Occasionally I post a diverse selection of recent bird photos that may not merit standalone status on my blog but I think they still deserve to be seen, if for no other reason than to represent the types of birds I’ve been photographing lately. Each of the following nine photos was taken in various locations around northern Utah in the last two weeks.
Several of them were taken on a cold morning when I was having trouble with heat waves interfering with sharp focus so they’re slightly soft, but I still like them well enough to include in a post like this one.
The first adult male Common Goldeneye I’ve been able to get decent photos of this season. He was shy and wouldn’t come in very close but it was sure good to get him in my viewfinder. Capturing some of the green iridescence on his head was a bonus.
A Northern Harrier performing a wing and tail stretch. Notice how the bird has rotated its fully flared tail almost 90° to its left. That early morning stretch must have felt good.
An unusually cooperative male Redhead.
He felt comfortable enough with me close that he spent some time preening. I like the ‘reversed question mark’ shape of his head and neck. This is the only shot I got like this where his eye was open.
An intimate look at some of his preening activities.
A fishing Great Blue Heron that barely moved in all the time I spent with it. Much of the background is busy but I like the lighting and the somewhat unusual fishing perch.
A Golden Eagle that, along with a gang of magpies, had been feeding on a carcass of some kind that I couldn’t see well enough to ID. This is one of the photos that’s a little soft, but it’s a Golden Eagle and you know me and Goldens.
The same Golden, a few minutes earlier and immediately after it landed on this lichen-encrusted rock. At least this photo is a little sharper than the previous one.
A messy-billed Black-billed Magpie on sagebrush. I believe this bird had been feeding on a nearby road-killed young coyote, so that stuff on its bill is probably coyote bits. I took a cell phone photo of the dead coyote, taken on a previous visit to the area. Even though the photo isn’t gory, I’ll spare you the sadness.
So there you have it, a fairly representative grouping of the birds I’ve been photographing lately. With everything going on in my life in recent weeks that interfered with bird photography, I’m pleasantly surprised that I have as much variety as I do.
Now, if our weather would only improve for a few days…
Ron
Nice! Really like the Northern Harrier……. 🙂 Of course, Golden’s are always welcome as is the Great Blue Heron.
Grey Crowned Rosy Finches are back and a couple of medium sized hawks have taken notice……. 😉
+7 this morning and roads are SLICK!
I’d take notice too.
It’s cold here too, Judy – but not that cold. Thanks.
All outstanding Ron, but like the Harrier’s one leg stance the best.
I think your weather is working its way here.
Thanks, Everett. Thankfully, we have a window of good weather and light this morning, though it wasn’t forecast until last night.
Always enjoy these bird photo mixes.
First thing that caught my eye was that green iridescence on that Common Goldeneye.
That’s quite the extreme stretch that Northern Harrier is doing.
One-legged at that. Northern Harrier morning yoga?
Like that third Redhead photo – the way he is reflected in the rippled water.
Thanks, Michael. More often than not, all I get on those Goldeneye heads is black.