Female Forster’s Tern is Waiting for Fish

The flooding of the Bear River has attracted numerous waterfowl to the areas that  are not normally found there during dry years. Yesterday I was lucky enough to watch and photograph a Forster’s Tern demanding to be fed by its parents as I thought at first.  

I later changed my mind after a comment I received.  This remark made me question whether it was indeed a juvenile or it was an adult female waiting to be fed by her mate.

That is true that during the mating ritual the male starts offering food to the female, eventually feeding her almost exclusively as they become a pair.

Male Yellow-headed Blackbird Trying to Attract a Female

I am always waiting for the arrival of Blackbirds. The male display are fun to see and hear.  They arrive first in the early spring to choose their territory and the wait for females begins. 

The male has to work hard to attract the female because it’s she who will choose a mate, and not otherwise.  

Learning to Be Independent

The moment I spotted the juvenile Great Horned Owl, I thought there was no way I could take a photo of him.  The Owl was hidden by dense tree branches and almost was invisible.  I stayed with him for a while, talked briefly and left.

On the way back, the Owl was still in the same tree but he changed his position and no longer napped.   This juvenile Owl flew out of the nest into the world learning how to be independent.

In the Great Blue Herons’ Rookery – II.

Raising Great Blue Herons’ chicks is incredibly difficult. They can be brutal toward their parents and often attack them while they are fed. The chicks also can be violent towards their siblings hurting them in a fight for food. 

Later on, the juvenile Herons become so aggressive that their parents quickly drop a fish and leave.

In the Great Blue Herons’ Rookery – I.

Yesterday the Great Blue Herons’ rookery was different, it ceased to be quiet and was surrounded with incessant loud noise.  The chicks are getting bigger and nosier. 

Some couples are still building nests. In the photo above the male Great Blue delivered a thin branch to add it to the nest.   I am sure the female was very pleased.

They Will Soon Become Parents – II.

Antelopes choose a calm and relatively safe place for rest, but they do not allow themselves to relax completely, as coyotes may be nearby. On that warm, calm morning, thankfully, there were no coyotes around.

The young doe in the photo above is pregnant.  Sometime in late May or early June, she will give birth to a calf after 250 days of gestation.

Mother is Coming Back

From time to time the female Great Blue Heron left the nest and her young.  When she came back, the chicks always stretched out their thin long necks in anticipation of food. 

Life goes on.

 

Female Great Blue Heron and Her Four Babies

Yesterday I visited the Great Blue Herons rookery again and this time it looked differently.  Two nesting sites were abandoned and one nest was not completed  and a lone Heron stood on it. 

What’s happened?  Why did some Herons leave their nests?  I wish I had answers…

Even though I was sad I was happy that most of Great Blue Herons had already babies.

A Traveler – I.

Seeing a Double-crested Cormorant perching on a log in our local park this morning was a huge surprise. I’m still trying to figure out where he came from.

I assume that Cormorant left the nearest large pond and flew off to spend time with our geese and ducks.

Black-crowned Night Heron Making Decisions

Sometimes Black-crowned Herons surprise me with their unpredictability like the Heron above. One dewy morning, this heron surprised me by choosing a rather open place near the swamp for hunting.

They Will Soon Become Parents

Yesterday I had a fantastic opportunity to observe and photograph a pair of Pronghorn Antelopes on Antelope Island.  The young doe was pregnant.  Sometime in late May or early June, she will give birth to a calf after 250 days of gestation.

Western Grebes in Their Courtship Dance

Over the past few years I missed several courtship dances performed by Western Grebes because I couldn’t predict when they would start.

But it’s one thing to predict this beautiful dance and another to capture it.  

This dance only lasts a few seconds and you have to react quickly.  Last week I somehow managed to capture the last part of the Grebes’ dance.

Life goes on.

 

Great Egret is Flying to Its Favorite Fishing Spot

At the very end of my trip yesterday, I saw a Great Egret flying to its favorite fishing spot.  My goal was to stay with Egret as long as possible hoping that Heron would fish for while on this marsh.  

The Great Blue Heron Rookery at Farmington Bay -II.

Some male Great Blue Herons were returning to the nests with building material in form of thin sticks, others came to check how their females were doing.  

I received a funny comment on Flickr on one of my previous photographs of Great Blues Herons behavior in their nests.

“Great behavioral portrait of the GBH nest building with a greeting at each contact while she tells him how she wants the living room and nursery decorated and he goes out to find the furniture.”

Ethan A. Winning

The Great Blue Heron Rookery at the Farmington Bay

In early spring, usually starting in March, Great Blue Herons begin to make their way to the Farmington Bay heron rookery to select a spot for upcoming season breading.  

The couple above took a spot on the very top of rookery and are still working on the nest.

A Long Story – I. Uninvited Guest

This long story began on a cold rainy morning. A few pelicans perched on logs and dozed off.  Sometimes one of them got up, yawned, and then continued to doze again.

One of the Ways to Land

I have never seen an American White Pelican land the way the guy above does. Apparently, every Pelican has several landing techniques in its arsenal.

Life goes on.

 

Double-crested Cormorant is Fishing in High Waters

Serious and focused with beautiful greenish blue eyes.  In one word, spring portrait of Cormorant.

Life goes on.

 

In a Close Circle

A few American White Pelicans fancied a small island of dry reeds. A little cramped, sure, but cozy and warm.

American White Pelicans Have Arrived

What else can I say?  It was a joy and a thrill to see pelicans again on the Bear River MBR.  Life goes on…

Nice Landing

American Avocets have arrived in Northern Utah a few weeks ago, when it was still cold and it snowed almost every day.  

I was worried about how Avocets were doing but this week welcomed us with the first warm sunny days.  I am sure that these birds are happy that spring has finally arrived.

Life goes on.

 

European Starling on the Garr Ranch

On my last trip to Antelope Island I wandered around the Garr ranch, secretly hoping to see again Cedar Waxwings, but instead of them I accidentally came across a European Starling who was playing with a fallen dry leaf.

Busy Ring-billed Gulls

The gulls are always interesting to observe. Sometimes they get bored and yawn with their beak wide open, like the Gull in the photo above. 

There are times when they are busy looking for fish and often have to fight for it. This especially happens in winter, when their food supplies are scarce. 

Notes to Self. Nature as Blessing

June 24, 2022.  Sunrise on the Bear River MBR.

Just a few days ago we celebrated my late husband’s birthday. It seemed that everything would go on as usual but in a few weeks everything would change dramatically.

It is hard for me to post my photos taken that terrible summer.  I’m still trying to figure out how I could photograph back then, forcing myself to go out for a couple of hours when it was possible.  

The hours spent in nature and with the birds have been my blessing.  Today I even dread to think what would happen to me without them.

Six months have passed since the death of my husband. The further you go, the harder it gets and the more it hurts. They say time heals. It’s a big lie!

Life goes on.

Male and Female Common Mergansers

My encounters with Common Mergansers have been fairly rare.  I photographed a few times a female Merganser but I never met the male.  A few weeks ago I had an opportunity to see the male Merganser.

American Avocets Huddle Together in a Strong Icy Wind -II.

That day weather changed constantly on the Great Salt Lake.  Sometimes the strong wind calmed down a little and the sun appeared from behind the clouds and then it became cloudy again.  

When the sun shone the avocets perked up, the birds raised their heads and looked around.

Where Should I Go Next

Encounters with coyotes don’t always end with a photo, but there are days when coyotes stop briefly for different reasons. I always look forward to these moments.

Life goes on.

 

American Avocets in a Strong Icy Wind-II.

As soon as the strong icy wind subsided on Antelope Island, Avocets came to life. Some of them rose into the air, while others began to flap their wings.

American Avocets Huddle Together in a Strong Icy Wind

American Avocets have made a long migration journey to Northern Utah without knowing what awaits them this early spring.  

Yesterday, an icy strong wind raged on the Antelope island for a couple of hours in the early morning.

Avocets huddled together, waiting for wind to die down.  Some were lucky, they managed to get to the center, where it was warmer, other found place on the edges.

The wind was so strong that my only choice was to photograph birds from the car, using my bean bag to keep my telephoto lens steady.

Tundra Swans in March -II.

The longer you observe Tundra Swans the more you become fascinated by these big birds.  The Swans in the photo above landed with full swing towards the group, causing a lot of splashes. 

Great Blue Heron in His Shelter

March weather in Utah is often unpredictable.  The sun is just shining and everything is so peaceful, and suddenly in a matter of minutes the clouds hide the sun and a strong wind comes out of nowhere.

Birds have different ways of escaping from the storm approaching. Everyone has their own place to hide. This heron found shelter in a thicket of dry reeds to wait out the strong wind and rain.

Flying Tundra Swans

This winter, with its endless rain and snow I began to believe that I would never see Tundra Swans on the Bear River MBR this year.  

Nature last week had mercy and gave us four sunny days, drying dirt roads quiet well and yesterday I was able to get to the refuge.

The opportunity to see Tundra Swans again gave me not only a joy but also a feeling that there is some certainty in this life.  

Wild Turkeys in March – II.

Wild Turkey is smart and sensitive bird but it doesn’t exactly win over our hearts with its beauty or charm.  

While photographing these interesting birds, I thought that charm and beauty is always in the eye of beholder.  To me this bird is definitely adorable and beautiful. 

Life goes on.

 

Ring-billed Gull is Landing on Ice

I love gulls, love their appearance, their calls, I love to watch them and especially to photograph these incredible birds in action.  These incredible birds are graceful in flight, they are fearless when they are fighting and very smart. 

On Great Blue Herons

I think the best way to learn about birds is to go out in the nature and simply watch them.  The longer you watch, the more you learn.

A few weeks ago I came across a group of Great Blue Herons that were unusually close to the shore, and I was very lucky to observe them and their behavior for about two and a half hours.  I learned a lot about Great Blues that day.  

Here some more photos of a Great Blues Heron’s landing on the ice that is always  carefully thought from the beginning till the end.

Wild Turkeys in March – I.

I was photographing a flock of Wild Turkeys in our local park, and nothing much was happening until one adventurous Turkey left the flock and decided to take a short rest in the snow.  

Suddenly it seemed like an interesting idea to take portraits of Turkeys instead of trying and failing to take photos of the entire flock.

Excellent Vocalists

Song Sparrows are very vocal and sing throughout the year. Their songs can be short and last a few seconds, while others are five seconds long.

Female Song Sparrows are attracted to males that have learned to sing a wider repertoire of songs.  These males can perform about six to twenty different melodies with only slight variations.

The Song Sparrow I photographed two weeks ago in our local park wasn’t going to perform his songs in front of me, he just perched briefly on a log and then disappeared. 

Life goes on.

 

Disheveled Great Blue

Seeing a disheveled Great Blue heron is always fun and exciting. These large birds have so many special feathers on their chest that are constantly growing and tearing.  To clean and preen these feathers the heron uses his middle toe with a fringed claw to remove oils.

Mating Season is Around the Corner

In February I noticed that Canada Geese were starting to form pairs. The courtship of Canada Geese is quiet peculiar, they stretch their necks high in the air, bobbing their heads, flap their wings and make honking sounds. 

The Leader is Chosen

Frozen Great Salt Lake covered with thin layer of snow.  A group of Northern Pintails and Mallards gathered near a long narrow strip of water.  Looks like they are having a social meeting.

We are separated only by the rocky shore with narrow winding paths. I really want to get closer to this group, but I’m afraid to frighten away the ducks. 

While watching a group I see how suddenly the drake Mallard becomes an unspoken leader among Northern Pintails and Mallards and the initiator of the take-off.  I am guessing he sent a warning signal to the flock when I tried to get a little closer.

Ducks are remarkable birds, they listen, observe carefully behavior of others and very sensitive to warning signals.

The first to respond to the leader’s command to take off are a few females Mallards.  You can see them on the photo above.

Great Blue Heron is Landing

There is something very special about Great Blue Heron’s landing that is always thought very carefully from the beginning till the end.  In preparation to plant his feet on the ice, Heron stretches his legs and feet forward for a soft landing.

Cedar Waxwing at the Garr Ranch

When out in the field I often have the strange feeling that I might be missing something if I don’t stop at that spot or go down this path.

As I pulled up to the Garr Ranch, I had no desire to walk there sinking in the deep snow, but I got out of the car anyway and walked along a narrow path surrounded by centuries-old trees.  Knowing myself well, I would definitely think later that because of my laziness I missed something very interesting and important there.

The path was short and soon I found myself surrounded by tall reeds which seemed to be a perfect blind.  

My first thought was that I made a mistake being in this place but after a few minites later I saw several Cedar Waxwings that came to perch on branches with berries.  I was stunned, shocked, because I didn’t expect to see Cedar Waxwings in winter at the Garr Ranch.

Chukar Partridge on Antelope Island

Yesterday I joined those who were eager to get out of the house and spend a time in nature after a snow storm and, if I’m lucky, photograph at least one lazy bison dozing in the snow on Antelope Island.

The first bird I saw made me stop and point at it my “telescope”, that is my telephoto lens, which often serves as a “telescope”, and to, my indescribable joy, I saw a Chukar Partridge in my viewfinder.    

Male Mallard in Flight

A fly-by from male Mallard on a freezing cold morning. 

Life goes on.

 

Your Catch is Now Mine

Usually, Great Blue Herons do not steal fish from Goldeneyes, but in winter, when food is scarсe you don’t distain anything. Within seconds, the fish was stolen from the Goldeneye and eaten by Great Blue.  This is survival!

Life goes on.

 

Fastidious American Robin

Robin, whom I met the other day, was quite fastidious and unpredictable in his choice of dried berries.  The moment I tried to photograph him picking a berry, Robin immediately changed his mind.

You can see on the photo above how Robin is looking for berry and it looks like he had chosen the right one but that was not the case.

Adult Drake Green-winged Teal

I don’t often encounter and photograph teals, and was glad to see this drake Green-winged Teal on the Bear River.  Teals are very small ducks.  Both males and females have the green streaks behind their eyes.

When I saw this drake, I thought that he was a little confused, not knowing what to do.

Successful Fishing – II.

There are trips to Bear River MBR that are filled with all sorts of opportunities.  My last trip was just like that.  Spending about two and a half hours with Great Blue Herons and watching them up close was a real treat.

I noticed how differently herons fish in winter. Some prefer to fish in the water, while others stay on the shore, carefully and patiently peering into the water and waiting for fish to come.

Puzzling Behavior

Last week watching and photographing Common Goldeneyes I was puzzled by their behavior. 

Among the Goldeneyes were constant fights over fish in the water but some of them managed to escape their attackers and carry their catch on the ice.  But for some reason they often left the fish there uneaten. Why?

Successful Fishing

The Bear River is mostly frozen this winter but there are a few narrow strips of water closer to the shore.  Great Blue Herons and Goldeneyes gather to fish there.

Herons cope well with the cold, ice, snow and winds of our harsh winters. When the river and marshes freeze, they either begin to prey on small mammals or find a few ice-free patches of water.

So, the Heron in the photo above found open water and decided to go fishing.