{"id":5243,"date":"2012-06-24T18:00:49","date_gmt":"2012-06-25T00:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=5243"},"modified":"2025-11-29T15:29:33","modified_gmt":"2025-11-29T21:29:33","slug":"what-utah-birds-do-when-the-heat-is-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/06\/24\/what-utah-birds-do-when-the-heat-is-on\/","title":{"rendered":"What Utah Birds Do When The Heat Is On…"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AdultAdult Chukar with chicks on the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake<\/span><\/p>\n

It is hot, about 98 degrees where I live in Utah right now. It was 82 degrees when I woke up this morning and normally the morning temps are about 20 – 25 degrees cooler than that.<\/p>\n

Despite the high temps and the smell of smoke in the air that has been burning my eyes, I headed out to Antelope Island<\/span><\/a> this morning to see if there were any birds to photograph.<\/p>\n

I still can’t get used to seeing Chukars at the shore of the Great Salt Lake even though I have seen it a few times now. Last week I saw some chicks on the rocks near the marina and it appeared that they were eating brine flies.<\/p>\n

Today this adult Chukar and its chicks were very close to the salty water of the lake when I photographed them.<\/p>\n

These chicks are getting big but I saw some just a few days ago that looked like they had just hatched they were so small.<\/p>\n

I don’t know if the birds think the water of the Great Salt Lake looks refreshing but when the heat is on like today, I sure do!<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult Burrowing Owl getting its balance back<\/span><\/p>\n

This adult Burrowing Owl looks like it is flapping its wings to stay cool since Nature’s AC decided to quit working here in Utah.<\/p>\n

This adult has several chicks but they have kept themselves hidden fairly well. I wonder if they are staying in the cool, dark burrow.<\/p>\n

The Deer Flies were out in force today, even just stepping outside of the vehicle caused them to swarm around and bite me.<\/p>\n

Nasty bugs!<\/em> I wasn’t bothered by the biting gnats (no-see-ums), perhaps the heat has cooked their tiny blood-sucking brains and they have all expired for this season.<\/p>\n

I guess it is easy to tell I really do not like them.<\/p>\n

I’ve been pretty tired lately which is probably because of getting up BEFORE o’dark hundred hours to get to shooting locations before the sun\u00a0rises at one minute after o’dark hundred.<\/p>\n

I even cursed at my cell phone alarm this morning. There are more hours of daylight right now than the rest of the year so why do I still feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day?<\/p>\n

I’ve been working on a long post which will be published tomorrow morning.<\/p>\n

A news article\u00a0I read last week made me feel like I was sitting on a pile of\u00a0sand spurs so I decided to voice my opinion.<\/p>\n

I probably won’t win any popularity contest because of my opinions\u00a0about the topic but I sure felt good writing it.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span> to see more of my bird photos in their galleries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I don’t know if the birds think the water of the Great Salt Lake looks refreshing but when the heat is on like today, I sure do!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":165094,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[511,27,52,442,26],"tags":[4146,55,4021,4214,445,4005,4212,1655,3967,294,2817,4057,4891,401,3996],"class_list":["post-5243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-burrowing-owls","category-chukars","category-utah","tag-alectoris-chukar","tag-athene-cunicularia","tag-bird-photography","tag-burrowing-owl","tag-chukar","tag-great-salt-lake","tag-heat","tag-hot","tag-owl","tag-owls","tag-sage","tag-sagebrush","tag-shore","tag-upland-game-birds","tag-water"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/chukar-chicks-lake-mia-mcpherson-9881.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-1mz","jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":14944,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/05\/13\/monday-mornings-medley-of-birds-on-antelope-island\/","url_meta":{"origin":5243,"position":0},"title":"Monday Mornings Medley of Birds on Antelope Island","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 13, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Western Kingbird After several days of not being able to photograph birds because of bad weather I was pleasantly surprised to have a medley of birds to photograph on Antelope Island Monday.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Juvenile Horned Lark, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/horned-lark-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-3260.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/horned-lark-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-3260.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/horned-lark-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-3260.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/horned-lark-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-3260.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":15267,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/06\/24\/adult-burrowing-owl-and-the-great-salt-lake\/","url_meta":{"origin":5243,"position":1},"title":"Adult Burrowing Owl and the Great Salt Lake","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 24, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Burrowing Owls are one of my favorite subjects to photograph and to get one perched with the Great Salt Lake in the background was wonderful.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Burrowing Owl and the Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/burrowing-owl-adult-great-salt-lake-mia-mcpherson-4928.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/burrowing-owl-adult-great-salt-lake-mia-mcpherson-4928.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/burrowing-owl-adult-great-salt-lake-mia-mcpherson-4928.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/burrowing-owl-adult-great-salt-lake-mia-mcpherson-4928.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":98321,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/12\/20\/aba-bird-of-the-year-2022-the-burrowing-owl\/","url_meta":{"origin":5243,"position":2},"title":"ABA Bird Of The Year 2022 – The Burrowing Owl!","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 20, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"It was announced yesterday that the Burrowing Owl is the 2022 ABA Bird of the Year! Burrowing Owls are small, long-legged, sandy-colored, charismatic owls with bright yellow eyes.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Burrowing Owl on a stump in soft morning light, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/burrowing-owl-immature-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-7693.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/burrowing-owl-immature-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-7693.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/burrowing-owl-immature-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-7693.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/burrowing-owl-immature-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-7693.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8842,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/07\/10\/four-wonderful-years-in-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":5243,"position":3},"title":"Four Wonderful Years In Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 10, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Four years ago today I woke up in Grand Island, Nebraska and drove west to arrive in Salt Lake City, Utah with my possessions in a U-Haul trailer.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Burrowing Owl juvenile on the Antelope Island causeway, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-antelope-mia-mcpherson-0621.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-antelope-mia-mcpherson-0621.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-juvenile-antelope-mia-mcpherson-0621.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4138,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/01\/25\/wild-and-wonderful-antelope-island-state-park-the-birds\/","url_meta":{"origin":5243,"position":4},"title":"Wild and Wonderful – Antelope Island State Park – The Birds","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"January 25, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"This is the third post in my series about Wild and Wonderful Antelope Island State Park, I've saved the best (and longest) for last. 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Okay, maybe they aren't the best thing about Antelope Island State Park, but I am a bird photographer and they are what I am\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "American Barn Owls"","block_context":{"text":"American Barn Owls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/owls\/barn-owls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) adult, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah\u00a0","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-horned-owl-mia-mcpherson-8256.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-horned-owl-mia-mcpherson-8256.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-horned-owl-mia-mcpherson-8256.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/great-horned-owl-mia-mcpherson-8256.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4744,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/04\/06\/burrowing-owls-friday-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":5243,"position":5},"title":"Burrowing Owls – Friday Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 6, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"I've selected a few Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) images taken a few years ago to post today.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Burrowing Owl adult near mudflats of the Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-adult-mia-mcpherson-0343.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-adult-mia-mcpherson-0343.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-adult-mia-mcpherson-0343.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/burrowing-owl-adult-mia-mcpherson-0343.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5243","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5243"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5243\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/165094"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}