Avian potpourri from here in northern Utah over the last two weeks.
None of these photos is a prize winner but most are reasonably good shots and I think each one is of interest in one way or another. Perhaps their primary strength is as a group, documenting some of the variety of birds I’ve photographed over the last 14 days.
A Green-tailed Towhee singing on territory in typical habitat for the species, thus the jumble of branches all around him.
One of the adult Red-tailed Hawks from ‘nest B’ enjoying some morning sun near the top of a steep slope.
A recently fledged Mountain Bluebird begging for food from its nearby parents. A pretty bird on an ugly perch.
A male Lazuli Bunting feeding on tall grass seeds near a mountain stream.
A calling Gray Catbird. I always enjoy getting a glimpse of their rufous undertail coverts which are usually hidden from view.
A far away Golden Eagle atop a small mountain. Any sighting of a Golden Eagle in wild country makes my day, no matter how distant..
A handsome Mourning Dove on rusty barbed wire. I like the similar tones throughout the image and the graphic lines provided by the wire with the dove diagonal to it.
The ultimate butt shot from a Yellow Warbler to conclude today’s post.
I notice a dearth of shorebirds and waders in this collection. I need to spread my wings and explore some birding spots I haven’t visited for a while.
Ron
Great shots! I find the green -Tailed towhee quite striking and the Warbler an appropriate “ending.”
Beautiful shots!!
Of course the Lazuli is one of my favorites.
Thankfully we have the opportunity to view nature, especially during this pandemic!
Many Thanks for your images and stay safe!
Sensational series Ron! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Charlotte.
I love the focused gaze of the Red-tailed Hawk in the second picture as if it’s saying, “Now this is a morning.”
It’s a good reminder of why outdoors is the place to be!
(Preferably away from the hustle and bustle of the city and cantankerous, short-tempered people.)
Cheered me up, that it did! 🙂
“outdoors is the place to be!”
That’s for darn sure, Amy. This morning reminded me of exactly that, even though ol’ Murphy of Murphy’s Law ruined the two good opportunities I had with birds. It was quiet, peaceful and lovely up there in the mountains, especially compared to the city.
Lovely pictures.
Thanks, Jean.
Oooh. Ahhh.
Which I so often say as I open your page.
If I HAD to choose a favourite it would be the beautiful begger and the butt. Fortunately I don’t and I can (and do) revel in them all.
My sensitive snoz has rarely enjoyed potpourri so much.
EC, I’m far from a fan of the smelly variety of potpourri myself. I can’t think of a single instance where it didn’t annoy me after a very short time and sometimes it annoys me instantly.
But then this is a guy that will immediately walk out of a store containing a customer who has marinated in perfume.
Snap. And there are some stores I cannot enter because of the pong of their wares.
They are all quite wonderful and I thank you for sharing bird potpourri with us today! That little mountain bluebird is adorbs! 😍
Thank you, Chris.
I’m doing my “Birdpourri Happy Dance” right now. I was so taken with the bluebird that I didn’t even notice the perch. Gorgeous Golden! And that butt shot should be captioned “The End.” 😂
Ooh, Birdpourri … wish I’d thought of that! 😉
“I didn’t even notice the perch”
I wish I had your blinders, Marty! First thing I notice is the metal post.
Hi Ron,
No surprise the red tail is my favorite. Such a great lounging position! Very unique shot. The little bluebird also warms my heart and makes me smile. Thank you for sharing 🙂
I like that setting for the red-tail, Kathleen. It’s natural and wild and it’s typical of where I often find them, particularly the nesting ones.
Beautiful art and composition. I love your stuff. Have a great day.
Good. Thanks, Betty.
I love those little downy bums!
🙂
Wonderful potpourri! 🙂 Coffee VERY important for these things. Barbed wire “fits” with the Dove – steel post not so much with the bluebird – they don’t “age well”…… 😉 Warbler “mooned” you well! Such fun with “what is”…….. 🙂
‘they don’t “age well””
They sure don’t, Judy. Even when they’re old and rusty I’m not fond of them in my photos.
So happy to have the beauty you bring this morning………a welcome distraction
to the 5 wildfires raging in southern Utah as I write–all I can think of are the
birds and animals–desert tortoises’ reserve !–threatened. At least the birds
can fly away .
Oh Kris. I am so sorry to read about the fires. Sadly as last summer’s fires here proved birds cannot always out fly the flames. I do hope the fires are dowsed soon.
Kris, last night I saw a video of some folks seemingly trapped on I-15 south of St. George by one of the fires. It looked ominous, even terrifying.
My morning off to a good start thanks to your placement of the Towhee! I never tire of photos of that bird…or RedTails, ,,,or Buntings…or heck all of them. Thanks for the morning pick me up!
When it comes to species you’re easy to please. I like that, Kathy.
Nice collection! It was a pleasure seeing all of them. I do love that Mourning
Dove shot – simple but beautiful.
Thanks, Joanne. Yes, that dove shot is classic simplicity
I was ready to type in my comments and as I finished scrolling through my eyes caught the words “Golden Eagle”. I had to go back and scroll through again because I had not seen a Golden Eagle. Thought maybe Ron was losing it. Sure enough there it was. As I went through fairly quickly I just thought that was another one of the Red-tails. Neat post Ron like them all. Like the Warbler butt shot at the end. Kind of like the British “Up me bum” as was illustrated in the movie Darkest Hour.
Everett, it’s easy to miss stuff so early in the morning, just like the two mistakes I made in my post that I mentioned to Laura below.
Yep – as you said to Laura – coffee is essential and I had not had mine either when I thought the Golden was just another of the Red-tails.
If you like that Britishism, you would probably like Wish You Were Here with Emily Lloyd, where she does an incredible melodic take on “Up your bum!” 🙂
Damn but I needed these beauties this morning! Each image makes MY heart sing, despite that you picked your nits 😉
Of course the intensity of the baby redtail’s gaze, complete with her glorious feathers blending with the lichen, and the golden in her pride of place are my double-throw-down favorites, BUT it’s not like they’re the only highlights here.
I love the way you compose your images, in short the various elements of your artistry. You know when an image is right, when all the factors are there to please the soul. I truly celebrate that artistry every morning and I’m so very grateful to you for sharing it.
And now, I’m going to go back and linger for a while and absorb this magnificence before I have to face the realities of this scary human world.
Thanks very much, Laura. Actually that red-tail is one of the adults from nest B. When I published the post I’d called it a fledgling but I was wrong so I corrected it. Sorry about that.
I also called the bluebird a Western Bluebird instead of a Mountain Bluebird. I caught the mistake soon after I published and fixed it. That’s what happens when I publish that early in the morning without enough coffee down my gullet…
I caught the darker eye color of the redtail, but the dogs woke up and mayhem happened. I forgot to mention that before I hit send. Yeah, the coffee thing, too. Today is garbage day so I’m just now getting to that! I’ll be smarter in a little bit 😉