{"id":45369,"date":"2017-03-06T05:59:28","date_gmt":"2017-03-06T12:59:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=45369"},"modified":"2025-11-08T10:57:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T16:57:16","slug":"winter-clashes-with-spring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/03\/06\/winter-clashes-with-spring\/","title":{"rendered":"Winter Clashes With Spring – Seasonal Changes Make Bird Photography Interesting"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Winter<\/a>Winter and Spring Weather 2017<\/span><\/p>\n

We have had some crazy weather the past few days with warm spring-like days in the 60’s then high winds that knocked down trees and fences plus it caused widespread power outages then rain when the wind stopped and that got capped off with 4 to 5 inches of snow overnight. And it is going to go back up into the 60’s in just a few days.<\/p>\n

Winter is clashing with spring right now in northern Utah and those seasonal changes can make bird photography interesting. We still have some of our winter birds like Tundra Swans, Rough-legged Hawks, and Merlins who are getting ready to migrate north to their breeding grounds.<\/p>\n

There are still opportunities to photograph them but those opportunities are getting more and more limited everyday.<\/p>\n

\"Swainson's<\/a>Swainson’s Hawk perched on a large fence post – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

The spring migrants are already moving in. I’ve seen Sandhill Cranes and American White Pelicans already and I am waiting for the next migrant arrivals and wondering which one will be next. Then when I see one I feel like I am playing Bird Bingo waiting to shout “I got _____!!!<\/p>\n

Will the next migrant to arrive be a Swainson’s Hawk?<\/p>\n

\"BlackBlack Mustard with Western Kingbird – Nikon D810, f9, 1\/1000, ISO 320, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

A Western Kingbird?<\/p>\n

\"TurkeyTurkey Vulture roosting – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/1600, ISO 400, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

A Turkey Vulture?<\/p>\n

Long-billed Curlew, Sage Thrasher, American Avocet, Black-necked Stilt, Virginia Rail, American Bittern, Spotted Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Willet, Barn Swallow, Cliff Swallow, Caspian Tern, Snowy Egret, Lark Sparrow, Western Grebe? There are so many.<\/p>\n

I hate to see the winter birds leave but I get so excited about seeing the spring birds too.<\/p>\n

I have to scrape snow off of my Jeep this morning but later this week I could wear short sleeves outside if I want to because it will be warm enough.<\/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","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Winter is clashing with spring right now in northern Utah and those seasonal changes can make bird photography interesting. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":163178,"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":[27,1148,206,1315,26,534],"tags":[2663,4200,4322,3808,4884,4169,3791,3772,5703,153,5702,165,4034,2443,4183,298,4617,4411,373],"class_list":["post-45369","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-swainson-hawks","category-turkey-vultures","category-utah","category-western-kingbirds","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-buteo-swainsoni","tag-cathartes-aura","tag-flycatcher","tag-flycatchers","tag-hawks","tag-kingbird","tag-kingbirds","tag-migrants","tag-raptors","tag-seasonal-changes","tag-spring","tag-swainsons-hawk","tag-turkey-vulture","tag-tyrannus-verticalis","tag-tyrant-flycatchers-2","tag-vultures","tag-western-kingbird","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-mustard-mia-mcpherson-0797.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-bNL","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":113327,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/05\/08\/my-first-of-year-western-kingbird-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":45369,"position":0},"title":"My First Of Year Western Kingbird Images","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 8, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"On my last trip to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I was tickled to take my first of year Western Kingbird photos when I was heading back to the interstate.","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":"First of year Western Kingbird on a barb wire fence, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/western-kingbird-adult-spring-mia-mcpherson-2541.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/western-kingbird-adult-spring-mia-mcpherson-2541.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/western-kingbird-adult-spring-mia-mcpherson-2541.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/western-kingbird-adult-spring-mia-mcpherson-2541.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":37497,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/03\/27\/adult-western-kingbird-close-up\/","url_meta":{"origin":45369,"position":1},"title":"Adult Western Kingbird Close Up","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 27, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"This adult Western Kingbird close up was photographed two years ago on Antelope Island State Park as it perched on a sign post close to a nest site.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Western Kingbird, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-adult-mia-mcpherson-2903.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-adult-mia-mcpherson-2903.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-adult-mia-mcpherson-2903.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-adult-mia-mcpherson-2903.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51727,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/04\/20\/our-western-kingbirds-have-returned-to-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":45369,"position":2},"title":"Our Western Kingbirds Have Returned To Northern Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 20, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I did see a Western Kingbird two days ago but the only photos I have of that bird were taken on a barbed wire fence and I have more of those type of images than I know what to do with and nothing about those images were appealing, unique or\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Western Kingbird adult on nest, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-adult-nest-mia-mcpherson-2271.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-adult-nest-mia-mcpherson-2271.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-adult-nest-mia-mcpherson-2271.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/western-kingbird-adult-nest-mia-mcpherson-2271.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6022,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/08\/31\/springtime-eastern-kingbird\/","url_meta":{"origin":45369,"position":3},"title":"Springtime Eastern Kingbird","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 31, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"The scientific name of Eastern Kingbirds is Tyrannus tyrannus, Tyrannus means \"tyrant\" and they are well named because they will harass any bird that comes near their nests including crows, ravens and much larger birds like hawks.","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":"Eastern Kingbird back view, 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-5990.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-5990.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-mia-mcpherson-5990.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-5990.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":45369,"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":21167,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/04\/03\/eastern-kingbird-on-the-road-to-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":45369,"position":5},"title":"Eastern Kingbird On The Road To Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 3, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"I only have time for a quick post this morning and decided to post one of the migrant kingbirds I look forward to seeing every year, an Eastern Kingbird.","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":"Eastern Kingbird on the road to 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-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-5992.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-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-5992.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/eastern-kingbird-bear-river-mia-mcpherson-5992.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45369","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=45369"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/45369\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/163178"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=45369"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=45369"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=45369"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}