{"id":52542,"date":"2018-06-12T04:21:13","date_gmt":"2018-06-12T10:21:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=52542"},"modified":"2024-08-24T12:23:00","modified_gmt":"2024-08-24T17:23:00","slug":"northern-rough-winged-swallow-in-a-wasatch-mountain-canyon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/06\/12\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-in-a-wasatch-mountain-canyon\/","title":{"rendered":"Northern Rough-winged Swallow In A Wasatch Mountain Canyon"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-133102 size-full\" title=\"Northern Rough-winged Swallow perched\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-canyon-mia-mcpherson-9562.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-canyon-mia-mcpherson-9562.jpg\" alt=\"Northern Rough-winged Swallow perched, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah\" width=\"850\" height=\"607\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20607%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-canyon-mia-mcpherson-9562-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-canyon-mia-mcpherson-9562-250x179.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-canyon-mia-mcpherson-9562-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-canyon-mia-mcpherson-9562-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-canyon-mia-mcpherson-9562-600x428.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-canyon-mia-mcpherson-9562-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-canyon-mia-mcpherson-9562-800x571.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-canyon-mia-mcpherson-9562.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #808080;\">Northern Rough-winged Swallow perched &#8211; Nikon D500, f8, 1\/800, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Two days ago I had hoped to find the male <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/06\/10\/male-broad-tailed-hummingbird-defending-his-favorite-perch\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Broad-tailed Hummingbird on his favorite perch<\/span><\/a> again but he wasn&#8217;t around. Instead I had two Northern Rough-winged Swallows fly in and they perched about 15 feet away from where I normally find the little male hummingbird. One of the swallows was so close I had trouble fitting it into the frame and the other had bright branches above and below it but since I don&#8217;t see this swallow species all that often I felt I had to at least try and photograph them and somehow create a pleasing composition.<\/p>\n<p>Of the photos that I took that morning I liked this one Rough-winged Swallow the most because I could see its entire body while the other swallow had the out of focus perch in front of the body of the bird.<\/p>\n<p>The background in this photo is out of focus willows that are near a creek. I cropped this photo in such a way that it removed the out of focus, bright branches that were above and below the swallow.<\/p>\n<p>Northern Rough-winged Swallows are migratory and I only see them while they are here in Utah during their breeding season. They aren&#8217;t as colorful as Tree, Cliff, Violet-green and Barn Swallows but I find their subtle coloring very appealing.<\/p>\n<p>I had fun up in the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Wasatch_Range\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Wasatch Mountain<\/span><\/a> canyons yesterday morning too but didn&#8217;t have time to process any of the Cedar Waxwing images I took for various reasons. I used to have more free time long ago when I photographed mostly flowers and insects until bird photography tickled my fancy, set my passion on fire and my free time seemed to just disappear.<\/p>\n<p>Life <em>is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n<p>Mia<\/p>\n<p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-images\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my Northern Rough-winged Swallow photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Of the photos that I took that morning I liked this one Rough-winged Swallow the most because I could see its entire body while the other swallow had the out of focus perch in front of the body of the bird. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":133102,"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":[27,4594,542,26],"tags":[4897,3940,3843,6410,4069,2181,4104,165,760,4807,3470],"class_list":["post-52542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-morgan-county","category-northern-rough-winged-swallows","category-utah","tag-branch","tag-canyon","tag-creek","tag-green-background","tag-mountains","tag-northern-rough-winged-swallow","tag-perched","tag-spring","tag-stelgidopteryx-serripennis","tag-swallow","tag-swallows"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-canyon-mia-mcpherson-9562.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-dFs","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":8041,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/04\/06\/perched-northern-rough-winged-swallow\/","url_meta":{"origin":52542,"position":0},"title":"Perched Northern Rough-winged Swallow","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 6, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Northern Rough-winged Swallows have a wide range in North America but because of their drab colors they are often overlooked by bird photographers, they are the \"plain brown bird\" of the swallow family.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-mia-mcpherson-7329.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-mia-mcpherson-7329.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-mia-mcpherson-7329.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":100381,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/05\/swallow-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":52542,"position":1},"title":"Swallow Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 5, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Today I wanted to share swallow photos that show the six species of swallows I see and photograph in northern Utah while they are here for their nesting season.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bank Swallows&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bank Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/bank-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Violet-green Swallow adult back view, West Desert, Tooele County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/violet-green-swallow-male-back-view-mia-mcpherson-1622.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/violet-green-swallow-male-back-view-mia-mcpherson-1622.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/violet-green-swallow-male-back-view-mia-mcpherson-1622.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/violet-green-swallow-male-back-view-mia-mcpherson-1622.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52698,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/06\/21\/beautiful-swallows-and-the-ugly-sack-of-crap\/","url_meta":{"origin":52542,"position":2},"title":"Beautiful Swallows and the Ugly Sack of Crap","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"June 21, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The sack of crap was open, it doesn't matter to me if they left it open or if a critter opened it but that sack of crap was what was attracting the Northern Rough-winged Swallows and photos of these birds with dog waste shouldn't exist, yet now they do.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Northern Rough-winged Swallow on the ground next to a sack of crap, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-ground-mia-mcpherson-4058.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-ground-mia-mcpherson-4058.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-ground-mia-mcpherson-4058.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/northern-rough-winged-swallow-ground-mia-mcpherson-4058.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7384,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/02\/03\/bear-river-national-wildlife-refuge-barn-swallow\/","url_meta":{"origin":52542,"position":3},"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 &quot;Barn Swallows&quot;","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, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-perched-mia-mcpherson-1401.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":125851,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/03\/25\/tree-swallows-have-migrated-into-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":52542,"position":4},"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 &quot;Beaverhead County&quot;","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":[]},{"id":51012,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/02\/18\/with-midges-emerging-will-swallows-arrive-soon\/","url_meta":{"origin":52542,"position":5},"title":"With Midges Emerging Will Swallows Arrive Soon?","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 18, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"That one midge I saw in the restroom at Bear River MBR did cause me to wonder if the swallows will show up early this year in northern Utah or will the predicted cooler weather cause them arrive at their normal time.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Barn Swallows&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Barn Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/barn-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Barn Swallow stretching on a post, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/barn-swallow-stretching-post-mia-mcpherson-7655.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/barn-swallow-stretching-post-mia-mcpherson-7655.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/barn-swallow-stretching-post-mia-mcpherson-7655.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/barn-swallow-stretching-post-mia-mcpherson-7655.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\/52542","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=52542"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52542\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/133102"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52542"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}