{"id":79732,"date":"2021-02-23T05:39:26","date_gmt":"2021-02-23T12:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=79732"},"modified":"2025-05-18T18:38:31","modified_gmt":"2025-05-18T23:38:31","slug":"tundra-swans-on-ice-at-farmington-bay-wma","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/02\/23\/tundra-swans-on-ice-at-farmington-bay-wma\/","title":{"rendered":"Tundra Swans On Ice At Farmington Bay WMA"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TundraTundra Swans on ice at Farmington Bay WMA \u2013 Nikon D810, f9, 1\/2500, ISO 500, Nikkor 18 to 200mm VR at 60mm, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I photographed Tundra Swans on the ice at Farmington Bay WMA<\/span><\/a> that showed the snow covered Oquirrh Mountains<\/span><\/a> in the background last week. Instead of using my bird gear I grabbed my backup camera with a shorter focal length so I include the marshy habitat, mountains, and sky in the swans photos that I took. It was one of the first times this winter that the mountains were completely covered in snow.<\/p>\n

From home I can see the Oquirrh Mountain Range but I certainly don’t have this clear of a view. I need to remind myself to take more wide angle views of the places I find the birds I photograph. Images like this one convey a sense of place that most of my typical bird photos simply can’t.<\/p>\n

The Tundra Swans will only be in northern Utah for a few more weeks as they fuel up for their long journey to the arctic tundra where they will breed. I listened to the swans calling for a bit. The sound of the swans calling<\/span><\/a> always makes me smile. It is a sound I will miss while they are gone.<\/p>\n

My time to photograph the swans at Farmington Bay WMA is almost over as well. The gate past Goose Egg Island closes for the nesting season season in just a few days. I would have to walk four miles round trip to get to the area where I photographed these swans once that gate closes to vehicular traffic and the birds are super skittish during the nesting season.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

I photographed Tundra Swans on the ice at Farmington Bay WMA that showed the snow covered Oquirrh Mountains in the background last week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":144875,"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":[27,1022,697,158,26],"tags":[4431,4064,6151,4094,4378,4069,5528,4018,4050,4328,4628,3122,2117,2063,373],"class_list":["post-79732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-tundra-swans","category-utah","tag-cygnus-columbianus","tag-ice","tag-landscape","tag-marsh","tag-morning","tag-mountains","tag-oquirrh-mountains","tag-sky","tag-snow","tag-snowy","tag-swan","tag-swans","tag-tundra-swan","tag-waterfowl","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-on-ice-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-1294.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-kK0","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5328,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2012\/07\/13\/tundra-swans-in-flight\/","url_meta":{"origin":79732,"position":0},"title":"Tundra Swans in Flight","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 13, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus) by the thousands overwinter in the Great Salt Lake area, it is not uncommon to see huge flocks of them at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area in northern Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Tundra Swans in flight over the marshes at Farmington Bay WMA in Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-mia-mcpherson-5944.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-mia-mcpherson-5944.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-mia-mcpherson-5944.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-mia-mcpherson-5944.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":100090,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/02\/19\/swimming-immature-tundra-swan-at-farmington-bay\/","url_meta":{"origin":79732,"position":1},"title":"Swimming Immature Tundra Swan At Farmington Bay","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 19, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Two mornings ago at Farmington Bay WMA I had a swimming immature Tundra Swan in my viewfinder for a few minutes.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Swimming immature Tundra Swan, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/tundra-swan-immature-swimming-mia-mcpherson-2991.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/tundra-swan-immature-swimming-mia-mcpherson-2991.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/tundra-swan-immature-swimming-mia-mcpherson-2991.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/tundra-swan-immature-swimming-mia-mcpherson-2991.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":74811,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/10\/21\/tundra-swans-are-showing-up-in-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":79732,"position":2},"title":"Tundra Swans Are Showing Up In Northern Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 21, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I can barely wait to hear and see my first of season Tundra Swans and to see them on the wing over the marshes that surround the Great Salt Lake.","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 Swan fly 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-adult-and-immature-flight-mia-mcpherson-0178.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-adult-and-immature-flight-mia-mcpherson-0178.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swan-adult-and-immature-flight-mia-mcpherson-0178.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swan-adult-and-immature-flight-mia-mcpherson-0178.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":118007,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/11\/10\/time-to-see-and-hear-tundra-swans\/","url_meta":{"origin":79732,"position":3},"title":"Time To See And Hear Tundra Swans","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 10, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Now is a great time to see and hear Tundra Swans from the marshes at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I saw several large flocks of them yesterday from 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":"Autumn flock of Tundra Swans in flight, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/tundra-swan-flock-in-november-mia-mcpherson-7045.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/tundra-swan-flock-in-november-mia-mcpherson-7045.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/tundra-swan-flock-in-november-mia-mcpherson-7045.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/tundra-swan-flock-in-november-mia-mcpherson-7045.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":54662,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/10\/19\/time-to-keep-an-eye-on-the-sky-for-migrating-tundra-swans\/","url_meta":{"origin":79732,"position":4},"title":"Time To Keep An Eye On The Sky For Migrating Tundra Swans","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 19, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"With cold fronts moving in it is indeed time for me to keep an eye on the sky for flocks of Tundra Swans migrating back into northern Utah","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Flock of Tundra Swans in flight over a marsh, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-flock-flight-mia-mcpherson-5856.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-flock-flight-mia-mcpherson-5856.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-flock-flight-mia-mcpherson-5856.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-flock-flight-mia-mcpherson-5856.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":80995,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/03\/11\/swan-day-in-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":79732,"position":5},"title":"Swan Day in Utah – March 13, 2021","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 11, 2021","format":"chat","excerpt":"This Saturday, March 13th, is Swan Day here in Utah. It is a day to celebrate these large, white, beautiful birds that spend time here during the winter.","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 and winter sky, 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-cloudy-sky-mia-mcpherson-8371.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-cloudy-sky-mia-mcpherson-8371.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-flight-cloudy-sky-mia-mcpherson-8371.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tundra-swans-flight-cloudy-sky-mia-mcpherson-8371.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\/79732","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=79732"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79732\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/144875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=79732"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=79732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}