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…
Category: Birds
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.)
Rough-legged Hawk – Topside View, With Prey
It’s pretty unusual to be able to see prey in the talons with a topside view of a hawk in flight.
Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk Still Learning To Hunt
After yet another snowstorm all day yesterday I felt the need to post something this morning with absolutely nothing white in the background. This juvenile Red-tailed Hawk taking off after prey filled the bill.
Northern Harrier On A Mission
Typically Northern Harriers in flight studiously avoid my vehicle but occasionally (very occasionally) one will continue to circle and come in quite close. On the rare occasion when this happens I always wonder why.
The Phantom Pheasant
Yesterday morning I was able to catch a few Ring-necked Pheasants out in the open at Farmington Bay. This shot reminded me that things aren’t always as they appear.
A Different Look At The Alula (bastard wing)
Yesterday morning a Rough-legged Hawk gave me a perspective on the alula that I had never seen (or at least noticed) previously. I was on the verge of deleting these images when at the last second something about the left wing caught my eye.
Rust On Rust – Female American Kestrel
This female American Kestrel has been hanging around the same area of Farmington for almost two weeks now. Yesterday morning we found her near the end of one of her meals.
Several Sparrow Species In Frost And Snow
In my area most sparrow species aren’t easy to approach or catch out in the open for most of the year but when it’s very cold and they decide it’s time to begin their communal morning feeding routine they become much braver souls. Earlier this week I photographed three species of sparrows as they harvested seeds from their frost-covered parent plants.
Male Harrier In Flight On A Four Layered Background
For me the background can sometimes be almost as important as the bird. In this case it’s probably because I identify so personally with what’s back there, even though it’s all out of focus. This place is where I cut my photographic teeth years ago.
Rough-legged Hawk In A Frosty Wonderland
During winter, photography in the valley of the Great Salt Lake can be difficult at best due to frequent inversions that trap fog and smog in the low-lying areas and that especially includes the marshes near the lake. These inversions often last for days or even weeks and the fog and smog get progressively worse each day. But the fortunate result for photographers is the thick hoarfrost that blankets everything in the vicinity of the lake if and when the fog burns off during the day.
A Coot In Pursuit Of A Grebe’s Fish
Although the American Coot is almost exclusively a herbivore it will occasionally make an exception and eat animal matter. They’re also well-known for food thievery (kleptoparasitism) and two days ago this Pied-billed Grebe nearly became one of its victims.
A Two Woodpecker Day And The Temptations Of The Clone Tool
I’ve known for years that extremely cold temperatures can make many birds “stickier” – easier to get close to. Two days ago I learned that this maxim also applies to woodpeckers.
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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.)
Rough-legged Hawk – Topside View, With Prey
It’s pretty unusual to be able to see prey in the talons with a topside view of a hawk in flight.
Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk Still Learning To Hunt
After yet another snowstorm all day yesterday I felt the need to post something this morning with absolutely nothing white in the background. This juvenile Red-tailed Hawk taking off after prey filled the bill.
Northern Harrier On A Mission
Typically Northern Harriers in flight studiously avoid my vehicle but occasionally (very occasionally) one will continue to circle and come in quite close. On the rare occasion when this happens I always wonder why.
The Phantom Pheasant
Yesterday morning I was able to catch a few Ring-necked Pheasants out in the open at Farmington Bay. This shot reminded me that things aren’t always as they appear.
A Different Look At The Alula (bastard wing)
Yesterday morning a Rough-legged Hawk gave me a perspective on the alula that I had never seen (or at least noticed) previously. I was on the verge of deleting these images when at the last second something about the left wing caught my eye.
Rust On Rust – Female American Kestrel
This female American Kestrel has been hanging around the same area of Farmington for almost two weeks now. Yesterday morning we found her near the end of one of her meals.
Several Sparrow Species In Frost And Snow
In my area most sparrow species aren’t easy to approach or catch out in the open for most of the year but when it’s very cold and they decide it’s time to begin their communal morning feeding routine they become much braver souls. Earlier this week I photographed three species of sparrows as they harvested seeds from their frost-covered parent plants.
Male Harrier In Flight On A Four Layered Background
For me the background can sometimes be almost as important as the bird. In this case it’s probably because I identify so personally with what’s back there, even though it’s all out of focus. This place is where I cut my photographic teeth years ago.
Rough-legged Hawk In A Frosty Wonderland
During winter, photography in the valley of the Great Salt Lake can be difficult at best due to frequent inversions that trap fog and smog in the low-lying areas and that especially includes the marshes near the lake. These inversions often last for days or even weeks and the fog and smog get progressively worse each day. But the fortunate result for photographers is the thick hoarfrost that blankets everything in the vicinity of the lake if and when the fog burns off during the day.
A Coot In Pursuit Of A Grebe’s Fish
Although the American Coot is almost exclusively a herbivore it will occasionally make an exception and eat animal matter. They’re also well-known for food thievery (kleptoparasitism) and two days ago this Pied-billed Grebe nearly became one of its victims.
A Two Woodpecker Day And The Temptations Of The Clone Tool
I’ve known for years that extremely cold temperatures can make many birds “stickier” – easier to get close to. Two days ago I learned that this maxim also applies to woodpeckers.