{"id":39213,"date":"2016-05-07T06:00:11","date_gmt":"2016-05-07T12:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=39213"},"modified":"2025-08-28T06:50:25","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T11:50:25","slug":"male-black-necked-stilt-foraging-at-bear-river-mbr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/05\/07\/male-black-necked-stilt-foraging-at-bear-river-mbr\/","title":{"rendered":"Male Black-necked Stilt foraging at Bear River MBR"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MaleMale Black-necked Stilt foraging – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 400, +1.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I went to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge<\/a><\/span> a few days ago to feed the mosquitoes<\/del> photograph birds and saw my photographer friends Sterling Sanders and Larry Muench at the refuge too.<\/p>\n

I had a nice chat before heading out around the auto tour route. I also finally met a long time friend from Nature Photographers Network<\/span><\/a> face to face, Neil Rossmiller and his wife Connie who live here in Utah, and we also had a nice chat.<\/p>\n

I have said this before but I think it warrants saying again… I meet the nicest, most interesting and fascinating people because of my addiction<\/del> passion for bird photography.<\/p>\n

Some I only know via online communications so it is terrific when we can finally met face to face.<\/p>\n

I wasn’t disappointed in the light the other day, the sky was clear and the temps were very comfortable.<\/p>\n

I also wasn’t disappointed in the number and variety of birds I saw including plenty of shorebirds, waterfowl, grebes, pelicans, sparrows, blackbirds, wrens, terns, gulls, cormorants and so much more. I even saw my first Great-tailed Grackle ever at the refuge being chased by some Red-winged Blackbirds.<\/p>\n

The Black-necked Stilts are making their presence known with all of their yipping calls<\/span><\/a>. I missed hearing them during the winter and I am savoring hearing them now at the refuge.<\/p>\n

I saw a stilt acting as if it was already on eggs and took just a few images of it because most of the stilt was obstructed by grasses in front of it which will probably be good to help hide the nest location.<\/p>\n

Then I took a series of images of this male Black-necked Stilt foraging in some very shallow water that showed the red of his eyes and those long, long legs.<\/p>\n

Although I wish I had been closer to the stilt I always appreciate being able to take images from further away that shows the habitat my subject is found in.<\/p>\n

I’m almost certain that later in the season I’ll be able to obtain images where the stilts are closer.<\/p>\n

Not too long after this image was taken; and when I felt I had donated enough blood to the mosquitoes, it was time to head home.<\/p>\n

If I lived closer to Bear River MBR I would probably be there every day to watch and photograph the birds, scenery and wildlife there throughout every season.<\/p>\n

I still try to get there as often as I can. The refuge and all the marshes that surround the Great Salt Lake are a national treasure.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Black-necked Stilt photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n

The 18th Annual Great Salt Lake Bird Festival is May 12-16, 2016<\/span><\/a>. For all the visitors coming to the festival be sure to take a trip out to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. You won’t be disappointed!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I took a series of images of this male Black-necked Stilt foraging in some very shallow water that showed the red of his eyes and those long, long legs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":153619,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[124,27,1463,1148,26],"tags":[1464,4136,4370,1149,274,3951],"class_list":["post-39213","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-black-necked-stilts","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-utah","tag-black-necked-stilt","tag-foraging","tag-himantopus-mexicanus","tag-males","tag-shorebirds-2","tag-stilts"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t