Tundra Swan adult on a lovely March morning – Nikon D500, f8, 1/3200, ISO 640, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
This past Monday while I was enjoying the peace and solitude of the auto tour route at Bear River MBR I took hundreds of Tundra Swan photos from inside my Jeep. It was a beautiful clear morning out on the marsh. Thousands upon thousands of swans are at the refuge right now getting ready to head towards their breeding grounds.
Resting Tundra Swans at Bear River MBR – Nikon D500, f8, 1/5000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Tomorrow is Swan Day at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and from 10 am to 4 pm they have multiple activities planned including:
- Live Eagle Presentations at 10:00 and 12:00.
- Outdoor “Life of a Cygnet” activity on the Wetland Wonders trail,
- Take-home swan craft kit,
- Swan Story Time upon request at the Avocet Corner Bookstore,
- And take a drive on the Refuge Auto Tour Route to see swans in the wild before they go back to the Arctic!
For more information check out the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge Facebook page. The weather is supposed to be sunny all day on Saturday with temps in the low 30’s to mid 40’s during the daylight hours.
Tundra Swan adult swimming past on cool March morning – Nikon D500, f8, 1/5000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
On Monday I was thrilled to be able to take series of images of the swans swimming, resting, and preening.
Tundra Swan with a tiny feather on its bill – Nikon D500, f10, 1/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
This adult Tundra Swan had a tiny downy feather stuck on the tip of its bill and I could not resist taking photos of it.
Tundra Swans resting side by side – Nikon D500, f10, 1/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I took loads of photos of the Tundra Swans resting and sleeping on the ice. These two were keeping an eye on me as I photographed them.
Adult Tundra Swan running to take flight – Nikon D500, f8, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I also wanted to take some action photos of the Tundra Swans lifting off from the ice. When this swan’s behavior indicated to me that it was getting ready to take off I locked onto it and took a long burst of images.
Running Tundra Swan adult – Nikon D500, f8, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Because my camera was locked on to the swan I was able to follow the swan running across the ice through my viewfinder.
Tundra Swan with both feet in the air – Nikon D500, f8, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
As the swan picked up speed there were times that I was able to photograph it with both webbed feet in the air.
Adult Tundra Swan running on ice – Nikon D500, f8, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
In other frames I captured the swan pushing off the ice with one foot.
Running Tundra Swan gaining speed – Nikon D500, f8, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I was able to photograph the swan with its wings up high over its body…
Tundra Swan running on an ice shelf – Nikon D500, f8, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
And low enough to for its wings to brush against the ice as the swan ran forward.
Running Tundra Swan with wings up – Nikon D500, f8, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
These large birds often have to run quite a distance to lift off.
Tundra Swan running full speed to lift off – Nikon D500, f8, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
I knew this swan could lift off into the air with any of the next few downward stroke of its wings.
Adult Tundra Swan just prior to lift off – Nikon D500, f8, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
And the swan did lift off just a split second after I took this image. Unfortunately for me when it took to the air it was behind a stand of phragmites which obscured my view of the bird taking flight.
Tundra Swan adult a moment after lifting off from ice – Nikon D500, f8, 1/3200, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
Once the swan was in the air above the phrags I locked back on and watched as it flew out over the marsh and landed on the thawing ice near some other swans and geese. I got the action photos I wanted of this swan lifting off and I was more than happy with that.
My advice to people who want to see the swans before they head to their breeding grounds is to go to the refuge soon. Spring is in the air and the swans won’t stick around for long.
My trip to the refuge on Monday was peaceful and relaxing. The trip I made up to the refuge yesterday morning wasn’t as good but I will write about that another day. This post has gotten long enough.
Life is good.
Mia
Click here to see more of my Tundra Swan photos plus facts and information about this species.
What an extraordinary group of action shots! I love how you captured the Tundra Swan’s take-off. Eadweard Muybridge [1830 – 1904] would be so impressed! Thanks Mia.
It is interesting what the brain remembers and pulls up to memory on cues. Your images pulled a slew up this morning. I have worked with the swans in rehab in the past before the awful storm that brought so many down to their death. But I did not retain as much detail from past experiences as I have from the traumatic experience of the dead and wounded from that night and following days. As I look at your beautiful images of swans I have sensory memory that floods into my mind, how the rubbery feet feel, the heavy body and strong wings, the denseness of the feathers on their neck and how thick and strong their neck is. The sounds of hissing, the look in their eyes the texture of beak. They have a scent that smells of wetlands and bird and fresh cold air. It was a good smell.
Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. Wish I could have been there. Glad you had such good luck.
Thanks for sharing this lovely sequence. It’s as close as I’m likely to get to the real thing, and I truly enjoy seeing it through your eyes (and lens).
I love this series! I’m a fan of action shots – so I was admiring each one in the running series – then, liftoff – beautiful!