Flying with the Birds through pictures

Francis Bergquist and his wife, Janice, were the presenters at the February 20 Tuesday Talks as they shared their love for bird watching and nature. During the lecture, the Berquists talked about different breeds of birds and where they come from.

The Berquists have been married for over 60 years and they began dating each other in their Sophomore year of high school. Since then they have been on many adventures together.

Francis showed some amazing pictures to the audience. Each picture captured the moment of a bird flying in the sky or hunting its prey. Each picture also demonstrated how birds of prey such as the American Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle, Red Tail Hawk, falcon, and owls live in their habitat. They also showed where birds of prey travel and hunt during different climate seasons. Some of these birds’ prey are either adapted to the desert heat or cold winters in the mountains.

In the past, Francis has been a contributor to the Saratoga Sun on bird stories and photos that he has taken. He also has written stories and done photography for Wyoming Wildlife magazine since the 1990s. He explained the most rewarding part of the work he does.

“What I love the most about the work I do is getting a good picture with actions and what it is doing,” said Francis. “It’s great to capture a picture of a bird that you don’t see often but most of all it is fun watching birds.”

Frances gave an interesting background on how he became a bird enthusiast.

“I have been a bird watcher since I was a little kid,” Francis said. “I was living in Rawlins about 40 years ago and I used to go hunting but I got tired of it so I decided to go with the camera. My wife bought me a camera for Christmas and that’s how it all started. I have been working in photography and taking photographs of birds and nature ever since.”

Janice also does photography of birds and also has a deep passion for butterflies. She explained how she shared the same interests with her husband which turned into a fun family outing.

“We have five boys so I more or less decided if I wanted to be with them, I better join them and do what they do,” Janice said. “I also have a love for butterflies, horses, and flowers, so Francis got me started in using a camera and I went alongside him.”

Janice said the most rewarding part about doing outdoor activities is seeing her husband’s excitement. She said those types of moments are priceless.

“I enjoy his excitement when tells me about what happened afterward and listen to him talking to our sons about what he found today, “ Janice said. “ I love hearing that excitement in his voice knowing that he found something great.”

Frances organized a bird club in Saratoga that went on for over 10 years where they would meet once a month and go on field trips. Janice also raises butterflies and has fun watching them hatch from the larva.

The Bergquist’s have a photography website called “Fine Art America” where you can see all the amazing work that they have done. You can visit their website at fineartamerica.com and search for Francis and Janice Bergquist.