Refuge Friday

Pretty quiet bird day at the refuge yesterday. Pelicans and Great blue herons were far away. Eagles posed for photos, couple of harriers hunting and a Red-tailed hawk circled to check me out. Sunny day, nice to be out there. 

Eagles in their fav tree..

Harrier hunting

Oquirrh mountains in morning sun..

Red-tailed hawk checking me out..

Refuge Saturday

 Saturday was Eagle Day at the refuge, a day when the staff set up viewing stations and information booths for visitors. The weather was beautiful. I went up early, not remembering it was Eagle day. I saw no eagles, hope that they came in later for the visitors. 

Red-winged blackbirds, Harriers and Kestrels were the primary actors, along with the normal complement of gulls and ravens. A few ducks also. Great blue herons seem to be busy with family duties, none appeared along my way. 

Here’s a few photos..

A couple of female Northern Harriers....

American Kestrel...part of a couple at Goose Egg hill..

I couldn’t resist the Mallards on ice..

Meadowlarks are back..

Quite a number of RWB’s around..

Refuge Thursday

 Sunshine in-between storms tempted me to try the refuge yesterday and it worked! There were 6+ inches of wet snow at the refuge although none at our place. Wet, sloppy and beautiful.

I was excited to see the juvenile Black-crowned Night herons again. This is about the time they show up every year. Three pairs of Kestrels - it's mating season - a pair of eagles and some harriers along with a couple of landscapes. A good day..

Enjoy!

Antelope Island - glorious in white..

The eagle pair - perching in their normal tree. 

Juvenile Black-crowned Night heron...difficult to see at first, they blend into the grass quite easily..

Perfect poser....

Luigi the gull, enjoying his view..

Kestrel couple on Goose Egg hill. 

Oquirrh mountains from the north..

Refuge Sunday

A day in between storms and smog..sunny, blue skies, beautiful.

Quite a crowd watching a couple of eagles at the refuge, otherwise quite quiet. We saw a kingfisher, Great Blue heron, several Harriers, the Kestrel couple that is using a box on Goose Egg Hill for nesting, and a number of swamp sparrows. 

We were watching the Kingfisher sitting on a branch when it suddenly raised its wings and squawked loudly. Turns out it was being dive-bombed by a Kestrel. Territorial much??

Here's the best of today..

These two were causing a traffic jam..and they didn't care at all..

Northern Harrier - she waited until I got out of the car, then took off nicely..

Here's the Kingfisher - resting, then squawking..

Here's the Kestrel that dive-bombed the Kingfisher..

Here's a peek-a-boo kestrel from Goose Egg Hill..

Small but beautiful in song and shape..

The Great Blue - never moved as I took several photos of it..