Tundra Swans on ice at Farmington Bay WMA – Nikon D810, f9, 1/2500, ISO 500, Nikkor 18 to 200mm VR at 60mm, natural light
I photographed Tundra Swans on the ice at Farmington Bay WMA that showed the snow covered Oquirrh Mountains in the background last week. Instead of using my bird gear I grabbed my backup camera with a shorter focal length so I include the marshy habitat, mountains, and sky in the swans photos that I took. It was one of the first times this winter that the mountains were completely covered in snow.
From home I can see the Oquirrh Mountain Range but I certainly don’t have this clear of a view. I need to remind myself to take more wide angle views of the places I find the birds I photograph. Images like this one convey a sense of place that most of my typical bird photos simply can’t.
The Tundra Swans will only be in northern Utah for a few more weeks as they fuel up for their long journey to the arctic tundra where they will breed. I listened to the swans calling for a bit. The sound of the swans calling always makes me smile. It is a sound I will miss while they are gone.
My time to photograph the swans at Farmington Bay WMA is almost over as well. The gate past Goose Egg Island closes for the nesting season season in just a few days. I would have to walk four miles round trip to get to the area where I photographed these swans once that gate closes to vehicular traffic and the birds are super skittish during the nesting season.
Life is good
Mia
Click here to view more of my Tundra Swans photos plus facts and information about this species.
What a pic! Beautiful composition and the colors are extraordinary. Thanks Mia.
Love the landscape photo — especially seeing snow on the mountains and the swans on the ice. The sound of trumpeting swans is always welcome.
Hi sweetie! I love the photo and the Swans! I did the recording! It was so beautiful! You are great at your photography Have a special day!!
Mia, YOU bring me hoy nearly every day with your splendid photos. But today you outdid yourself by including the audio of the Tundra Swans. I wonder if you are acquainted with the work of the Finish composer Einojuhani Rautavvaara and his Cantus Articus? He collected audio tracks of various Artic birds and interwove them in the score of a classical symphony. He recorded them on a reel-to-reel Nagra tape recorder. You would love it!
Thank you. I always appreciate your landscape shots – but that is true of ALL your photos.
It is beautiful. I am glad that they allow walk in along the road after the mound of dirt. I wish some of the dikes were open during the summer for walking too. Understandably they are closed for nesting season. Who named that mound of dirt Goose Egg Island? I think they still use the fill dirt pile for roads and dike repair, it has a new drive in the north side. Eventually it will be hummingbird island.
I don’t know who named it Goose Egg Island, I only know why it was named that. I am sure you know why, April, but some of the people who view my posts might not so I will repeat it here today.
Goose Egg Island which isn’t an island at all but was one during back in the mid 80’s due to the flooding of the Great Salt Lake. The rocks and soil of Goose Egg Island were actually hauled to Farmington Bay after a mudslide in a nearby canyon and when the flooding reached Farmington Bay geese used the island to nest on. When the flood waters receded the island became a hill.
Beautiful! So important to see the snowed mountains, source of so much water, in the background too.
I agree, including a landscape shot really enriches our sense of how and where the birds live. And, anyone who has mountains should celebrate them!
Stunning photo Mia.