December 19, 2012
CREEKSIDE PARK, HOLLADAY, UT.
Looking for Yellow-Shafted Flickers again today, I had a chance meeting with Steve Carr, who asked me the location of my first Yellow-Shafted, 2 days earlier. I told him it was about where we were standing.
Moments later, he exclaimed there was a Yellow-Shafted flicker in flight in front of us. I saw it as it landed and captured some diagnostic images.
Another image showing the red crest, and a bit of yellow
Also, today, Dec. 19, I happened onto
15 Evening Grosbeaks
across the street from Creekside, in Big Cottonwood Park; and this time I had blue sky (and sub-freezing temps!)
December 17, 2012
A Yellow-Shafted Northern Flicker Male!
Creekside Park, Holladay, UT.
Below: a common Red-Shafted Northern Flicker Male from today for comparison!
Here is a Red-Shafted X Yellow-Shafted
Intergrade male I discovered today at the same location!
Here is the Northern Yellow-Shafted Flicker!
Again...
Another view showing the "yellow shaft" coloration
This view shows: red neck stripe; black malar; yellow 'shaft'
The Flicker went to ground here:
Its beak is coated with mud here, due to it foraging in the grass.
This image shows one side of the red neck stripe...
And this image shows the neck stripe in its entirety
My 2nd Bohemian Waxwing, also from Creekside Park
December 15, 2012
Catching up with images from Big Cottonwood/Creekside Parks:
I'll begin with this female Downy Woodpecker, to complement the male seen further below
Brown Creeper (thanks, Jeff!)
Again, Brown Creeper
in more detail
Screech Owl, being mobbed by Black-capped Chickadees!
Again...
And a 3rd image of the diminutive Western Screech Owl.
Adult Cooper's Hawk
After Jeff Cooper left, I discovered Evening Grosbeaks again, this time
at Big Cottonwood Park
Since I have so many other Evening Grosbeak images, I included this one for its novel "pose"!
"Rock Doves" are apparently fond of Russian Olives also...
I tried to locate other Bohemian Waxwings to no avail... only Cedar Waxwings were to be seen.
Northern Red-shafted Flickers here, with the one on the left being an intergrade!
Expanded image of the intergrade, (the 7th one in 12 months!)
(Red-shafted X Yellow-shafted hybrid,
distinguished by the red stripe on its neck)
The resident American Kestrel at Big Cottonwood Park...
And, a handsome Juvenile Cooper's hawk who emerged from a small tree on the pond, and posed on the deck/fence!
With this image, the bird bade me adieu...
topping off a memorable day with Jeff Cooper.
See Jeff's rendition of the day BY CLICKING HERE
December 11, 2012
Big Cottonwood Park, Holladay, UT.
had its own share of Evening Grosbeaks and other fun birds...
Male Evening Grosbeak
Female Evening Grosbeak
Downy Woodpecker
Song Sparrow...
American Goldfinch, winter plumage...
Tons of Juncos
Dark Eyed...
Another...
My 6th Red X Yellow Shafted Northern Flicker intergrade in 12 months!
I can't pass up photographing American Kestrels!
The Bohemian Waxwing below was also discovered and photographed at Big Cottonwood Park during this time
My first Bohemian Waxwing image!
Dec. 9, 2012
Talk about a needle in a haystack... trying to ferret out a Bohemian from literally hundreds of Cedar Waxwings...
Same Bohemian Waxwing...
Compare this Cedar Waxwing,
photographed moments before...
DECEMBER 9, 2012 UPDATE ON GROSBEAKS,
NEW IMAGES... CLICK (HERE!)
Creekside Park, Holladay, UT.
They were foraging on Russian Olives...
January 25, 2013
Foul Air, Fog, Ice keep me inside these days!
This gives me a moment to say to Big Cottonwood/Creekside patrons who read my site, are usually curious, but not savvy about birds:
Below are some very common birds seen at this time of year, starting with
a Song Sparrow,
puffed up against sub-freezing temps.
House Sparrow,
its bright colors contrasting against the cold winter sky
Yellow-rumped Warbler,
who decided to overwinter here.
Spotted Towhee,
a bird common year around, stays hidden in the underbrush.
An adult White-crowned Sparrow...
Contrasted against this Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow!
January 15, 2013
Single Digit Temperatures Dampen Bird Activities
Robins cluster at a tiny patch of open water, moving slowly while drinking
In spite of the extreme cold, even Song sparrows must drink
Mourning Doves that decided to overwinter here, tolerate me being close while taking my walk in the calm, extremely cold evening
Among the more active birds is the Yellow-Rumped warbler
Russian olives constitute their diets this day
The lovely Cedar Waxwings were also flitting about...
Searching for a Bohemian among them was fruitless this evening
DECEMBER 28, 2012
What does a snowy day offer a die-hard photographer?
Common, but fun birds!
A Song Sparrow
Another song sparrow...
An American Kestrel...
But the most fun, and colorful of all...
A willing Spotted Towhee.
Shifting position with a little wing-power
Lots of fine detail here...
A side view ends the sequence.
DECEMBER 27, 2012
Where to look for birds during January Freeze...?
With ponds, and standing water freezing up, waterfowl concentrate on the
Jordan River!
Near Sandy Pond...
a Great Blue Heron almost close enough to touch, standing in the thicket
between the walkway and the stream
Approaching from a different direction provided me with this classic shot
As I journeyed along the miles of walkway, the bird graced me with a
"fly-by"
American Wigeon pair...
Wigeons are well represented on the river in this area (approximately 100th South)
An area to hone skills photographing BIF (birds in flight)
Against a 'bald sky'...
into the Sun...
A tiny female Bufflehead, with an American Coot for size comparison
Drake Pintail in full breeding colors
And a flyover Sharpshinned hawk to top off the day.
December 27, 2012
A BIT OF BIRD HUMOR!
I, for one, tend to 'anthropomorphize' bird behavior...
Case in point:
Recently at Creekside Park, Holladay Ut.,
a Robin and a Cedar Waxwing decided to bathe together, in a puddle created by melting snow.
I imagined I heard the following conversation:
"OK, on the count of three...
ONE!
TWO!
THREE!
BRRRRR!!"
\
NOVEMBER 17, 2012
A week after discovery of a Trumpeter swan, on Nov. 14, the
Antelope Island Causeway did not disappoint!
Large concentrations of various waterfowl featured: lower left... Scaup;
upper right... Surf Scoter
A female White-winged Scoter provided a closeup...
Here both wings are seen to display the white coloration on the Scoter
A lone Franklin gull is amidst a flock of Bonaparte's gulls
The presence of a Northern Harrier causes an eruption of birds into flight.
I was pleased with these 2 images of the Harrier
This frame features 9 of the 25 Western Grebes found at the 2nd bridge.
From an artist's point of view, groups of 3 and 5 are desirable.
Here are 3, up closer.
Common Goldeneyes are, ... common!
Barrow's Goldeneyes... not as common.
Here is a humorous positioning of a male Barrow's head, I've not seen
this very often...
Elsewhere on the Island, Rock wrens were seen puffed-up against the cold.
Each visit to the Island provides opportunities for the American Kestrel
The Loggerhead Shrike is ubiquitous year 'round
Another postion...
And a 3rd...
(I have yet to photograph a Northern Shrike!)
I've stopped photographing Bison; but this guy standing on a ridge got
my attention...
As did the 2 Snow geese (one adult; one juvenile)
This trio looks like a vaudeville act!!
November 9, 2012
A Trumpeter Swan was Discovered by "Deedee"
at the Antelope Island Causeway!
Yesterday Deedee and I exchanged rare bird info after accidentally meeting at the 2nd bridge on the AIC: I pointed out the Harlequin duck; she pointed northwest and brought to my attention a SWAN that she had discovered earlier, saying she thought it was a Trumpeter.
I got into my car and was able to photograph the bird from my vehicle.
UPDATE: UNIVERSAL CONSENSUS...TRUMPETER!
The same journey to Antelope Island provided images of a
"Dark-Morph" adult male Rough-legged Hawk...
November 6, 2012
Jensen Pond, Syracuse UT.,
and
Antelope Island Causeway
Common Loon, non-breeding plumage, Jensen Pond
another view
Contrast the above non-breeding plumage with breeding plumage seen in April, below:
another view of breeding plumage Common Loon
Cool little Juvenile Ring-Billed Gull, Jensen Pond
Reliable Female Harlequin,
Antelope Island Causeway
Red-Breasted Merganser, AIC
Merganser in flight, backlit, unfortunately!
November 6, 2012
A brief walk in Crestwood produced 2 fun birds:
A vocalizing Spotted Towhee...
and a colorful Western Scrub Jay
Also at Crestwood park I photographed another
Northern Flicker INTERGRADE.
Ironically this bird was located at the exact same tree that I photographed an identical intergrade on December 15, 2011!
From today...
(notice the red stripe on back of neck)
From December 2011:
A third Intergrade from Crestwood, in March, 2012
November 4, 2012
Late Autumn Colors
at
Big Cottonwood Park, Holladay, UT.
another view...
On a cloudy day, another Cooper's Hawk (an adult bird)
appeared there...
On the same day, two Northern Flickers created a lovely scene
while feasting of Russian Olive Fruit.
On a subsequent sunny day, I finally had access
to a cooperative Marsh Wren!
The Wren began vocalizing here...
Alternative 'poses'...
November 1, 2012
A rare bird for Utah, a Red-Necked Grebe (left) along with a more common Horned Grebe (right) for comparison, photographed October 30, at
Lee Kay Ponds, Salt Lake County, UT.
Note:
These ponds are a bit of nightmare for photography, since the birds are most always backlit due to access.
October 30, 2012
What a difference 10 days can make when a drake Pintail is resuming his
"Breeding Plumage" at the
Kennecott Nature Center pond, Murray/Jordan River Parkway, UT.
Compare this image (same bird) 10 days earlier!!!
October 29, 2012
A Repeat Performance with a Cooper's Hawk at Big Cottonwood Park,
Holladay, Ut.
Approximately once a week, I encounter the same bird, on the same perch, at the same time (evening)...
This evening the bird provided me both back and frontal positions
October 28, 2012
A Welcome Sight...
An apparent female Harlequin duck (reported by Terry Sadler),
has shown up at the bridge closest to the island on
the Antelope Island Causeway!
More images of the new Harlequin duck...
October 25, 2012
The white Mallard drake's back at Big Cottonwood Park pond after a loooooong hiatus!
October 24, 2012
I didn't have to venture far for the following images...
Only to the edge of my back porch!
Odd Bedfellows, for sure!
An American Kestrel often perches atop the pine tree next door; but when
it was greeted by a Black-billed Magpie, it was time for the camera!
It was fun to watch when they decided to make eye contact!
October 20, 2012
A brief visit to Big Cottonwood Park purchased me my first "Marsh Wren"!
This bird was very likely the most difficult target I've ever encountered!
The shooting session was over in a matter of seconds!
With the world's largest lighting diffuser (clouds!), I couldn't pass up this Northern Flicker although there are many others on this page already!
October 19, 2012
A stroll along the Murray/Jordan River Parkway is always worthwhile...
The drake Pintail is still molting; and his speculum is getting flashier than ever...
A real prize for me was this handsome Redtailed Hawk!
Such a spectacular sight!!
October 16, 2012
An evening stroll in Big Cottonwood Park yielded me this fine
Cooper's Hawk, bathed in evening sunlight
October 12, 2012
A visit to Big Cottonwood Park in Holladay, UT.
produced this Virginia Rail!
I had photographed them in May; but I assumed they had left the area!
Yesterday, Oct. 11
Same location, May 18, this year:
Before we leave the Virginia Rails,
notice again, the intense blue coloration of the bird's head and shaded surroundings!
This is the result of blue (cyan) skylight reflecting from the sky into the shaded areas.
Now roll your cursor over the image and notice its appearance after
I intentionally 'adjusted' the color!
Which is "Best"?! Which is Accurate?!
What I "saw" is the 'before' image!
"Territorial Behavior of American Avocets"
seen (HERE) at my Blog!
Oct. 7, 2012
A Visit to Murray/Jordan River Parkway...
It's been a while,
and
I discovered
5 Greater Yellowlegs
on the pond at
the Kennecott Nature Center (1st time seeing this species there!)
4 of the 5 Greater Yellowlegs
I'm quite sure these are Greater Yellowlegs, since I matched up their calls with
my iPod app for 'Greater Yellowlegs'.
Also, notice the slight upturn on this bird's beak.
I haven't seen many Northern Flickers this year, so I enjoyed seeing a
group of them along the trail going southward
Here is a colorful example...
In the process of photographing Flickers,
I happened upon another
Northern Red Shafted X Yellow Shafted intergrade,
distinguished as such by its black malar stripe.
And,
I'm happy to report, the drake Pintail duck is still present at the pond
at the Nature Center!
I've been photographing him since early this year.
He is just now returning to Breeding Plumage, albeit slowly!
October 7, 2012
The Winds of Change are apparent
on
Antelope Island these days!
(Roll your cursor over this landscape!)
The Causeway hosts Savannah Sparrows...
One provides a nicer photo opportunity, nestled in some 'rabbitbrush'
and again...
The Causeway hosts a variety of juveniles as seen in European Starlings...
And Brewer's Blackbirds
A few Eared Grebes linger on...
American Avocets now appear in their 'nonbreeding plumage...
Overcast days turn these birds into "Black & White" images...
Contrast this American Avocet in breeding plumage against the 2 images above...
"Peeps" are sometimes spectacular
when flying!
Multiple images of the same Western Sandpiper
during landing, sequenced then "stacked" here...
During the first week in September, sunflowers provided a spectacular opportunity!
An Eastern Kingbird was still to be found on the road to the ranch!
Along with the sun, came an accomodating
Wilson's Warbler seen in 4 images below!
Along with an Owl... all at the Garr Ranch on the Island.
Late summer blooms
punctuate this image of a possible Gray Flycatcher
The next 3 images are of another "empid".
This bird was fun to watch as it shifted 'poses' for me...
One last pose for the camera...
At the Garr ranch, a Lazuli bunting was seen.
The Sage Thrasher below allowed multiple images to be taken...
As did this Loggerhead Shrike on the Causeway.
Rock Wrens are common on "ladyfinger Point", and around the Visitors'
Center
At the Ranch, a Townsend's Solitaire was seen in the picnic area
Along with Hermit Thrushes
This Hermit Thrush was foraging on Russian Olives.
A 'Says Phoebe' was nestled in among the trees at the picnic area.
Along the roads traversing the island can be seen Burrowing Owls.
But the area west of the ranch house is often populated with a wonderful
variety of birds at this time of year, such as
the Townsend's Warbler.
Another Townsend's image...
and a 3rd...
The next 3 images are likely a female Wilson's warbler.
fun to photograph...
Ruby Crowned Kinglets appear again as they did in the Spring.
Maybe a Hammond's, or Dusky flycatcher in the next 3 images...
Yellow Rumped Warblers are well represented...
Yellow Rumped...
I finally got 2 Red-Breasted Nuthatches to 'pose'.
Notice the coloration difference between this bird and the one that follows.
This, I believe is the female Red-Breasted Nuthatch.
Again...
I'm fairly confident that the next 4 images are of an
Orange-Crowned Warbler
Northern Red-Shafted Flickers were busy foraging
And a sure sign of the
"Winds of Change'
are heralded by the appearance of a
Merlin!
A distant Golden Eagle provided this 'marginal' image
Deer demonstrate their winter coloration as seen with this Doe and
twins.
Along with this huge Buck Mule Deer.
Coyotes are seen often along the roadside, at any season...
Winter is a'comin', with rare ducks I hope!
September 12, 2012
Big Cottonwood Park yielded a mixed bag of photos...
Beginning with 2 cool little hummingbirds.
Lesser Goldfinches in general have plumage that is fast becoming worn...
American Crows were there by the dozens, here mobbing a
Redtailed Hawk
Ironically, the crows mingled with more Black-billed magpies than I've ever seen at one time!
The above and below images only show a tiny fraction of Magpie/Crow mix gathered here, allowing me to position myself under their
circle of activity!
The Magpies' plumage also showed weathering.
Here, Crows are gorging on Russian Olive fruit.
The Crows would swoop close to my head as they gathered in a circular fashion in Cottonwood trees surrounding me, with Magpies also present.
They all presented 'easy pickins' as subjects for my camera.
Moving to another location in the Park, I found this noisy character...
And these 2 not-so-noisy characters high up in a tree,
making for fascinating offbeat image captures.
September 10, 2012
'Tis the Season for Fall Migration... Let's start with images of a
Common Nighthawk from the Jordan River Parkway...
These images were taken in early afternoon during a surprise flyby.
A third and last image...
September 7, 2012
Big Cottonwood Park/Holladay, Ut.
Images of a Black-Capped Chickadee using a "tool" held in its beak, to
pry out food morsels from tree bark!
There are numerous accounts of birds employing objects as 'tools' to succeed in food
gathering... but none that I could find about Chickadees.
So here is one for the books.
Another view of the bird with 'tool'...
September 3, 2012
A Western Wood Peewee...
in action...
September 2, 2012
A Eurasian Collard Dove, at Murray/Jordan River Parkway,
An alien bird; but, nonetheless a striking specimen!
Up-Close...
showing its distinctive eyes
August 30, 2012
A fine example of Juvenile Cooper's Hawk appeared while walking
Murray/Jordan River Parkway today
Another opportunity to crop for an 'up-close and personal'
portrait!
August 26, 2012
A trip to Antelope Island, and 2 birds as an outcome...
Cordilleran Flycatcher
Another image of the Cordilleran Flycatcher, a tough bird
to photograph!
Great Horned Owl.
Garr Ranch
August 7, 2012
A Study of Northern Pintail "Eclipse" vs "Breeding" Plumage
I've had the good fortune to have access to the same Drake Northern Pintail from January to
the present date, at Kennecott Nature Center, Murray/Jordan River Parkway!
Below is one outcome from such access:
a direct comparison between Breeding
and Eclipse Plumage!
Breeding Plumage, March 15, 2012
Eclipse Plumage, August 7, 2012
It's important to remember, these images are of the same duck!
August 2, 2012
For variety I walked at Crestwood Park, Cottonwood Heights today,
with camera in hand.
Birds were acting strange, with perhaps 20 or so Magpies concentrated in
trees above the Little Cottonwood Creek.
Suddenly, I saw the reason...
2 Juvenile "Light Morph, Western" Red-tailed Hawks encircled by
Magpies,
took flight, circled several times, providing me
with numerous photos
before they exited the scene.
Hawk #1
Hawk #1
Hawk #1
Hawk #2
I hope they come back soon!
July 26, 2012
A Cloudy Day For a Change...
I'm looking for prime examples of Birds In Flight taken on cloudy days
for my new
PHOTO-TECH PAGE SEEN (HERE)
and I came up with some I'd also like to share on this page:
Details of this Northern Harrier are more apparent than what might be
seen on a sunny day.
The same is true for this American Kestrel...
And, a favorite of mine, the Prairie Falcon...
Images of a familiar friend, a resident Belted Kingfisher, July 22nd, on the
Jordan River Parkway.
I must admit, I love capturing birds in flight on overcast days,
when clouds create a neutral color of diffuse light!
Newest digital cameras allow settings like the ones used here:
shutter: 1/1600 sec., aperture: f6.3; ISO: 1600
I don't need to remind you of the speed of this bird in a power-dive!
Here we see accurate color of this bird, thanks to the canopy of cloud cover!
JULY 26, 2012
Drake Mallards can be quite striking when wearing their
"Eclipse Plumage"
BUT FIRST, LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT 2 PAIR OF TYPICAL MALLARDS...
This first Drake Mallard in Eclipse Plumage was photographed in
Direct Sunlight. The reason this bird attracted my attention was
the very distinctive bright yellow bill!
This second image of Eclipse Plumage was photographed under
overcast, neutral, natural light. I've photographed a number of these birds, but only the bird above has the distinction of such a bright bill
Drake Mallards, Eclipse Plumage, August, 2012
"London Wetlands Centre",
London, U.K.
Courtesy, David B. Meyer (son-in-law)
July 17, 2012
Taking Advantage Again of Another Overcast Day to
'Illuminate' Detail in Birds:
Fledgling Barn Swallows
Closer...
Front and Back...
July 15, 2012
An Overcast Day!!!
I look forward to days when clouds provide a HUGE neutral diffusion filter over the sun!
Butterfly-Teasel
Overcast lighting enhances the features of an Adult, Breeding Plumage NECO
In contrast to other photographers who curse flat lighting,
I find that such softly-lit days are perfect for many bird species!
Compare the 3 images of a Belted Kingfisher in this light to images in direct sun further down the page (7/10/12)
Tricky image to accomplish on a cloudy day!
A bit of blur adds to the illusion of motion...
July 11, 2012
Random Images from Kennecott Nature Center Pond...
The Resident Drake Pintail, when compared to an image from April,
demonstrates the comparison of non-breeding and breeding plumage!
Here is the tiniest, youngest Cedar Waxwing that I've ever
seen!
July 10, 2012
Enjoy a hilarious interaction from today, between a Belted Kingfisher
and a small gang of Swallows!
You'll see the series as it happened...
Enough is Enough!!!
The Kingfisher "bails out"!
July 6, 2012
Student Discovery of Green Heron at Kennecott Nature Center,
Murray/Jordan River Parkway!
While teaching Karin Kirchhoff aspects of Bird Photography, she noticed movement across the pond and
brought it to my attention.
July 5, 2012
I happened upon a substantial number of Bullock's Orioles, both Parents
and Fledglings, along the Jordan River Parkway, that provided me with
the following images!
(Two fresh faces!)
Female Adult in the process of feeding juvenile
Head-thrust by the parent...
Finally!... a Juvenile out in the open
Watching me from a distance...
Here starts a series of age differences, beginning with an Adult Female
The youngest in my collection from July 4 can fly...
Next...
Next...
Final juvenile...
August 7, 2012
Crestwood Red-tail Hawk Redux
The 2 birds I posted earlier from Crestwood Park, Cottonwood Heights,
have become reliable features at that location, as I walk there often.
Although I haven't had the closeup opportunities shown in earlier images,
these handsome birds provide incentive to draw me back.
Here are a series where the 2 birds fly in and perch on pines high on the north hillside.
Out in the hot sun, an adult Male Bullock's Oriole gathers food;
but notice, it is in the process of
'gular panting', due to excessive heat!
All the other species I encountered were doing the same this day!
(Barn Swallow with mouth agape)
American Goldfinch male, cooling off!
Western Kingfisher, showing effects of excessive heat!
Not sure on this species; but it's feeling the heat!
Cedar Waxwing, mouth agape!
I end this post with a Bullock's Oriole from another time,
Likely my very best thus far...
July 3, 2012
A Cedar Waxwing behaving like a Flycatcher at the Jordan River Parkway.
(Difficult image to capture!)
June 27, 2012
A wrong road ended up delightful!
I encountered a family of Western Kingbirds!
(Somewhere in Davis County!)
Entirely from the window of my car...
I observed this pair...
and discovered the rest of their family by watching the female...
deliver food!
Up Close, And Personal...!
Success!!!
There are three babies in this nest, and they surprised me by
getting up and wandering on the limbs!
This little 'ringleader' seemed to be the most precocious!
The 3 baby Western Kingbirds
'followed the leader' to provide this image!
June 23, 2012
A Sad Condition found at the Murray/Jordan River Nature Center Parkway
POND!
Already almost empty, and it's only the 3rd week of June!
A lone American White Pelican flies by, shunning it...
However, the Snowy Egret is back this day, just beginning a 'stretch'.
Compare this 'stretch' to the above image!
This Snowy Egret sports the pink coloration in the Lores, indicating
a Breeding bird.
Another lovely bird reappears... a Forster's Tern!
I used my old, repaired 80-400 lens, one that is focused by a motor inside
the camera body, considered archaic and slow...
But, there are workarounds with this lens that assure excellent
Birds-In-Flight/stop action results, as seen here.
Pre-focusing the lens on a stationary object approximately the same
distance as the bird works wonders.
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The Forster's Tern hovers, looking for a fish
(an Asian fish called a "Weather Roach"!).
It ploughs into the shallow water, with mud erupting around it.
It recovers, and has succeeded in collecting a Weather Roach fish,
looking like a tiny eel, having it in its mouth!
A somewhat obscure view of the fish is seen in the beak, as the bird exits the area.
More images of the enigmatic Asian Weather Roach are seen below with a Belted Kingfisher
and a
Neotropic Cormorant at
an earlier time
June 21, 2012
Mystery Fish is solved:
The following images feature an introduced "WEATHER LOACH" from the pond at Kennecott Nature Center, Murray/Jordan River Parkway!
Belted Kingfisher images: 6-21; and
Neotropic Cormorant are from an earlier time this Spring.
Belted Kingfisher with Weather Loach: DETAILS, click (HERE)
NOTE: More images of Belted Kingfishers and this type of 'fish'
can be seen (HERE)
Neotropic Cormorant with Weather Loach.
NECO again...
June 21, 2012
The tiny pond at the
"Kennecott Nature Center", Murray/Jordan River Parkway,
was the stage for a wild and delightful barrage of ELEVEN
American White Pelicans,
to the excitement of adults and children alike!
I located a Northern Rough-winged Swallow there also.
Photographers...
Don't forget that your long lenses often are designed to
focus close-up, as was done here
(Jordan River Parkway)
June 24, 2012
Neotropic Cormorants, while scarce, still are present in Northern Utah,
at Mill Race Pond, Taylorsville, UT.
These 2 NECOs were 'talking' to each other, with the bird on the
right, becoming agitated and displaying its pink gular sac!
June 14, 2012
A "LIFER"!
A rare bird for Utah!
A Prothonotary Warbler!
"Fort Buenaventura Park", Ogden, Ut.
Discovered in Weber County by Kristin Purdy, she posted precise
location information. Many Utah birders added this "Life bird" for
their lists because of her discovery and post!
(Thanks Kris!)
Another view...
(BTW, be sure to study Kristin's Sight Record (HERE)
if you have any questions regarding physical characteristics!)
Still another...
And a look, after the bird captured some food...
The Prothonotary Warbler was found in an area associated with a
female Yellow Warbler and young...
There is speculation that some of the young are offspring of a
Brown-headed Cowbird!
CLICK (HERE) FOR A DESCRIPTION OF HOW AND WHAT THIS MEANS
June 11, 2012
Kennecott Nature Center Again,
another lens and observing cool bird species/behavior!
First, a Eurasian Collard Dove.
These particular birds seemed to love to pose!
A 2nd Eurasian Collard Dove appears...
I included only one image of this pair 'posing'!
However, they provided different 'poses' multiple times!
Killdeer are well represented at the Kennecott Nature Center.
This adult is about to feign being injured to lure me away from
unseen young!
I was standing on a viewing deck,
a substantial distance away from the bird!
Here it goes into: "I'm injured, and helpless!"
The bird gets somewhat serious here...
And really serious here!
Spotted Sandpiper again,
These birds are working the Jordan River, along with the marsh
adjacent to the pond.
Here, it's displaying with its wings ( one of several stances)
Sunday, June 10, the American White Pelican population rose
to 4...
One neighbor said he'd lived there 35 years, never seeing Pelicans
on the pond before.
As evening light occurred, the dark image held a surprise for me
until I got home to my computer.
Behold, a Black-Crowned Night Heron was on the sideline!
It showed up when I 'tightened up' the histogram in Photoshop.
June 10, 2012
Update on Kennecott Nature Center, testing repaired lens.
2 new birds for that location...
Black Crowned Night Heron
The water level has dropped drastically, along with the flow of the
Jordan River.
Another new entry (for me) for this small body of water,
American White Pelican
On an extremely windy afternoon, June 9, Pelicans flew in...
The arrival of these birds was wildly acclaimed by children from
all over the neighborhood!
June 9, 2012
(Testing a repaired lens)
The following series of images come from
Kennecott Nature Center, Murray/Jordan River Parkway
A Forster's Tern,
Interesting water pattern, created by water draining off the
forster's forked tail
A Brown-headed Cowbird male...
A Juvenile Bullock's Oriole...
The Swallows found at the Nature Center are always
available for image capture.
Cedar Waxwings have been prolific here, feeding.
Photographers! You can't go wrong with these
photogenic birds!
I point out these birds to people who walk by,
and show them my images from my camera.
They are amazed when shown what is all around them!
I tell people that Cedar Waxwings were designed by Las Vegas
Showpeople!
As the evening light diminished, I happened upon several
Spotted Sandpipers, excellent targets for evaluating lenses.
For any interested, this repaired lens is the old,
Nikon 80-400mm VR, the first Vibration Reduction lens from Nikon.
(Nikon needs to replace this model lens!)
Lens Test Conclusion...
It functions better than when first purchased over 10 years ago
I ended my tests with this Puffball...
June 7, 2012
3rd and last installment of Birds from
Jensen Nature Park
A Majestic Great Blue Heron makes its appearance...
As many as 3 Great Blue Herons have been seen at the same time...
The birds have become somewhat tolerant to humans.
Watch for Herons in the patch of Russian Olives
directly west of the Park.
The birds gravitate to these trees often .
The field directly south of the Russian Olive patch is another place to look, backlighting occurs after noon.
These are certainly one of my favorite birds.
June 6, 2012
A 2nd Installment of Birds from
Jensen Nature Park
Brewer's Blackbirds with unseen offspring, causing them to be defensive...
Brewer's Female...
Brewer's Male...
This male was literally attacking people walking by...
An American Coot, coming off its nest...
Coot eggs...
Further progression yields the following...
June 5, 2012
Installment 1.
An In-Depth Look at some Spring-Summer Residents
at
Jensen Nature Park, Syracuse, UT.
We begin with a Spotted Sandpiper running furiously, shouting,
"The Sky Is Falling..."
We visit a handsome Yellow-Headed Blackbird Male
Contrasted with this awkward Juvenile Yellow-Headed Blackbird!
A Western Kingbird provided some nice views...
Along with some while in-flight...
Another image flying...
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Swallows in Breeding Plumage are always spectacular,
Here is a Tree Swallow.
And another...
However, a favorite Swallow, for me, is the
Violet-Green Swallow!
Moving on to another spectacular bird at Jensen Nature Park,
the
Great-Tailed Grackle male
And its Female, with Lunch for the Kids...
The following images illustrate the Male posturing, as is the common
Springtime pastime.
Frontview:
Frontview Display...
Backview
Backview Display
Several other Displays are shown below:
I'll end today's post with Pied-Billed Grebes... mother and kids, with
a Juvenile seen here.
Female and single Juvenile Pied-Billed Grebe
The 'Gang'...
The last photo of the day...from Jensen Nature Park, Syracuse, UT.
May 30, 2012
Let's Talk Tech Today!
My 'walkaround camera' is featured below.
You can see from the comparison to the coffee cup, it's very compact.
(I'll be launching a Blog soon, which deals with the technical end of
photography)
What can this diminutive 70-300mm lens do?
The resident Pintail Drake at Kennecott Nature Center stood clear
of the water providing this image which was cropped moderately.
Severely 'cropping' the above image still provides great detail!
The Nikon camera and lens featured here are 'entry level', 'consumer quality' equipment that do marvelous work, considering their cost, IMO.
I 'celebrated' a birthday that put me a notch beyond 3/4 century old...
I love to leave the heavy equipment home when I walk!
The hummer is another example of the camera-lens combo,
along with other birds shown from my earlier post below.
Memorial Day Weekend, 2012
A Cold, Gray, Dismal, Rainy Day...
Resurrected by a lone Bullock's Oriole singing from atop a dead tree!
300mm magnification Uncropped...
Thank Heaven for high res digital cameras and Modern optics!
May 24, 2012
The late afternoon served as an excellent day for a walk along
the Murray/Jordan River Parkway, with perfect temperatures, cool
breeze and COLORFUL BIRDS!
This Yellow Warbler chose to perch in a spot of direct sunlight, that
enhanced his gorgeous colors!
More color showed up in the form of a Cedar Waxwing!
This 1st year Bullock's Oriole was one of several seen on my walk.
This Mature Male Bullock's Oriole really stands out, with cool
blue sky and green foliage.
Barn Swallows rest on the edge of the pond.
Reflection doubles a Snowy Egret at the Pond at Kennecott Nature
Center
A pair of Belted Kingfishers obscured by twigs.
Closeup of the Female Belted Kingfisher/Murray/Jordan River
Male Belted Kingfisher
An "Alien" bird...
Eurasian Collard Dove,
seen often on the River Walk
Other "Alien" birds, creating reflections.
Neotropic Cormorants
May 6, 2012
First of Year Black-chinned Hummingbird,
Crestwood Park, Sandy, Ut.
A closer view...
Black-headed Grosbeak,
Crestwood Park, Sandy, Ut.
May 5, 2012
I'm still focusing (pun) on birds at
Big Cottonwood Park, Murray-Holladay area.
Those of you who frequent the park, watch
for this colorful bird... Western Tanager Male!
The park is also hosting a few of these migrant birds,
Black Headed Grosbeaks!
A 3rd colorful bird to look for is:
Bullock's Oriole.
Another migrant that is showing up (likely due to the proximity
of the horse corrals), is the Brown-Headed Cowbird!
Read about this strange bird in the Salt Lake Tribune (HERE)
Brown-Headed Cowbird pair
May 2, 2012
Two more Cedar Waxwing images from Big Cottonwood Park!
A Cedar Waxwing from Sunday, 4-29
Big Cottonwood Park
Cedar Waxwings are a favorite of mine...
May 20, 2012
Finally, a decent image of a juvenile Virginia Rail from Big Cottonwood.
May 18, 2012
The 3rd time to Successfully Photograph the Big Cottonwood
Virginia Rails provided me conditions that have a
"Painterly" appearance.
1 of 2:
2 of 2:
May 17, 2012
A handsome Cooper's Hawk provided this and other nice images
at
Big Cottonwood Park, Holladay, UT.
May 17, 2012
Morning Sunshine assists in lighting up the
Big Cottonwood Virginia Rail
May 16, 2012
First images of the Virginia Rail occurred on an overcast day
Another view of an adult Virginia Rail when lighting was marginal
The image of a Juvenile Virginia Rail is less than ideal in poor light!
May 15, 2012
Black-headed Grosbeak, Big Cottonwood Park
Fox Kits, Private Residence, Holladay, Ut.
Single kit, scrambling down a hole!
Private Residence, Holladay, Ut.
One Mad Momma!
Private Residence, Holladay, Ut.
Young Buck
Private Residence, Holladay, Ut.
Chickadee, showing off...
Private Residence, Holladay, Ut.
May 11, 2012
Some Random Images...
Eared Grebes, Great Salt Lake
May 11, 2012
Sea of Grebes...
Great Lake Lake
American Kestrel
Antelope Island
Mourning Dove Pair
Antelope Island
Killdeer in Flight
Saltaire-G.S.L.
Western Kingbird
Saltaire-G.S.L.
Yellow-Headed Blackbird
Saltaire- G.S.L
May 8, 2012
Birds in Flight are my passion!
Mallard Male
May 3, 2012
Here are several images of another Favorite bird of mine!
Spotted Towhee!
I shift position to change background!
Back view...
This one is doing "pullups"!
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At Crestwood Park in Sandy...
First-Of-Year
Black-headed Grosbeak!
Tiny "Dusky Flycatcher"
Cute Yellow-rumped Warbler!
A Few Black-Bellied Plovers from Antelope Island!
A Few more New Birds, Up Close!
Farmington Bay
Killdeer
Jordan River/Murray Parkway
Black-Crowned Night Heron
Another view...
yet another Black-Crowned Night Heron
Farmington Bay
Snowy Egret
Great Blue Heron
Male Pintail duck
White-Faced Ibis
Female (L), Male American Wigeons
Western Kingbird
Cottonwood Park
Lesser Goldfinch pair
Composite image of female (L), male Lesser Goldfinch
Amorous Canada pair
Kennecott Nature Center, Jordan River Parkway
Gadwall pair
Eurasian Collard Dove
NEW A Neotropic Cormorant, 4-26-12
Kennecott Nature Center, Jordan River Parkway
Some kind of stretch going on here... looks a bit primordial to me.
This NECO plays with its 'catch', much like a cat with mouse!
I've only seen Neotropic Cormorants at this location one other time, August 2009.
Cottonwood Park, April 25...
Success again with the Sora today!
These birds are likely my greatest photo-challenge...
Difficult to locate... difficult to get a clear shot!
This is likely the best I'll ever get!
April 24, 2012
FINALLY!
I suceeded in photographing a SORA at Big Cottonwood Park!
These birds are exceedingly difficult to view, in my experience!
April 19, 2012
Jordan River Parkway
Belted Kingfisher Series,
Courting Behavior
Click (HERE) for a SEQUENCE OF IMAGES ,
Featuring a pair of Belted Kingfishers
April 19, 2012
Mill Race Park, Taylorsville UT.
Neotropic Cormorant in Flight
April 16, 2012
Cottonwood Park Pond
White Mallard and Mate in Flight!
Such a beautiful Spring Day at Cottonwood Park Pond.
White Mallard and mate circling the pond for exercise.
The birds lifted off the pond as I exited my car, and provided me with numerous photos
as they circled 3 times before landing again.
This duck fascinates me...
I believe it is one of a select few white Mallards that can fly.
I have only seen 2 of them in my lifetime!
NEW
April 25... evening
Just shy of 8:00 P.M., I exercised (walked) at Big Cottonwood Park
And, again, heard the Soras.
Camera always handy, I photographed this bird in the waning light of evening.
Other birders were present; and it was concluded that there were
at least 4 Soras accounted for around the periphery of the pond at that time!
April 24, 2012
A Remarkable Comparison Between Neotropic and Double-crested Cormorant!
I'm extremely pleased that I could accomplish this:
Over a 4 day period (April 19-23) I was able to photograph both a Neotropic Cormorant and a
Double Crested Cormorant standing on the same floating perch at separate times.
Both of these birds were in the process of cooling themselves by using
"GULAR FLUTTER" (click for additional info)
as a means of thermo-regulation of body heat.
The significance:
The images demonstrate SPECIES DIFFERENTIATION in color and morphology!
First of Year Neotropic Cormorant appeared
at Mill Race Park Pond, Taylorsville UT., April 4, 2012
Neotropic cormorants are listed as "accidental" visitors to Utah.
(Technical information primarily for birders:)
These birds are Neotropic Cormorants in breeding plumage
photographed at 'Sandy Pond', an urban fishery in Sandy,Utah.
Their size and markings make them quite easy to identify.
Here is a non-breeding Neotropic Cormorant
discovered April 10 of this year, at Mill Race Pond, Taylorsville UT.
This bird could be confused as being the common Double-Crested Cormorant
In this composite image, several distinguishing features
are illustrated.
Feathered Lores and a pink colored "gular sac" distinguish this bird as a Neotropic Cormorant
Yet, there is one other feature that sets this cormorant apart from
the more common Double-Crested cormorant...
The angle of the gular area where it meets the head, being "V" shaped.
April 15, 2012
Big Cottonwood Park
A few images of Ruby-crowned Kinglets!
This little bird was too close for me to capture its entire body!
Very friendly! Notice the red point on its head... giving it its name.
Shallow Depth of Field (open aperture) separates this bird from its surroundings
These birds have amazing songs!
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April 8, 2012 Easter Sunday
Big Cottonwood Park. (SEE MAP)
Spring Arrives!
A Mother Mallard has graced the pond with
newborn ducklings!
Closeup...
A single duckling from an earlier hatch created smiles
with its odd color, topnotch, and comic expression!
Foxes are known to inhabit this park.
My first sighting was back in 1998.
Here is a more recent photo... the east side (corral) location:
An all-white "Mallard" discovered at the pond there...
Provides a lesson
in
PHOTOGRAPHY
Our cameras fail to simultaneously capture detail in extreme whites
and dark areas (in direct sun).
The all-white Mallard, with its female Mallard mate are difficult subjects for even the best cameras in bright sunlight.
The white duck loses detail; and the female is too dark!
By 'rolling over' the image with your mouse, notice the detail improvement
when the image has been edited with Adobe Photoshop!
The best alternative is to find:
A naturally occurring shaded area with its 'flat light'.
This provides good detail in both birds at the same time, as seen below.
People ask me what kind of bird this is...
There is only one on the entire pond.
It is an "American Coot".
A closeup-front view shows its unique head
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A few other birds from this day at Big Cottonwood Park include,
A handsome male American Kestrel
Redwing Blackbird males are a prominent feature at Big Cottonwood Park pond
These birds have a melodic song that announces Spring.
The female Redwing blackbird is quite different in appearance..
Here we see a direct comparison between male and female
Here the male Redwing blackbird really 'struts his stuff'!
This "puffing up" action coincides with its call.
Not an easy subject to capture with camera!
Yellow-rumped Warblers make their presence known
At present the Yellow-Rumped Warblers are busy catching flying insects,
darting back and forth from trees along the pond shoreline
I add this image to demonstrate where they got their name,
"Yellow-Rump"!
Black-Capped Chickadees blend so well against the tree bark.
The Chickadees enjoy eating emergent foliage on the trees.
The Red-tailed Hawk enjoys eating birds!
Red-tailed Hawk in Flight
A Downy Woodpecker is a distinct challenge to photograph!
This one was also found at Big Cottonwood Park, Holladay, UT.
Up close and personal with the Western Scrub Jay
Crestwood Park, Salt Lake County, Ut.
My recent walks have been cloudy.
I enjoy the detail I'm able to capture in the diffused light!
Song sparrow.
I couldn't pass up this cute little guy without taking a photo!
March 27, 2012
After collecting the 3rd variation of Juncos from "Big Cottonwood Park" in Salt Lake County, UT.,
I decided to post examples of what I now have.
Overcast lighting provided good detail for this
Grey-Headed Junco
The Dark-eyed Oregon Junco has been the most common for me.
With the Slate-colored Junco a close second in numbers.
March 21, 2012
Crestwood Park, Sandy, Ut.
I caught one good photo of a skittish Flicker
It turned out to be a...
Northern Red Shafted/Yellow Shafted Flicker Intergrade
(The distinguishing feature is the red stripe on the back of the head)
Update: March 27, 2012
From my bird photo archives, I just now discovered that the above Flicker intergrade
was present at Crestwood Park, since (at least) December 15, 2011
Update: March 24
More Images of Hooded Mergansers
From
"Mehraban Wetlands" in Draper,Utah,
March 24, 2012
I relocated the 1st Spring Drake Hooded Merganser from March 15, along
with another 1st Spring Drake and a sizeable number of other
Hooded Mergansers of various ages, seen below
Here is the relocated 1st Spring Drake Hooded Merganser
And here it is (center), with 2 female Hooded Mergansers
A second 1st Spring Drake Hooded Merganser joins from the far left
Note the beak coloration differences:
Male=black; Female=some yellow
Note the color of eyes: the males' eyes are transitioning to the adult male coloration
Here we see a 1st Spring Drake, with 2 adult Drake Hooded Mergansers
While relocating the original bird, I had the opportunity to photograph
several adult Drakes, as seen here...
and here. I was able to add a sizeable number of new images to my portfolio.
A good day!
March 15, 2012
Kennecott Nature Center, Murray/Jordan River Parkway
How an American Wigeon drake should appear...
Overcast days often work well for capturing detail, in my opinion.
A Female Mallard in the image helps when comparing size.
A Yellow-Rumped Warbler was busy catching flying insects...
A House-finch adds its color to the location...
A handsome Pintail drake provided me with numerous great images!
Reflections are another passion, along with Birds in Flight
Motion in subdued light as seen here is often difficult to capture
I have a complete series of this particular action.
This pair of Cinnamon Teal were a bit spooky
Only a very few images were possible before...
They took flight into the grey, stormy skies.
Ring-Neck Ducks...
Get Short Shrift by local bird photographers!
They are listed by birders; but I rarely see photos of them!
So here's my contribution
Notice the purple 'band' around the male's neck.. hence the name,
"Ring-necked Duck"
Here we see a male, sporting his 'ring-neck' purple/magenta coloration.
This Ring-necked duck was simply "Out-Standing"!
On March 8
I photographed more Ring-Necked ducks, Redhead duck,
Green-Winged Teal,
and an unusually marked American Wigeon
at
Willow Pond, Murray, UT.
A classic image of a Ring-necked Pair
Not so classic... a female Redhead joins in (center)
The ducks line up for a side-view with female Ring-neck on the left
A front-view is provided here... (L-Ringneck; R-Redhead)
A 2nd male Ringneck joins in.
And, sharing the same pond was this Green-winged Teal drake!
Willow Pond, Murray/Jordan River Parkway,
also provided images of
an
oddly patterned American Wigeon
trying to avoid trouble from a Pied-Billed Grebe!
(Click on the image below to see photos from
Willow Pond,
documenting the foray between Wigeon and Grebe)
February 18, 2012
Farmington Bay, Layton,
and
Syracuse, UT.
Redtailed Hawks scattered along the Legacy Parkway,
going toward Farmington Bay
Bald Eagles at Farmington Bay were scarce on February 18, 2012
(HERE) is a link to a Slideshow of FBMA Bald Eagles from last year.
Same birds, different angle
A Northern Harrier, sunning itself on a mild February morning...
Same Harrier, now hunting
American Kestrel, always willing to pose...
A pinioned Trumpeter Swan always makes itself available for
photography in Layton
A majestic Drake Wood duck in Layton, Ut.
Male and Female Wood ducks... Layton
Female Wood duck...
A tough target, a bit blurred... but I'll be back for another try
A Classical looking Double-Crested Cormorant,
A tad early for Spring migration
Jensen Nature Center, Syracuse, UT. February 18, 2012
Double-Crested Cormorant,
drying its outstretched wing feathers
Jensen Nature Center, Syracuse, UT.
Female Lesser Scaup, Jensen Nature Center, Syracuse
January, 2012
Goldeneyes: 2-Barrow's- (left, right);
2 Common-(center)
Jordan River, 2300 South, Salt Lake County
Bufflehead Males,
Jordan River, 2300 South, Salt Lake County
Bonaparte's Gulls... a tiny fraction of a huge flock, AIC.
January, 2012
I had considerable fun photographing a group of Canvasback Ducks on a
cloudy day at
Sandy Pond, Salt Lake County, Ut.
Two stately female Canvasbacks among others sleeping.
Overcast lighting conditions improved my images this day.
The Male Canvasbacks were outnumbered.
Had it been a sunny day, increased contrast would have ruined the detail you see here.
This handsome Drake Canvasback provided me with some cool images, seen below.
Although the light was severely reduced, I managed to get some fun images
as the Drake became airborne.
As with other diving ducks, Canvasbacks 'run' across the water to become airborne.
The bird is well on its way, leaving me and Sandy Pond for good.
