And from the ground.

But we can’t look at mountains forever.  There are birds to be found!  According to Utahbirds.org, there are 443 birds to be found.

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The Great Salt Lake is an excellent resource for birding.  There are tons of birding locations on the eastern side of the lake.  Last week we headed to Antelope Island for some birding.  I’m going to be spending a lot of time on this island.  It’s only 45 minutes from SLC and it’s a big breeding ground in the spring.  During the winter Antelope Island has a stark beauty.

The winters are harsh.  I’m not even sure how the 500 bison on Antelope Island survive.  The birds are hard to find because they are so good at blending in with the scenery.  How many birds do you see in this picture?

I count six.  Here is a closeup – these are Chukar Partridges.

They’re not native to Utah.  The Chukar was introduced for hunting.  We found them on the top of a mountain.  They don’t like to fly as much as walk quickly.  And when they’re alone, they make wonderful noises.  I also really like their heads because they look like bandits.  Here’s a side view.

After exploring the top of the mountain, we sat on a rock for a few minutes.  Suddenly there were Chukars everywhere!  We got to watch as they waddled away.