{"id":55925,"date":"2019-02-03T06:48:38","date_gmt":"2019-02-03T13:48:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=55925"},"modified":"2025-05-18T18:08:24","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T23:08:24","slug":"focusing-on-the-tundra-swans-and-wetlands-of-bear-river-mbr","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/02\/03\/focusing-on-the-tundra-swans-and-wetlands-of-bear-river-mbr\/","title":{"rendered":"Focusing On The Tundra Swans And Wetlands Of Bear River MBR"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TundraTundra Swans in the marshes of Bear River MBR at dawn \u2013 Nikon D810, f10, 1\/500, ISO 500, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 32mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Two days ago I saw Tundra Swans in flight over Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge but wasn’t able to take high quality images of them which was very disappointing since I’ve been looking forward to seeing, hearing and photographing them for some time.<\/p>\n

One year ago today I spent the morning focusing on and photographing the Tundra Swans and wetlands of Bear River MBR and I have to say that those birds and the marshes bring me such joy that I feel like I have to share them over and over.<\/p>\n

Seeing the Tundra Swans in my images can’t convey the sound of them but this year I hope to record those calls myself so that I can share the beauty and wonder of the calls of hundreds, even thousands of these large, graceful swans even if I have to spend the entire day at the refuge to capture the sounds, until then please have a listen here<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

This photo shows lots of the Tundra Swans in the marshes of the refuge, the wetlands beyond and the Promontory Mountains in the distance not too long after dawn. The marshes and wetlands at the refuge are an oasis in the desert that need our protection today and always.<\/p>\n

\"Six<\/p>\n

Six Tundra Swans in flight \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/3200, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Last year on this day there were clouds that interfered with the light at times while at other moments the light was divine and lit the Tundra Swans up beautifully.<\/p>\n

Some of the swans were taking off for fields to feed in for the day and some were just arriving at the marshes. The sounds of these birds is music to my ears.<\/p>\n

\"AdultAdult and immature Tundra Swan in flight over Bear River MBR \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

When the swans flew in close I did my best to lock focus on them and tried to get more than one bird in flight where all the swans were sharply in focus, I failed more than I succeeded but when I succeeded I felt like whooping along with the swans.<\/p>\n

\"TundraTundra Swans just before taking flight from the marsh at Bear River MBR \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2000, ISO 640, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

There were times when the light was so perfect that not only did the swans glow the water also seemed to have a wonderful pearl-like translucence to it.\u00a0 Granted that light didn’t last long before clouds came in and blocked the sun but for those few seconds I felt grateful for that gorgeous light.\u00a0 Being a bird photographer has its highs and lows along with varying light.<\/p>\n

\"TundraTundra Swan calling while flying past the Promontory Mountains \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1000, ISO 640, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Two days ago I noted how different the marshes look at the refuge this year than it did last winter because of the prescribed burns of the invasive phragmites last fall and how that could change where the swans congregate this year but I know burning the phrags will be good for the marshes and wetlands in the long run which in turn will be good for the birds and wildlife that visit or live on the refuge year round.<\/p>\n

\"TundraTundra Swan in flight with shades of blue \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/3200, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Today I won’t be visiting the refuge because it is raining, the wind is blowing and even though it is still dark I know there are thick clouds overhead but I am anxious to get back up to the refuge again to watch, listen to and focus on the Tundra Swans that stop over at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge<\/span><\/a> again.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good. Birds make it even better.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

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

One year ago today I spent the morning focusing on and photographing the Tundra Swans and wetlands of Bear River MBR and I have to say that those birds and the marshes bring me such joy that I feel like I have to share them over and over.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":144841,"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":[124,27,1148,158,26],"tags":[4004,4072,4431,1030,4052,4067,4094,610,4528,6953,4628,3122,6952,2117,2063,4095,373],"class_list":["post-55925","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-tundra-swans","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-calling","tag-cygnus-columbianus","tag-dawn","tag-flight","tag-immature","tag-marsh","tag-marshes","tag-promontory-mountains","tag-shades-of-blue","tag-swan","tag-swans","tag-taking-flight","tag-tundra-swan","tag-waterfowl","tag-wetlands","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-dawn-bear-river-mbr-mia-mcpherson-8572.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-ey1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":50879,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/02\/04\/photographing-the-tundra-swans-of-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/","url_meta":{"origin":55925,"position":0},"title":"Photographing the Tundra Swans of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 4, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I had a blast photographing the Tundra Swans at the refuge yesterday and for the first time in a while I forgot about practically everything but the birds in front of me and the peace I find at the refuge.","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":"Tundra Swan adult flying by, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swan-flight-mia-mcpherson-8893.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swan-flight-mia-mcpherson-8893.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swan-flight-mia-mcpherson-8893.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swan-flight-mia-mcpherson-8893.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":50985,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/02\/14\/photographing-a-pair-of-tundra-swans-in-flight\/","url_meta":{"origin":55925,"position":1},"title":"Photographing a Pair of Tundra Swans in Flight","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 14, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"As I photographed this pair of Tundra Swans in flight I could hear the whir of their wings and the calls of the other swans that were still on the water and also getting ready to lift off.","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":"Tundra Swan pair in flight, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-flight-mia-mcpherson-2136.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-flight-mia-mcpherson-2136.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-flight-mia-mcpherson-2136.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-flight-mia-mcpherson-2136.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":96615,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/10\/23\/it-is-time-to-look-and-listen-for-tundra-swans-in-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":55925,"position":2},"title":"It Is Time To Look And Listen For Tundra Swans In Northern Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 23, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning I noticed in my Facebook memories that I saw and heard my first of season Tundra Swans at Bear River MBR on this date in 2015 and that made me happy.","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":"Two adult Tundra Swans flying over wetlands, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/tundra-swans-bear-river-mbr-flying-mia-mcpherson-2134.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/tundra-swans-bear-river-mbr-flying-mia-mcpherson-2134.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/tundra-swans-bear-river-mbr-flying-mia-mcpherson-2134.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/tundra-swans-bear-river-mbr-flying-mia-mcpherson-2134.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":50924,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/02\/10\/tundra-swans-at-home-in-the-landscape-of-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":55925,"position":3},"title":"Tundra Swans at Home in the Landscape of Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 10, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"The Tundra Swans are truly at home in the landscape of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and they belong there as much as the mountains, marshes, birds, animals, fish, sky and the clouds overhead do.","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":"Tundra Swans in the landscape of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-landscape-mia-mcpherson-8703.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-landscape-mia-mcpherson-8703.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-landscape-mia-mcpherson-8703.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-landscape-mia-mcpherson-8703.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53026,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/07\/09\/refreshing-winter-scenery-and-the-tundra-swans-of-bear-river-mbr\/","url_meta":{"origin":55925,"position":4},"title":"Refreshing Winter Scenery and the Tundra Swans of Bear River MBR","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 9, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Sometimes when the summer heat gets to me I look back at images I have taken during the winter and quite often I find those images to be taken at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and the birds that I find there.","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":"Immature Tundra Swan in flight over Bear River MBR, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swan-immature-flight-mia-mcpherson-0400.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swan-immature-flight-mia-mcpherson-0400.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swan-immature-flight-mia-mcpherson-0400.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swan-immature-flight-mia-mcpherson-0400.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":61881,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/12\/04\/visions-of-tundra-swans\/","url_meta":{"origin":55925,"position":5},"title":"Visions Of Tundra Swans","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 4, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"I need to get to Bear River MBR soon because I have visions of Tundra Swans drifting through my mind and I'd love to see them in person on the marshes of the refuge again.","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":"Adult and immature Tundra Swans in flight with a cloudy sky behind them, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tundra-swans-flight-cloudy-sky-mia-mcpherson-8364.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tundra-swans-flight-cloudy-sky-mia-mcpherson-8364.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tundra-swans-flight-cloudy-sky-mia-mcpherson-8364.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/tundra-swans-flight-cloudy-sky-mia-mcpherson-8364.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\/55925","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=55925"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55925\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/144841"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55925"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55925"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55925"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}