{"id":46855,"date":"2017-05-19T05:27:56","date_gmt":"2017-05-19T11:27:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=46855"},"modified":"2026-04-11T13:57:51","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T18:57:51","slug":"yellow-bellied-marmot-pups-in-northern-utah","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/05\/19\/yellow-bellied-marmot-pups-in-northern-utah\/","title":{"rendered":"Yellow-bellied Marmot Pups in Northern Utah"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Yellow-belliedYellow-bellied Marmot pup nibbling on greens – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/400, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I have been very successful spotting Yellow-bellied Marmots and their pups the past few weeks in northern Utah and it has been a delight for me to photograph and observe them. Not only have I found them but I have found them in decent light which I hadn’t done prior to this year, my only other opportunities with marmot pups have been when the lighting conditions have been horrible.<\/p>\n

\"CloudsClouds over the Promontory Mountain Range \u2013 Nikon D810, f11, 1\/640, ISO 320, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18 mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I know that sometimes I complain about the light and cloudy conditions I encounter in the field and those can be a problem when photographing birds but there are times when having diffused light helps when I am photographing birds or wildlife against light colored rock surfaces because it helps with the bright highlighted areas on the rocks.<\/p>\n

\"Yellow-belliedYellow-bellied Marmot pup climbing down a rock face – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

If it had been really bright and sunny the day I photographed this Yellow-bellied Marmot pup climbing down the rock face. The lightest areas of the rocks would have been very bright, blown out and featureless but the diffused light I had actually helped my exposure of the marmot pup and the rocks.<\/p>\n

\"ViewView of the clouds above the Promontory Mountain Range \u2013 Nikon D810, f9, 1\/640, ISO 320, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18 mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I wanted to include a couple of photos of the type of rocky areas where I look for marmots because the combination of rocks and nearby grasses is the kind of habitat the marmots prefer.<\/p>\n

Of course I am also looking for birds in the same areas so my eyes quickly scan the rocks, grasses, bushes and the sky. At times just a tiny bit of movement catches my eye and I find birds or wildlife. That works great for me and anyone who might be with me.<\/p>\n

\"Yellow-belliedYellow-bellied Marmot pup at an opening in the rocks – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/640, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I adore these Yellow-bellied Marmots and their pups and I am enjoying being able to photograph them this year.<\/p>\n

I wanted to mention that today is Endangered Species Day<\/span><\/a> around the world and although Yellow-bellied Marmots are not endangered now in the future they could be because of climate change. We are all<\/em> at risk if we don’t take action on climate change now.<\/p>\n