{"id":52651,"date":"2018-06-18T05:37:29","date_gmt":"2018-06-18T11:37:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=52651"},"modified":"2025-02-09T10:34:58","modified_gmt":"2025-02-09T16:34:58","slug":"photographing-a-barn-swallow-in-the-wasatch-mountains-with-my-mom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/06\/18\/photographing-a-barn-swallow-in-the-wasatch-mountains-with-my-mom\/","title":{"rendered":"Photographing a Barn Swallow in the Wasatch Mountains with my Mom"},"content":{"rendered":"

There isn’t anything spectacular about these two Barn Swallow photos, they aren’t showing any exciting behaviors, they aren’t taken while the bird was in flight and the setting could be considered kind of bland but for me these photos hold a special meaning because my Mom was there with me when I photographed this bird.<\/p>\n

\"BarnBarn Swallow resting on a rusty gate – Nikon D500, f10, 1\/640, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

It was a delight to drive up to the canyon in the Wasatch Mountains<\/span><\/a> and to be able to chat with my Mom along the way. Once we were inside the canyon having her riding behind me in my Jeep so we could both take photos from the same side.<\/p>\n

And then being able to see her smiling in my rear view mirror as she looked for birds and wildlife in the alpine canyon. Seeing the canyon through her eyes was a joy I will always treasure.<\/p>\n

It was cool and refreshing in the canyon compared to the valley, it was quiet and it felt as if for a short time we left civilization behind.<\/p>\n

I ignored the notification sounds on my phone like I normally do when photographing alone which shuts out the annoying buzz of everyday life and we simply immersed ourselves in the experience of photographing together for the first time with nature’s wonders surrounding us.<\/p>\n

Time alone with my Mom in my natural element while showing her how I do what I do when I am out photographing in the field was something we had never done before and I relished every second of it.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult Barn Swallow taking a break on a rusty gate rail – Nikon D500, f10, 1\/800, ISO 500, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Mom is great at sighting birds and critters and she pointed them out to me quite often. She used her point and shoot camera plus her phone to take pictures as we moved slowly through the canyon talking softly to each other.<\/p>\n

There was a lot I wanted to show her but we had all the time we needed, we didn’t rush and because we didn’t we found plenty of birds.<\/p>\n

When we stopped to take photos of this Barn Swallow resting on the rusty gate railing we could hear the sounds of the nearby creek, the gentle breeze rustling the willow leaves plus the calls and songs of other nearby birds.<\/p>\n

It was marvelous to share my passion about bird photography with her and to see her enjoy herself so thoroughly.<\/p>\n

While these Barn Swallow photos aren’t million dollar shots the experiences I shared with my mother while we photographed this bird together are worth everything to me.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

While these Barn Swallow photos aren’t million dollar shots the experiences I shared with my mother while we photographed this bird together are worth everything to me.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":139662,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","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":[2108,27,1731,26],"tags":[4004,2111,4545,4104,8301,8300,4156,5668,6580,4807,3470,6581,4176],"class_list":["post-52651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-barn-swallows","category-avian","category-summit-county-utah","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-barn-swallow","tag-hirundo-rustica","tag-perched","tag-photograph","tag-photographing","tag-resting","tag-rusty","tag-rusty-gate","tag-swallow","tag-swallows","tag-taking-a-break","tag-wasatch-mountains"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-rusty-gate-mia-mcpherson-0333.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-dHd","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":66988,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/03\/14\/barn-swallows-soon-to-arrive-in-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":52651,"position":0},"title":"Barn Swallows – Soon To Arrive In Northern Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 14, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Perhaps the next weather front coming from the south will push these Barn Swallows into northern Utah, I know I will be watching for their arrival.","rel":"","context":"In "Barn Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Barn Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/barn-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Preening adult Barn Swallow, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-swallow-adult-preening-on-post-mia-mcpherson-3825.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-adult-preening-on-post-mia-mcpherson-3825.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-swallow-adult-preening-on-post-mia-mcpherson-3825.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/barn-swallow-adult-preening-on-post-mia-mcpherson-3825.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":102752,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/05\/29\/female-and-male-barn-swallow-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":52651,"position":1},"title":"Female And Male Barn Swallow Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 29, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Last week while I was high in the Wasatch Mountains I was able to take female and male Barn Swallow photos as they perched on a fence next to a creek.","rel":"","context":"In "Barn Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Barn Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/barn-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult female Barn Swallow in spring, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/barn-swallow-adult-female-perched-mia-mcpherson-9343.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/barn-swallow-adult-female-perched-mia-mcpherson-9343.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/barn-swallow-adult-female-perched-mia-mcpherson-9343.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/barn-swallow-adult-female-perched-mia-mcpherson-9343.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":100381,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/05\/swallow-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":52651,"position":2},"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 "Bank Swallows"","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":53631,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/08\/18\/juvenile-barn-swallow-portraits\/","url_meta":{"origin":52651,"position":3},"title":"Juvenile Barn Swallow Portraits","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 18, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I'd driven up into a Wasatch Mountain canyon and was waiting for the sun to rise over the mountains when I spotted several juvenile Barn Swallows perched on a fence right next to the road in lovely morning light.","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 portrait, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-juvenile-close-up-mia-mcpherson-5778.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-juvenile-close-up-mia-mcpherson-5778.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-juvenile-close-up-mia-mcpherson-5778.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/barn-swallow-juvenile-close-up-mia-mcpherson-5778.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":87007,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/05\/07\/spring-barn-swallow-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":52651,"position":4},"title":"Spring Barn Swallow Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 7, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning I wanted to share two Barn Swallow photos that I took two mornings ago on the north side of the auto tour route at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.","rel":"","context":"In "Barn Swallows"","block_context":{"text":"Barn Swallows","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/swallows\/barn-swallows\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Barn Swallow close up, 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-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":115194,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/08\/15\/barn-swallow-and-toe-shadows\/","url_meta":{"origin":52651,"position":5},"title":"Barn Swallow And Toe Shadows","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 15, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","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 and toe shadows on a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sign, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/barn-swallow-fish-and-wildlife-sign-toes-mia-mcpherson-3662.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/barn-swallow-fish-and-wildlife-sign-toes-mia-mcpherson-3662.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/barn-swallow-fish-and-wildlife-sign-toes-mia-mcpherson-3662.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/barn-swallow-fish-and-wildlife-sign-toes-mia-mcpherson-3662.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\/52651","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=52651"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52651\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/139662"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52651"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52651"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52651"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}