{"id":47737,"date":"2017-07-18T05:30:20","date_gmt":"2017-07-18T11:30:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=47737"},"modified":"2024-08-18T04:51:44","modified_gmt":"2024-08-18T09:51:44","slug":"bank-swallow-over-the-red-rock-river","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/07\/18\/bank-swallow-over-the-red-rock-river\/","title":{"rendered":"Bank Swallow Over the Red Rock River"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"PerchedPerched Bank Swallow – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

While exploring the Centennial Valley of Montana I love to stop on Stibal Lane where the Red Rock River<\/span><\/a> flows under the bridge and look at the amazing views and I also look around to see what birds there are because I never know what I might find there.<\/p>\n

While I looked around four days ago I saw this Bank Swallow resting on a fence that hangs over the Red Rock River and could not resist photographing it with the blue water below and behind it. The early morning light seemed to make the dainty swallow glow. I haven’t had many opportunities to photograph this species because they are usually feeding high above me so it was nice to find one resting for a change.<\/p>\n

Bank Swallows are the smallest swallows found in North America, they are also found in Europe and Asia where they are called Sand Martins. They feed on flying insects including bees, wasps, moths and butterflies. They might be considered plain brown birds by some by I love the soft, warm tones of their plumage and their delicate beauty.<\/p>\n

The Bank Swallow I photographed wasn’t calling but I have heard their calls<\/span><\/a> before while they have flown past while hunting for prey in the air. They nest in vertical banks and bluffs with loose soils in burrows about 25 inches into the ground near water.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good. Birds are great.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

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

While I looked around four days ago I saw this Bank Swallow resting on a fence that hangs over the Red Rock River and could not resist photographing it with the blue water below and behind it. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":132690,"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":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5983,1513,27,223,12],"tags":[4004,5985,4430,3830,13920,4104,5193,5984,5558,11417,2315,4807,3470],"class_list":["post-47737","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bank-swallows","category-beaverhead-county-montana","category-avian","category-centennial-valley","category-montana","tag-adult","tag-bank-swallow","tag-barbed-wire","tag-fence","tag-mountain-valley","tag-perched","tag-red-rock-river","tag-riparia-riparia","tag-river","tag-smallest-swallows","tag-summer-3","tag-swallow","tag-swallows"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/bank-swallow-montana-mia-mcpherson-5561.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-cpX","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":39972,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/06\/12\/red-rock-river-cliff-swallow\/","url_meta":{"origin":47737,"position":0},"title":"Red Rock River Cliff Swallow","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 12, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"This Cliff Swallow resting near the Red Rock River was cooperative and gave me the opportunity to photograph it on a strand of barbed wire fencing.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Cliff Swallow resting near the Red Rock River, Centennial Valley, Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cliff-swallow-resting-mia-mcpherson-1827.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cliff-swallow-resting-mia-mcpherson-1827.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-mountains-mia-mcpherson-2703.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-mountains-mia-mcpherson-2703.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-mountains-mia-mcpherson-2703.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-mountains-mia-mcpherson-2703.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":36244,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/02\/23\/barn-swallow-in-a-fog-at-red-rock-lakes-nwr-montana\/","url_meta":{"origin":47737,"position":3},"title":"Barn Swallow In A Fog At Red Rock Lakes NWR, Montana","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 23, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I had forgotten about photographing this Barn Swallow in a fog at the Lower Lake of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge until I was going through my archives yesterday.","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 in a fog at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in the Centennial Valley of Beaverhead County, Montana","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-fog-mia-mcpherson-0394.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-fog-mia-mcpherson-0394.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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It was taken on July 30, 2009 at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge shortly after I moved to Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Bank Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Bank Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/bank-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Bank Swallow perched on a rush, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/bank-swallow-on-rushes-mia-mcpherson-2988.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/bank-swallow-on-rushes-mia-mcpherson-2988.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/bank-swallow-on-rushes-mia-mcpherson-2988.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/bank-swallow-on-rushes-mia-mcpherson-2988.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":125851,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/03\/25\/tree-swallows-have-migrated-into-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":47737,"position":5},"title":"Tree Swallows Have Migrated Into Northern Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Over the weekend, I read on Facebook that Tree Swallows have migrated back into Northern Utah for their breeding season. I am so excited about that news!","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tree Swallow peeking out of a natural nesting cavity in the High Uintas, Uinta Mountains, Uinta National Forest, Summit County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-aspen-high-uintas-mia-mcpherson-6727.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-aspen-high-uintas-mia-mcpherson-6727.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-aspen-high-uintas-mia-mcpherson-6727.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallow-aspen-high-uintas-mia-mcpherson-6727.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\/47737","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=47737"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47737\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/132690"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47737"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47737"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47737"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}