{"id":40834,"date":"2016-08-08T06:22:44","date_gmt":"2016-08-08T12:22:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=40834"},"modified":"2026-04-28T05:56:21","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T10:56:21","slug":"photographing-pelicans-herons-egrets-and-geese-in-flight-in-rapidly-changing-light","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/08\/08\/photographing-pelicans-herons-egrets-and-geese-in-flight-in-rapidly-changing-light\/","title":{"rendered":"Photographing Pelicans, Herons, Egrets and Geese in Flight in Rapidly Changing Light"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"StormStorm clouds moving towards Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge – Nikon D300, f13, 1\/160, ISO 400, +1.3 EV, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 20 mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I went to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge early yesterday morning because starting today the auto tour route will be closed<\/span><\/a> from sunrise until 4 pm until August 19th due to work on the dikes. The auto tour route will be open from 4 pm until dark<\/em> during this time period.<\/p>\n

I primarily photograph in the mornings so I wanted to make a trip up there to help tide me over until the auto tour route opens in the mornings again and I am glad I did because it was one of the birdiest mornings I have had up there this summer.<\/p>\n

But the weather forecasters, well as usual they messed up. The satellite and radar didn’t show many clouds when I left home but there sure were plenty of them in the sky and the forecast hadn’t mentioned the strong south winds either that were pushing the clouds up towards Bear River MBR. I knew that light was going to be iffy but I have learned that although changing light can be very challenging it can also produce dramatic results.<\/p>\n

I took this image from the north side of the auto tour route looking south at the clouds heading towards the refuge.<\/p>\n

\"AmericanAmerican White Pelican in flight in front of mountains in a shadow – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

The birdiest location for bird photography at the refuge yesterday seemed to be the south side of the auto tour route just after the observation platform that is the furthest south and west (no longer there, it was torn down<\/em>). There were thousands of birds there.<\/p>\n

I know this American White Pelican in flight is small in the frame but it is absolutely my favorite image from yesterday morning. The clouds overhead created shadows on the Promontory Mountains behind the pelican as the sun light lit it up.<\/p>\n

I felt the contrast of light and shadows created a touch of natural drama in this frame and the pelican just seems to glow.<\/p>\n

\"AmericanAmerican White Pelican in flight in front of clouds – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/4000, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Now that is not to say I don’t like the other pelican images I took yesterday because I do, especially those that had clouds in the background like this American White Pelican in flight.<\/p>\n

The clouds moved quickly and so did my subjects in that strong south wind.<\/p>\n

\"CanadaCanada Geese in flight in front of the Promontory Mountains – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I was tickled when this small but noisy group of Canada Geese flew by with the Promontory Mountains lit up in the background.<\/p>\n

\"GreatGreat Blue Heron in flight in front of storm clouds – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/3200, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I was also able to photograph several Great Blue Herons in flight yesterday morning against a stormy looking sky. In mere seconds I could have my subjects against a blue sky, a blue sky with fluffy white clouds, darker clouds, shadowed mountains, brightly lit mountains and back to blue sky again.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult Snowy Egret in flight over Bear River MBR – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/5000, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Or against the vibrant greens of the phragmites, cattails and rushes. I saw at least a hundred Snowy Egrets yesterday on the refuge and I think that estimate is rather low.<\/p>\n

\"SnowySnowy Egret in flight against a stormy sky – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/3200, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I had a great deal of fun photographing the pelicans, herons, egrets and geese in flight in the rapidly changing light yesterday morning at Bear River MBR.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my bird photos in their galleries.<\/p>\n

I saw Long-billed Dowitchers by the thousands yesterday morning and the Marbled Godwits have started to migrate through too! I wish they had been close enough to photograph.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I had a great deal of fun photographing the pelicans, herons, egrets and geese in flight in the rapidly changing light yesterday morning at Bear River MBR. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":121072,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,124,27,1148,28,166,255,26],"tags":[3966,4117,32,4774,5358,4101,743,351,4120,4052,4122,713,4775,3987,627,626,4154,4,706,8301,8300,4528,4677,3988,4500],"class_list":["post-40834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-white-pelicans","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-canada-geese","category-great-blue-herons","category-snowy-egrets","category-utah","tag-american-white-pelican","tag-ardea-herodias","tag-branta-canadensis","tag-canada-geese","tag-changing-light","tag-clouds","tag-egret","tag-egrets","tag-egretta-thula","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-geese","tag-goose","tag-great-blue-heron","tag-heron","tag-herons","tag-pelecanus-erythrorhynchos","tag-pelican","tag-pelicans","tag-photograph","tag-photographing","tag-promontory-mountains","tag-shadows","tag-snowy-egret","tag-storm"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/canada-geese-flight-mia-mcpherson-8090.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-aCC","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":46074,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/04\/09\/missing-the-birds-of-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":40834,"position":0},"title":"Missing the Birds of Bear River MBR & Spring Migration","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 9, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto tour route is still closed and many of the birders, bird photographers and nature lovers are itching to know what birds are there because after all spring migration is an exciting time at the refuge.","rel":"","context":"In "American Avocets"","block_context":{"text":"American Avocets","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-avocets\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Flock of Long-billed Dowitchers in flight, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/long-billed-dowitchers-flock-mia-mcpherson-9688.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/long-billed-dowitchers-flock-mia-mcpherson-9688.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/long-billed-dowitchers-flock-mia-mcpherson-9688.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/long-billed-dowitchers-flock-mia-mcpherson-9688.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53351,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/08\/04\/stormy-sky-with-a-great-blue-heron-in-flight-over-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":40834,"position":1},"title":"Stormy Sky With A Great Blue Heron In Flight Over Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Two years ago when I photographed this stormy sky with a Great Blue Heron in flight I also photographed loads of other birds from the auto tour route including wading and shorebirds, geese, ducks, ibis, terns, gulls, rails, pelicans and coots.","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":"Stormy sky with a Great Blue Heron in flight, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, 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2017","format":false,"excerpt":"I had fun photographing the juvenile Great Blue Heron, juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron and the adult Snowy Egret yesterday at Bear River MBR. I especially loved the clearer skies.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Flying juvenile Black-crowned Night Heron with Promontory Mountains in the distance, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/black-crowned-night-heron-juvenile-flight-promontory-mia-mcpherson-2755.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/black-crowned-night-heron-juvenile-flight-promontory-mia-mcpherson-2755.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/black-crowned-night-heron-juvenile-flight-promontory-mia-mcpherson-2755.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/black-crowned-night-heron-juvenile-flight-promontory-mia-mcpherson-2755.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5141,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/06\/05\/birds-of-bear-river-mbr-snowy-egrets\/","url_meta":{"origin":40834,"position":3},"title":"Birds of Bear River MBR – Snowy Egrets","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 5, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Recently I spent two days in a row photographing birds at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (aka Bear River National Wildlife Refuge) and found plenty of birds to aim my lens at.","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":"Snowy Egret about to land in a marsh at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/snowy-egret-flight-mia-mcpherson-6154.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/snowy-egret-flight-mia-mcpherson-6154.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/snowy-egret-flight-mia-mcpherson-6154.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/snowy-egret-flight-mia-mcpherson-6154.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7443,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/02\/06\/some-of-the-birds-i-love-at-bear-river-national-wildlife-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":40834,"position":4},"title":"Some of the Birds I Love at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 6, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"One of my favorite locations to photograph birds in northern Utah is Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I've selected some of the birds there that delight and entertain me while I observe and photograph them.","rel":"","context":"In "American Avocets"","block_context":{"text":"American Avocets","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-avocets\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Calling Eastern Kingbird on a barbed wire fence, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-mia-mcpherson-5986.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-mia-mcpherson-5986.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-mia-mcpherson-5986.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-mia-mcpherson-5986.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":58333,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/06\/03\/highlights-of-my-bird-photography-trip-yesterday-to-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":40834,"position":5},"title":"Highlights Of My Bird Photography Trip Yesterday to Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 3, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"When a bird photography trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge starts with me spotting not just one but two Snowy Plovers out on the flats I just know the day is off to a great start and that is what happened yesterday morning.","rel":"","context":"In "American Avocets"","block_context":{"text":"American Avocets","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-avocets\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Black-crowned Night Heron adult hunting in the marsh, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/black-crowned-night-heron-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5630.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/black-crowned-night-heron-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5630.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/black-crowned-night-heron-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5630.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/black-crowned-night-heron-marsh-mia-mcpherson-5630.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\/40834","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=40834"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40834\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":175506,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/40834\/revisions\/175506"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/121072"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=40834"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=40834"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=40834"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}