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..

Refuge Tuesday

An overcast day by the mountains but blue skies over the refuge. The first yellow-headed blackbirds are back along with a lot of RWB's.  Couple of harriers flying around playing with each other and a lone red-tailed hawk sitting sentry.

The fun was watching a female weasel, pregnant it looked like, running around my car. Then onto a couple of sandhill cranes that were eating by the road and paying no attention to me. Turned out to be a really good day!

Enjoy!

First the yellow heads..

Then the Redwinged ones...

The star of the show - momma to be..

Young sandhill cranes..

A lone Tundra swan floating around..

A few backyard birds..

 Cedar waxwings, a late winter visitor..Beautiful

Ducks - walked into our backyard and fed on dropped birdseed..

Yellow-rumped warbler, Myrtle, visited also..

Dancing Cranes

Sandhill Cranes dancing while gleaning a field...Vernal Utah..