For years managers at Farmington Bay WMA have killed carp as a management tool. The dead fish bring in hundreds of Bald Eagles but this year, because of the West Nile Virus outbreak in the eagle population, managers had to decide whether or not to proceed with the fish kill. That decision has been made.
Yesterday morning I had a great time photographing an adult Red-tailed Hawk in northern Utah County as it hunted rodents from power poles. The experience was both rewarding and frustrating as I’ll explain.
Harriers have been a common subject for me over the years so I don’t often notice something new about them. Recently I did and the following three photos illustrate my point.
It’s become our tradition to spend New Year’s Day in northern Box Elder County looking for raptors. Just over two weeks ago this adult Red-tail gave me a good look at the entirety of its visible plumage.
Whenever I see an injured bird my heart sinks and for some illogical reason my angst is even greater when it’s a raptor. For that reason I was very curious about something about this hawk that I first noticed through my lens.
I’ve said before that plain sky backgrounds in flight shots aren’t my preference. But habitat in the background provides its own challenges for the photographer.
A Bald Eagle in my own suburban yard in the middle of a big city – yesterday it happened once again! But my delight was tempered by something ominous.
A recent experience taught me that photographers (and other artists) don’t necessarily have to accept outrageous contract stipulations from “publishers” or lose the deal. There’s another page in that playbook.
Yesterday’s post of the Barn Owl with a mouse (instead of a vole) reminded me of this American Kestrel with another mouse, also at Farmington WMA. I’m wondering if mice have now largely replaced microtine voles at Farmington and if that’s not a harbinger of even worse things to come..
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
