Jipoy Photography

While heading over to Wasatch Mountain State Park to look for Ospreys fishing in the ponds we came across these prairie dogs just off the side of the road.

While walking down the road at Farmington Bay we were looking for bull frogs in the reeds. A bunch of dragonflies kept landing nearby so we took a few shots of them too.

While driving home from Farmington Bay we noticed that the moon looked really huge coming over the point of the mountain, so we rushed home so we could try and setup and get the moon rising over the peaks in front of my house. We weren't aware that it was the July Super Moon until the next day. It was really cool to see the trees silhouette against the moon on top of the peak.

We needed to gas up before our long journey to Fish Springs the following day so we headed back into town (an hour away). On our way back to our camp we found this lone Pronghorn buck feeding just off the road. It was raining but I still managed to get a decent shot. This was the second big buck we saw this trip.

We had just broken camp and started heading out of the Topaz Mountain Amphitheater when we came across this White-tailed Antelope Squirrel posing for us right on top of a big rock. We had seen a lot of these little guys running around but they usually wouldn't stand still long enough to get any good shots.

While driving around the Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge we came across a group of Killdeer. This one stuck around long enough for me to take 2 shots before disappearing down the edge of the water. This is one of my best shots of a Killdeer to date since he was close enough to really bring out the detail.

Right after we started down the road to the migratory refuge, we came across this Rough-legged Hawk sitting on some old farming equipment. We were lucky that he stayed around long enough for us to get a few good shots of him.

During our second day at the Bear River Migratory Refuge we saw a lot of barn owls again. Just as the sun was setting we came across a short-eared owl sitting on a post. He flew away before we could get many shots of him, but as we turned the corner, we found him again on the side of the road in the snow with a mouse he had just killed.

Via Flickr: While on our way up to the bird refuge, we took a quick detour to Bountiful Pond to see what birds might be hanging around there. On our way back to the freeway we came across this rough-legged hawk not too far from the road who sat there long enough for us to get some great shots.

Via Flickr: We were excited about shooting some Great Blue Herons that were standing out on the frozen river not too far from the road. One in particular appeared like he was going to hold still long enough for us to get some great shots, when all of the sudden we noticed something running down the road. It was this raccoon, who stopped just off the side of the road to snack on what appeared to be a tail of some other animal.

Via Flickr: This sunset was taken at the end of a great day of shooting birds along a migratory bird refuge with my dad, brother and best friend. What a beautiful way to end the day.

Via Flickr: Our third day shooting we decided to head up to Coalville to see if we could see any elk or at least some big bucks. We were also really hoping to see a bobcat like we had in previous years. It ended up being a beautiful day (although very cold). On our way up one of the side canyons we stopped to try some landscape shots. I bracketed this shot so I could test out HDR.

Via Flickr: Our third day shooting we decided to head up to Coalville to see if we could see any elk or at least some big bucks. We were also really hoping to see a bobcat like we had in previous years. It ended up being a beautiful day (although very cold).

Via Flickr: On our way back out of Farmington Bay, we saw this rough-legged hawk, sitting on a sign, we stopped to try and shoot him but he flew off, so I caught him in flight crossing the road instead.

Via Flickr: My dad had suggested we check out Harold S. Crane waterfowl management area while we were out shooting, so after leaving Farmington Bay we decided to stop by on our way to Willard Bay. We didn't see much on our way in, but on our way back out, this hawk kept flying from one fence post to another, right along the road, so we were able to get quite a few decent shots of him. This was one of my personal favorites.

Via Flickr: While we were heading over to shoot a bald eagle we saw sitting in a tree over the river, we spotted this kestrel sitting on the fence with his lunch in his talons.

Via Flickr: While heading out of Bountiful Pond on our way up to Farmington Bay we ran across this Juvenile Cormorant in the grass along the side of the road. After taking a few shots, we noticed that it looked like one of his wings was broken.