I’m going to just come out and say it, the Ring-billed gull oftentimes gets mislabeled, maybe even maligned a little bit and quite unfairly I might add, as a nuisance bird of sorts and it doesn’t get much, if any at all, love and attention from a sizeable portion of the “non-birding” general public it […]
The Ring-billed Gull Is A Strikingly Beautiful Bird For Sure. Read More »
I don’t know how else to categorize it but it’s sure been an atypical season for my birdwatching excursions this winter on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, to say the least. And from what I can tell, the birdwatching oddities just keep rolling in as if they were now considered to be the new
Photographing Pelicans In The Snow? Yes, Believe It Or Not, That’s Really A Thing. Read More »
My hands are still trying to warm up from the frosty 19-degree Fahrenheit drive I took around the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto tour route this morning but having a flock of tundra swans a mere 50 yards from the roadway was well worth it in my book. It was also worth it since
Yesterday morning as I approached the starting point of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto tour route an interesting thought popped into my head about how I should photograph the refuge on this particular trip around the 12-mile loop. I’ve been going to the refuge year-round for several decades now and sometimes I like
The Beauty Of The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge As Seen Through My Camera Phone. Read More »
If you asked me to describe in two words or less how birdwatching was going this year on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto tour route the only term coming to my mind as I sit here and write would be, well, “consistently inconsistent”, at least from my own experience that is. Now before
I might be the only one with this notion, mind you, but the “dreaded” house sparrow, or so it is labeled by many birders, is what I personally would call a beautifully adorned bird in its own right and deserves at least a little admiration. Maybe not as colorful or flashy as many other birds
Even though yesterday was a perfect setting for bird photography, a morning with no clouds coupled with great light, my birding efforts on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto tour route could only be described as, well, extremely slow at best, something that does happen at times on the refuge during hunting season mind
Three Interesting Facts About Red-winged Blackbirds I Recently Captured With My Camera. Read More »
As I pulled into my driveway late last night and turned off the motor the prevailing silence was quickly broken by a loud, spine-tingling sound coming from the tree branch right above my car, it was the unmistakable and very distinct hoot of a great horned owl. This is not an isolated or rare occurrence
Why Do Great Horned Owls Hoot? Read More »
When it comes to winter birdwatching there is one scene that, for me at least, fits the definition of an anomaly to a “T” and shows just how resilient great blue herons are in a very frigid winter climate. It is also the absolute number one reason why I visit the Bear River Migratory Bird
Here’s Definitive Proof Great Blue Herons Are Very Resilient Creatures. Read More »
During summer and early fall, if you happen to cross paths with me as I’m driving the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge’s famous 12-mile auto tour route there’s a very good chance I’m not just looking for birds, per se, but rather I’m also on the hunt for, well, butterflies. Yep, you read that correctly,
The Google Photos App Is Great For Identifying Butterflies, Too. Read More »
If it seems like both my website and YouTube channel are currently focused on tundra swans at the moment that’s because they most certainly are and for a good reason I might add, tundra swans are just an incredible bird to both watch and photograph. The tundra swan fall migration is in full swing right
There’s an old adage that goes something along the lines of “you never know until you go” and it definitely applies to the past few days of birdwatching on the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Even though it is waterfowl hunting season here in Utah and the refuge auto tour route has been somewhat spotty
I won’t beat around the bush with a long intro here but, well, just fess up and come out and say it already I guess. As hard as it is for me to admit, this year as a whole, with the current fall season as a prime example, has been uncharacteristically spotty at best for
I’ve said it before and I will say it again, learning something new about birds while birdwatching is very rewarding, to say the least. And the only thing better than learning something new about birds is being able to photograph it and share it here on my website, hence the topic of today’s blog post,
Do Great Blue Herons Really Have A Third Eyelid? Read More »
Bald eagles are a definitely winter staple for us birdwatchers who enjoy coming to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge during the months of December through February. Almost daily during the coldest months of the year a few of these iconic raptors can be found on the refuge auto tour route, typically perched out on
A Very Early Bald Eagle Sighting On The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Read More »
