Bear River Birds

September 10, 2014 at 7:15 am (Bird photography, Dragonflies and Bugs, National Wildlife Refuges (US Fish & Wildlife), Nature, Nature photography, Photography, Southwest Birds) (Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge)

Western grebe pair

Although my trip in July to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Utah was a bust (child-rearing was already over) I did get a few nice images.  The Western grebes look similar to the Clark’s grebe, but the black on the head covers their eyes.   See the difference.

Clark’s Grebe

Western grebe

Western grebe

Western grebes

Clark’s grebe

Western grebe on a late nest

Sandhill cranes

One spot on the wildlife drive had all three species of swallows on one patch of reeds.

Barn swallow

Barn swallow

Cliff swallow

Barn swallow

Bank swallow

Barn swallow, with bank swallow in background

The yellow-headed blackbirds are quite stunning.

Female yellow-headed blackbird

A video interlude:

White pelican

White pelican

Black-necked stilt

Young black-necked stilts

Caspian tern

Birds weren’t the only critters of note.

Invasive carp – these large fish often run out of room to swim in summer

Carp

Muskrat

Eight-spotted skimmer

I found a male marsh wren protecting his nest.

Marsh wren male

Marsh wren nest

Canada geese

Text and photographs copyrighted by Cindy McIntyre

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