Great Blue Heron On Ice
Around here life is tough on our herons when temperatures turn frigid. Finding open water for fishing is almost impossible and nights are long and difficult to survive without much food in the belly
Category: Birds
Male Northern Harrier In Flight
Male Northern Harriers in flight have always been one of my favorite subjects. Throw in a menacing stare from those lemon-yellow eyes and you have every chance for an image that holds your attention.
Some Very Odd-looking Pheasants
Ring-necked Pheasants are relatively common in my area and I normally see very little variation in plumage color in them – males look like males, females look like females and that’s about it. But twice I’ve photographed some very strange-looking birds.
A New Beginning – Ferruginous Hawk Chicks
It’s only January 1 and I’m already becoming weary of snow, cold, bleak landscapes and the dirty air of winter inversions. So I choose to welcome the New Year with a touch of Spring – Ferruginous Hawk chicks on the nest.
We Finally Know Why Utah’s Bald Eagles are Dying
I promised to keep you posted about any developments on this front.
Barn Owl Facial Disc Manipulation And The Colors Beneath It
During my recent encounter with this male Barn Owl I noticed something I’d never seen or even thought of before – manipulation of the facial disc that changes its shape and alters what we can see on the face of the bird.
Bald Eagle Flaring For A Landing (+ an update on Utah’s dying eagles)
I drifted to sleep last night thinking about Bald Eagles, their majesty and their recent vulnerability. It’s almost “the season” for them in Utah and there’s a new threat on the horizon so I knew this mornings post would be about them.
Red-tailed Hawk In Difficult Shooting Conditions
I’m of the opinion that nature photographers should occasionally test the limits of their gear and their skills. For me, attempting to photograph this hawk in flight in these conditions did just that.
Male American Kestrel In A Pastel Setting
I haven’t been able to get close to many male American Kestrels recently but at least I’m seeing a few of them now. They were alarmingly scarce all summer.
Barn Owl On A Snowy Slope
Earlier this week I spent 59 minutes with this Barn Owl (a male I believe). This is early in the encounter when he was still getting used to me.
Red-tailed Hawk Sucker-punched By A Kestrel
Yesterday I photographed an attack by an American Kestrel on an adult Red-tailed Hawk. What made it unusual was the fact that the hawk didn’t see the kestrel coming, so its reaction to being thumped on the head was, well… amusing.
Friends
I’m normally not one to wax sentimental. I do have those feelings of course but I don’t often express them. Not nearly as often as I should. The Christmas season gives me an excuse…
A Barn Owl Hunting And A Delightful Surprise When I Arrived Home
Yesterday was chock full of avian surprises!
It was overcast and gloomy the entire day, the kind of day we normally stay home, but in an effort to relieve cabin fever we finally broke down and left for Farmington at midday. While there we didn’t see many birds and almost left for home after one tour of the area but at the last minute decided to do another. That’s when this cooperative Barn Owl came into play.
The Menacing Talons Of A Prairie Falcon
The formidable talons of the larger falcons always impress me and this female Prairie Falcon gave me a good look at her scythe-like weapons. From the size of her hugely bulging crop it’s obvious that they serve her well.
A Resourceful Kestrel And An Unfortunate Pipit In The Snow
Nine days ago at Farmington Bay the weather and the light were uncooperative but this female American Kestrel more than made up for it.
(Note: I needed twelve images to tell this story so don’t be surprised if this post takes longer than usual to load.)
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Male Northern Harrier In Flight
Male Northern Harriers in flight have always been one of my favorite subjects. Throw in a menacing stare from those lemon-yellow eyes and you have every chance for an image that holds your attention.
Some Very Odd-looking Pheasants
Ring-necked Pheasants are relatively common in my area and I normally see very little variation in plumage color in them – males look like males, females look like females and that’s about it. But twice I’ve photographed some very strange-looking birds.
A New Beginning – Ferruginous Hawk Chicks
It’s only January 1 and I’m already becoming weary of snow, cold, bleak landscapes and the dirty air of winter inversions. So I choose to welcome the New Year with a touch of Spring – Ferruginous Hawk chicks on the nest.
We Finally Know Why Utah’s Bald Eagles are Dying
I promised to keep you posted about any developments on this front.
Barn Owl Facial Disc Manipulation And The Colors Beneath It
During my recent encounter with this male Barn Owl I noticed something I’d never seen or even thought of before – manipulation of the facial disc that changes its shape and alters what we can see on the face of the bird.
Bald Eagle Flaring For A Landing (+ an update on Utah’s dying eagles)
I drifted to sleep last night thinking about Bald Eagles, their majesty and their recent vulnerability. It’s almost “the season” for them in Utah and there’s a new threat on the horizon so I knew this mornings post would be about them.
Red-tailed Hawk In Difficult Shooting Conditions
I’m of the opinion that nature photographers should occasionally test the limits of their gear and their skills. For me, attempting to photograph this hawk in flight in these conditions did just that.
Male American Kestrel In A Pastel Setting
I haven’t been able to get close to many male American Kestrels recently but at least I’m seeing a few of them now. They were alarmingly scarce all summer.
Barn Owl On A Snowy Slope
Earlier this week I spent 59 minutes with this Barn Owl (a male I believe). This is early in the encounter when he was still getting used to me.
Red-tailed Hawk Sucker-punched By A Kestrel
Yesterday I photographed an attack by an American Kestrel on an adult Red-tailed Hawk. What made it unusual was the fact that the hawk didn’t see the kestrel coming, so its reaction to being thumped on the head was, well… amusing.
Friends
I’m normally not one to wax sentimental. I do have those feelings of course but I don’t often express them. Not nearly as often as I should. The Christmas season gives me an excuse…
A Barn Owl Hunting And A Delightful Surprise When I Arrived Home
Yesterday was chock full of avian surprises!
It was overcast and gloomy the entire day, the kind of day we normally stay home, but in an effort to relieve cabin fever we finally broke down and left for Farmington at midday. While there we didn’t see many birds and almost left for home after one tour of the area but at the last minute decided to do another. That’s when this cooperative Barn Owl came into play.
The Menacing Talons Of A Prairie Falcon
The formidable talons of the larger falcons always impress me and this female Prairie Falcon gave me a good look at her scythe-like weapons. From the size of her hugely bulging crop it’s obvious that they serve her well.
A Resourceful Kestrel And An Unfortunate Pipit In The Snow
Nine days ago at Farmington Bay the weather and the light were uncooperative but this female American Kestrel more than made up for it.
(Note: I needed twelve images to tell this story so don’t be surprised if this post takes longer than usual to load.)