Visiting Antelope Island

Saturday morning on Antelope - lots of bikers early, traffic coming in mid to late morning. Just after affixing we got to watch a coyote family - Mom and two youngsters - hunting. Very educational as well as fascinating to watch.

Along the way - meadowlarks, a couple of antelope, lots of bison, and a couple more coyotes. Cool morning with a breeze. Stopped at the ranch but didn't find the owl..volunteer there said he hadn't seen them in quite a while.

Here you go..enjoy!

Interesting bird..Loggerhead shrike..

Burrowing owl in flight. We saw a number of dens but only two owls..

Uintas trip

 Diana and I took  leisurely drive into the Uintas yesterday, up past Mill Hollow and over the top. 64 degrees at 10,000 ft., a bit chilly despite the sun.

Lots of buck deer, velvet on antlers. Looked like a boys club! Sandhill cranes on the way in, being chased by a Redwinged Blackbird. An Osprey with a fish! Several landscapes. :lots of wildflowers, and a Mountain Bluebird - no photo of it though.

Enjoy!

Sandhill Cranes

 Sandhill crane chicks are out and about now..I followed adults and a chick as they walked and hunted in the grasses below Goose Egg Hill at the refuge..

Antelope Island Friday

 Good to be back out on Antelope Island.  Helps clear out the brain.

Two things I hadn't seen before...1. Lots of Willetts everywhere, on top of sagebrush, in the grass and everywhere else.  2. Lots of Burrowing owls. Everywhere we turned it seemed that there was a nest of owls. Little cuties!

The usuals...buffalo, and meadowlarks. One antelope and one deer with two fawns. The bison had their kids - Red Dogs - with them in a large herd down by the ranch.

a few flowers along the way..

Willetts

Refuge Wednesday

A sunny day at the refuge...with a Sandhill cranes and Red-winged blackbirds and others. Quite a few visitors at 10 but no-one around at 10:30. Only one Harrier sighted, I was hoping to see many more. But a very cute Kestrel posed for me so that helped.

Enjoy!

Great Blue and Black-crowned Night Heron.  

RWB singing..

Pheasant sneaking around..only visible for a few moments.

Starling making a nest..

Kestrel looking over its domain..

Sandhill cranes..

Frogs say spring is here..

YHBB - not very many out so far..

Refuge Wednesday

 A beautiful day Wednesday, quite a few birds around..

Male and female Northern Harriers performing mating dances..

Female Northern Harrier

American Avocets have arrived..

Redhead and his mates..