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Female Black-chinned Hummingbird In The Wasatch Mountains

By |June 3rd, 2020|Categories: Birds, Black-chinned Hummingbirds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I saw this female Black-chinned Hummingbird land on a willow branch not far from where I sat in a mobile blind and I was delighted to photograph her.

An American Robin Who Briefly Fooled My Ears

By |June 1st, 2020|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

And I then had an "Ah ha" moment. No wonder I thought I was hearing a Cedar Waxwing when in actuality it was the American Robin calling out because of a predator that I did not see.

Female Mountain Bluebird With Prey

By |May 31st, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As I went through the images I took four years ago this photo of a female Mountain Bluebird perched on an old fence post with prey for her young in her bill stood out to me.

Song Sparrow On A Cloudy Spring Morning

By |May 29th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Song Sparrows, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Song Sparrow didn't let the gray clouds overhead, the moisture in the air or its damp feathers stop it from singing to all the other birds within earshot. I have to admire that.

Hearing Thousands Of American Goldfinches Flying Overhead

By |May 28th, 2020|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have never heard so many American Goldfinches flying overhead for such a long period of time and I was in awe. I still am.

One Spring Morning When Yellow-rumped Warblers Dripped From Trees

By |May 23rd, 2020|Categories: Birds, Morgan County, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow-rumped Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Almost one year ago I spent my morning photographing so many Yellow-rumped Warblers that they seemed to almost drip from the trees.

Searching And Listening For Cedar Waxwings

By |May 22nd, 2020|Categories: Birds, Cedar Waxwings, East Canyon, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Every time I've gone up into the Wasatch Mountains lately I have been searching and listening for Cedar Waxwings to observe and photograph.

Wet Swainson’s Hawk In A Storm

By |May 19th, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This adult male Swainson's Hawk was perched near his nest in a light rain and although he looked soaking wet that didn't appear to bother him much at all.

Focusing On Northern House Wrens

By |May 18th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Morgan County, Northern House Wrens, Targhee National Forest, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

To photograph Northern House Wrens and other birds I know I need to find them which means focusing my attention on the sights and sounds around me whenever I am out in the field which has worked extremely well for me.

Female Northern Yellow Warbler Foraging In A Hawthorn Tree

By |May 14th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Northern Yellow Warblers, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Eight days ago I photographed my first male Northern Yellow Warbler of the year and two days ago I had some luck with my first females of the season.

Male Broad-tailed Hummingbird In A Strong Breeze Plus A Favorite Perch

By |May 13th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When the male Broad-tailed Hummingbird had had enough of getting bounced around he took off in a hurry with the wind fluffing up his upper chest feathers and the right side of his colorful gorget.

Nesting Mountain Bluebirds And Other Woodland Birds

By |April 30th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Chipping Sparrows, Mountain Bluebirds, Northern House Wrens, Yellow-rumped Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I had a blast photographing a pair of Mountain Bluebirds at a natural nesting cavity at the edge of a forest along with some other woodland birds. 

Focusing On Belted Kingfishers High In The Wasatch Mountains

By |April 25th, 2020|Categories: Belted Kingfishers, Birds, Morgan County, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent yesterday morning high up in the Wasatch Mountains where part of the time I focused on photographing the Belted Kingfishers that I found in two counties.

Red-breasted Nuthatch And Juniper Titmouse Photos

By |April 22nd, 2020|Categories: Birds, Juniper Titmouses, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

These are the stories behind how I took these Red-breasted Nuthatch and Juniper Titmouse photos while relaxing and enjoying a lovely day in the West Desert.

Swainson’s Hawk Chicks, Sub-adult And Adults

By |March 31st, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Idaho, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

These are the life stages of the Swainson's Hawks I see, observe and photograph here in Utah, Idaho and Montana.

Adult White-faced Ibis In Breeding Plumage

By |March 27th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, White-faced Ibises|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When White-faced Ibis are in breeding plumage it is easy to see how they got their common name, in nonbreeding plumage, not so much.

It’s Nesting Season For Western Marsh-Wrens In Utah

By |March 26th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Nesting Birds, Utah, Western Marsh-Wrens, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

By using a vehicle as a mobile blind I was able to photograph the wrens as they sang, searched for nesting materials, defended their breeding territories and built their nests from a distance.

I Spotted My First Of Season Western Kingbirds Four Days Ago

By |March 25th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Kingbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I was up in Box Elder County, Utah four days ago I spotted my first of season Western Kingbirds chasing each other around in flight near a ranch.

Photographing Birds During Social Distancing Plus Earthquake Aftershocks

By |March 23rd, 2020|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In the event that our governor does force us into a total lock down I have enough images that I haven't shared here on my blog that I could post everyday for a year and still not run out of photos.

Perched Broad-tailed Hummingbird Male

By |March 18th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It won't be long before I hear the buzzing wings, chips and chitters of Broad-tailed Hummingbirds in the mountains of northern Utah and I am very much looking forward to their return.

Memories Of Photographing A Very Cooperative Turkey Vulture

By |March 15th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The memories of photographing this Turkey Vulture that spring morning have made me feel excited because these vultures are heading north now and soon I will have them in my viewfinder again.

Barn Swallows – Soon To Arrive In Northern Utah

By |March 14th, 2020|Categories: Barn Swallows, Birds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Perhaps the next weather front coming from the south will push these Barn Swallows into northern Utah, I know I will be watching for their arrival.

Adult And Immature Loggerhead Shrikes

By |March 10th, 2020|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Loggerhead Shrikes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

If I can find a protective head net that actually works I might just venture back out onto the island after the no-see-ums come out because I miss photographing nesting Loggerhead Shrikes.

Juvenile, Immature And Adult Sage Thrashers

By |March 9th, 2020|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Sage Thrashers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The comparisons I have made between juvenile, immature and adult Sage Thrashers are basic, there are more ways to determine their age but I wanted to keep the comparisons simple.

Song Sparrow Singing On The Marsh At Bear River MBR

By |March 7th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Song Sparrows, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had nice morning light and angled my Jeep so the distant, snowy Promontory Mountains were in the background when I photographed this Song Sparrow singing.

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