raptors

Cooper’s Hawk – Nearly Hidden And In Plain Sight

By |2024-03-17T04:56:08-06:00March 17th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Cooper’s Hawks, Morgan County, Salt Lake County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago, while I was photographing some Rock Squirrels, I saw a beautiful immature Cooper's Hawk fly in and land in a tangle of trees near the squirrels.

Eyes On The Sky – Osprey Migration Is Underway

By |2024-03-15T04:25:46-06:00March 15th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Ospreys, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It is time for me to keep my eyes on the sky because Osprey migration is underway. Online, in the past week, I've seen them being reported in Montana and Idaho.

Female Merlin On International Women’s Day

By |2024-03-08T04:27:58-07:00March 8th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Merlins, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I found and photographed this female Merlin at my local pond last month, and she seemed to be the perfect bird for me to share on International Women's Day.

Great Horned Owl Chick In Coastal Florida

By |2024-03-05T04:03:51-07:00March 5th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Florida, Great Horned Owls, Honeymoon Island State Park, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This image of a Great Horned Owl chick resting near its nest on the coast Florida in lovely afternoon light brings back wonderful memories for me. It was 2008.

Young Bald Eagle On The Road

By |2024-02-17T04:35:58-07:00February 17th, 2024|Categories: Bald Eagles, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This Bald Eagle photo isn't my best image of this species, and that is alright with me. I took the photo five days ago on the auto tour loop at Bear River MBR.

Surprise Merlin Photos – Two Merlins In A Pear Tree

By |2024-02-15T04:48:47-07:00February 15th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Merlins, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was at one of my local ponds yesterday morning when a gorgeous adult female Merlin flew in and landed on a tree not far from where I stood behind my tripod.

Young Red-tailed Hawk Up Close

By |2024-02-10T07:41:25-07:00February 10th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The day I photographed this young Red-tailed Hawk, I took 135 images of the immature raptor in just a little over a minute at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Bald Eagle On A Leaning Post Plus Trees With The Earth Shadow And Belt Of Venus

By |2024-01-31T11:14:06-07:00January 31st, 2024|Categories: Bald Eagles, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I was up at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge yesterday, I photographed a Bald Eagle on a leaning post, plus trees with the Earth Shadow and Belt of Venus.

Rough-legged Hawk On A No Swimming Sign

By |2024-01-24T06:48:09-07:00January 24th, 2024|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While looking for a photo to share this morning I found this immature Rough-legged Hawk on a No Swimming Sign with the snowy Wasatch Mountains in the background.

I Am Missing This Cooperative Rough-legged Hawk

By |2024-01-09T05:58:30-07:00January 9th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Once upon a time, and not so long ago, I could count on seeing this light-morph Rough-legged Hawk at a specific area of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge tour route.

Northern Harrier – My First Raptor of 2024

By |2024-01-07T04:17:38-07:00January 7th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The first raptor I photographed in 2024 was this young male Northern Harrier that I found near the refuge auto tour loop at Bear River MBR on New Year's Day.

Herring Gull In Flight Close Up

By |2024-01-06T04:55:52-07:00January 6th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Golden Eagles, Herring Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Three years ago today, I drove the auto tour loop at Bear River MBR alone. One of the birds I photographed that winter morning was this close-up adult Herring Gull in flight.

Cooper’s Hawk – My Last Bird of 2023

By |2024-01-01T14:41:24-07:00January 1st, 2024|Categories: Birds, Cooper’s Hawks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As the sun was setting on the last day of 2023, the last bird I saw was a neighborhood Cooper's Hawk. I shared that sighting with my neighbor, Shane, and his son, Kadence.

Christmas Day Young Northern Harrier On The Wing

By |2023-12-25T03:28:36-07:00December 25th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On this Christmas morning, I am sharing a photo of a young female Northern Harrier in flight that I took exactly three years ago at Farmington Bay WMA.

Immature Female Northern Harrier

By |2023-12-12T05:20:01-07:00December 12th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Environment, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Habitat, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today I am sharing three photos of an immature female Northern Harrier that I took ten years ago at Farmington Bay WMA.

Frosty Northern Harrier In Utah

By |2023-11-29T04:39:08-07:00November 29th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This photo of a frosty Northern Harrier was taken almost five years ago. Although the harrier is small in the frame, I still find the image visually appealing.

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.

Red-tailed Hawk In Front Of The Wasatch Mountains

By |2023-10-19T04:09:03-06:00October 19th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I took a few long distance photos of this Red-tailed Hawk at Farmington Bay WMA because of the fall colors in the Wasatch Mountains in the background.

Autumn Sharp-shinned Hawk Portraits

By |2023-10-14T05:45:50-06:00October 14th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The last bird I photographed yesterday at Farmington Bay WMA was a surprise Sharp-shinned Hawk that flew in so close I could only take portraits of her or him.

Red-tailed Hawk On A West Desert Weather Station

By |2023-10-19T03:13:49-06:00October 9th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A West Desert weather station wasn't the prettiest perch, but that is where I found this handsome Red-tailed Hawk last week when I went looking for birds.

I Heard Barred Owl Calls Last Night

By |2023-09-07T06:10:03-06:00September 7th, 2023|Categories: Barred Owls, Birds, Oklahoma, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last night, around 9 p.m., I listened to Barred Owl calls. Before Utah birders get excited, I heard those calls courtesy of my niece, Kristal, from Virginia.

International Vulture Awareness Day 2023

By |2023-09-02T05:25:14-06:00September 2nd, 2023|Categories: Birds, Black Vultures, Box Elder County, Oklahoma, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today is International Vulture Awareness Day 2023. I admit to having a soft spot for vultures because they are often misunderstood, and because I tend to stand up for those who have no voice.

Bald Eagle Calling At Dawn

By |2023-08-10T11:47:54-06:00August 10th, 2023|Categories: Bald Eagles, Birds, Oklahoma, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I saw Bald Eagles every time I went to Sequoyah NWR with my friend, Steve Creek. This morning, I am sharing a photo of a Bald Eagle calling from the refuge.

Young Red-shouldered Hawk at Sequoyah NWR

By |2023-07-08T04:56:52-06:00July 8th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Oklahoma, Red-shouldered Hawks, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I photographed this young Red-shouldered Hawk at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge it had been fourteen years since I had this species in my viewfinder.

Spring Caspian Tern Photos Plus A Bonus Osprey Image

By |2023-05-04T04:42:52-06:00May 4th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Caspian Terns, Ospreys, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

At the end of last month, I had the pleasure of taking Caspian Tern photos as these terns were flying and fishing at my local pond.

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