American Bison Coming Down the Hill

Generally, life is good.

In the Wasatch Mountains. Miniature Yellow Lanterns

Fritillaria pudica, also known as Yellow Bell. 

SnowBasin surprised me this morning with small delicate yellow bells. They were  just a few inches tall, miniature yellow lanterns illuminating the forest.

The way the flowers slightly bowed, gave them a charming modesty, as if they are shyly were offering their beauty to those who took the time to notice them.

Generally, life is good.

Notes to Self. Dry Beauty

Prairie Shoestring (Amorpha canescens) is known for its drought tolerance and ability to thrive in dry conditions.

After numerous failed attempts, I finally managed to take one decent photo of this dry beauty.  Sure, the background could have been better but I got what I got.

***

One week ago I did what I have never done before: I bought a used Micro Nikkor 105mm f2/8 lens from Adorama. 

My only hope was that lens would arrive in decent condition and work well.  When the lens arrived it exceeded my expectations. The lens was almost like new.

What I didn't know about this lens is that it is very different from all other lenses and is not easy to use due to the high magnification. 

My first shots with this lens were terrible, dark and blurry and they often remain that way. 

Not knowing what to do, I asked AI, in my case ChatGPT, what I was doing wrong, and to my surprise it gave me a detailed guide how to use this lens. 

I jumped into this adventure with absolutely no knowledge about macro photography, and the learning curve is going to be long and painful... 

Generally, life is good.

In the Wasatch Mountains. Early Spring

 Generally, life is good.

In the Wasatch Mountains. A Desert Jewel

Phlox stansburyi also known as Pink phlox. 

Generally, life is good.

American Avocets

 

American Avocets are migratory birds and come to the Bear River MBR each spring to breed and raise their young.  I always look forward to their arrival.

Generally, life is good.

Male Yellow-headed Blackbirds Establishing Territory

Male Yellow-headed Blackbirds arrive at breeding grounds, typically freshwater marshes with tall vegetation like cattails and bulrushes, several weeks before the females arrive.

They are fiercely territorial during the breeding season, actively defending their chosen places.

A single male can attract and mate with multiple females (up to eight or even more) who build their nests within his territory.

 

Male Yellow-headed blackbird sings with all his heart to attract a female to his territory.

Generally, life is good.

 

Female Red-winged Blackbirds

 

Yesterday I watched a documentary about Soul Leiter, one of my favorite street photographers, and thought that the streets of New York were his studio and muse.  

My "studio" and muse is the Bear River MBR with its inhabitants - birds. If I don't visit the bird refuge for a long time, I feel lost.

This morning, I pulled the old Toyota out of the garage, which served us faithfully for many years, and headed to the Bear River MBR.  I only asked the car for one thing, just don't let me down.

***

This morning I photographed mostly female Red-wing Blackbirds.  These birds are hard-working mothers! They are primarily responsible for building the nest, incubating the eggs, and feeding the young.

Generally, life is good.

Spring's Symphony

 

Cherry blossoms also known as sakura.

Generally, life is good.

Dance with the Wind, Ballerina

 

A Japanese maple (Acer japonicum).

Generally, life is good.

A Shy Bloom

 

Geranium richardsonii is a wild flower native to Northern Utah.

Generally, life is good.

I Will Protect You From Rain

 Siberian Squill (Scilla siberica).  

Why macrocosmos?  

Of course, the main reason is that I can't drive my car now (it's waiting for repairs) and visit my favorite birds.  Not knowing what to do I decided to dive into a world of little hidden things and tried to see unseen. I am glad I did it. 

The miniature world is beautiful, delicate and complex and it has endless possibilities.

Generally, life is good.

Giants of the Desert

 

The American Bison return to the pasture after drinking water from a large muddy pool.

Generally, life is good.

A Spa Day for a Red-eared Slider

 

I came across this turtle by chance at our local pond, it was basking in the sun on the log.

Turtles love to rest on logs in the sun because they're cold-blooded animals and they rely on the sun to warm up. The sun helps them stay warm enough to be active, digest food, and move around.

So when you see turtles all lined up on a log, they're basically having a spa day—warming up, staying healthy, and soaking up the sun!

***

In winter as the weather cools, they slow down and sink to the bottom of the pond and stay buried in the mud. While they’re under there, they stop eating and barely move.

They breathe through their skin.  The mud at the bottom of the pond is insulated enough to keep them from freezing, and their metabolism gets so slow they barely need oxygen.

Turtles are just chilling quietly in the pond muck, waiting for spring. 

Generally, life is good.

The Most Intelligent Bird on Our Planet

That morning on Antelope Island I encountered a group of American crows and, fortunately, one of them was quite close and didn't not intend to fly away. 

The crows are more clever and complex than most people realize.  They are the most intelligent birds on our planet. 

Crows are using tools like sticks to get bugs out of tree bark. They drop nuts on the road for cars to crack.  And they remember human faces, especially the ones they don't like. 

American crows have strong family bonds. Often, offspring from previous years will stick around and help their parents raise new chicks.  It’s like bird babysitting.  

They mourn their dead. When a crow dies, other crows gather around the body.   Scientists think they might be learning about what caused the death—almost like a “danger alert” meeting.

Crows are talkative. Their "caws" aren’t just noise. They have a whole range of vocalizations—each with meaning. They can warn of predators, alert others to food, or call for help.

Generally, life is good.

A Dust Bath

 

Taking a dust bath is a very serious business for the American Bison. This is the way to clean themselves, stay cool and take care of their skin. 

The animals look for a dry, dusty place of dirt or sand—often the same spots are reused over and over, forming shallow depressions called wallows. Once the right place is found a Bison begin to roll in the mud, first on one side, then on the other.

Taking a dust bath helps Bison to get rid of ticks and lice.  On hot days, a dust bath cools them down. Dust can help soothe bites and it acts like a natural sunscreen.

and of course, a dust bath is always nice.

Generally, life is good.

Last Drop

Generally, life is good.

 

Morning Conversation

 

Generally, life is good.

Purple Dance

Generally, life is good.

Antelope Island in Spring

 

Whenever I am on Antelope Island, I always feel like I have entered into a forgotten world, where  time seems to slow with the wind. There is only me, the sky, the mountains capped with snow and the steady presence of bison watching from afar. 

Generally, life is good.

Awakening. Magnolia - II

 

Generally, life is good.

Awakening. Magnolia

Generally, life is good.

The Burrowing Owls Have Arrived

The arrival of owls on Antelope Island is always a joyful event for me. This pair of Burrowing Owls are already in their usual place and are preparing to build a nest in the burrow.

When I arrived at their usual place, there were two of owls there, but soon one went hunting and was absent for a long time.  

Owls have such a quiet, still presence that seems to go on forever.  It’s as if they’re masters of waiting for the perfect moment.  They kind of feel wise, don't they?

Generally, life is good.

Awakening

 

Generally, life is good.

Great Blue Heron Takes Off

Great Blue Herons are very cautious birds and they usually tend to fly away from people. It is their survival instinct.  

That morning the Heron changed its direction for unknown reasons.  He flew towards me and it's hard for me to say why the Heron did this.

In this photo I cut off one of the wing tip of the Great Blue Heron but I think it's still acceptable.

It all started simply and nothing foreshadowed that the Heron would soon leave this place.  I regret that I should have anticipated this by giving the bird more space in the frame when it took off.  But I got what I got...

Generally, life is good.

Sword Fighting

American White Pelicans do not have dramatic fights but they do occasionally have  disagreements over the food, nesting sites or mates.

The two Pelicans above started argument for reasons unknown to me but it ended quickly. 

Birds snapped their bills at each other and even engaged in a "sword fighting". One of Pelicans spread its wings to look bigger and more threatening.  

But the argument didn't last long, one of the fighters decided to take a nap, and the other opened its beak wide and yawned. The "sword fighting" was over.

Generally, life is good.