Spring in the Wasatch Mountains - IX. Wild Flowers

If I could I would give you a bouquet of wild flowers that they will remind you that the earth breaths, the sun rises and summer is a few days away.

Arrowleaf Balsamroot. 

Mulesears.

California Gulls in Flight

At the beginning it seemed that the gulls were flying in a chaotic way but in a few minutes I realized that there was a pattern in their flight.  First they were making big circles on one side of Bear River, then crossed it, flew over my head and returned back.

I started to follow their flight pattern and a fun began. I tried to capture a gull who was flying toward me.  I never done before the front shots of flying birds and was glad to have this opportunity.

It's amazing how strong these birds are in flight, how powerful their wings are.

So light and beautiful!

California gulls are common at Bear River, they are there all year around.
These birds have dark eyes, red and black on the bill.

Black-necked Stilts in Courtship and Mating

Yesterday afternoon at Bear River was frustrating at the beginning. I spent almost two hours driving around and didn't see much. On my way home I decided to stay for a while with Black-necked Stilts and was lucky to see their courtship and mating.

The courtship started.  The female keeps her body parallel to the water showing her willingness to mate. 

The male mounted the female.

And copulation began. In a minute it will be over and the post-mating dance would begin.

The pair is going to cross beaks in their post-mating dance.

Then they separated the beaks and walked together side by side.  They became a couple!

Immature Red-winged Blackbirds Are Looking for Food

I took these photos in early March. The male Red-winged Blackbirds were establishing their territory and waiting for arrival of females who would come much later.  That day I spotted a few immature male Blackbirds who were hatched last year and haven't yet develop their adult plumage.

The immature Blackbird is looking for seeds.  The bird's plumage doesn't look glossy black with flashy red wings at this age, it is more yellow and sometimes orange. 

The immature male Blackbird started to develop his red epaulets. 

Again immature Red-winged Blackbird.


After a long harsh winter I enjoyed so much seeing the first sings of spring, watching the Blackbirds perching on the tall reeds, singing, displaying and chasing each other.