Light Morph Swainson’s Hawk – An Athletic Takeoff
Whenever I catch this posture at takeoff I’m always impressed by the physical effort and athletic ability required to become airborne.
Gray Partridges – An Unusual Find For The Centennial Valley
In approximately 25 trips to the Centennial Valley in the past six years I’d never seen Gray Partridges but I found these two birds there two days ago near Lima Reservoir.
Centennial Valley Ferruginous Hawk
Yesterday morning I photographed this handsome Ferruginous Hawk as it was apparently perch-hunting in the Centennial Valley.
A Bird-skunked Day, Saved By A Chance Encounter With Two Old Friends
Due to bad light and shy birds I didn’t get any images yesterday to be proud of but a chance encounter with two old friends more than made up for it. The encounter took place in the wilds of Montana and the old friends are Terry Tempest Williams and her husband Brooke. Terry is a highly acclaimed author, conservationist and activist and both Terry and Brooke have been very active in the environmental movement for decades. I’m sure many of my readers have read some of Terry’s exceptional books and some may be familiar with Brooke’s work with the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance (SUWA). Many years ago I worked with Terry at the Utah Museum of Natural History and through Terry I got to know Brooke but I’ve only seen them once in the past 30+ years so it was pure delight to spend some time with them catching up. We reminisced about old times at the Museum and swapped stories about friends and acquaintences in the environmental movement. Both Terry and Brooke are the epitome of genuine, caring, passionate people and their devotion to environmental issues runs deep. If you’ve read any of Terry’s books it”s “what you see is what you get” – she wears her huge heart on her sleeve and a warm, caring heart it is. And the lady can write! In an effort to avoid setting the precedent of publishing a post without including an image I’ll relate a story about Terry. And me. And a bird. Sometime in the mid-80’s…
Male Yellow Warbler – Sunshine In Aspens
I seldom find a cooperative Yellow Warbler but this beautiful male was an exception.
Montana Beckons Me Once Again
Today I embark on another Montana camping trip but this one’s going to be a little (a lot!) different in a variety of ways.
Juvenile Burrowing Owl – Maturing But Still Awkward And Clumsy
Juvenile Burrowing Owl plumage changes rapidly as they mature, as does their awkwardness. But this one is still amusingly clumsy.
Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk – In Flight And Perched
I’m surprised by how few Red-tailed Hawks I’ve been able to photograph lately but yesterday morning this juvenile gave me a few chances.
Running Coyote Pup – More Legs Than It Knows What To Do With
Canid pups are just plain cute but throw in a bushel of awkward long legs and I think the cuteness is amplified.
Blurry Wing Tips – Is It Shutter Speed Or Depth Of Field?
Bird photographers like to know why certain elements of their images are soft (blurry) when others are not because it helps them to evaluate their settings and technique.