Yesterday, as I drove the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto tour route, I began to hear a most familiar and very welcomed sound, the song of the male red-winged blackbird (video posted below). I don’t know about you but, oh, how I love to hear that soothing melody each and every spring when temperatures […]
It’s Only February But The Red-winged Blackbirds Are Singing Anyways. Read More »
It might seem like an obsession, maybe it is to some degree I suppose, but just like the title suggests I’m going to try and photograph every American kestrel I can get in front of my camera for the foreseeable future, regardless of its location or if it lacks any artistic potential for the image.
I’m Determined To Photograph Every American Kestrel I See And Here’s Why. Read More »
For birdwatchers like you and I, the inevitable swapping of the seasons always induces some kind of change in what species of birds we get to watch and photograph. An example of this relates to the trumpeter swan, a bird never seen here in Utah during the summer months but one that is becoming increasingly
How Fast Can Trumpeter Swans Fly? Read More »
If you follow my Bear River Blogger Facebook Page, and I most certainly hope you do, it will become quite clear I love to photograph sunsets and sunrises on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge almost as much as the variety of birds it supports throughout the year. This is particularly the case when there
What’s The Secret To Photographing Sunsets? Read More »
With regards to birdwatching this time of year there are several species of raptors that migrate to and live on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge during winter that are worth looking out for and one of them, of course, is the merlin. Slightly larger than and sometimes mistaken for an American kestrel but quite
The Merlin Is Arguably The Most Tenacious Of The All The Falcons. Read More »
On a recent early morning photography trip to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto tour route I had a brief encounter with a red-tailed hawk where, surprisingly, it allowed me to take a few photos before the raptor flew off. Red-tailed hawks usually fly away anytime I get within photography distance so it was
Do Hawks Regurgitate Pellets Like Owls? Read More »
There’s an old saying around these parts that simply states if you don’t like the weather in Utah just sit tight, it will soon change. I guess, well, for me, at least, it should be reworded to say if you do like the weather in Utah enjoy it while it lasts because it’s going to
If you’ve ever attempted it you will know the task of photographing butterflies on flowers, in general, can be quite a challenge in its own right but to capture a great image of a butterfly perched on a wildflower on a windy day is, well, what I often refer to from years of experience as
3 Tips For Photographing Butterflies On A Windy Day. Read More »
If there’s a more misunderstood and underappreciated bird than the turkey vulture I certainly don’t know what it would be. Let’s face it, turkey vultures are a little unsightly with their featherless red scalps and dark, drab plumage, and as such they do take on a morbid-like appearance as they stand hunched over a dead
Why Do Turkey Vultures Sit With Their Wings Held Open? Read More »
Birdwatching can be filled with a lot of interesting discoveries if we slow down a bit and look for them, thus giving nature enough time to pull back the curtain and reveal some of its hidden splendor to us. In fact, discovering something new about a particular species of bird is one of the biggest
Do Great Blue Herons Purposely Feed Around Pelicans? Read More »
2024 has certainly been an up-and-down-again kind of summer for birdwatching, at least for me that is. The reason for this is many of my birding trips to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto tour route this year have been kind of, well, sporadic at best, even disappointing on several occasions during the past
With Fall Migration Quickly Approaching, Birdwatching Just Got A Whole Lot Better. Read More »
I don’t know about anybody else but for me there are very, very few, if any actually, scenes anywhere that rival an evening of birdwatching on the Great Salt Lake during a grand sunset for both beauty and tranquility. Consider the following scenario for a moment, if you will, and allow me to paint you
Birdwatching During A Golden Sunset On The Great Salt Lake Never Disappoints. Read More »
It might seem like a brain-scratcher to ponder how a simple 30-minute airboat ride actually helps biologists delve into the lives of thousands of geese for years to come but that is exactly how the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources has been unraveling the mysteries of goose migration and longevity since 1965 when Utah’s Canada
How Biologists Better Understand Canada Geese With The Help Of A 30-Minute Airboat Ride. Read More »
When I left the house early this morning for the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto tour route I’ll admit my mind wasn’t on monarch butterflies, not one bit, as my morning thoughts were fixated on blackbirds, herons, egrets, avocets, pelicans, and all the other birds that have literally been lining the south end of
Despite not feeling 100% yet after fighting the flu all week I somehow talked myself into grabbing a camera and headed for the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto loop this afternoon, a time of day I rarely visit the refuge solely for bird photography purposes mind you. Unfortunately, it wasn’t until early afternoon when
Why Photographing Birds During The Middle Of The Day Isn’t My Preference. Read More »
