lifting off

Male Lesser Goldfinches And Common Sunflower Seeds

By |2023-09-27T15:46:58-05:00October 29th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Lesser Goldfinches, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday opportunity knocked when several Lesser Goldfinches flew in to knosh on wild sunflowers seeds near a road at Farmington Bay WMA.

Adult And Immature Cedar Waxwings High In The Wasatch Mountains

By |2024-03-30T15:29:34-05:00August 27th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Cedar Waxwings, East Canyon, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On August 10th I drove into the mountains for a quiet, relaxing morning and came away with quite a few bird photos I have yet to process.

Immature Eastern Kingbirds At Bear River MBR

By |2023-03-23T15:21:08-05:00August 19th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Eastern Kingbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I only had two minutes with these immature Eastern Kingbirds and I felt I had to make every second I had with them in my viewfinder count. I succeeded.

Photographing Three Short-eared Owls In Northern Utah

By |2021-03-13T11:14:03-06:00June 14th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I don't know for sure if I will see another Short-eared Owl to photograph this year but I do know I had fun photographing these three.

Red-tailed Hawk Nesting Season Has Begun!

By |2022-10-04T04:41:23-05:00March 28th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The female Red-tailed Hawk blended into the lichen covered cliff face so well that even with my sharp eyesight I didn't see her until the male landed next to her.

Concentrating On Great Blue Herons In Winter

By |2021-04-17T18:07:57-05:00January 20th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There were plenty of Great Blue Herons to photograph yesterday morning at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and I was more than happy to take photos of them.

Focusing On Herring Gulls – Winter Visitors To Northern Utah

By |2022-01-06T04:54:22-06:00January 9th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Herring Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I know some people don't get excited about gulls but I do and I was thrilled two days ago at Bear River MBR when I spotted and photographed my first Herring Gulls of this winter season.

Enchanted By Fall Ruby-crowned Kinglets

By |2021-06-26T11:46:09-05:00October 7th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

For a few moments yesterday morning I was absolutely enchanted by a small flock of Ruby-crowned Kinglets in Box Elder County in northern Utah.

Photographing Immature Forster’s Terns On The Hunt And Catching Prey

By |2022-09-13T03:57:10-05:00September 21st, 2019|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Forster's Terns, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had fun testing my skills by photographing several immature Forster's Terns that were hunting for and catching prey at Farmington Bay WMA two days ago.

An Immature Red-tailed Hawk On A Foggy Morning In The Mountains

By |2021-05-03T03:18:41-05:00September 13th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There are times when one bird can make my day and yesterday that bird was an immature Red-tailed Hawk that I spotted just before heading home after a trip into the mountains that included fog and other challenges.

Immature Swainson’s Hawk In Changing Light

By |2021-04-15T03:51:25-05:00September 9th, 2019|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This photo session with an immature Swainson's Hawk reinforced how as a bird photographer I need to not only be keenly aware of changing light it also showed how I may need to quickly change my settings to get the photos I want.

Swallow Quartet – Bank, Barn, Cliff And Tree Swallows At Bear River MBR

By |2024-03-25T07:31:43-05:00September 7th, 2019|Categories: Bank Swallows, Barn Swallows, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Cliff Swallows, Tree Swallows, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was glad to be able to photograph Bank, Barn, Cliff and Tree Swallows perched on top of a stand of phragmites near the auto tour route on the refuge in early morning light.

Male American Goldfinch Lifting Off From A Musk Thistle

By |2021-05-09T04:06:20-05:00August 4th, 2019|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

I kept my focus on this male American Goldfinch and when he lifted off I was able to take a photo with his wings raised just as he started to take flight.

Male Broad-tailed Hummingbird Landing And Lifting Off

By |2021-05-11T15:00:08-05:00June 23rd, 2019|Categories: Birds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

After finding a new Broad-tailed Hummingbird favorite perch this year where I can pull over and not have to worry about traffic so much I have had a blast photographing the little male resting, preening, landing, lifting off and keeping an eye on his territory. 

More Photos Of The Rufous Red-tailed Hawk Female

By |2024-04-02T11:20:17-05:00April 1st, 2019|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had a great time photographing this beautiful rufous Red-tailed Hawk yesterday morning and I'm glad I had good light when I did.

Rufous Morph Red-tailed Hawk Taking Flight Photos

By |2021-01-28T15:15:01-06:00March 22nd, 2019|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

By the time I took this next image in the series the Red-tailed Hawk had straightened her legs, her wings were high over her body and she was pushing off from the rock.

One Stunning Rufous Red-tailed Hawk – How Finding It Saved My Day

By |2023-12-11T02:49:40-06:00March 13th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

If I hadn't found and pointed out this stunning rufous Red-tailed Hawk yesterday morning I would have basically come home without a single decent image of a bird.

Photographing Tundra Swans And Northern Pintails In Low Light

By |2024-03-20T10:15:23-05:00March 5th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Pintails, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Our Tundra Swans won't be at the refuge much longer and will soon be winging their way to their breeding grounds in the Arctic and I realize that my opportunities to photograph them before they leave are dwindling.

Winter Ferruginous Hawk Lift Off And Flight Series

By |2021-09-23T07:24:57-05:00December 16th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was able to photograph two Ferruginous Hawks yesterday morning in the West Desert in Tooele County. The light was good, I had birds in my viewfinder and I was away from our building inversion so I was one happy woman.

Some Of The Joys Of Photographing Birds Close To Home

By |2024-02-13T15:20:13-06:00November 19th, 2018|Categories: American Coots, Birds, California Gulls, Canada Geese, Pied-billed Grebes, Ring-necked Ducks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent some time at one of the local ponds yesterday afternoon and came home with photos that made me smile and for a little while I forgot about the long hours I spent getting skunked on the road earlier in the day.

Common Mergansers Lifting Off In Sweet Golden Light

By |2024-03-13T07:05:08-05:00November 8th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Common Mergansers, Salt Lake County, Swans, Ducks and Geese, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm fortunate that I live near two ponds here in Salt Lake City where I can find Common Mergansers at this time of the year and I appreciate being able to photograph them so close to home.

Red-tailed Hawk In Morning Light – Wasatch Mountains In The Shadows

By |2023-09-28T05:35:34-05:00November 4th, 2018|Categories: Birds, East Canyon, Morgan County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning for a few moments I had one of those opportunities with a Red-tailed Hawk perched on top of some trees in East Canyon where the mountains in the background where still in the shadows and because of that the bird seemed to glow.

Adult White-crowned Sparrows Feeding On Greasewood Seeds

By |2021-11-05T04:43:18-05:00November 3rd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah, White-crowned Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I photographed American Goldfinches, House Finches and White-crowned Sparrows that were busy feeding on greasewood seeds.

European Starling Facts and Information

By |2021-04-20T13:06:04-05:00October 22nd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Davis County, European Starlings, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Personally I am fascinated by European Starling murmurations, their interesting, beautiful plumage and how they can mimic the calls and songs of other birds.

Rufous Hummingbird In The Wasatch Mountains

By |2021-09-01T10:24:27-05:00August 27th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Little Dutch Hollow, Morgan County, Rufous Hummingbirds, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week for a few brief seconds I was pleasantly surprised to have a Rufous Hummingbird in my viewfinder while up in the Wasatch Mountains.

Greater Yellowlegs Landing & Lifting Off At Bear River MBR

By |2021-08-17T07:57:44-05:00August 20th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Greater Yellowlegs, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Because of the avocet's determination to chase off this Greater Yellowlegs I was able to photograph it lifting off from the water with water still dripping from its feet and with the shorebird's head framed by its wings.

Sibling Red-tailed Hawk Juveniles Perched & On The Wing

By |2021-03-15T09:22:43-05:00July 17th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Back in March of this year I started watching and photographing a pair of Red-tailed Hawks in the process of building their nest on the face of a high cliff, these two juveniles are the results of the hard work of that pair of hawks.

Photographing the Tundra Swans of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By |2024-03-20T06:49:05-05:00February 4th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had a blast photographing the Tundra Swans at the refuge yesterday and for the first time in a while I forgot about practically everything but the birds in front of me and the peace I find at the refuge.

Common Mergansers Landing & Lifting Off

By |2024-03-13T07:36:09-05:00December 28th, 2017|Categories: Common Mergansers, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm over the moon that I was able to photograph these Common Mergansers landing and lifting off from the pond yesterday and I am pleased with the photos I took.

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