The Evolution Of A Nest Tree Over Three Summers
This lonely fir tree at the east end of Montana’s Centennial Valley has had some interesting history over the last several years.
Category: Diurnal Raptors
Cloning Background Elements – A Slippery Slope
Sooner or later every serious nature photographer must confront the question – How much image alteration during processing is ethically “too much”?
Southwest Montana Kestrels – A Status Update
American Kestrels have long been North America’s most abundant bird of prey but over recent decades their numbers have declined precipitously. For that reason I pay particular notice to kestrel numbers when I return to the same area year after year and because I spend so much time in southwest Montana that region is near the top of my “kestrel watching” areas.
Adult Swainson’s Hawk In Flight
In contrast to my post yesterday of a juvenile Swainson’s Hawk, this bird is an adult. In fact it’s the parent of that juvenile. I seldom post the same species back to back but I thought the comparison might be interesting.
Swainson’s Hawk Face-plant Into Rabbitbrush
Sometimes raptors risk serious injury as they go after prey – especially to their eyes.
Montana Merlin
Earlier his month I had two encounters with a Merlin on consecutive early mornings at almost the same location in the Centennial Valley of Montana. These images were taken the first morning.
Red-tailed Hawk – The Power And Grace Of Take-off
Bird photography isn’t easy and the resulting images are often missing an essential element (or two, or more…) but sometimes I like those shots anyway. Case in point:
Golden Eagle – My #1 Nemesis Bird. The Curse Continues But Twice I Almost Succeeded
This post is all about abject failure and mediocre (at best) images. But it’s also about the incredible excitement of bird photography.
Yet Another Reason For Photographing Raptors When The Sun Is Low
With raptors in particular there’s an additional reason for photographing when the sun is low in the sky – it’s called the brow ridge.
Red-tailed Hawk With Prey
I photographed this juvenile Red-tailed Hawk yesterday morning near Farmington Bay as it prepared to eat a vole it had just caught.
Note: Fair warning – the second photo in this sequence is slightly graphic so sensitive folks may want to avoid scrolling further than the first image.
Swainson’s Hawk In Flight In Low Light
Any bird photographer knows that light and timing have a nasty habit of being uncooperative just when you need that cooperation most.
Bald Eagle Leveling Out After A Steep Dive
Very few Bald Eagles remain in Utah during summer so I almost never see them in that season except on my Montana camping trips.
Juvenile Swainson’s Hawk Take-off
In my experience there’s a huge range in the approachability of juvenile raptors, even among siblings. And overall, Swainson’s Hawks seem to be the most approachable of all. This variability was demonstrated during our trip to Montana’s Centennial Valley last week and once again it made me nervous for the safety of the bird.
Merlin With Prey In Approaching Fog
On our recent Montana trip I spent two morning sessions with a cooperative Merlin at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in the Centennial Valley.
Rough-legged Hawk – Hopefully A Harbinger Of Birds Soon To Come
Rough-legged Hawks are one of the salves that help me get through our cold, dreary winters. When they show up…
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Cloning Background Elements – A Slippery Slope
Sooner or later every serious nature photographer must confront the question – How much image alteration during processing is ethically “too much”?
Southwest Montana Kestrels – A Status Update
American Kestrels have long been North America’s most abundant bird of prey but over recent decades their numbers have declined precipitously. For that reason I pay particular notice to kestrel numbers when I return to the same area year after year and because I spend so much time in southwest Montana that region is near the top of my “kestrel watching” areas.
Adult Swainson’s Hawk In Flight
In contrast to my post yesterday of a juvenile Swainson’s Hawk, this bird is an adult. In fact it’s the parent of that juvenile. I seldom post the same species back to back but I thought the comparison might be interesting.
Swainson’s Hawk Face-plant Into Rabbitbrush
Sometimes raptors risk serious injury as they go after prey – especially to their eyes.
Montana Merlin
Earlier his month I had two encounters with a Merlin on consecutive early mornings at almost the same location in the Centennial Valley of Montana. These images were taken the first morning.
Red-tailed Hawk – The Power And Grace Of Take-off
Bird photography isn’t easy and the resulting images are often missing an essential element (or two, or more…) but sometimes I like those shots anyway. Case in point:
Golden Eagle – My #1 Nemesis Bird. The Curse Continues But Twice I Almost Succeeded
This post is all about abject failure and mediocre (at best) images. But it’s also about the incredible excitement of bird photography.
Yet Another Reason For Photographing Raptors When The Sun Is Low
With raptors in particular there’s an additional reason for photographing when the sun is low in the sky – it’s called the brow ridge.
Red-tailed Hawk With Prey
I photographed this juvenile Red-tailed Hawk yesterday morning near Farmington Bay as it prepared to eat a vole it had just caught.
Note: Fair warning – the second photo in this sequence is slightly graphic so sensitive folks may want to avoid scrolling further than the first image.
Swainson’s Hawk In Flight In Low Light
Any bird photographer knows that light and timing have a nasty habit of being uncooperative just when you need that cooperation most.
Bald Eagle Leveling Out After A Steep Dive
Very few Bald Eagles remain in Utah during summer so I almost never see them in that season except on my Montana camping trips.
Juvenile Swainson’s Hawk Take-off
In my experience there’s a huge range in the approachability of juvenile raptors, even among siblings. And overall, Swainson’s Hawks seem to be the most approachable of all. This variability was demonstrated during our trip to Montana’s Centennial Valley last week and once again it made me nervous for the safety of the bird.
Merlin With Prey In Approaching Fog
On our recent Montana trip I spent two morning sessions with a cooperative Merlin at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in the Centennial Valley.
Rough-legged Hawk – Hopefully A Harbinger Of Birds Soon To Come
Rough-legged Hawks are one of the salves that help me get through our cold, dreary winters. When they show up…