{"id":121645,"date":"2024-02-20T05:18:38","date_gmt":"2024-02-20T12:18:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=121645"},"modified":"2024-02-20T10:36:59","modified_gmt":"2024-02-20T17:36:59","slug":"black-billed-magpie-with-nesting-materials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/02\/20\/black-billed-magpie-with-nesting-materials\/","title":{"rendered":"Black-billed Magpie With Nesting Materials"},"content":{"rendered":"

It was my first full spring in Utah, nearly 14 years ago, when my keen eyes were used to find my first Black-billed Magpie nest on Antelope Island State Park. That nest lasted for several years.<\/p>\n

\"Black-billedBlack-billed Magpie in flight with nesting material for its nest \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/3200, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

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I took thousands of photographs of these noisy<\/span><\/a>, black-and-white birds as they worked on their nest from one year to the next.<\/p>\n

When the light angle was right, I could catch the gorgeous green and blue iridescence of their wing and tail feathers shimmering in the morning light. Sometimes, I could even capture the blue water of the Great Salt Lake in the background.<\/p>\n

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Year after year, I kept hoping to be at that nest when the young Black-billed Magpies fledged. Every year, I was disappointed.<\/p>\n

But I had so much fun photographing the adults that it really wasn’t a big thing. Black-billed Magpies take about 30 to 40 days to rebuild, reinforce, or construct their nests, which meant plenty of time for me to take photos of the adults.<\/p>\n

I photographed them on sunny days, dull days, and the morning after snow had fallen on the island. I even froze my fingers. These birds start building their domed nests before winter is even over.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

By the time the first nest I found started to collapse in the greasewood from its own weight I had located other Black-billed Magpie nests on the island. It was marvelous fun to photograph all of the magpies no matter where the nests were.<\/p>\n

I haven’t photographed Black-billed Magpies<\/span><\/a> at a nest in several years. Oh, how I miss that fun.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

This Black-billed Magpie was photographed at a different nest on the island in March of 2018.<\/p>\n

Ethics on photographing nesting birds:<\/strong><\/p>\n