{"id":115194,"date":"2023-08-15T04:31:56","date_gmt":"2023-08-15T10:31:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=115194"},"modified":"2023-08-15T04:32:14","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T10:32:14","slug":"barn-swallow-and-toe-shadows","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/08\/15\/barn-swallow-and-toe-shadows\/","title":{"rendered":"Barn Swallow And Toe Shadows"},"content":{"rendered":"

One year ago today, I photographed this Barn Swallow perched on a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service sign from the auto tour loop at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge<\/span><\/a>. It’s really more of a marker than a sign.<\/p>\n

\"BarnBarn Swallow and toe shadows on a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sign \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

This is a simple Barn Swallow photo. Basically we see the sign, and the sky in the background, the swallow resting for a moment, and the shadow of its toes on the upper corner of the sign.<\/p>\n

Purists might not care for the “hand of man” depicted in this image, and that is completely fine. They have their way of capturing images, while I create mine. To me, the swallow perched on the sign simply demonstrates how these swallows have adapted to the presence of humans in nature.<\/p>\n

During this time of the year, the swallows that nest in northern Utah are gathering in large, mixed-species flocks at the refuge. The hatch year swallows mix in with the adults. These flocks can be quite large and noisy.<\/p>\n

The breeding season has completed yet there is a palpable sense of urgency in the flocks of swallows at the refuge and elsewhere during these last days of summer.<\/p>\n

In August, the sense of urgency isn’t focused on finding a mate, breeding, and rearing their young. Instead, it’s about preparing for their long fall migration.<\/p>\n

I missed the swallow breeding season in Utah this year, and while I might feel a tinge of sadness about that, I was needed elsewhere. I have no regrets about that whatsoever.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

One year ago today, I photographed this Barn Swallow perched on a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service sign from the auto tour loop at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":115191,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_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":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2108,124,27,1148,26],"tags":[5792,5576,2111,7229,14257,4545,4094,4104,1994,4677,4681,4018,2315,4807,3470,7230,4095],"class_list":["post-115194","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-barn-swallows","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-utah","tag-auto-tour-loop","tag-auto-tour-route","tag-barn-swallow","tag-feet","tag-fish-and-wildlife-service","tag-hirundo-rustica","tag-marsh","tag-perched","tag-shadow","tag-shadows","tag-sign","tag-sky","tag-summer-3","tag-swallow","tag-swallows","tag-toes","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/barn-swallow-fish-and-wildlife-sign-toes-mia-mcpherson-3662.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-tXY","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7384,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/02\/03\/bear-river-national-wildlife-refuge-barn-swallow\/","url_meta":{"origin":115194,"position":0},"title":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge Barn Swallow","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 3, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge has five species of swallows, they are Tree, Northern Rough-winged, Violet-green, Cliff and Barn Swallows.","rel":"","context":"In "Barn Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Barn Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/barn-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Barn Swallow at Bear River MBR, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-perched-mia-mcpherson-1401.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-perched-mia-mcpherson-1401.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-adult-marsh-mia-mcpherson-3205.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-adult-marsh-mia-mcpherson-3205.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-adult-marsh-mia-mcpherson-3205.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-adult-marsh-mia-mcpherson-3205.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":46962,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/05\/28\/curbside-barn-swallow-on-a-chilly-morning\/","url_meta":{"origin":115194,"position":2},"title":"Curbside Barn Swallow On A Chilly Morning","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 28, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"When I arrived at the parking area where the auto tour loop begins at the refuge I spotted a fluffed up curbside Barn Swallow warming up in the sunlight and couldn't resist photographing it.","rel":"","context":"In "Barn Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Barn Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/barn-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Curbside Barn Swallow, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-fluffed-up-mia-mcpherson-8046.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-fluffed-up-mia-mcpherson-8046.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-fluffed-up-mia-mcpherson-8046.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-fluffed-up-mia-mcpherson-8046.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":37004,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/03\/12\/a-juvenile-barn-swallow-at-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":115194,"position":3},"title":"Juvenile Barn Swallow at Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 12, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Last year in mid August I photographed a very cooperative juvenile Barn Swallow at Bear River MBR and realized I hadn't posted any images of the bird or written about my encounter with it.","rel":"","context":"In "Barn Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Barn Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/barn-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Juvenile Barn Swallow at Bear River MBR, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-swallow-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9857.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-swallow-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9857.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-swallow-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9857.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-swallow-juvenile-mia-mcpherson-9857.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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I was truly thrilled.","rel":"","context":"In "Barn Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Barn Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/barn-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Late summer Barn Swallow adult, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/barn-swallow-late-summer-marsh-mia-mcpherson-0618.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/barn-swallow-late-summer-marsh-mia-mcpherson-0618.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/barn-swallow-late-summer-marsh-mia-mcpherson-0618.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/barn-swallow-late-summer-marsh-mia-mcpherson-0618.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":60050,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/09\/07\/swallow-quartet-bank-barn-cliff-and-tree-swallows-at-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":115194,"position":5},"title":"Swallow Quartet – Bank, Barn, Cliff And Tree Swallows At Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 7, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I was glad to be able to photograph Bank, Barn, Cliff and Tree Swallows perched on top of a stand of phragmites near the auto tour route on the refuge in early morning light.","rel":"","context":"In "Bank Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Bank Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/bank-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Barn Swallow lifting off, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-adult-lifting-off-mia-mcpherson-0067.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-adult-lifting-off-mia-mcpherson-0067.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-adult-lifting-off-mia-mcpherson-0067.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-adult-lifting-off-mia-mcpherson-0067.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\/115194","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=115194"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115194\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/115191"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}