Steve's Bird'n Blog

Great Egret and More

2012-01-21T12:31:00.002-07:00

Great Egret

I did interviews at work all week, I worked three long days and decided to use some extra leave hours I had to take Friday off and go birding. It was a damp drizzly day and I came away with a good layer of Farmington Bay mud on my Dodge Caravan. But there is never a bad day birding, I saw some great birds and got a few pictures even though the light was not very good.
Here is a list of birds seen and pictures of many of them,
I started out at the South Entrance of Farmington Bay at Bountiful Lake then over to the North (main) entrance to Farmington Bay then on to Glover Ponds and ended at Kaysville Ponds.

White-crowned Sparrows

Song Sparrow

Western Meadowlark

Spotted Towhee

Northern Flicker

Eurasian Collared Dove

Five or six years ago I saw my first Eurasian Collared Dove at my backyard feeders, a few months later I saw several of these doves in a tree just outside the gate at Farmington Bay. Today Eurasian Collared Doves are frequent visitors to my back yard and permanent residents at Farmington Bay. These introduced birds have established themselves very well in Northern Utah. The sad thing is that I am seeing fewer of our native Mourning Doves since these newcomers arrived.

Mallard

American Crow

American Kestrel

Rough-legged Hawk

Northern Harrier

Green-winged Teal

Northern Shoveler

A couple of years ago I took some pictures of a Green-winged Teal Drake and Northern Shoveler hen that never left each others side, I thought maybe it was a fluke but here again 2 years later, these two never left each others side. I don't now if it is the same couple but these two seem to have more than just a passing interest in each other. I will be keeping my eye out for Green-winged/Shoveler hybrids.

American Coot

Pied-billed Grebe

Great Egret

Several years ago we had a Great Egret that stayed well into January at Farmington Bay. Again this year we have had at least one and possibly two Great Egrets hanging around. These birds are uncommon in Northern Utah so having one stay well into winter is an unusual treat.

American Wigeon

Common Goldeneye

Bald Eagle

Red-winged Blackbird

Great Blue heron

Ring-billed gull

California Gull

Hooded Merganser

Canada Goose

It was a great day, I hope you enjoy the photos

Martin Luther King Day Birding

2012-01-16T15:27:00.001-07:00

Prairie Falcon

I took my wife to an appointment in south west Salt Lake County to the town of Herriman Utah today so I could do some birding. This was my first time to go to this area and I will be going back there are plenty of good birding spots in the area. I spent most of the time today driving around to familiarize myself to the area so didn't get a lot of birding in, but was able to see some nice Birds of Prey. The only bird I was able to get a picture of is the Prairie Falcon above.

My best sightings were a Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk, Merlin and Ferruginous Hawk, none of which I was able to get a picture of.

Birds seen
Bald Eagle
Common Raven
Black-billed Magpie
Red-tailed Hawk
Ferruginous Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
American Kestrel
Mourning Dove
Northern Flicker
White-crowned Sparrow
Merlin
Harlan's Red-tailed Hawk.

Yellowlegs, January 2012 Bird of the Month

2011-12-31T15:32:00.000-07:00

Greater Yellowlegs

It is Winter here in Northern Utah and most of the Shore Birds have moved on to warmer climates, but one shore bird remains throughout the winter months, the Yellowlegs. But wait there are two species of Yellowlegs the Lesser and the Greater Yellowlegs. The challenge is to identify which is which.

Of course they both have long yellow legs for which they are named, their markings are almost identical, so how do you tell the difference? If you are lucky enough to see a Greater and Lesser together side by side you can see the Greater Yellowlegs are slightly bigger, but there are other markings that help ID Greater and Lesser yellowlegs.

Lesser Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs The length of the bill is the same as the width of the head, Greater Yellowlegs the bill is longer than the width of the head. Lesser Yellowlegs have an all dark bill while the non-breeding bill of the Greater Yellowlegs is lighter gray at the base.

Lesser Yellowlegs have a straight pointed bill.

Greater Yellowlegs have a slightly upturned bill that is more blunt.

Lesser Yellowlegs breed in open boreal forest with scattered shallow wetlands. Winters in wide variety of shallow fresh and saltwater habitats.

Greater Yellowlegs breed in muskeg, wet bogs with small wooded islands, and forests (usually coniferous) with abundant clearings. Winters in wide variety of shallow fresh and saltwater habitats.

Both actively feed wading in shallows foraging for aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, particularly flies and beetles. Occasionally small fish and seeds.

Greater Yellowlegs with Winter Plumage American Avocets

Lesser Yellowlegs with Long-billed Dowitchers

Both Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs are found throughout most of North, Central and South America.

Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs are my pick for Birds of the Month for January 2012

Redhead Duck, December 2011 Bird of the Month

2011-12-03T14:48:00.001-07:00

The Redhead Duck is my pick for Bird of the Month for December. The Redhead is a permanent resident of the Great Salt Lake Wetlands and is one of the most abundant waterfowl of the area. Redheads can be seen during the winter months and they also nest in the wetlands of the Great Salt Lake.

Male Redhead Duck is a beautiful duck, Chestnut red head, gold eyes, black breast and rump, gray wings, steel blue bill with a black tip.

The Canvasback is similar in appearance to the Redhead with a chestnut red head, black breast and rump, but the Canvasback has red eyes a sloped forehead, slanted black bill and black face. The back of the Canvasback is much lighter canvas color than the gray back of the Redhead.

Both Redheads and Canvasbacks are Diving Ducks.

Redheads are parasitical nesters often laying their eggs in the nest of other ducks letting other species set the eggs and raise their young.

A strikingly beautiful duck and one I am always excited to see, the Redhead is my choice of December 2011 Bird of the Month

Backyard Birds

2011-12-03T14:12:00.000-07:00

Cedar Waxwing

This morning I noticed more than usual activity in my yard, most of my trees and bushes were bustling. There was a large flock of Cedar Waxwings, moving about the shrubbery in my yard. There were Juncos, Robins, Scrub Jays, Flickers and House Sparrows. I noticed that the Waxwings and Robins were feasting on the berries of my Juniper tree. I took some pictures none are great because I had to take them from my kitchen window. I had great fun watching the bird activity this morning here are a few pictures.

American Robin

Female Oregon Dark-eyed Junco

Western Scrub Jay

Cedar Waxwing

Cedar Waxwings drinking water from the melting snow on the roof of my neighbors shed

Waxwings eating Juniper Berries

Cedar Waxwing

Another Waxwing you can see the red waxy buds on his wings that give this bird it's name

Male Oregon Dark-eyed Junco

Plethora of Pintails

2011-11-12T11:00:00.002-07:00

There is something awe-inspiring to me to watch waterfowl land and take off. I must not be the only one because a lot of paintings I have seen of waterfowl are of them either landing or taking off.

I went out to Farmington Bay yesterday to look for a Hudsonian Godwit that has been sighted out there this week. I didn't see the Godwit but there were a lot of waterfowl. I came upon this large group of mostly Northern Pintails with a few American Wigeons included as they were feeding on salicornia (picleweed) on this playa.

They were very active working the playa feeding on the mineral rich pickle weed.

A few American Wigeons mingled with the large number of Pintails

I sat and watched them for about ten minutes and took over a hundred pictures. Then as I started to drive off they all got up. Very nervous because this is after all the hunting season. Though these birds are safe where they are at, they are in the Waterfowl rest area. No hunting allowed in this area of Farmington Bay. Unless of coarse you are shooting with a canon or nikon etc.

Favorite Birds of Prey Photos

2011-11-05T22:27:00.000-06:00

Red-tailed Hawk, I felt very fortunate to have gotten this picture one of my over all favorites.

None of these pictures are new, I'm pretty sure I have posted most if not all these pictures before. I haven't been able to get out for a while and today was the first measurable snow storm of the year for the Wasatch Front. Winter is always a good time to view Birds of Prey so I thought I would post some of my favorite Birds of Prey photos.

I have hundreds of Bald Eagle photos but this one is probably the best.

Northern Harriers are the most abundant hawk at Farmington Bay in the winter months

Not only my favorite Kestrel photo but one of my favorites of all my photos. A better camera and lens would have made this photo extraordinary, I like the sunflowers and white background that make this bird really stand out. I felt very fortunate to capture this bird as it took off. This Kestrel took off from the sunflower swooped across the road and caught a meadow vole.

It was New Years Day 2008 my brother in law and I had been looking at the assortment of waterfowl at the Kaysville Ponds. On the way to take him home driving through a neighborhood perched on a power pole was this Merlin. He patiently sat there and let me take 20 or more pictures.

New Years day 2007 we saw 9 Short-eared Owls

There was an eruption of Barn Owls in 2007, unfortunately it was a cold rough year for the Owls and many did not make it. I occasionally see them but no where close the the numbers of the winter of 2007.

I have seen Great Horned Owls at Farmington Bay but unable to photograph any of them. The only Great Horned Owls I have photographed were at the ranch at Antelope Island

While I have seen many Prairie Falcons at Farmington Bay this is the only one I was able to photograph. I took this picture in 2007.

I have taken a lot of photos of Red-tailed Hawks this is the only breeding adult I have photographed.

I think the Northern Rough-legged Hawk is the most beautifully marked of all the buteos.

I took this picture in my backyard. This Sharp-shinned Hawk took advantage of my bird feeders. though when he comes and takes a bird from my yard it quiets things down at my feeders for a while he is not unwelcome. I'm always excited to see a Sharpie in my yard.

Not a winter bird the Swainson's Hawks have all flown south for the winter. This bird was one of two that were hatched in our neighborhood this year making it 5 years in a row that Swainson's Hawks have nested successfully in my neighborhood.

Not that crazy about winter but birds of Prey make the cold months much more tolerable.

November 2011 Bird of the Month Hermit Thrush

2011-10-30T22:43:00.000-06:00

This picture was taken in October of 2010

The Hermit Thrush is a fairly plain looking bird, shades of gray and brown, spotted breast and a rufous tail that it often wags or flicks up and down. Like it's distant cousin the American Robin I find this member of the Thrush family quite photogenic.

My first sighting of a Hermit Thrush many years ago was at the spring at fielding Garr Ranch on Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake. I usually will see Hermit thrush every time I visit there. They are late migrators and I often see them into December.

Hermit Thrush stay low in thickets flitting about I rarely see them higher in the trees than eye level. They often forage on the ground. This bird is showing its rufous tail.

Hermit Thrush seem to be as interested in me as I am them. I have found them one of the easiest birds to photograph. This picture was taken October of 2011

I often see Hermit Thrush in my yard during migration, I am always exited to have them visit.

I added this back shot to so how it looks from behind, although the lighting doesn't show the rufous in its tail very well

One of my favorite birds the Hermit Thrush is my pick for November Bird of the Month

Another Antelope Island Adventure

2011-10-10T22:24:00.002-06:00

My Brother in Law Frank Clawson and I got out to Antelope Island for a wonderful day of viewing nature. We both added a new life bird to our life lists and had a great time watching all Antelope Island has to offer.

Eared Grebe Left and Horned Grebe on the right

Every year during migration we seem to get an invasion of rare or uncommon birds along the Causeway at Antelope Island. a couple of years ago we had a good number of Bonapart's Gulls and Sabines Gulls, we often get quite a few Whimbrel, a couple of years ago we had nearly a dozen Long-tailed Ducks, Surf Scoters and White-winged Scoters. We occasionally see Horned Grebes but this year seems to be the invasion of Horned Grebes.

Horned Grebe

Harlequin Duck one female is not exactly and invasion but a very rare and exciting bird for the Great Salt Lake

Here is a vary rare find at the Great Salt Lake a female Harlequin Duck

This little girl has created quite a stir and has been the main attraction on the Causeway for about 2 weeks now. I finally got out today to see her and add the Harlequin duck to my Life List

This Female Brewer's Blackbird was very tame

I noticed while processing these pictures that it looks like she has an abbess on her left leg, I hope she'll be ok

Monarch Butterfly

This Monarch Butterfly looks pretty haggard but still beautiful

Painted Lady Butterfly

Western Meadow Larks were everywhere and quite active today

Sage Thrasher

Loggerhead Shrike

These White Pelicans were putting on quite a show, they got up off the Great Salt lake and circled caught the thermals.

A view of the Wasatch Mountains from Antelope Island. Up until a week ago we were enjoying tempratures in the mid 80s Last week storms came in and now the the mountains are snow capped.

A shot of the Causeway

Not a bird but a rare and beautiful migrant passing through from Wisconsin. The Great Salt Lake attracts all kinds on migrants

There were four Coyotes down on the shore and wading in the shallows probably looking for sick waterfowl and wading birds.

There were a lot of Bison grazing right on the edge of the road and seemed to pay no attention to the passing cars

Here are some of the birds we saw at the Ranch

Great Horned Owl

The Northern Flickers were very active and vocal This female stopped long enough to get her picture taken

the area around the spring was alive with Hermit Thrush this one and the one in the next picture seemed as interested in me as I was in them.

Other birds seen
Ruddy Duck
Northern Shoveler
Western Grebe
California Gull
Ring-billed Gull
American Avocet
Black-necked Stilt
Killdeer
Northern Harrier
Common Raven
Black-billed Magpie
White-crowned Sparrow
American Goldfinch
American Coot
Barn Swallow
Cliff Sallow
Tree Swallow
Brown-headed Cowbird
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Wilson's Warbler
California Quail
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Dark-eyed Junco Oregon race 1st of the season
Heard but not seen
Ring-necked Pheasant
Cedar Waxwing

October 2011 Bird of the Month Horned Lark

2011-10-02T21:59:00.002-06:00

I still remember the first time I saw Horned Larks in December of 2001, my son Spencer and I had traveled to the town of Mantua located in Sardine Canyon east of Brigham City Utah to see a group of Common Redpoll that had been sighted there. After seeing the Redpolls we traveled west to Bear River Bird Refuge, these little beauties were running and flitting ahead of us along the road escorting us through the auto tour loop. That was before I had my camera many years later I went again out to Bear River and got some long awaited pictures of the handsome Horned Lark.

The Horned Lark breeds across much of North America, and is found year round in the Great Salt Lake Wetlands. Also known as the Shore Lark is found through much of Europe and Asia.

This little guy was on the road to the Ranch at Antelope Island last spring

Unlike other Larks this is a distinctive-looking species on the ground, mainly brown-grey above and pale below, with a striking black and yellow face pattern. The summer male has black "horns", which give this species its American name.

If you're not looking for them they might go unnoticed because they blend in quite well to their environment.

This is a bird of open ground in the US, In Eurasia it breeds above the tree line in mountains and the far north. In most of Europe, it is most often seen on seashore flats in winter, leading to the European name. In the UK it can be found as a winter stopover along the coasts and in eastern England although a mated pair have been recently spotted in Windmill End nature reserve in the West Midlands. In America, where there are no other larks to compete with, it's also found on farmland, on prairies, in deserts, on golf courses and airports, and the like.

Antelope Island Gold

2011-09-18T21:55:00.003-06:00

I took a trip out to Antelope Island Saturday the Island was gold everywhere, the grasses have all turned gold, the Sunflowers are in full bloom and the Rabbit Brush is just beginning to bloom.

Black-necked Stilt gorging on Brine Flies

The causeway was alive with American Avocets, Black-necked Stilts, California, Ring-billed and Franklin's Gulls and 10's of Thousands Red-necked Phalaropes all feasting on brine flies.

Franklin's Gull enjoying the banquet

Some more gold

Rabbitbrush is beautiful this time of year but I don't recommend cutting some for a bouquet it smells like dirty gym socks

Stilts napping between meals

A Canada Goose flyby

Avocets and Phalaropes sharing a meal

Black-necked stilts

Even Barn Swallows enjoy the gold

Our Birding Bug

Avocets taking a rest

Long-billed Curlews with Great Salt Lake foam on the shore

Long-billed Curlew

Red-necked Phalaropes with Wilson's Phalaropes will stage here feasting on Brine Shrimp and Brine Flies for several weeks before making their long migration to South America for the winter

California Gull

Franklin's Gull

What a difference a year makes. Run-off from our abundant snow pack from last winter brought the lake water level up more than it has been for 10 years. This same area last year was mud flats.

Franklin's Gull and Eared Grebe

Pronghorn buck with his harem,

Pronghorns mate each fall in the dry, open lands of western North America. Bucks gather harems of females and protect them jealously. One of the females took off and he promptly chased her down and brought her back to the others where he could keep a close eye on them.

My best sighting of the day was 2 American Redstarts at the spring at the Ranch. They were not very cooperative about having their picture taken but I did get this fair shot of one of them.

I could use some help with this Flycatcher, I am terrible at ID'ing the tiny Empids

There were a lot of Hermit Thrush yesterday, more than I have ever seen at one time.

Birding was fair, here is my list
American Avocet
Black-necked Stilt
California Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Franklin's Gull
Red-necked Phalarope
Wilson's Phalarope
Long-billed curlew
White-faced Ibis
Eared Grebe
Western Grebe
Loggerhead Shrike
European Starling
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewers Blackbird
Canada Goose
Killdeer
Wilson's Warbler
American Redstart
Nashville Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Spotted Towhee
Hermit Thrush
Empid Flycatchers
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Virginia Rail heard only
Common Raven
American Crow
Black-billed Magpie

My last picture of the day was of this lucky guy. There are signs everywhere warning people not to approach the Bison. Some people are never satisfied with the shot. This guy was lucky and was able to walk away, the scary thing is as I was driving off three more photographers were headed down for a closer shot.

September 2011 Bird of the Month Yellow-rumped Warbler

2011-08-31T20:14:00.001-06:00

This Male Yellow-rumped warbler it was pointed out to me by Ryan O'Donell is a hybrid Western Audobon's subspecies and Eastern Myrtle subspecies.

The Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audobon's) is very common here in Utah especially during Spring and Fall Migrations but I have seen them every month of the year. I often see them in my yard and they are abundant at Farmington Bay. I have never seen the Eastern Myrtle Subspecies other than the hybrid shown above but they are occasionally reported in Utah.

I took this picture of a female last January at Beus Pond in Ogden. The temperature was below zero that day

This one showing it's yellow rump, this picture was taken on the Nature Trail at Farmington Bay

These Russian Olive trees were full of Yellow-rumped Warblers

Yellow-rumped Warblers are perhaps the most versatile foragers of all warblers. They're the warbler you're most likely to see fluttering out from a tree to catch a flying insect, and they're also quick to switch over to eating berries in fall. Other places Yellow-rumped Warblers have been spotted foraging include picking at insects on washed-up seaweed at the beach, skimming insects from the surface of rivers and the ocean, picking them out of spiderwebs, and grabbing them off piles of manure.

They are beautiful warblers I am always exited to run into a group of Yellow-rumped Warblers

Yellow-rumped Warblers typically forage in the outer tree canopies at middle heights. They're active, and you'll often see them fly out to catch insects in midair, sometimes on long flights. In winter they spend lots of time eating berries from shrubs, and they often travel in large flocks.

A Mormon and a Naturalist

2011-08-22T21:33:00.003-06:00

Bountiful Utah LDS Temple
In the background upper left hand side of the picture is Farmington Bay

In the past several months the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints has received a lot of media attention, some positive some not so positive. The Church is on a campaign for members to stand up and say I am a Mormon to show that we are normal every day people. One thing that I don't think Latter-day Saints are known for is for a love and concern of God's natural creations. I would like to take an opportunity to say I am a Mormon and I am a Naturalist. Any member of our church who doesn't hold all of God's creations in high esteem probably doesn't really understand the position the Leaders of the Church have taken on the subject. I would like to include a few remarks by several of our Church Leaders including men we believe to be Prophets.

A view of the Bountiful Temple from Farmington Bay, I love this shot of the pelicans with the temple in the background

The Prophet Joseph Smith on animals:
"In pitching my tent we found three massasaugas or prairie rattlesnakes, which the brethren were about to kill, but I said, 'Let them alone—don't hurt them! How will the serpent ever lose his venom, while the servants of God possess the same disposition, and continue to make war upon it? Men must become harmless before the brute creation; and when men lose their vicious dispositions and cease to destroy the animal race, the lion and the lamb can dwell together, and the sucking child can play with the serpent in safety.' The brethren took the serpents carefully on sticks and carried them across the creek. I exhorted the brethren not to kill a serpent, bird, or an animal of any kind during our journey unless it became necessary in order to preserve ourselves from hunger." (Documentary History of the Church, Vol. 2, pp. 71-72)
"[If we] would banish from our hearts this spirit to destroy and murder, the day would soon come when the lion and the lamb would lie down together." (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 71)

President Brigham Young on animals:
"Field and mountains, trees and flowers, and all that fly, swim, or move upon the ground are lessons for study in the great school of our Heavenly Father, in what is before us in good books and in the greater laboratory of nature." (Journal of Discourses 9:320)
"The animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms abide the law of their Creator; the whole earth and all things pertaining to it, except man, abide the law of their creation." (Journal of Discourses 9:246)

"Let the people be holy, and the earth under their feet will be holy. Let the people be holy, and filled with the spirit of God, and every animal and creeping thing will be filled with peace ... The more purity that exists, the less is the strife; the more kind we are to animals, the more will peace increase, and the savage nature of the brute creation will vanish away." (Journal of Discourses, Vol. 1, p. 203)

President David O. McKay on kindness to animals:
"A true Latter-day Saint is kind to animals, is kind to every created thing, for God created all." (October 1951; quoted in Gerald E. Jones, "The Gospel and Animals," p. 65)

President Joseph Fielding Smith on animals having souls and being saved at the time of the resurrection:
"So we see that the Lord intends to save, not only the earth and the heavens, not only man who dwells upon the earth, but all things which he has created. The animals, the fishes of the sea, the fowls of the air, as well as man, are to be recreated, or renewed, through the resurrection, for they too are living souls." (Conference Report, October 1928, p. 100)
"Animals do have spirits and ... through the redemption made by our Savior they will come forth in the resurrection to enjoy the blessing of immortal life." (Answers to Gospel Questions, Vol. 2, p. 48)

President Spencer W. Kimball on sport hunting:
"In Primary and Sunday School we sang the song: 'Don't kill the little birds / That sing on bush and tree, / All thro' the summer days, / Their sweetest melody.' (Deseret Song, 1909, no. 163). ... Now, I would like to add some of my feelings concerning the unnecessary shedding of blood and destruction of life ... And not less with reference to the killing of innocent birds is the wildlife of our country that live upon the vermin that are indeed enemies to the farmer and to mankind. It is not only wicked to destroy them, it is a shame, in my opinion. I think that this principle should extend not only to the bird life but to the life of all animals ... because God gave it to them, and they were to be used only, as I understand, for food and to supply the needs of men." ("Fundamental Principles to Ponder and Live," The Ensign, November 1978, p. 45)

The Church currently owns and runs several large ranches one in Florida that I have not had the opportunity to visit, I have added the web address, http://www.deseretranchflorida.com/welcome.html take time to go to this website and watch the short video and read about how the Church preserves natural habitat for wildlife on these ranches.

Deseret Ranch in Utah is the largest cattle ranch in the state and is one of the premiere birding destinations in Utah. I have been on 2 tours of Deseret Ranch and each time logged over 100 species in a day of birding.

I am a Mormon, I am a Christian I know that salvation is in and through Jesus Christ the Savior and Creator of this beautiful world. I am a naturalist, I have had a life long love of nature and of birds in particular.

My favorite hymn is How Great Thou Art, I love all of the verses and I love that this hymn includes a verse, verse 2 on the beauty and greatness of nature.

How Great Thou Art

Lyrics ~ Carl Boberg, 1859 - 1940

English Translation ~ Stuart K. Hine, 1899 -

Stanza 1:

O Lord my God,

When I in awesome wonder

Consider all

The works Thy Hand hath made,

I see the stars,

I hear the mighty thunder,

Thy pow'r throughout

The universe displayed;

Stanza 2:

When through the woods

And forest glades I wander

I hear the birds

Sing sweetly in the trees;

When I look down

From lofty mountain grandeur

And hear the brook

And feel the gentle breeze;

Refrain:

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

Stanza 3:

When Christ shall come,

With shouts of acclamation,

And take me home,

What joy shall fill my heart!

Then I shall bow

In humble adoration

And there proclaim,

"My God, how great Thou art!"

Refrain:

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

Then sings my soul,

My Saviour God, to Thee,

How great Thou art!

Swainson's Hawks

2011-08-18T20:33:00.000-06:00

For the last 5 years and maybe even longer we have had Swainson's Hawks nest in our Neighborhood. Our Neighbor has several very large Chinese Elm Trees in his yard that they nest in. Some winters we have Rough-legged Hawks that roost in the same trees.

Each Year about the second week of April the pair arrive and start patrolling the neighborhood. I used to have an Umbrella Cockatoo that was sitting on our swing while I was mowing our lawn one time and just about became dinner for the pair.

The parents have now left or at least I haven't seen them for a couple of weeks but their two offspring are currently keeping our neighborhood free of vermin.
Sunday they visited my backyard and I was able to get some nice pictures of them.
Here are some pictures of this years brood.

Birding Without Going Birding

2011-08-14T11:32:00.000-06:00

Steller's Jay

I used to go fishing quite often and still go a couple times a year, but have concentrated most of my leisure time to birding now and that time seems to have diminished quite a bit in the last couple of years. One reason I always give for changing hobbies is, I have never been skunked birding.

This week Nery and I took Nery's sister Liza who lives in Japan and Nami, one of her English students and two of our nieces on a tour of the Bryce Canyon area which included Bryce Canyon, Red Canyon and Grand Staircase in Southern Utah. Since this trip was dedicated to them I didn't do any actual birding other than what I saw on the trails as we hiked. But even then I did see quite a few birds and picked up a new Life Bird, White Breasted Nuthatch. Unfortunately I was unable to get pictures of Nuthatches but got a few of other birds.

Steller's Jay were the most cooperative to have their picture taken. Steller's Jays in the park seem quite habituated to people.

This is a poor picture of a Yellow-rumped Warbler

Gray-headed Race of Dark-eyed Junco

Western Bluebird

In all birds seen were:

Common Raven

Turkey Vulture

Dark-eyed Junco

White-breasted Nuthatch

Mourning Dove

Bullock's Oriole

Steller's Jay

Western Bluebird

Here are some other pictures from the trip

Chipmunk

Bristlecone Pine

Bristlecone

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel

Mule Deer

Indian Paintbrush

If you would like to see more pictures of our trip you can view them on our Picasa Photo Albums at

https://picasaweb.google.com/stevecoleman1155/BryceCanyonTrip2011

August Bird of the Month Eastern Kingbird

2011-08-05T08:59:00.000-06:00

Kingbirds are interesting birds to watch, standing post at the top of a bush or bare branch of a tree waiting for an insect to fly within their well guarded territory then fly up catch the insect and fly back to their chosen post.

A pair of Eastern Kingbirds watching for food and defending their territory from intruders

I have watched Eastern Kingbirds chase off much bigger birds even hawks and jays that enter their territory.

The Eastern Kingbird has a black head and back, white throat, breast and belly with a white terminal stripe on it's black tail

A large dark flycatcher of fields and other open areas, the Eastern Kingbird is a common and widespread species. Despite its name, its range extends from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast.

Eastern Kingbirds are regular summer visitors to Farmington Bay and in fact seem to be increasing in numbers there each year.

Birding Fish Creek and the Portnuef River Near Lava Hot Springs Idaho

2011-07-11T22:23:00.005-06:00

Female Mountain Bluebird

Nery, Dave and Bennett at Fish Creek

This last weekend we attended a wonderful Family Reunion in Lava Hot Springs Idaho, it was a bird paradise. For the middle of July it seemed more like late May. Unfortunately I did not get a lot of pictures or any new life birds but did see many I haven't seen for a while. We had a pair of Mountain Blue Birds nesting in the eaves of the cabin we stayed in and a House Wren nesting in an old shed in the back. I did get pictures of these birds.

Male Mountain Bluebird

House Wren

Here is a list of birds seen during two days of casual birding Fish Creek and while fishing on the Portnuef River
Western Kingbird
Mountain Bluebird
House Wren
Calliope Hummingbird, chasing insects up and down Fish Creek
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Chipping Sparrow
Yellow Warbler
Black-headed Grosbeak
American Goldfinch
Great Blue Heron
Sandhill Crane
Common Raven
American Crow
Black-billed Magpie
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
Turkey Vulture
American Kestrel
Song Sparrow
Cassin's Finch
Gray Catbird
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird
Brown-headed Cowbird
American Robin
European Starling
Bullock's Oriole
Lazuli Bunting
Yellow-headed Blackbird
House Finch
Downy Woodpecker
Mourning Dove

July Bird of the Month Brown-headed Cowbird

2011-07-03T17:31:00.002-06:00

There are some birds that seem to be infamous among humans, some hate Magpies, others hate Starlings, Gulls seem to have gained a bad reputation., Crows, Ravens and even Jays are spoken of unkindly by some people. The Great-tailed Grackle is considered a pest by many and then there is the Brown-headed Cowbird the "parasitical nester, too lazy to build it's own nest or to raise their own young. One thing all of these "infamous" birds have in common is that they are all successful. In other words they have learned to adapt to the encroachment of humans to their natural habitat.

The Brown-headed cowbird that once followed herds of Bison on the prairies ( that by the way is how they got their name) now frequents all kinds of habitats and are doing well.

It is true that Brown-headed Cowbirds do not build their own nests, they lay their eggs in the nests of other host birds from the tiny Kinglet to Meadowlarks. Some birds like the Yellow Warbler have learned to recognize the Cowbirds eggs and get rid of them or build a new nest on top of the intruder eggs. Other birds never notice that they are raising Cowbirds instead of their own offspring. These kinds of things sound so horrible to humans but for some reason that is the Cowbirds place in nature. I will not pretend to understand what niche the Cowbirds fill but I do know that nature left to its self is as it should be. So my choice of Bird of the Month for July 2011 is the Brown-headed Cowbird.

Like all Blackbirds the Brown-headed Cowbird is a handsome bird. The male is glossy black with a rich brown head that sometimes appears black but in the right light you can see the deep brown color.

The Female is a brownish gray color

At Antelope Island in the Great Salt lake you can still find Cowbirds following the Bison

Eating flying insects from the back of Bison

Every Spring I see groups of Cowbirds in the trees in my back yard. I don't know if they are looking for places to lay their eggs, I have Robins, Bullocks Orioles, House Finches, House Sparrows, Cedar Waxwings and Starlings nesting in or around my yard. They never hang around long just a short stop then on their way.

Cowbirds visiting my back yard.

There are many Brown-headed Cowbirds at Farmington Bay, they are summer residents, though I have occasionally seen them in the winter with flocks of Brewers Blackbirds.

Reflections

2011-06-18T09:57:00.004-06:00

Thirty five years ago I returned home from an LDS church mission to the Philippines in mid December, the cultural shock returning home was scary but getting used to the cold and dry climate of Utah was even more difficult, my eyes burned, my nose was dry and stung all the time and I could not get warm. One of the things that greatly helped in my transition was taking pictures. I brought home with me the Nikon Nikomat camera that I had purchased used from one of the other missionaries. I loved that camera it took great pictures. One of the first things I remember doing was going out on a cold, foggy Saturday morning to take pictures with my dad. We went of course to Farmington Bay I got great shots of ice crystals on all the plants but the picture I remember most was a picture of a Killdeer standing in a small puddle, the reflection of the bird in the water was so good it was hard to tell which was upright or upside down. I had that picture for years in fact I placed it in a frame and it hung in our restaurant lobby. We have since moved several times and the picture has been misplaced. It was the first time I was moved by one of my own photographs. It's hard to explain why but looking at reflection pictures are calming to me. If a picture says a thousand words a picture of a reflection says two thousand. Here are some of my recent reflection photos, I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Snowy Egret

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Great Blue Heron

Solitary Sandpiper

Wood Duck

White-faced Ibis

American Avocet, this is one of my favorites

American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts are great subjects for reflection shots

Black-necked Stilt

Eared Grebe

Pied-billed Grebe

Clark's Grebe

Ruddy Duck

Common Goldeneye

Sunday Afternoon Stroll

2011-06-12T22:31:00.002-06:00

It's sunday afternoon and everyone is taking a nap. it is a beautiful day, too beautiful for me to waste. I decided to go over to Farmington Bay and walk the Nature Trail. Here are some pictures of birds I saw.

Avocets setting their nests

A couple of Cinnamon Teal Drakes

Black-necked Stilt

Stilt on her nest

Cinnamon Teal and Black-necked Stilt

Mallard Drake sitting on their nest

Great blue Heron

Clark's Grebe

Western Grebe

Ruddy Duck

Eastern Kingbird, this area has always been a good place to see Eastern Kingbirds long before the Nature Trail was built, today though I saw more Eastern Kingbirds than ever before.

Eastern Kingbird

Brown-headed Cowbird

Bullock's Oriole (female)

Song Sparrow

Also seen of course Red-wing and Yellow-headed Blackbirds, Gadwall, Forsters Terns, American White Pelicans, Great-tailed Grackle, Sandhill Crane, White-faced Ibis, American Coots, Pied -billed Grebe, Western Meadow Lark, Canada Geese, American Robin, European Starling, Ring-necked Pheasant, Western Kingbird, Tree Swallows, Barn Swallow, Killdeer, Willet.

June 2011 Bird of the Month Willet

2011-06-02T22:09:00.000-06:00

I have chosen the Willet as my Bird of the Month for June. This large gray plain looking sandpiper is quite common in the wetlands of the Great Salt Lake. On the ground they are drab gray with some speckling, it's only when they take off and open their wings their striking makings are visible.

Willets are one of those birds that are usually heard before they are seen, their trill "pill will willet" is unmistakable.

Willets nest on the ground and are seen foraging on mud flats and marshes, that is why last Saturday on my trip to Antelope Island I was surprised to hear them in the sagebrush. At first I did not see them o\so I stopped my car and started walking in the sagebrush. Much to my surprise they continued to call to each other giving me a chance to see them.

One of the things I love about birds is they often surprise with unusual behavior. I wonder if they are nesting in the area and using the sagebrush as a lookout.

There are two subspecies of Willets, the Eastern which is a costal bird and the Western which is an inland bird.

The Willet may have been the first sandpiper I was able to Identify when I was a new birder. Always a happy day when I see Willets during my birding outings and my choice of Bird of the Month for June.

Antelope Island Birding

2011-05-29T13:20:00.000-06:00

Chukar

I finally got out to Antelope Island yesterday for the first time this year. The Great Salt Lake has risen quite a bit, much of the mud flats are now covered and the lake comes up to most of the Causeway.

On the Causeway I saw California, and Franklin's Gull, White-faced Ibis, Killdeer, and Swallows.

The Chukar above was sitting on a rock at the entrance of the Visitors Center and was putting on quite a show.

I suspect that this Doe Pronghorn may have had a fawn in the area close by because she would not leave the area.

Meadow Larks were everywhere and singing their hearts out.

There were quit a few Lark Sparrows around the Visitors Center

Horned Larks were running along the road out to the Ranch. this one was kind enough to pose for me

I heard a curious call from the sagebrush and had to get out to investigate. There were several Willets sitting in the sage\brush calling to each other.

This Red-tail Hawk was hunting along the road to the ranch.

This Baby Great Horned Owl was keeping a close eye on me as I moved around it never stopped watching me

Mama was just a few feet above in the tree

This Western Wood Peewee is the first one I have ever photographed and it was quite cooperative

Western Wood Peewee

Another first is this Blue-gray Gnatcatcher though I have seen them many times it is the first time I was able to photograph one.

Yellow-rumped Warblers were everywhere at the ranch

There were also many Warbling Vireos

Yellow Warblers were also abundant

This Barn Owl was terrorizing all the Passerines

I didn't see many Bison, I saw this small group on my way back to the causeway from the ranch

Here is a list of the birds seen 45 species:
Eared Grebe
White-faced Ibis
Mallard
Gadwall
Northern Harrier
Swainson's Hawk
American Kestrel
Chukar
California Quail
Killdeer
Willet
Franklin's Gull
California Gull
Mourning Dove
Barn Owl
Great Horned Owl
Western Wood Peewee
Western Kingbird
Willow Flycatcher
Empid Flycatchers
Horned Lark
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-billed Magpie
Common Raven
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Sage Thrasher
Loggerhead Shrike
European Starling
Warbling Vireo
Orange-crowned Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Lark Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Red-winged Blackbird
Western Meadowlark
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Bullock's Oriole
Brown-headed Cowbird

Great Salt Lake Bird Festival 2011

2011-05-25T00:31:00.000-06:00

For the ninth year I was involved again this year in the Great Salt lake Bird Festival in three events.

Larry teaching the kids about Migrations

First was Those Wild Wetlands, a workshop originally for scouts to pass of requirements for their different badges. About 6 years ago I changed the program to include all youth, though scouts could still pass off their requirements I wanted to see more girls and other boys participate who may not be involved with scouts. I decided this year to make it my last to be in charge of this event, for about 8 years it was run by myself and Larry McClurg one of the other volunteers. He and I both want to pass this off to some different volunteers and give some of them a chance, so this year we recruited several of the other volunteers to take part and it was one of the best events we have ever done.

John teaching the kids about wetland plants

Double-crested Cormorant taking off during our bus tour

The second event I was part of was a bus tour of Farmington Bay. For the last tree years I have gone along while Rich Hansen the manager of Farmington Bay, leads this tour of the interior of the Waterfowl Management Area, where the public is usually not allowed to go. This is a leisurely event for me I sit in the back of the bus to answer questions and help people identify birds we see. Here are some pictures from the tour.

This Barn Swallow stopped and posed for us

This female Brown-headed Cowbird was also cooperative to have her picture taken

Probably the highlight of the tour was this black-crowned Night Heron who posed for a long time to let us take pictures.

Nesting Great Blue Herons

Forster's Terns

American White Pelicans

Who doesn't love baby geese?

The third event is one I started about 6 years ago it is a Birding For Families and Dutch-oven Dinner. This event is a lot of work, it is a fun event and I have enjoyed doing it. We start with a Dutch-oven dinner of my Grandma Casdorph's Pulled Pork Barbeque a recipe handed down from grandma to my mom. Cole Slaw, Baked Beans, Dutch-oven Potatoes and end with three Dutch-oven dump cakes to choose from. I didn't get to do any birding during this event, again I recruited several of the Volunteer Naturalists to lead bird walks and teach the participants about the wetlands.

This is what I envisioned years ago when I decided to do this event. Whole families even little kids enjoying the nature Center and the Birds.

The event would not have been a success without these volunteers who worked hard to make it a success. This is Shyloh helped me prep the food and lead a bird walk, Terri helped with a bird walk and helped with clean up, MarJean who was our bird guide for the night and Holly with her back to us, she is an intern and helped all day long, she put in a long day.

This is Holly she does an amazing job at the Nature Center

This is Verma and her family, she did an excellent presentation on Macro-invertebrates

Here are some pictures of the participants this year.

Larry and his daughter

This gentleman has participated for the last 3 or 4 years with his family.

MarJean our bird guide for the night

Shyloh and his lovely wife

Terri

Nery and I. Nery shows up every year to help me out and keep me straight. I would never have been able to do any of these dinner events without her. she is AWESOME and a good sport.

Thanks to all the volunteers for your help, thanks to Holly for all you did for us this day, and thanks to all who signed up and participated, I hope you all had a wonderful time and hope that you will return often to the Nature Center and Farmington Bay. Most of all thank you Nery for your help and support.

Shore and Wading Birds

2011-05-22T12:39:00.002-06:00

Spring is Shorebird season at The Great Salt Lake. A drive out to Antelope Island along the causeway will reward you with all manner of Shorebirds. Farmington Bay is also a great place to see Shorebirds.
Here are pictures of some of the Shore and Wading Birds of Great Salt Lake and Farmington Bay

American Avocet and Snowy Egret

Snowy Egret

Great Egret

The Great Egret is found across much of the world, from southern Canada southward to Argentina, and in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. The Great Egret however is uncommon in Northern Utah, this one showed up several years ago and hung around Farmington Bay clear into late January.

Black-crowned Night Heron

Great Blue Heron

The Great Blue Heron is a year round resident to The Great Salt Lake Wetlands, a couple of years ago when all of the water at Farmington Bay was frozen over I observed Blue Herons in the grassy areas hunting meadow voles.

Great Blue Heron hunting Meadow Voles

White-faced Ibis

One of the worlds largest concentrations of White Faced Ibis Nest on the shores of the Great Salt Lake

The American Avocet is a favorite shorebird for many people. Great Salt Lake is host to one of the largest concentrations of breeding American Avocets in the world

Never far from the Avocets are the Black-necked Stilts

Long-billed Curlew are common along the Antelope Island Causeway, feeding on Brine Flies.

Long-billed Dowitchers congregate by the thousands during Spring and Fall migrations.

This unfortunate Dowitcher had somehow lost a leg and wintered over a few years ago. Though handicapped he seemed to do well and was seen for several months and probably met up with other Dowitchers during spring migration and move on, at least I would like to think that is what became of him.

Killdeer are a study in crazy behavior. They love to lay their eggs in gravel and for some reason often pick parking lots with a lot of traffic. After choosing a less than perfect place to nest they are constantly running around calling to people and doing their broken wing impressing to lure people away from their nest. Killdeer are year round residents of Northern Utah and can be found in many types of habitat from the foothills to pastures to mud flats on the Great Salt Lake and Farmington Bay.

Marbled Godwits are hit and miss, sometimes you can look all day and not find any then other times you can see large groups of them. For me they are one of the harder birds to get a good photograph of.

Great Salt Lake hosts the largest concentration of Wilson's Phalaropes during spring and fall migrations

Red-necked Phalaropes in winter plumage a smaller cousin to the Wilson's Phalarope. Very entertaining to watch them spin in circles while they feed on Brine Shrimp in the Great Salt lake

Solitary Sandpiper

Sora a small Rail is much more often heard than seen and I felt fortunate to get these pictures.

These little beauties usually hiding in the Cattails this one came out to let us take some pictures.

Spotted Sandpiper in Breeding Plumage

Spotted Sandpiper in winter plumage

Virginia Rail another bird more often heard than seen but doesn't seem to be quite a shy as the Sora. This one hung out right next to the Nature Center a couple of years ago much to the delight of many visitors.

Western Sandpipers and other "peeps" small sandpipers are seen in large numbers on the Antelope Island Causeway during migration.

Willets flashing their black and white wings in flight are rather drab on the ground.

Willet

Greater Yellow-legs

I think these are Lesser Yellow-legs, but hard for me to tell unless I see them side by side with Greater Yellow-legs.

Millions of Shorebirds move through the Great Salt Lake and her Wetlands twice a year during migration

Morning Birds

2011-05-07T21:41:00.000-06:00

During breakfast i noticed a Green-tailed Towhee in the yard. My grandson Bennett up and coming birder had to take a look

Green-tailed Towhee

He watched this Robin hunting for worms too

After Breakfast I had to go to a meeting at Farmington Bay to plan events for the Great Salt Lake Bird Festival next week. I took a few pictures before and after the meeting.

These Cinnamon Teal were squabbling over something

"Reflections" this White-faced Ibis was posing for me

The sun hit this one just right to see how iridescent they are. The only thing I did to this photo was crop it a bit.

Yellow-headed Blackbirds were putting on a nice show

Killdeer

Mallard Mama and babies

May 2011 Bird of the Month American Robin

2011-04-30T15:55:00.001-06:00

The Early Bird Gets the Worm, robins are often seen on lawns pulling worms out of the ground then taking them to their nest to feed their babies

Though theY were named after the European Robin for its rufous breast which is a flycatcher they are no relation. American robins are of the Thrush Family and are related to Bluebirds and other Thrushes. In fact the American Robin is more closely related to the Common Blackbird of Europe than the European Robin

Though Robin's main diet is worms and other invertebrates but during the winter Robins eat berries. In my yard they eat juniper berries during winter months

Robins are year round residents of Utah

In my opinion the American Robin is one of the most photogenic birds.

Starting in April, several hours before the sun rises you can hear the Robins singing, it is a sure sign spring has come

Robins can have three successful broods of chick a year.

The Male Robin has a much darker head and deeper red breast than the female with more pronounced eye ring

Female Robin

More Spring Birding and other Nature at Farmington Bay

2011-04-23T18:28:00.000-06:00

There is a family of Red Foxes that live about 75 yards off the Nature Trail at Farmington Bay I was able to take some pictures of the Kits playing this morning.

I took a walk around the Nature trail this morning with my brother Brian who is visiting with his family from Greeley Colorado. We were able to see quite a few birds and the foxes playing on their den. It was a lovely walk

My first White-faced Ibis of the year

Cinnamon Teal

Cinnamon Teal Drake

Mallard Drake

This male Red-winged Blackbird was singing his heart out for the ladies that were sitting in the tree across the road

The Female Red-winged Blackbirds seemed indifferent

Yellow-headed Blackbirds are the most willing of all the birds out at Farmington Bay to pose for their picture to be taken

I never tire of taking pictures of the Snowy Egrets

Nesting American Avocets on Glover Pond

Pied-billed Grebe

Clarks Grebe

Great Blue Herons another bird I never tire of photographing

American White Pelicans

Female American Robin, Robins are very common but I think one of the most photogenic of all birds

Song Sparrow

This Canada Goose has her nest just on the other side of the the canal that runs next to the Nature Trail

Early Spring Birding at Farmington Bay

2011-04-16T17:35:00.001-06:00

Great Blue Heron

Trying to be invisible this Canada Goose is setting her nest

Pair of Northern Shovelers

Gadwall Drake

American Avocets

Song Sparrow

Ring-necked Pheasant Rooster

Cinnamon Teal Drakes

Snowy Egret

Great Blue Heron

Odd Couple

I got excited yesterday I stopped at the Nature Center to look at the board where they write down birds seen for the month. Listed there was Cackling goose, so I set out to look for it because that would be a new life bird for me. I found this pair, clearly one goose is much smaller but consulting my field guides my opinion is that this is not a Cackling goose but a Lesser Canada Goose. A Cackling Goose has a much shorter neck and is even smaller than this goose. I welcome and would love any comments on this Goose.

Double Crested Cormorant Drying its wings

This is the most pronounced red mark I have ever seen on a Coots forehead

Western Grebe Pair

Canvasback Drake

Double Crested Cormorant

Snowy Egrets were abundant and several were quite cooperative to have their pictures taken

This Great-tailed Grackle was quite vocal and let everyone know he was in charge.

Black-billed Magpie

April Bird of the Month Barn Owl

2011-04-01T08:25:00.001-06:00

Driving on a dirt road on a warm California night headed out to the San Joaquin River to go fishing it was dark and a full moon when all the sudden a white image like a ghost flew in front of the car, tt was eery and scared me. After flying right in front of the windshield of my little Datsun pick up it started flying out in front of me, leading me down the road. Then I saw another and another up ahead, it was like I had entered the haunted forrest, then there was one in the middle of the road. I realized what I was seeing for the first time were Barn Owls. I went fishing often on the San Joaquin and got used to seeing a lot of Barn Owls each time I went. People now often tell me about seeing Snowy Owls at night, what they are really seeing are Barn Owls.

I took this picture at Farmington Bay several years ago. There was an eruption of Barn Owls, it was a cold hard winter and while it was good for birding and we saw a lot of Barn Owls that year, many died of starvation and cold. I occasionally see one once in a while but not in numbers like that winter,

At night appearing almost white actually have white breast and belly speckled tawny brown, the female is usually more speckled than the male. The back is brownish tawny color speckled black and white and can vary darker or lighter.

Barn Owls are nocturnal hunting at night for mice and meadow voles, They hunt by sound flying low to the ground using their heart shaped facial disk to pick up sounds.

Barn Owls live in many habitats from wide open fields, wetlands and even in urban areas.

Barn Owls are the most widely distributed of all owls living on all the continents except Antarctica and many islands of the sea.

Never tiring of seeing owls of any kind and still thrilled when I see this silent ghost flying around the wetlands at night the Barn Owl is my selection for Bird of the Month for April

Farmington Bay Diversity More of My Happy Place

2011-03-25T14:44:00.000-06:00

Loggerhead Shrike

One of the things that make Farmington Bay such a great place is the diversity of birds attracted there.

Waterfowl, Shorebirds, Wading Birds, Birds of Prey and Passerines, it is a bird paradise. Here are some more pictures from Farmington Bay

Brewer's Blackbird

White-crowned Sparrow

Bald Eagle

American Avocet

Long-billed Dowitchers

Downy Woodpecker

Pickleweed

Northern Pintail and Mallard

Ring-necked Pheasant

Song Sparrow

Yellow-rumped Warbler

American White Pelican

Ring-necked Duck

Greater Yellow-legs

Spotted Towhee

Merlin

American Kestrel

Black-necked Stilt

Solitary Sandpiper

Sora

Virginia Rail

Spotted Sandpiper

Tundra Swan Day

2011-03-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

Tundra Swan Day is my favorite event each year, not just for the Tundra Swans but because a lot of the spring migrants start coming in. This year the Swans started leaving early, a week ago there were 10,000 Tundra Swans at Farmington Bay yesterday and today there were between a hundred and two hundred.

Red-winged Blackbirds were singing everywhere

Always present are the American Coots

It has been a good year for Bald Eagles. Usually by this time there are very few if any Bald Eagles left. Today we saw at least 60.

Song Sparrows were very vocal, a welcome sound with the promise of spring.

Canada Geese paired up and establishing their territories for nesting

My friend Mike Johnson came along yesterday to take pictures

Common Mergansers

Great Blue Herons are busy working on their nests

For years I have been trying to get pictures of one of these little guys, this Long-tailed Weasel was very cooperative and posed like he know what he was doing.

Another great thing about Tundra Swan Day is the Chorus Frogs start signing. their sound is almost deafening

These tiny frogs are very difficult to see, these are the first pictures I have ever gotten of them

The Sandhill Cranes are usually back by Swan Day this year they came even a little earlier. I saw my first of the year 2 weeks ago. Who is watching who in this picture?

So even if the Tundra Swans are few in numbers it is still one of the best events of the year and guaranteed not to disappoint

Awesome Cub Scouts

2011-03-04T19:10:00.000-07:00

Watching Bald Eagles circling

Today I held a Cub Scout "World Conservation Award" workshop for a Cub Scout Pack from Draper Utah. I have been doing these classes for 10 years and I love doing them. It is so rewarding to introduce these young men to nature and the Great Salt Lake Wetlands. Over the years I have had some tremendous Cub Scout groups come out and the one today was one of the best. They all came prepared with their pad of paper and pens ready to take notes and list the birds they saw. Thank you to the great cubs and their dedicated leaders for a successful workshop.

I am always happy when sisters of the cubs come along. We get far too few girls out to see the Nature Center and the birds

Looking at the tank that displays the Great Salt Lake ecosystem
There is live algae , Brine Shrimp and Brine Fly Larva

Checking out some animal skeletons and skulls from the wetlands, including skunk, deer, beaver, muskrat, and an owl pellet with at vole skeleton. the vials hold samples of macro-invertabrates collected from the ponds at Farmington Bay. The macro-invertabrates are an important food source for birds

These boys are looking at feathers and nests that have been gathered from the wetlands

Parking lot with Great Blue Heron rookery in the background

The boys learned how to identify birds by location, habitat and field marks, the taxidermy at the nature center helps teach people how to identify birds by their field marks.

What are the identifying field marks of this Tundra Swan

These two Snow Geese are different colors but they have similar field marks that help us identify them both as snow geese. Can you see the field marks that they both have that identify them as Snow Geese?

What field marks identify this as a Canada Goose?

Juvenile Bald Eagle circling over Farmington Bay

Adult Bald Eagle we saw circling

Northern Harrier Hawk

Great Blue heron in the pond next to the Nature Center

Great Blue Herons working on their nests on the rookery

I had a great time and hope you all will return many times to Farmington Bay.

March Bird of the Month Short-eared Owl

2011-03-01T08:06:00.001-07:00

The next couple of months Bird of the Month will be dedicated to Owls. This months Bird of the Month I have selected the Short-eared Owl. My first sighting of Short-eared Owls was on a foggy New Years day in 2001. I was at Farmington Bay with my son Spencer and we were looking for Eagles, we count 9 Short-eared Owls that morning. It is especially memorable because I got 2 new life birds that morning and Spencer ID'd both of them. The other life bird was the Northern Shrike, I could not have been more proud.

This was one of my lost pictures salvaged from a slideshow.

Several Years ago I had a problem with one of my computers, we saved all my bird photos on a back up disk, when the problem was fixed and we loaded the pictures back on to my computer, for some reason all of my Owl and and Egret/Heron photos were gone. I was sick about it then remembered that I had made a video slide show of many the Egret and Heron pictures as well as Owl pictures. I was able to salvage the best ones that I had placed on the slide shows but unfortunately the quality of the pictures are not as good being copies of copies.

Short-eared owls hunt mostly at night but they are diurnal so it is not uncommon to see them hunting early in the day and also just before dark.

Short-eared Owls are named for the small tufts of feathers on the top of their head, these tufts are usually not visible.

This bird is displaying its ear tufts that give it, its name

Short-eared owls hunt mostly for meadow voles and mice, but will also take small birds.

Short-eared Owls are the most common Owls at Farmington Bay. It is perfect habitat for them for hunting and also because they nest on the ground their is plenty of cover for them to nest in

The Birds of Prey at Farmington Bay love to pose for Photos on the No Hunting Sign, the Owls are no exception

Like most birds of Prey Owls eat their prey whole. They are not able to digest the hair, bones and feathers so after digestion they cough up a pellet of the undigestible material. Locating these pellets is a good way to locate where owls roost.

I found this Owl Pellet on the deck at the Nature Center. I frequently find Pellets there. Notice the skull fur and bones of the Vole that was this Owls dinner.

Eagles, Sandhill Cranes and More

2011-02-26T14:31:00.002-07:00

I took my Dad, my brother in law Frank and my niece Abby out to look at eagles at Farmington Bay today, there were at least 200 eagles and I saw a couple of Sandhill Cranes. Other birds seen:

White Crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow
Tree Swallow 1st of the year
Red-winged Blackbird
Canada Goose
Ruddy Duck
Bufflehead
Northern Pintail
Mallard
Tundra Swan
Northern Harrier
Red-tailed Hawk
American Kestrel
Black-billed magpie
Horned Lark
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Herring Gull
Common Merganser
Pied-billed Grebe
American Coot
Marsh Wren
Great Blue Heron

Here are a few pictures

Sandhill Cranes

This juvenile Bald Eagle was very tame and allowed people to get closer than I have ever seen an eagle allow people to to approach them without flying off.

Springtime in the Marsh

2011-02-23T23:04:00.001-07:00

Human and animal behavior is not that different.

I was amused by this couple, Mr. Goose persistence while just getting the cold shoulder

Sunsets My Happy Place Part 4

2011-02-19T12:19:00.001-07:00

What is more relaxing, calming, romantic, or beautiful than the splendor of a sunset? I remember sitting on the beach in the Philippines watching the sun set on the Pacific Ocean watching all the shades of red, gold, blue, purple and silver glimmering off the water and changing as the sun sank deeper until it was gone for another day.

Sunsets always make me dream and reflect on life and the beauty of the earth. I find the sunsets at Farmington Bay over the Great Salt Lake no less splendid. Here are some Farmington Bay sunsets I have photographed over the years.

Great Blue Herons

Snowy Egret

Pelicans Heading back to their nests at Gunnison Island after spending the day feeding at the Great Salt Lake wetlands

Tundra Swans and Mallards

Spencer and Rachel

My Happy Place Part 3 Birds and More

2011-02-16T20:41:00.001-07:00

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Sometimes while I was taking these pictures I would go out alone and not see another person for hours, I would find a spot and sit and wait for the perfect picture and take in the incredible beauty of these incredible wetlands.

Marsh Wren
I sat in the middle of a thorny greasewood bush for over an hour to get this picture along with some pictures of Ruby-crowned Kinglets that happened to be there that day

Western Kingbird
My Hook Bird

Tree Swallows

Female Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)

Female Ring-necked Pheasant

Rabbit Bush

Great-tailed Grackle
Like the Eurasian Collared Dove, five years ago these birds were not found at Farmington Bay, in the last couple of years they are nesting there and becoming a common sight

Ruby-crowned Kinglet
I got this picture the same time I got the picture of the Marsh Wren above. I was scratched to pieces by the time I was done but it was worth it.

Lark Sparrow

Marbled Godwit

This Male was courting her hot and heavey and she was playing hard to get

This Sun Dog was perfect and lasted a long time one May morning a couple of years ago

This is the only picture I have been able to get of Cattle Egret

The most elegant bird in the marsh
Snowy Egret

Forster's Tern

Goose Egg Island

Short-eared Owl

Barn Swallow

My Happy Place Part 2 More Pictures of Farmington Bay

2011-02-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

When I set out to take pictures of Farmington Bay for the slideshow, I wanted to get pictures of birds, the landscape and plants and all seasons of the year. It took three years thousands of pictures and a lot of patience. Here are some more of those pictures.

Loggerhead Shrike

Cattails

Beaver House

Spillway Farmington Creek

Eurasian Collared Dove, five years ago I had never seen one, now they are quite common.

One of the cub scouts watching waterfowl from the deck of the nature center

This scout was picking cheatgrass out of his socks during a work project

Common Yellow-throat, one of the more difficult birds I have photographed

A dust-bow

The deck of the Nature Center

Gadwall in courtship flight

Green-winged Teal

Marsh Wren another difficult bird to photograph

Bulrush and Sunflowers

Common Goldeneye, Gadwall and Hooded Merganser

Western Meadowlark

Female American Kestrel

Willet

Black-necked Stilt

My Happy Place Part 1

2011-02-09T21:48:00.000-07:00

I have a file of 350 pictures that I have taken at Farmington Bay that I used to create a DVD slideshow to show at the Farmington Bay Nature Center. I was looking through those pictures tonight and decided to share them. It will be in several posts because there are so many of them. I think you will see why Farmington Bay is my Happy Place, or at least one of my top 5 happy places.

One of the many Scout groups I have worked with over the years. These guys were pulling weeds and planting Salt Grass in the berms at the Nature Center parking lot.

A Killdeer luring us away from it's nest

A view of Antelope Island from Goose Egg Island

Even the bugs are beautiful

I think they are all very optimistic

Buffleheads

Salicornia Utahensis Utah Pickleweed grows in the alkaline soil of the Great Salt Lake wetlands and is just as colorful in the fall as the oak-brush on the mountains

White-faced Ibis

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Barn Owl

Eared Grebe

This Great Egret stayed well into January a few years ago

Long-billed Dowitchers

American Avocet

Ring-necked Pheasant

I hope you all enjoy these pictures of one of the most beautiful places I know.

Birding the Bay with Belle

2011-02-04T23:01:00.000-07:00

I went out to Farmington Bay early this morning and took along my trusty side-kick Belle my little Papillon who has become my constant companion. The lighting was not very good so pictures are poor quality but we had a great time.

List of birds seen:
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Loggerhead Shrike
Red-winged Blackbird
Brewers Blackbird
Great Blue Heron
Prairie Falcon
Northern Rough-legged Hawk
Song Sparrow
Marsh Wren
Starling
Ring-necked Pheasant
Ruddy Duck
Lesser Scaup
Mallard
Northern Pintail
American Coot
Pied-billed Grebe
Common Merganser
American Wigeon
Green-winged Teal
Tundra Swan
Canada Goose
Red-tailed Hawk
Lots of Gulls
Ring-billed
California etc.
I am not very good with Gulls, I need go out with someone who is a Gull expert to help me.
Here are some pictures from today's birding

Northern Harrier

Assorted Gulls

Ice Skating Coots

If my feet were that big in proportion to my body I think I would fall flat on my face if I tried to run

Pied-billed Grebe

Tundra Swans

Lesser Scaup Drake

Lesser Scaup Duck

Hotdogs on a Stick?

Assorted Ducks

Red-tailed Hawk

Ruddy Ducks

Ring-necked Pheasant

Reflection

Belle hot on the trail of a vole

Eagles on the ice

February 2011 Bird of the Month Sharp-shinned Hawk

2011-01-30T19:48:00.002-07:00

The first time I ever saw a Sharp-shinned Hawk, I was sitting at my kitchen window watching the birds at my backyard feeders. All the sudden a dark streak swooshed across the yard and into a bush, a moment later it came out with one of my backyard patrons in it's talons and lit in one of my large trees and began to devour it.

Considered by some the scourge of backyard feeders the Sharp-shinned Hawk is not always a welcome guest. I cannot count the times people have called me, e-mailed me or just come up and ask; "how can I get rid of the hawk in my yard that keeps killing my little birds"? My answer, and I warn them that they will not like it is to "either take down their bird feeders, or you can leave them up and be happy that you have a balance in your yard". Most of the people roll their eyes and admit, "yes I know they need to eat too, I just wish they would leave my little birds alone". I had one lady that was so upset that a hawk was killing her little doves and quail that she wanted the hawks eradicated. Quail and Doves are two birds that have flourished in my neighborhood in the last few years, especially the Eurasian Collared Doves that were not even present in our area 5 years ago. These are hardly threatened species.

I got a lot of people upset a few years ago on an e-mail list serve that I used to participate in when someone asked that question. I stayed back and watched as different people responded with such solutions as "shoot it with a BB gun, or use a toy bow and arrow, these two options will sting but won't kill the bird and may discourage it from coming back". Yet another suggested "each time you see one in your yard go out with a big spoon and a pan and bang on it to drive it off". After watching these responses for a while and disturbed that people were suggesting violent solutions, I responded with my usual response, "if you don't want the hawks in your yard take down your feeders, but none of you should ever consider doing anything that would harm a bird of prey". I went on to tell them that a group of boys brought an unfortunate Sharpy to me one day and said it could not fly and wanted me to help it. I took it and looked it over and sure enough under one of it's wings there was a small hole in it's side, undoubtedly shot by a BB or pellet gun. I put the bird in a box and went in the house to call a wildlife rehabilitator. I went back out about 15 minutes later and the bird had died. BBs can kill a small hawk like a Sharp-shinned.

I told them that shooting a hawk with a BB gun is not harmless and that this bird died as a result of a BB, shot probably by someone feeding birds that wanted to get rid of the hawk. I kind of got on a soapbox and I said a few more things that probably did more harm than good because I offended many of the participants on the list serve who shot back at me with angry responses. By the way it was not a birding group list serve.

While the presence of a Sharp-shinned Hawk will quiet things down at my feeders I am always excited to see one. I would venture to guess that the majority of birds they consume in my neighborhood are House Sparrows, again hardly a threatened species.

This Sharp-shinned Hawk is a regular and welcomed visitor to my back yard

Adult Description

Small hawk.
Tail long, barred, and ends with a square tip.
Wings short and rounded.
Adults with blue-gray back and wings, reddish barring on underparts.

Female Description

Adult female somewhat browner on back and less heavily barred than male.

Immature Description

Juveniles brown on back and wings. Underparts with coarse brown streaks. Thin white eyestripe. Underwing white with dark brown barring. Eyes yellow.

Very similar in plumage to Cooper's Hawk. Cooper's Hawk has proportionately longer tail, rounded at the tip. Cooper's Hawk has a proportionately larger head. Adult Cooper's Hawk has a dark cap that contrasts with its back. Juvenile Cooper's Hawk has less streaking underneath and more white on the tip of the tail. In flight, the larger head of the Cooper's Hawk is apparent, sticking out farther in front of the wings. For more information separating the two species click here.