Birds from Bear River - I: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is located where the Bear River joins the Great Salt Lake in northern Utah. It is home to 67 species and 210 species use it...

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is located where the Bear River joins the Great Salt Lake in northern Utah. It is home to 67 species and 210 species use it in their migrations. The 80,000 acre site has a 12-mile auto loop that circles the major marsh area.

This set shows the birds that I encountered on my way to the entrance for the auto loop.

Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Western meadowlark
Western meadowlark...

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Red winged blackbird
Red winged blackbird...

(Download)

Long-billed curlew
Long-billed curlew...

(Download)

American avocet
American avocet...

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Yellow headed blackbird
Yellow headed blackbird...

(Download)

Double-crested cormorant
Double-crested cormorant...

(Download)

NMGal Loc: NE NM

Outstanding, Mike.

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

Beautiful Mike. I like the Yellow-headed Blackbird

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

NMGal wrote:

Outstanding, Mike.

You are very generous, Barbara.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Curmudgeon wrote:

Beautiful Mike. I like the Yellow-headed Blackbird

Thanks, Jack, they are bigger than the red-winged and their cry sounds like a rusty gate.

photophile Loc: Lakewood, Ohio, USA

UTMike wrote:

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is located where the Bear River joins the Great Salt Lake in northern Utah. It is home to 67 species and 210 species use it in their migrations. The 80,000 acre site has a 12-mile auto loop that circles the major marsh area.

This set shows the birds that I encountered on my way to the entrance for the auto loop.

Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Well taken.

kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Excellent, Mike. You have become a fine bird photographer.

jdtonkinson Loc: Red Wing, MN

Great set Mike. I love the Avocet and Meadowlark.
Wow, sounds great to be able to drive a big loop and see all these birds

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

This is a gorgeous set, Mike! The light and surroundings of the curlew caught my eye the most. Really neat rippled reflection in the avocet pic.

The first time I heard a yellow-headed blackbird's call, I couldn't believe such a beautiful bird could make such an annoying, grating sound.

And all "on the way" to the entrance?? No wonder you titled this topic as the first of...

srfmhg Loc: Marin County, CA

Great set Mike, especially the Avocet!

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

UTMike wrote:

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is located where the Bear River joins the Great Salt Lake in northern Utah. It is home to 67 species and 210 species use it in their migrations. The 80,000 acre site has a 12-mile auto loop that circles the major marsh area.

This set shows the birds that I encountered on my way to the entrance for the auto loop.

Comments and suggestions are welcome.

Beautiful subject, and I love the green eyes of the last

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

photophile wrote:

Well taken.

Thank you, Karin.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

kpmac wrote:

Excellent, Mike. You have become a fine bird photographer.

Thank you, Ken, you got me started.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

jdtonkinson wrote:

Great set Mike. I love the Avocet and Meadowlark.
Wow, sounds great to be able to drive a big loop and see all these birds

Thanks, Jim, a wonderful facility.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Linda From Maine wrote:

This is a gorgeous set, Mike! The light and surroundings of the curlew caught my eye the most. Really neat rippled reflection in the avocet pic.

The first time I heard a yellow-headed blackbird's call, I couldn't believe such a beautiful bird could make such an annoying, grating sound.

And all "on the way" to the entrance?? No wonder you titled this topic as the first of...

Thanks, Linda, I had the advantage of a great golden hour. The road to the auto route is surrounded by smaller marshes and tributaries of the river, so wildlife is present before the circular auto route. The auto route produces different light effects because you end up shooting from all the points of a circle.