{"id":56963,"date":"2019-03-31T04:59:56","date_gmt":"2019-03-31T10:59:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=56963"},"modified":"2025-05-26T08:12:17","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T13:12:17","slug":"spring-killdeer-at-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/03\/31\/spring-killdeer-at-bear-river-migratory-bird-refuge\/","title":{"rendered":"Spring Killdeer At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"SpringSpring Killdeer portrait – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/2500, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I spent my morning yesterday driving on the very muddy auto tour route at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge<\/span><\/a> and the birds that I photographed the most were Killdeer, it seemed like I saw them everywhere.<\/p>\n

Spring is a wonderful time at the refuge and I saw a few first of year birds while I was there plus I listened to the songs of Marsh Wrens, Savannah Sparrows and heard the calls of Sandhill Cranes echoing across the marshes. I was able to get a nice view of a secretive Virginia Rail before it hurried back into the cover of the marsh vegetation because I took my time and drove slow.<\/p>\n

I was able to take some close up photos of Killdeer on the north side of the auto tour loop, this portrait show the red orbital ring (eye ring) quite nicely.<\/p>\n

\"KilldeerKilldeer close up in Spring – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

And this close up not only shows the fine plumage details and the red orbital ring it also includes the end of the Killdeer’s tongue at the tip of its bill. It is hard to see but I promise it is there.<\/p>\n

\"SpringSpring view of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge’s marshes – Nikon D810, f11, 1\/1250, ISO 500, Nikkor 18-200mm VR at 18mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Spring at the refuge is full of incredible views and I felt that I would be remiss if I didn’t include at least one scenic image along with the birds. Some of the grasses have started to green up but the new growth of the cattails and phrags is practically invisible still. This view is from the west side of the auto tour loop looking towards the northeast, I wanted to include the snow-capped Wasatch Mountain Range along with the marshes of the refuge in this frame. It is such a beautiful, peaceful place.<\/p>\n

\"SpringSpring Killdeer on a log – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I saw more Killdeer once I made the turn at the southernmost part of the auto tour route and I couldn’t resist taking photos of them. I was using my Jeep as a mobile blind from the side of the road and the Killdeer were less cautious because of that.<\/p>\n

\"AlertAlert Killdeer at the water’s edge – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/2000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

But when other vehicles drove past me they did cause the Killdeer to be more alert. This Killdeer stretched it’s neck out about as far as I have ever seen one do when a pickup drove slowly past me.<\/p>\n

\"KilldeerKilldeer with a yellow orbital ring – Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 500, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

And then there was this Killdeer who has a yellow-gold orbital ring instead of the red orbital ring of typical adult Killdeer. Juvenile and immature Killdeer do have yellowish orbital rings but this is the first time I can recall seeing and photographing an adult with a yellow orbital ring. I was delighted and surprised.<\/p>\n

My Jeep is a mess because of all of the mud but I’m happy that I went to the refuge because I enjoyed the birds I saw, the clear skies, the warmth of the sun and the grand views I had of this marshy oasis in the desert.<\/p>\n

On my way back to the interstate to head home I saw my first of year Swainson’s Hawk too and did a happy dance in my seat.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

I spent my morning yesterday driving on the very muddy auto tour route at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and the birds that I photographed the most were Killdeer, it seemed like I saw them everywhere.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":146855,"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":[124,27,1148,267,26],"tags":[4540,4144,4142,7037,7039,270,6515,4962,4094,1003,5841,275,4046,4092,274,165,3996,4095,7038],"class_list":["post-56963","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-killdeer","category-utah","tag-alert","tag-charadrius-vociferus","tag-close-up","tag-edge","tag-eye-ring","tag-killdeer","tag-killdeers","tag-log","tag-marsh","tag-odd","tag-plover","tag-plovers","tag-portrait","tag-refuge","tag-shorebirds-2","tag-spring","tag-water","tag-wetlands","tag-yellow-orbital-ring"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-bear-river-mbr-log-mia-mcpherson-4570.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-eOL","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":67712,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/03\/30\/adult-killdeer-portrait-plus-a-view-of-bear-river-mbr-in-march\/","url_meta":{"origin":56963,"position":0},"title":"Adult 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Truthfully, I am glad my first bird was a Killdeer.","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":"Killdeer in soft morning light, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-adult-early-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-0647.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-adult-early-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-0647.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/killdeer-adult-early-morning-light-mia-mcpherson-0647.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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