Fireworks, The Moon, Owls, a Snake, And Sunsets

Birding is often slow during July and this year is no exception. When the birding gets slow, however, I turn to other opportunities to explore and enjoy outdoor activities.

The 4th of July is a fun holiday for our family. This year I made my first real attempt at photographing fireworks. The show was free to the public and held at Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah. I read that I should use a long lens (at least 200mm) for fireworks so I took my 80-400mm lens. Once the fireworks started I realized I needed to back away from the action even with the lens pulled back to 80mm. I moved back as far as I could and I was still unable to fit complete firework blasts inside the camera frame.  I was pleased with the results.

I heard we had a super moon approaching so I set up my camera on a tripod in my driveway the night before the super moon and practiced capturing night images. The moon looked like a pearl cradled in the clouds the night before the peak of the super moon.

The Night Before the July 2014 Super Moon (Seen from Pleasant Grove, UT)

I enjoyed capturing images of the super moon the night it peaked. Again, I was in my driveway so the glow of the city lights impacted the overall results. I learned a bit about photographing the moon and was wishing I was high in the darkness of our local mountains.

Super Moon Seen From Pleasant Grove, UT

The night after the super moon I made my way up into our local mountains via American Fork Canyon. I found a place to park and set up my gear. It was at 8000 ft and near the summit of the Alpine Loop (Hwy 92). The detail of the craters on the moon was better than the night before, but it was a waning, or not-so super, moon.

The Night After the July 2014 Super Moon (The waning, or not-so super, moon)

Before capturing images of the moon that night I spent some time whistling for a Northern Saw-whet Owl. I've learned some tricks for calling these owls in that include taking advantage of a very short window at a certain level of darkness and the type and order of the whistling sounds I make. I was successful at whistling in an owl before the moon rose above the horizon, but I wasn't able to capture an image. It was a skittish little owl. The image below is of an owl I whistled in previously at the same location.

Northern Saw-whet Owl Wasatch County, UT

Flammulated Owls breed in our mountains during the summer months so I called one of those in as well. These owls are much more cooperative with being photographed. These owls will migrate down to Mexico and beyond once they finish breeding and their young have become adept at hunting and flying.

Flammulated Owl in Wasatch County, UT

I've been riding my mountain bike along the Murdock Canal in the early evening hours recently. I watch for birds and other critters, especially, Rattlesnakes as I ride along that trail. It runs along the foothills so snakes often come down to the trail where the asphalt and gravel are warm. The other night a ran across a new species of snake. I'm not sure I've ever seen one before, but I wasn't surprised when I looked in up in my reptile guide and discovered it was a subspecies of Racer. I managed a few images, but once it decided to leave my presence is moved faster than any snake I've ever seen.

Western (Yellow-bellied) Racer in Cedar Hills, UT

Western (Yellow-bellied) Racer in Cedar Hills, UT

Western (Yellow-bellied) Racer in Cedar Hills, UT

Sunsets in July can be quite spectacular. I always enjoy watching a sunset unfold because you never know what to expect. If there are clouds in the sky and on the horizon they can often be painted in a variety of colors by the light from the lowering sun.

Summer Sunset Seen from American Fork, UT

Moon to Loon: Am I a Loony Bird?

I've been fascinated with the moon recently. I'm not sure why, but I've found it fascinating. I've heard several times that "loony" is short for lunatic. Lunatic is associated with lunar, or the moon. In particular, a full moon brings the crazy out of some people. It's been more than once that people thought my birding and bird photography habits were a bit loony. Well this past week I've watched the moon wax through its phases until I was able to see my first Pacific Loon under the light of a full moon. Let's start with the moon and work our way to the loon.

Here are a few images of recent moon phases photographed from my front porch in Pleasant Grove, UT.

Sunday night I heard that a Pacific Loon was observed on a small pond in an area known as Lake Park in West Valley City, Utah. I crossed my fingers and hoped it would remain overnight so I could see it before work and count it as a life bird (first time seeing one). It's location was just minutes from my office.

I skipped on my usual van pool and drove myself to work very early "Moon"day morning. I noticed a full moon in the sky and hoped it would give me enough light to see the loon on the water before heading to work. I wasn't sure how much light I'd get for photography before going to work so I determined to visit the pond during my lunch break, if necessary, to get satisfactory images of the rare loon.

I saw the loon on the water upon my arrival so I quickly sent an email from my smart phone to the local birding listservs that read:

"Stopped on my way to work. Loon (the bird, not the crazy guy in the cold and dark) is still on the water."

Another local birder arrived and we chatted while waiting for the sun to rise above the mountains to the east. An immature Snow Goose mixed in a flock of Canada Geese flew in over our heads while we were talking. A starling (great mimics) was imitating an American Kestrel, a Common Nighthawk, and other birds. The nighthawk imitation by a Starling was a first for me.  I began to wonder if I might really be going loony at that point.

The sun slowly rose much like watching a pot of water boil. It always takes longer when you are intently dependent on and waiting for the event to occur. Here are some images I captured of the Pacific Loon as the pink/orange light from the rising sun was bouncing off the clouds.

Pacific Loon in Early Morning Sun at Lake Park in West Valley City, UT (Extremely rare for Salt Lake County, UT)

Pacific Loon in Early Morning Sun at Lake Park in West Valley City, UT (Extremely rare for Salt Lake County, UT)

With a little more sunlight the hues changed from the pink/orange color to more of the natural color of the loon.

Pacific Loon at Lake Park in West Valley City, UT (Extremely rare for Salt Lake County, UT)

Pacific Loon at Lake Park in West Valley City, UT (Extremely rare for Salt Lake County, UT)

Thank you, Moon, for turning me loony in recent weeks. Thank you, Loon, for straying from your normal migratory course and gracing crazy bird people in Salt Lake County, Utah with your unique presence.