a pet raptor.
Female Northern Harrier in flight
Typically I see far more Northern Harriers in the winter here in Utah than I do during the breeding season which might be partly due to the harriers preferring to nest within marshy wetland areas which are in abundance around the Great Salt Lake.
Low angle Long-billed Curlew
Since winter has thus far decided to stay in more northern latitudes and higher elevations I decided to post an image of a Long-billed Curlew taken in southern, sub-tropical climes a few years ago.
Short-eared Owl at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
Due to a crash in the vole population at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge last summer there weren't many Short-eared Owls around the refuge but the few that were there were real beauties.
One year ago today – Brewer’s Blackbird
One year ago today it was slow on Antelope Island, not many birds were close enough to photograph but on the way home I spotted this female Brewer's Blackbird on some rocks near one of the bridges on the causeway to the island.
Escaped Falconry Birds – Peregrine Falcon and American Kestrel
I know that falconry birds and rehabbed raptors can be used as excellent tools in educating the public, I've been impressed with them myself. But there is a risk for falconry birds that escape and that still have jesses or anklets attached and that fact worries me.
Female Yellow-headed Blackbird
Male Yellow-headed Blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) are flashy birds but I believe the females have a subtle beauty too.
Female Black-chinned Hummingbird
Yesterday I saw a female Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) checking out the feeder near my front window.
White-tailed Deer doe in Glacier County, Montana
In Utah I don't often have the opportunity to see and photograph White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) because they have a very limited range here so I was thrilled to have the chance to photograph this doe close up as she fed between the gravel road and a barley field in Glacier County, Montana.
Why a Moose should not Kiss a Porcupine
Why would a Moose (Alces alces) kiss a Porcupine? I'm really not sure, perhaps this Moose cow was curious about a slow-moving Porcupine on the ground and got a touch too close.
Creatures Great and Small – Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge
There are many mammals to see at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana, I haven't seen them all yet but I hope to one day. On this last trip I saw Moose, Elk, Skunks, Ground Squirrels, Chipmunks, Foxes, White-tailed and Mule Deer, Yellow-bellied Marmots, and Pronghorns.
Female Ospreys Have Flare!
Okay. At least this female Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) is landing with flared wings and tail!
Brewer’s Blackbirds Displaying and Nesting
While out on Antelope Island State Park on Friday I spotted a male Brewer's Blackbird on top of a bush, the light was just great for viewing and photographing the iridescent teals, blues, greens and purples that can show up on these "black" birds.
Black-necked Stilts
Black-necked Stilts have returned from their wintering grounds to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and other locations in Utah. Black-necked Stilts are black and white shorebirds with long pink to reddish legs, thin black bills and lovely red eyes.
Female Greater Sage-Grouse
I photographed this female Greater Sage-Grouse while up in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah.
Mating Killdeer – Thanks to a Coyote
Last week I wrote about Long-billed Curlews having a Territorial Encounter but earlier that same morning I had another wonderful photographic encounter thanks to a scruffy looking, rain soaked Coyote waking up at the top of a ridge.
Yellow-headed Blackbirds – Friday Photos
Yellow-headed Blackbirds have begun to show up in large numbers in my area of the country. I'm seeing them perched on cattails, phragmites and in flight.