mountains

Male Broad-tailed Hummingbird And Thoughts About Spring

By |2022-05-18T05:40:50-05:00March 23rd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Hummingbirds delight me and this male Broad-tailed Hummingbird did just that when he landed on his favorite chokecherry branch a few years ago in the mountains.

Young Great Blue Heron In Front Of The Promontory Mountains

By |2024-02-01T08:54:10-06:00March 14th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I liked this image of an immature Great Blue Heron flying in front of the snow covered Promontory Mountains even though the heron is small in the frame.

Ducks On The Wing Over The Marsh At Bear River MBR

By |2024-01-03T03:24:19-06:00March 12th, 2022|Categories: American Wigeons, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Green-winged Teals, Mallards, Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I took this photo of ducks on the wing over the marsh on my most recent trip up to the wetlands of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Drake Northern Pintail Lift Off Images

By |2022-11-06T09:39:12-06:00March 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.

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.

Tundra Swans On Ice And Open Water

By |2024-02-07T05:28:44-06:00January 29th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I haven't yet gotten the photos of Tundra Swans this year that I would like to take but that won't stop me from sharing some that I have taken this winter.

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. 

Light Morph Adult Male Rough-legged Hawk In The Wasatch Mountains

By |2022-01-18T05:43:24-06:00January 18th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Rough-legged Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I photographed a light morph adult male Rough-legged Hawk perched in a tree in the Wasatch Mountains.

Winter Great Blue Heron Photos From Bear River MBR

By |2022-01-07T05:58:37-06:00January 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.

Winter View Of Bear River MBR And The Snowy Promontory Mountains

By |2022-01-06T06:31:31-06:00January 6th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I took this winter view of Bear River MBR four days ago a winter storm was approaching from the northwest and the clouds were moving in.

Bald Eagle Photos On A Leaning Wooden Post Thru The Years

By |2023-12-04T05:38:19-06:00January 4th, 2022|Categories: Bald Eagles, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

If you go to Bear River MBR during the winter chances are that you have or will see a Bald Eagle perched on this large wooden post at one time or another.

Canada Goose In Flight – My First Bird Sighting Of 2022

By |2022-01-02T05:20:56-06:00January 2nd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The first bird that I could positively identify seeing for 2022 was a Canada Goose flying away from my local pond yesterday morning.

Happy Holidays 2021 And A Story From Christmas Past

By |2023-09-28T06:28:48-05:00December 24th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, California Gulls, Herring Gulls, Ring-billed Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

This Christmas Eve morning is so very different from the one I had in 1998. I was sitting at my computer that morning much the same as I am now but I lived in Virginia then and I was going through some rough times.

Immature Red-tailed Hawk Perched In Tree with Many Branches

By |2021-12-19T04:37:33-06:00December 19th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was a truly gloomy day when I spotted this immature Red-tailed Hawk perched in a tree with many branches at Farmington Bay last December.

Overnight Snow Storm In Northern Utah

By |2021-12-15T10:31:05-06:00December 15th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Egrets, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I haven't been outside to measure the snow but I'd estimate that 6 to 8 inches have fallen already just by looking out my living room window.

Adult Rough-legged Hawk Calling Plus Photos Of A Younger Roughie

By |2021-12-06T05:11:44-06:00December 6th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I heard a male Rough-legged Hawk calling which is highly unusual away from their breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra and taiga of the far north.

Male Belted Kingfisher In The UK – He’s A Long Way From Home

By |2021-11-30T06:01:44-06:00November 30th, 2021|Categories: Belted Kingfishers, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been following an amazing sighting of a male Belted Kingfisher in Lancashire, UK for about a week now, it is only the 4th such sighting for that country.

Immature Red-tailed Hawk Perched In Front Of The Wasatch Mountains

By |2021-11-28T09:18:31-06:00November 27th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photograph tons of Red-tailed Hawks. I have shared more Red-tailed Hawk articles on my blog and images in my photo galleries than any other birds species.

Singing Townsend’s Solitaire Surrounded By Tiny Bugs

By |2021-11-13T05:37:09-06:00November 13th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Tooele County, Townsend's Solitaires, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I was thrilled to listen to and photograph a singing Townsend's Solitaire as it perched on a juniper surrounded by tiny flying bugs.

Drought-stricken Douglas Firs – How It Is Affecting The Birds That Eat The Seeds

By |2021-11-07T06:36:30-06:00November 7th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I was out in the sky island mountains of the West Desert of Utah a few days ago I was again met with virtual silence in and around the Douglas Firs that are there.

My Growing Concerns Over This Years Crop Of Douglas Fir Seeds Because Of Our Drought

By |2021-10-24T06:45:41-05:00October 24th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Mountain Chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My trip out into the sky island mountains of the West Desert last week caused my concerns about this years crop of Douglas Fir seeds to grow.

It Is Time To Look And Listen For Tundra Swans In Northern Utah

By |2021-10-23T05:47:36-05:00October 23rd, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I noticed in my Facebook memories that I saw and heard my first of season Tundra Swans at Bear River MBR on this date in 2015 and that made me happy.

Snow Dusted Views Of Utah’s West Desert Mountains

By |2021-10-14T06:47:43-05:00October 14th, 2021|Categories: Tooele County, Trees, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I saw snow on Utah's West Desert mountains for the first time since late spring so I thought I'd share a few views of what I saw while out there yesterday morning.

On The Lookout For My First Of Season Rough-legged Hawk

By |2022-04-26T09:25:16-05:00October 13th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Rough-legged Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I am now on the lookout for my first of season Rough-legged Hawk. I hope to spot one soon.

Autumn Wild Turkey Hen Portrait

By |2021-10-11T05:47:59-05:00October 11th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert, Wild Turkeys|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I found this Wild Turkey hen last autumn as she walked out of the shadows of the forest and into the bright morning light.

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.

How I Found A Flock Of Clark’s Nutcrackers Yesterday

By |2022-04-26T09:48:15-05:00October 2nd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Clark's Nutcrackers, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My eyes and my birding instincts didn't lead me astray because there was a Clark's Nutcracker perched at the top of the fir.

Thoughts on Our Drought, Douglas Firs, And Birds

By |2021-09-27T05:44:04-05:00September 27th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Tooele County, Trees, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Drought stressed Douglas Fir trees will produce what is called a "stress crop" of cones which is what I believe is happening to the firs in this location.

More West Desert Red-tailed Hawk Images

By |2022-09-11T04:41:51-05:00September 15th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I went out into the West Desert yesterday and came back with more Red-tailed Hawk images that I was delighted to have taken and that I am happy with.

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