Big & Beautiful: Tundra Swans of Bear River MBR

Yesterday morning I spent time with a flock of big, beautiful Tundra Swans at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I loved every moment that I had with the swans.

The sun was shining for a change. The air was the clearest that I have seen it in years. The calls of these swans echoed over the marsh. It was a freaking magical morning and the swans enchanted me.

Seventy-six Tundra Swans and the Promontory Mountains – Nikon D810, f8, 1/3200, ISO 400, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 55mm, natural light

I used both of my cameras to photograph the Tundra Swans yesterday including my Nikon D810. With a shorter focal length lens on it I was able to capture almost all of the swans in my images. When I first came up on this flock I estimated that there were at least 100 swans in the flock. There were probably more. This photo shows at least seventy-six of them on the ground and in the air.

Bright white Tundra Swans on ice – Nikon D500, f9, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

I also focused on the swans that were resting on the snow covered ice and captured frame filling images of them. These were taken with my Nikon D500 and my long lens.

Some of the swans were a bright white without any staining on their feathers.

Alert adult Tundra Swan on an ice shelf – Nikon D500, f9, 1/3200, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

When I parked my Jeep and turned off the engine the swans quickly settled back down. After a bit the Tundra Swans seemed to go on alert. A Bald Eagle or other bird of prey may have flown past that I couldn’t see from inside my Jeep.

Tundra Swan starting to lay down on snowy ice – Nikon D500, f9, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

As soon as that moment passed the swans settled back down again. This swan was in the process of lowering its body back down on the snowy ice.

Adult Tundra Swan up close – Nikon D500, f9, 1/4000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

When this swan started to walk across the ice I couldn’t resist taking this close up photo of it. I don’t always have the Tundra Swans of Bear River MBR this close to me so I took full advantage of the opportunity that I was presented with.

This swan showed some feathers that were stained. This is completely normal. Minerals in the water can stain their feathers.

Tundra Swan adult resting on an ice shelf – Nikon D500, f11, 1/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

I photographed the swans resting on the ice shelf. The bright sunlight seemed to make their white feathers glow.

Tundra Swan relaxing on snow covered ice – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1/5000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Because the swans were relaxed I was able to focus on and take images of quite a few individual birds. The swans may have spent the night at this location.

Tundra Swan walking while another swan nips another – Nikon D500, f9, 1/3200, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

I also saw some typical swan behavior while I focused on them. Swans can get nippy with their flock mates and this photo shows one of them nipping another swan that was walking past it as it rested.

Tundra Swan adult getting ready to bathe – Nikon D500, f11, 1/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Even though I was parked nearby some of the Tundra Swans were so relaxed that they bathed while I photographed them.

Bathing Tundra Swan and water droplets – Nikon D500, f11, 1/1250, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

The water droplets coming off of this bathing Tundra Swan fascinated me. They reminded me of crystals dangling from a chandelier but they were twirling around the swan’s neck and chin.

Adult Tundra Swan with large yellow spot on bill – Nikon D500, f11, 1/1250, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

Quite a few of the Tundra Swans I photographed yesterday had large yellow spots on their bills. I kept looking through the flock for a Bewick’s Tundra Swan, a European subspecies that is uncommon here in northern Utah, that have even more yellow on their bills. I didn’t find any.

Three Tundra Swans bathing with one being goofy – Nikon D500, f11, 1/1600, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

This last photo of three Tundra Swan’s bathing made me laugh out loud when I viewed it on my monitor at home. The swan on the left with its head upside down made me think of how there always seems to be a “class clown” in some group photos. Now I can’t look at this photo without chuckling.

I was very pleased with all of the images I took of the Tundra Swans yesterday and tried to select photos to share today that showed how beautiful and fascinating they are. These swans will soon take wing and leave northern Utah for their breeding grounds. I’m thrilled that I had all of these swans in my viewfinder yesterday.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my Tundra Swan photos plus facts and information about this species.