lifting off

Fun Drake Mallard At Bear River MBR

By |2024-01-13T03:19:59-07:00January 4th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Mallards, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On New Year's Day morning, I had fun photographing a drake Mallard from the auto tour loop of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge as he lifted off from the marsh.

Murmuration Of European Starlings On The Wing

By |2023-12-16T03:55:57-07:00December 16th, 2023|Categories: Birds, European Starlings, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I wasn't the only person who noticed the huge murmuration of European Starlings at my local pond yesterday morning; other people stopped and admired them too.

California Gull In Winter Plumage

By |2024-01-13T04:10:07-07:00December 8th, 2023|Categories: Birds, California Gulls, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I was at my local pond three days ago, I was happy to photograph this California Gull in winter plumage that had just landed on the water.

Dark Morph Ferruginous Hawk In The West Desert

By |2023-11-24T04:42:58-07:00November 24th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Four years ago today, I found this gorgeous dark morph Ferruginous Hawk perched on a juniper fence post in the West Desert. I spotted it from about a mile away.

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.

My First Of Season Common Goldeneye

By |2023-10-01T03:02:00-06:00November 12th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I found my first of season Common Goldeneye near a stand of rushes while walking around a local pond after a light skiff of snow had fallen overnight.

Desert Red-tailed Hawk Photos

By |2022-10-28T05:27:51-06:00October 28th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I was up in far northern Utah looking for birds last week, I took quite a few Red-tailed Hawk photos. I shared one image a few days ago and here are a few more.

Cinnamon Teal Hen Lift Off Images

By |2022-04-07T05:13:35-06:00April 7th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Cinnamon Teals, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I felt delighted to be able to take a series of this Cinnamon Teal hen lifting off from the marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge yesterday morning.

Drake Northern Pintail Lift Off Images

By |2022-11-06T09:39:12-07:00March 8th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Pintails, Utah, Video|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I drove up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge yesterday morning and came home with some drake Northern Pintail lift off images that I am pleased with.

Trumpeter Swan Photos From Bear River MBR

By |2024-02-19T12:57:46-07:00February 21st, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Bird ID, Birds, Box Elder County, Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I was at Bear River MBR two days ago I was excited to be able to take a nice series of Trumpeter Swan photos on the west side of the auto tour loop.

Winter Great Blue Heron Photos From Bear River MBR

By |2022-01-07T05:58:37-07:00January 7th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge can be a great location to take winter Great Blue Heron photos out on the frozen marshes and wetlands during January.

Female Hooded Merganser Lifting Off From The Bear River

By |2021-12-10T05:31:06-07:00December 10th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Hooded Mergansers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spotted a single female Hooded Merganser on the Bear River two days ago and photographed her as she ran on top of the water to lift off.

Adult Female Northern Harrier Lifting Off From A Tumbleweed

By |2021-11-23T04:48:56-07:00November 23rd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I spotted this adult female Northern Harrier resting on a tumbleweed yesterday morning it took a few moments for me to point her out.

Dark Morph Red-tailed Hawk Lifting Off With Prey

By |2023-05-05T10:06:04-06:00November 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.

Three Canada Geese On An Autumn Morning

By |2021-11-04T05:48:15-06:00November 4th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week I photographed three Canada Geese lifting off from Glover Pond at Farmington Bay and it brought memories from November of 2008.

Immature Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk

By |2021-09-22T05:19:38-06:00September 22nd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday on the last full day of summer I found a couple of hawks in the West Desert including this immature light morph Ferruginous Hawk.

Snowy Egret Photos – Farmington Bay Opening Day

By |2021-09-17T08:40:38-06:00September 17th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Snowy Egrets, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday was kind of an opening day at Farmington Bay and the Snowy Egret show was the highlight of the day.

Soothing Sounds of Birds From My Living Room Window

By |2024-03-23T14:49:24-06:00September 6th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Black-capped Chickadees, Canada Geese, Capitol Reef National Park, Downy Woodpeckers, Morgan County, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I like having my windows open so I can hear the sounds of birds when I can't be in the field. It helps me to hear them especially when the world is so crazy.

Vesper Sparrow Lifting Off

By |2023-03-07T09:28:30-07:00July 31st, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Vesper Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While looking through my archives yesterday I came across this image of a Vesper Sparrow I photographed last September near a freshwater seep in Box Elder County.

Goofy Looking Canada Goose Lift Off

By |2024-02-13T04:54:59-07:00July 21st, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Canada Geese, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Some of the bird photos I take make me laugh and this goofy looking Canada Goose lifting off from the marsh at Bear River MBR is one of them.

Say’s Phoebe In Sage

By |2022-04-01T04:43:28-06:00June 11th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Say's Phoebes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I think Rufous-bellied Phoebe would be a great name instead of Say's Phoebe, with or without the hyphen. It is certainly more descriptive.

Subadult Peregrine Falcon

By |2021-05-24T05:52:59-06:00May 24th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Peregrine Falcons, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week before I found the Rock Wren I wrote about I also found a subadult Peregrine Falcon perched on a wooden post in the West Desert.

West Desert Male Rough-legged Hawk

By |2022-04-20T21:21:32-06:00March 3rd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Rough-legged Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning  was clear, bright, chilly, and I spent ten minutes photographing an adult male Rough-legged Hawk that I found in the West Desert.

Ferruginous And Rough-legged Hawk Lift Off Photos

By |2022-04-20T21:22:12-06:00February 22nd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I was able to take Ferruginous and Rough-legged Hawk lift off photos where both of the raptors still had their feet on their perches.

Winter Female American Kestrel Photos

By |2021-02-03T11:58:23-07:00February 3rd, 2021|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I was able to take female American Kestrel photos from the causeway to Antelope Island State Park twice.

First Winter Red-tailed Hawk Lift Off Photos

By |2021-05-03T03:23:12-06:00January 4th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last month I spent twenty-eight lovely minutes photographing this first winter Red-tailed Hawk in the marsh at Farmington Bay WMA.

Five Bird Photos From Christmas Day 2020

By |2020-12-26T07:05:35-07:00December 26th, 2020|Categories: American Kestrels, Bald Eagles, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Blue Herons, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Much to my delight I was able to photograph some birds on Christmas Day at Farmington Bay WMA yesterday morning.

Photographing An Immature Ferruginous Hawk Hunting For Breakfast

By |2024-02-22T06:17:58-07:00November 28th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning not long after sunrise I spent some time photographing a light morph, immature Ferruginous Hawk hunting for its breakfast.

Looking Back On Photographing A Rare Leucistic Red-tailed Hawk

By |2023-05-05T10:10:15-06:00November 16th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Leucistic, Rarities, Red-tailed Hawks, Tooele County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Even though it is now four years later I still look for this striking leucistic Red-tailed Hawk in Tooele County and hope to find and photograph it again one day.

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