A Hooded Crane and a Local Economy

When the Hooded Crane that was being seen in Tennessee disappeared, everyone wondered where it might show up next. Lucky for me and hundreds of other birders from Indiana and around the Midwest, the next stop for this crane turned out to be Goose Pond FWA in Southwest Indiana. It was found on a Wednesday morning, and by the end of the day, around 100 birders had seen the crane. I seriously considered heading to Goose Pond on Thursday, but since I already had plans to go on Friday with my friends Eric and Clare Malbone (to help them add species to their big year), I decided to wait and hope that the crane would stick around.

The Hooded Crane at Goose Pond FWA

We arrived at Goose Pond before sunrise in an attempt to see the crane before it left its roost in Beehunter Marsh Unit 5 North. As we set up our scopes, we could hear the trumpeting of Sandhill Cranes all around us. Scanning the marsh, we realized that this was a huge gathering of cranes with as many as 10,000 present. Everyone kept looking through the flock but could not find anything other than Sandhill. Luckily, after a couple of hours of searching, the crane was located, and we all got awesome scope views! But this is really only the beginning of the story. The real story lies in how a rare bird such as a Hooded Crane affects the whole community that it appears in.

The arrival of this crane has been a huge event for Goose Pond FWA and for Greene County. The current estimate is that around 1,000 people came to view the crane from Wednesday to Sunday, and it sounds like a couple hundred more have been there over the last few days searching for it to no avail. They traveled from near and far for a chance to see this rare visitor. Some stayed in Linton; others ate in town and bought gas. All of this adds up to a significant economic impact from this one bird.

Yet there are still a few people in Greene County who are extremely unsupportive of not just birding but the whole Goose Pond restoration. There were many articles written about the Hooded Crane and the tourism dollars spent in the region, but the comments that followed some of the articles online really surprised me.

A unit of Goose Pond FWA in the summer.

One reader left a comment stating that while it is great that people like to watch birds, they cannot see how this could possibly be bringing money into the area. They refer to the lost revenue from the land not being farmed any longer and the lost tax revenue on the land. I can certainly understand that there is lost tax revenue, but these folks begin to lose me with the frustration over lost farming revenue. From how I understand it, the land wasn’t all that productive for farming, which is part of the reason it ended up being restored as a wetland. Although it was drained, it was prone to flooding, which resulted in crop failures.

The comment that really bothers me and should bother every birder out there is the statement that the reader cannot see how the property brings much money to the area. I have been visiting this area for the past 10 years and have always made a point to fill up with gas in Linton and to eat at one of the local restaurants for lunch.  La Fiesta Mexican restaurant is one of my favorites and is frequented by other birders as well.

In less than a week, around 1,000 people have visited the area. That results in a large economic impact no matter how you slice it, especially since the city of Linton only has population of ~5,500 (according to the US Census).  Visitors arrived in a vehicle that must be filled with gasoline. They also had to eat, and many stayed for multiple meals.  Plus, I know that some birders stayed overnight in local hotels. Each of these actions affects local businesses, which is particularly important for a rural area.  

Please keep in mind that not all of the local residents feel this way. I have spoken with many Greene County residents while out birding on the property, and I have yet to run into anyone that has anything bad to say about the effect of this property on the community. Last year, as a kickoff for the Marsh Madness Festival, there was a premiere of a documentary about Goose Pond at the local Elks Lodge. The event was sold out with many of the tables packed with representatives from local businesses and organizations. The Marsh Madness event the next day was packed, even with the terrible cold rainy weather that we had that day.



A Roseate Spoonbill, like this one,
spent the summer of 2009 at Goose Pond FWA

It is also important to note that this is not an isolated incident of a rare or uncommon bird bringing birders to the area. While the Hooded Crane is by far the rarest species ever to occur on the property, others have drawn in huge crowds before. The most notable of these birds is a first state record Roseate Spoonbill that spent 97 days at Goose Pond during the summer of 2009.

I really hope that all of the supporters in the area are not affected by the cynicism of a few outspoken folks. The Friends of Goose Pond have done a wonderful job working in Linton and the rest of Greene County to gather a tremendous amount of support. I know they will continue to do great work within the community.

If you came to Goose Pond to see the Hooded Crane or if you love having wild places that Hooded Cranes and other rare birds can appear in, please consider supporting the Friends of Goose Pond.

Western Oakwoods - Common Redstart

This is my last post in this mini series on the migrant visitors of the Western Oakwoods of north-west Wales. I am finishing with the species with which I have spent most time and is arguably one of the most beautiful woodland birds in the UK, the Common Redstart.

The Redstart overwinters in Africa and arrives in the UK around the end of April to early May. At this time their hesitant metallic warble, that always seems to come to a rather abrupt end, can be heard from tree tops as the males stake a claim to a territory and try to attract a female. Naturally the birds would nest in a tree hole but with their preference for the woodland edge will often set up their temporary home in the walls of derelict stone buildings. It was at such a ruin of a building I first found these birds and then spent the next three years from mid-May to early June trying to photograph them. Access to the site proved interesting as the old building was located on an Outdoor Education Centre for school children which then required me to go through all kinds of background checks to allow me to set foot in the place with a camera!

My approach for these birds was to set up a small feeding station, away from the nest, providing live insect food in their main foraging area. This allowed me to direct the birds to where I wanted them in terms of light and perches and in return provided them with a readily available good food source to assist in rearing their young. It was interesting to watch them go about their daily foraging, as despite the abundance of provided food, they would often spend considerable time collecting other insects to provide a varied diet to the growing young. When you think about it this make sense, as you would not expect to have healthy children if you fed them solely on hamburgers :). The condition of the fledged young is important as they have a long and perilous migration to make back to Africa in the autumn (fall) and only a couple of months after leaving the nest. As with the previous species in my two last posts the Redstart is another migrant which overwinters in Africa and has suffered marked declines. There has been an estimated 55% reduction in the population in the last 25years, despite its adaptability in using alternative nesting accommodation.

It was interesting how quickly the birds started using the new free food source which was usually within an hour of the first set-up. I still remember vividly my first photography session with the Redstarts. The bird I had marvelled over for so long in books was now before me alert, vibrant and characteristically flicking her red tail.

The female arrived first but the moment when the male finally appeared was a breath draining moment. Such a beautiful bird. It was then I realised that male was actually going to be quite tricky to photograph in terms of photo exposure with its black head and brilliant white cap. A very fine balance in terms of camera control was going to be required to keep the feather detail in each.

Over the next three years I spent many happy hours photographing the birds and watching them return each year to successfully rear another brood. The young birds appear almost identical almost identical to the UK Robin, except for their red tail.

I usually stopped photographing the birds shortly after the fledglings appeared but would always carry on feeding for at least another month to help get them in prime condition for their long journey ahead.

Last year I decided not to visit the site as I was busy concentrating photographing another species at the same time of year. I suspect my access to the site has now been lost through the frequent change of manager, however, I will always remember with great fondness those warm late spring days sharing many wonderful hours with these stunning birds.

The Green Heron Experience

Nabbing a Minnow - my favorite shot during a marvelous moment with this Green Heron.

On my recent trip to Arizona, I enjoyed a couple of hours birding at the Gilbert Water Ranch. At one of the several ponds, hearing the sound of water and knowing that inlets such as these often provide an abundance of delectables for birds I figured I'd take a gander. I spied this Green Heron approaching and I just knew that this streamlet would be it's stopping point. There was a row of green vegetation on my side of the stream, so I got down on my belly and army crawled down to the pond's edge putting me at eye-level with my camera's intended target. The sun was directly behind me and the Green Heron was still walking in my direction. It was a perfect moment of combined luck and preparation. All but my head and arms were concealed by plant matter. The heron saw me all right, but didn't seem to be agitated at all by my presence. I was fortunate enough to spend the next half hour just a few intimate feet away from one of my all time favorite bird species. I shot hundreds of frames with hardly a throw-away in the bunch. May I share with you a selection of some of the more interesting images? (you can click on one of the images to bring up a lightbox to enjoy larger photos)

"You can't see me. I'm a leaf!"

Much like a bittern, a Green Heron will at times hide in plain sight using its native camouflage and pretending it is a reed by pointing its bill skyward. Had I not been just feet away, just maybe it would have blended into the leaves it was mimicking. Below is a full profile view of this masterpiece of a bird!

"Nobody likes me. Everybody hates me. Guess I'll go eat worms."

No matter how appetizing or not it may seem, no small pond critter is safe when this precision hunter is stalking the shallows.

Here, I felt like the heron was boastfully showing me its catch.
"I'm one bad killin' machine. And yes, I'm gonna eat this slimy worm and I'm gonna like it."

We all know birds have ears, right? But we don't often get to see them. There was a steady breeze while I was taking these photographs and I got to see the Green Heron's ear hole a few times. Interesting, huh?!

Yeah...I think birds look better with those ear holes covered with pretty feathers.

Now, I'm not sure what that tongue lolling out the side of its bill was all about, but I'm not taking it as a personal insult.

Check out that chiseled dagger-like bill. Awesome!

Based on many photographs, it seems that most birds have built-in protective eye-wear called a "nicitating membrane". I captured this eye covering several times as the heron seemed to use it to occasionally blink. After all, the Latin "nictare" does mean "to blink".

It was fascinating watching the Green Heron stalk and hunt. It seemed to move in slow motion, raising its foot out of water just a millimeter at a time.

Let's get a closer look at those legs and feet...

Angry Birds audition...

Friends and family to whom I've shown these images are consistently commenting about the lack of green as its name describes. I've seen some that appear more green than others, so there does seem to be a wide range of color variation.

Such precision hunting requires great levels of concentration and focus...

When I felt I had invaded this Green Heron's privacy long enough, I slithered back up the trail so as not to further disturb it. I had a human audience of three waiting for me back up on the trail. They said that they had seen me from across the pond and had come over to find out why in the world I was laying on the ground; either something was wrong with me or I was on to something very interesting. I showed them my photos on my camera and then guided them down the small little slope so they could see the Green Heron for themselves. They were delighted. 

The whole experience was one of those magical moments when all the elements combined in perfect harmony. I got an incredible up-close and personal experience, from which I learned, and I was able to get decent photographs. I hope you got a taste of it by reading this post.

Happy Birding!

BiF! AZ Road Trip Recap

Broad-billed Hummingbird - Paton's Yard - Patagonia, AZ
How many colors and shades of colors do you see on this bird?! Just beautiful!

Work took me to Phoenix, Arizona last week, and I was able to take advantage of the weekend to meet up with fellowing "Birding is Fun!" contributors Laurence Butler, and Jeremy Medina, along with Jeremy's friend (now our friend too!) and new birder Geniece for a BiF! AZ Road Trip. Geniece brought all the requisite new birder luck, or new birder mojo as we like to call it. We made a full day of birding from sunrise to sunset visiting fantastic southeastern Arizona birding hotspots. Every stop brought new species to our day list. During my four day trip I saw 117 species! Six life birds! Added 13 birds to my Arizona state list! And I got reacquainted with many birds I only had previously seen once or twice when I lived in Arizona several years ago. Laurence added more than a dozen life birds and Geniece added dozens of life birds. There's nothing like celebrating life birds with other birders to reinvigorate that birding spirit.

Visit Laurence's and Jeremy's blogs for their report and much better photos from the BiF! AZ Road Trip.  Jeremy was a fantastic tour guide. He could be a high paid birding tour leader for southeastern Arizona. He knows the hotspots and the birds very well!

Saturday morning, an hour before sunrise, we departed for Florida (pronounce as in Spanish, flow-REE-thuh) Canyon, south of Tucson to chase the Rufous-capped Warblers reported by several others for some time now. We got some great up-close views. At one point I thought one of these gorgeous little warblers was going to kiss me on the nose.  Unfortunately my camera settings were messed up and I didn't get them straight until later in the trip. These super-cool looking warblers are a Central American specialty that have occasionally been seen in AZ, NM, and TX, but with apparently greater frequency in the last few years. (eBird sightings map)

The Least Grebe is another bird belonging to regions south of the U.S. border, but has been seen with increasing frequency in the states.

Friday evening, Laurence and I drove from Phoenix to Tucson, but took the scenic route in the country roads near Picacho Peak. There he and I both enjoyed our first ever sightings of Lark Buntings. Seeing our first life bird right out of the gate was positive omen portending great things to come!

Anna's Hummingbird - Paton's Yard - Patagonia, AZ

Flycatcher ID help please!

Good ol' Gila Woodpeckers were abundant ever where we went. At Paton's there was one sipping from a hummingbird feeder with the cool red thumb print on its crown.

Black Phoebe at Pena Blanca.

Black Vultures were a surprise, though they had been recently reported in SE AZ. This is the first time I have seen them in the western half of the continent.

White-breasted Nuthatch at Paton's.

Pyrrholuxia at Paton's. Not a quality photo, but good enough for my personal photo-documentation.

Violet-crowned Hummingbird - the Paton Yard specialty species

By the way, Jeremy submitted all of our sightings to eBird and shared them with all of us. Jeremy and eBird are awesome like that! I have a couple more posts coming up with more of our adventures in Arizona, so please stay tuned to "Birding Is Fun!", oh, and don't forget to visit Jeremy's and Laurence's blogs for more about our trip!

Wild and Wonderful - Antelope Island State Park - The Birds

Birds of Antelope Island:

Before I get to the avian life of the island I'd like to provide a link from UtahBirds.org that has a checklist of the birds of Antelope Island that is downloadable. If you need ID help for the birds found on the island UtahBirds.org has a great photo gallery of the various species put together by the wonderful Milt Moody that are contributed by local bird photographers that can assist in ID.

Upland Game Birds:

Feeding Chukar (Alectoris chukar) - Nikon D200, f8, 1/1250, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm

Chukars are the most visible of the upland game birds that inhabit the island, they do not migrate so they can be seen all year round. Although they are not native to North America the Chukars on Antelope Island have adapted well to their adopted home. My first sighting of a Chukar in the wild was on Antelope Island and I am still as thrilled today to photograph them as I was on my first to the island.

Other upland game birds that can be seen on the island are Ring-necked Pheasants, California Quail, Gray Partridges and I've seen Sharp-tailed Grouse there as well. Thankfully the birds on Antelope Island are not hunted.

Gulls:

California Gull (Larus californicus) chasing brine flies - Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/1500, ISO 250, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm

The Great Salt Lake and its surrounding marshes are a magnet for birds like gulls and terns. The Utah State Bird is the California Gull and it is often visible along the causeway to the island, the shoreline, in flight over the island and can also be found perched on the pavilions near the campgrounds and the Buffalo Grill.

I believe that although gulls are common they can be uncommonly beautiful photographed in the right light, in a great pose or interesting habitat.

Shorebirds:

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) on a rock - Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/320, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm

There are many shorebirds that visit Antelope Island, the causeway to the island and the surrounding freshwater marshes, too many for me to post an image of each one so I will just post a few. I counted 35 on the checklist but some of those are rare vagrants, still that is a lot! Some of the shorebirds are just passing through the Salt Lake Valley during their migration further north to their breeding ground, the Killdeer pictured above nests on the island along with several other species.

Willet (Tringa semipalmata) wing lift - Nikon D200, f7.1, 1/750, ISO 400, 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm

Willets are another species of the shorebirds that nest on the island, prior to breeding season they can be seen quite often along the causeway but when they are nesting they can be seen in the grasses and on the rocks along the road. They let their presence be known by loud calling and wing displays. The bird above was displaying because another Willet was nearby and they don't seem to care for intruders on their territory.

Male Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus) - Nikon D200, f5.6, 1/640, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm

It won't be very much longer before the Long-billed Curlews return to nest on Antelope Island and until I can hear their hauntingly beautiful calls. In Florida I never heard the calls of these graceful shorebirds, it is call that once you hear it, you'll never forget it. I am very much looking forward to their return.

In the summer the calls of American Avocets and Black-necked Stilts can easily be heard along the causeway and their numbers are in the thousands (and thousands). There are just so many shorebirds present at times I can't post a photo of them all but the checklist I linked to above shows all of the species.

Perching Birds:

Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) on nest - Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/640, ISO 500, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR at 380mm

There are also more perching birds on the island than I can list, I didn't even try to count them so I'll just post some images of the ones I see often like this Black-billed Magpie on top of its nest. Black-billed Magpies are great fun to observe and photograph at any time of the year. Some people call them noisy but as a bird lover their raucous calls are music to my ears.

Common Raven (Corvus corax) with nesting material - Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/1500, ISO 400, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm

Common Ravens are in the Jay, Crow and Allies family along with the Black-billed Magpies and they are among the smartest birds in the world. They can bee seen flying all over Antelope Island, on the ground, perched on bushes or harassing other birds and animals. Just a few weeks ago I saw them harassing Northern Harriers, a lone Coyote on a hill and a Rough-legged Hawk. Fiesty and fun!

Male Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) displaying on sagebrush - Nikon D200, f7.1, 1/500, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x Tc at 400mm

There are several different species of Blackbirds present on the island which include Brewer's Blackbirds, the bird above is displaying for a female who was just outside of this frame. I love the beautiful iridescence that can been seen in their plumage when the light is at the right angle.

Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) singing in early spring (low light) - Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/160, ISO 400, +1.0 Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm

I don't believe I have ever made a visit to Antelope Island without hearing or seeing Western Meadowlarks. Ever. During breeding season they seem unable to stop singing, you can tell they are trying to not sing but it just bursts forth anyway.  And when they are feeding nestlings it is not uncommon to see them with 25 or more bugs in their bills. I don't know how they don't drop them all.

Male Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) - Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/2000, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm

Horned Larks are also year round residents on the island, they delight me with their soft calls while perched on rocks and in flight. I love their subtle coloration, the little bit of yellow on their faces and those tiny little horns. They can be seen out in the open, feeding in the grasses, perched on signs and singing from the top of boulders that dot the island. I can't resist taking photos of them.

Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus) juvenile - Nikon D200, f9, 1/500, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm

Sage Thrashers are part-time residents of Antelope Island that breed and nest during the summer. Some years they show up in large numbers while other years there just aren't as many. I love to see them flitting from one sage brush to another or perched on the boulders like the juvenile shown above. I miss them during the winter but I know I'll get to see them again soon.

Perched Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) in low light - Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 400, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm

I am always tickled to see Loggerhead Shrikes on the island and normally I hear them just before I see them. They are classified as "songbirds" and they really do sing but to me they look and act like small raptors. They are fierce, aggressive and very interesting birds. During the winter their cousins; the Northern Shrikes can also been seen on the island, this winter I have seen a few but too far away to get decent images of them.

There are sparrows, doves, warbler, wrens, vireos, tanagers and many more perching birds that live on or visit Antelope Island, it is such a bird magnet!

Pelicans:

American White Pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) in flight - Nikon D200, f7.1, 1/1000, ISO 250, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm

American White Pelicans breed in the Great Salt Lake area and it isn't uncommon to see large flocks of them soaring in the thermals on clear days. These are huge birds with wingspans of up to 108 inches, nearly 30 inches longer than their relative the Brown Pelican. They are graceful and beautiful in flight.

Their cousins; the Double-crested Cormorants, are also seen in flight over the island from about March until late fall.

Ducks and Grebes:

Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) with Northern Shovelers (Anas clypeata) in the surf of the Great Salt Lake - Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm

Swans, geese and many species of ducks can be found in the waters of the Great Salt Lake and nearby freshwater marshes, I counted 29 of them on the bird checklist for Antelope Island.  Autumn and winter is awesome for seeing ducks along the causeway which sometimes number well over thousands within plain view.

For my Florida friends:  yes, we actually get surf on the Great Salt Lake when the winds are strong and our ducks seem to enjoy surfing!

Other water birds that can be sen on the lake are five species of Grebes, American Coots and occasionally Common Loons.

Hawks, Eagles and Falcons:

Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) male in flight - Nikon D300, f9, 1/1000, ISO 640, +1.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, not baited

Antelope Island State Park is home year round for Golden Eagles and Bald Eagles are a common sight during the winter with fly overs and Bald Eagles sitting on the ice of the Great Salt Lake. Northern Harriers are year round residents that cruise along the causeway to the island, near the shorelines and over other areas of the island itself. Northern Harriers prefer voles as their diet and there must be plenty of those around to support the numbers of harriers that I have seen.

Osprey are seen flying over the island during migration, they don't fish in the Great Salt Lake because it is too saline for fish to live in but they do fish in the surrounding freshwater marshes and ponds.

Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) in flight - Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/2500, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 285mm, not baited

Rough-legged Hawks have been plentiful on the island this winter and I have been overjoyed with that happening. I have been able to observe them hunting, hovering, eating, perching, having aerial fights with each other, swooping towards their prey and in flight. I have learned much more about this species habits because they have been so abundant.

Other hawks that are found on the island include Sharp-shinned, Cooper's, Red-tailed and Swainson's Hawks.

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) male - Nikon D200, f7.1, 1/350, ISO 400, +1.0 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, not baited

Then there are the Falcons of Antelope Island. This beautiful little American Kestrel male was perched on a snow covered shrub while keeping an eye on me. They are the smallest falcon in North America but I don't think they know that, I've seen them dive bombing much larger birds than themselves. Feisty and small, that is what my mother used to say about me.

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) on prey in low light - Nikon D300, f7.1, 1/200, ISO 640, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, not baited

Peregrine Falcons are permanent residents of the Antelope Island area, during warmer months they often feed on a variety of shorebirds and during the winter they eat ducks like this Northern Shoveler. Inflight they are very challenging to photograph because they fly so fast. This falcon wasn't bothered by my presence as it ate but it did keep an eye on me at times.

Juvenile Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) in early morning light - Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/2000, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm at 400mm, not baited

Prairie Falcons are another year round resident of the area and I have had a great time this winter photographing them. Until this winter they were a nemesis bird for me, always too far away to get good photographs of, but they are a nemesis no more.

Merlins are seen during the winter on the island and the causeway, I'm still working on getting some images of them from the Antelope Island area.

Owls:

Adult Barn Owl (Tyto alba) in flight - Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/640, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x tc at 400mm, not baited

Barn Owls nest on the island and nearby locations, when the adults are feeding chicks they can be seen in flight during daylight. When we have a hard winter (and this year we are not) they can be seen hunting all day long. This Barn Owl was hunting near the beginning of the causeway to the island which is marshy and it has the mud on its feet from pouncing on prey.

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) adult - Nikon D300, f6.3, 1/1000, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, not baited

Great Horned Owls can be seen and photographed in several locations on the island and are permanent residents. Since I was a child I have always been fascinated by Great Horned Owls so I am always thrilled to have an opportunity to photograph them.

Juvenile Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) flapping its wings - Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/1600, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm

I simply adore Burrowing Owls, they are little, cute, funny and stunningly beautiful. They are a pleasure to photograph and because they are often very animated it can be hilarious too. I have had to hold my breath to squelch my laughter at times just so my camera and lens wouldn't shake.

Other Owls that are seen on Antelope Island are Short-eared and Long-eared Owls. Northern Saw-whet Owls have also been seen and this winter there was a Snowy Owl reported along the causeway which turned out to be "A One day Wonder", I would have loved to have a few images of that visitor from the Great White North. Maybe another year.

There are other birds of the island whose images aren't here, there are simply too many for a blog post. No matter what time of the year the birds of Antelope Island are fascinating!

* If you are in the Great Salt Lake Area from May 17th through the 21st (2012) you may want to consider visiting the Great Salt Lake Bird Festival which includes events on Antelope Island State Park.  For more information please click here.


Mia