Notwithstanding that most find it impossible to take seriously a religion whose founder had 57 wives, (a.k.a. having your cake and eating it), the architectural brilliance of some of the Mormon Churches is undeniable. And with over 300 days of sunshine in a year, your chances of seeing the white turrets of the Brigham City Tabernacle gleam against a blue sky are very high.
However the real treasure in this part of the world is just a few miles to the west - The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, located at the northern tip of Great Salt Lake. A more enchanting destination for bird-watchers, and haulers of 500mm f4 lenses, is hard to imagine.

Mormon Temple, Salt Lake City

Mormon Temple, Salt Lake City

The Brigham City Tabernacle

Reflection of The Assembly Hall of
Temple Square, Salt Lake City

The Box Elder County Courthouse,
Brigham City

A typical Mormon temple
in a Salt Lake City suburb

Smokey Bear warning en route to
Wasatch range, east of Salt Lake City

Reflection in Key Bank`s facade,
Brigham City

Statue of Joseph Smith,
founder of the Mormon religion

Hummingbird at a feeding station
in the Wasatch mountains

Hummingbird at a feeding station
in the Wasatch mountains

Hummingbird at a feeding station
in the Wasatch mountains

Salmon trying to leap over a weir
in Bear River Refuge

Kennicot Open Cut Copper Mine,
west of Salt Lake City

Salmon trying to leap over a weir
in Bear River Refuge

Highway 39 east of Brigham City
wends its way up into the Wasatch Range

Gull defending its breakfast
at Bear River Refuge

Breakfast on a silver platter
for a gull at Bear River Refuge

Great egret and glossy ibis
at Bear River Refuge

Pelicans in flight, Bear River Refuge

Blue heron at Bear River Refuge

White pelicans at Bear River Refuge

Blue heron at Bear River Refuge

Glossy ibis at Bear River Refuge

Glossy ibis at Bear River Refuge

Avocets at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge

White pelicans at Bear River Refuge

   
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