{"id":106653,"date":"2022-10-02T03:17:46","date_gmt":"2022-10-02T09:17:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=106653"},"modified":"2022-10-02T03:18:07","modified_gmt":"2022-10-02T09:18:07","slug":"red-winged-blackbird-in-warm-morning-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/10\/02\/red-winged-blackbird-in-warm-morning-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Red-winged Blackbird In Warm Morning Light"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Red-wingedRed-winged Blackbird in morning light \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/250, ISO 640, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

At Bear River MBR<\/span><\/a> two days ago, I paused to take pictures of this Red-winged Blackbird in the warm morning light despite the mosquitoes trying to bite my neck. Of the twenty-six photos I was able to take of this blackbird this is the only one that met my standards.<\/p>\n

The rest of the images had strong shadows from the phragmites stalk on the face of the blackbird or had motion blur because my shutter speed was slow. I could have bumped up my ISO to increase my shutter speed but I was busy slapping the mosquitoes off my neck and exposed skin when I wasn’t pressing my shutter button.<\/p>\n

I spent the rest of my morning at the refuge slapping those insects even though I put insect repellent on right after I photographed this blackbird and came home with several nasty bites.<\/p>\n

Were the mosquito bites worth it? I think so. I saw birds, I took a few images of them, and I enjoyed my quiet journey around the auto tour loop. It might have been better had I not been slapping myself.<\/p>\n

It won’t be much longer now before the cold weather either creeps in or the temps drop rapidly, and those mosquitoes won’t be a problem. Until then, I am trying hard not to scratch their bites which only makes them more itchy. I’d say that mosquitoes can “bite me”, but the nasty buggers already did.<\/p>\n

I still love what I do, the subjects I capture, and the time I spend out in nature taking in its wonders.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/a><\/span> to see more of my Red-winged Blackbird photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At Bear River MBR two days ago, I paused to take pictures of this Red-winged Blackbird in the warm morning light despite the mosquitoes trying to bite my neck.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":106650,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[124,27,1148,419,26],"tags":[4004,4151,970,3813,3483,4620,4062,4094,4099,4104,4059,6428,4324,9092,4095],"class_list":["post-106653","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-red-winged-blackbirds","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-agelaius-phoeniceus","tag-autumn","tag-blackbird","tag-blackbirds","tag-fall","tag-male","tag-marsh","tag-morning-light","tag-perched","tag-phragmites","tag-phrags","tag-red-winged-blackbird","tag-warm","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-male-marsh-mia-mcpherson-7564.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-rKd","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":83662,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/04\/07\/female-red-winged-blackbird-munching-a-midge\/","url_meta":{"origin":106653,"position":0},"title":"Female Red-winged Blackbird Munching A Midge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 7, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"What I liked about this photo was that I caught the female Red-winged Blackbird with her bill open while she was munching on a midge.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female Red-winged Blackbird munching a midge, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-female-munching-midge-mia-mcpherson-3723.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-female-munching-midge-mia-mcpherson-3723.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-female-munching-midge-mia-mcpherson-3723.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-female-munching-midge-mia-mcpherson-3723.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7734,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/03\/02\/songs-of-spring-red-winged-blackbirds\/","url_meta":{"origin":106653,"position":1},"title":"Songs of Spring – Red-winged Blackbirds","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 2, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Fairly soon I'll be seeing many more of the male Red-winged Blackbirds perching at the top of rushes and cattails singing springtime serenades for the females and flashing their brilliantly colored epaulets","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Red-winged Blackbird on a cattail at Bear River MBR, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-mia-mcpherson-male-5855.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-mia-mcpherson-male-5855.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/red-winged-blackbird-mia-mcpherson-male-5855.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":66161,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/03\/04\/adult-male-red-winged-blackbird-take-off\/","url_meta":{"origin":106653,"position":2},"title":"Adult Male Red-winged Blackbird Take Off","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 4, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I took this photo of an adult male Red-winged Blackbird taking off this morning with the distant snow covered Promontory Mountains in the background.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Red-winged Blackbird taking off, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-male-take-off-mia-mcpherson-6216.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-male-take-off-mia-mcpherson-6216.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/red-winged-blackbird-male-take-off-mia-mcpherson-6216.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/red-winged-blackbird-saltcedar-mia-mcpherson-6081.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/red-winged-blackbird-saltcedar-mia-mcpherson-6081.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/red-winged-blackbird-saltcedar-mia-mcpherson-6081.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/red-winged-blackbird-saltcedar-mia-mcpherson-6081.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":100179,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/02\/24\/singing-male-red-winged-blackbird\/","url_meta":{"origin":106653,"position":4},"title":"Singing Male Red-winged Blackbird And A Birthday Wish","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 24, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"I photographed this singing male Red-winged Blackbird earlier this month while enjoying the marshes and wetlands of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Singing male Red-winged Blackbird at Bear River MBR, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-7320.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/red-winged-blackbird-male-singing-mia-mcpherson-7320.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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Red-winged Blackbirds are sexually dimorphic .","rel":"","context":"In "Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"","block_context":{"text":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female Red-winged Blackbird near her nest at the north beach of Fort De Soto County Park, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/red-winged-black-bird-mangroves-mia-mcpherson-5891.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/red-winged-black-bird-mangroves-mia-mcpherson-5891.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/red-winged-black-bird-mangroves-mia-mcpherson-5891.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/red-winged-black-bird-mangroves-mia-mcpherson-5891.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106653","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=106653"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106653\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/106650"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=106653"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=106653"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=106653"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}