Trip to the zoo, page 2..

Too many photos for one blog post..Here’s the rest of them ..

Warthog..ugly but dangerous

Spoonbill..beauty in motion

Young snow Leopard...he played with his sister while we watched..

Mama Snow leopard...hanging out while the kids play..

The Queen ....

Wild looking fox!!

Perfect for July 4th..

Trip to the Zoo

 Randy and I visited the zoo Saturday. Fortunately not too many people there at the start, lots more as we exited.

We toured a new place, for me, that has less exotic and several animals that I’ve encountered. The Badger was a welcome sight, especially behind the fences. I last saw one when I was about 15.

Lots of photos, here’s the ones I liked best. 

Enjoy!

Alligator sunning it’s mouth!

Badger - look at it’s claws..

Bengal lioness..

The Queen!

Billy goat Gruff!

Sleeping Mountain lion..

Not so sleepy mountain lion..

Meditating polar bear..

Red fox..very cute!

Suntanning Rhino!!

Trip to Mill Hollow

 A cloudy July 3rd, Mill Hollow is just as beautiful in the cloudiness as it is in the sun. We thought there might be a lot of holiday traffic up there, but it wasn’t until we were leaving, around 1pm, that the traffic picked up. We wouldn’t go back this weekend..ATV’s, trucks, people everywhere.

The only wildlife we saw was a Yellow-bellied marmot. No deer, moose or elk. Understandable since we were there after the normal hours of movement. 

Loads of wildflowers!!! So beautiful, filling your vision with various colors - red, yellow, white, pink, purple and so on. 

The high Uinta peaks were a bit shrouded in the clouds, but still dominant in the distance.

Enjoy!

Mattie the marmot!!

A sparrow - not sure what type.

Uintah peaks in distance

Wildflowers galore..

Refuge Friday

 Friday was a bit cloudy but light enough for photography at the refuge. I arrived earlier than usual - more like 8am - and found no people around for the next hour! It turned out to be a good day for birds, just not raptors.

I kept busy with heron fly byes, a pelican targeting me, Great white egret fishing, lots of red-winged blackbirds, yellow-headed blackbirds AND a couple of new birds...a Wilsons snipe and a Loggerhead shrike! Fascinating!

Here’s my favorites so far..enjoy!!

Loggerhead shrike - fascinating bird..it often impales it’s catch on plant spikes or barbed wire to eat later!!

Turkey vultures just hanging out!

Not surprisingly, Red-winged blackbirds were everywhere..

Great white pelican was flying directly at me while I was driving .. mating season by the lump on it’s beak..

Shorebirds are here..I found some Black-necked stilts also. These are American avocets

Awesome Great white egret fishing!!

I’ve seen Great blue herons on these tall power poles before, but when I looked at the picture I could see why..no 4-legged hunter will reach these nests..

It was the day of the Pheasant at the refuge..I saw 4 separate males..love their colors..

I’ve heard of Snipes before but never had seen one..Wilsons snipe

And a final shot of the shrike - it stuck with me all the time I was on Goose Egg hill..

Antelope Island Saturday

The weather forecast was accurate this morning, so Randy and I visited Antelope Island early before the rain. Moisture-laden air created a fog-like atmosphere for a while, then it cleared and a bit of sun shone!

Lots of people out there..apparently a series of races were run Friday and the people were the leftovers! 

Quite a few bison along with Mule deer, antelope, a coyote, Long-billed curlews, Meadowlarks, Harriers, Red-tailed hawk and Chukar partridge..a good wildlife day.

Here’s some of my favorites from the day!

Mulies!! Male and female hanging out together!

Burrowing owl...little cuties..

Wary but not scared..Wily coyote..

Red-tailed hawk hovering nearby as it hunted..

Long-billed curlew, they stop by during their mating season. 

Meadowlarks make the island trip sing!

Finally found antelope - Mom and a couple of kids..

 

A bit of perspective on sizes..

Springtime - time for a haircut and a shave!!

Refuge Friday

I visited the refuge today, it is the last day that you can drive the entire road. Starting tomorrow, the DNR closes off a large section of the dike road so the breeding birds and their offspring have a safe place to be.

A decent crowd of birders/photographers were there and the Sandhill cranes entertained them. There was a group of 4 early on and they were very available from the road. The later two were quite a ways down the road and not easily visible. These two also provided me with the photos of the 'dancer' crane...a feature of the mating process. The male spreads his wings and jumps in the air and makes a lot of noise. Quite fun to watch.

There were Harriers, Kestrels, Great Blue Herons, Bald eagles and pheasants around..a great show. Here's a few of my favorites from the day..

Sandhill cranes in formation..big birds with a 7 foot wingspan makes it a challenge to be in close formation, but they did it..

Bald Eagle..

Great Blue heron with nesting material...

Male Harrier, aka Grey Ghost, posed for me and gave me a bunch of wonderful opportunities..

The Sandhill crane mating ceremony....The male is the main actor..

Looking grumpy and depressed..juvenile Black-crowned Night heron..

A refuge visit must include a Kestrel photo..

A Killdeer couple...

Red-winged Blackbirds are everywhere..a challenge to get a new perspective on them..