{"id":82114,"date":"2021-03-23T06:39:21","date_gmt":"2021-03-23T12:39:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=82114"},"modified":"2025-05-09T15:04:21","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T20:04:21","slug":"tree-swallows-have-returned","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/03\/23\/tree-swallows-have-returned\/","title":{"rendered":"Tree Swallows Have Returned"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"SpringSpring Tree Swallows in the marsh \u2013 Nikon D500, tripod mounted, f9, 1\/2000, ISO 640, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

A little birdie told me that Tree Swallows returned to the marshes at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge<\/span><\/a> about the middle of this month.<\/p>\n

Okay, that “little birdie” is actually our own April Olson who comments here frequently. She has been to the refuge more recently than I have and she told me about the birds that she saw there. I was excited to hear about the return of the swallows. April said that the swallows were too flighty for photos and I can totally understand that.<\/p>\n

I have yet to see my first of season Tree Swallow. I hope that happens soon.<\/p>\n

When the Tree Swallows first arrive here on spring migration they are busy feeding, socializing, finding mates, and getting ready for their nesting season. These Tree Swallows don’t nest on the refuge because they need trees or man made nest boxes to nest and there aren’t many trees that are suitable for that at the refuge.<\/p>\n

The photo above was taken from the auto tour route in early April of 2019<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"MaleMale Tree Swallow close up \u2013 Nikon D500, f7.1, 1\/800, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

Most of the Tree Swallows I photograph during the nesting season head up into our mountains where there are plenty of trees. I see the Tree Swallows at their nesting cavities in the Wasatch<\/span><\/a> and Uinta Mountains<\/span><\/a> most often.<\/p>\n

Tree Swallows are secondary cavity nesters which means they rely on primary cavity nesters to create their nesting cavities or people who put out nest boxes. Northern Flickers<\/span><\/a>, sapsuckers<\/span><\/a> and other woodpeckers are among the birds that create the nesting cavities that Tree Swallows use to nest.<\/p>\n

I photographed this adult male Tree Swallow in the Uinta National Forest<\/span><\/a> at the end of May in 2018.<\/p>\n

\"MaleMale Tree Swallow in Idaho \u2013 Nikon D810, f6.3, 1\/800, ISO 800, +0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n

I have also photographed Tree Swallows in Idaho and Montana during their nesting season. Finding the swallows requires sharp eyes, good ears, and keen observations skills at natural nesting cavities in forests. Thankfully I have all of those attributes. Finding them at nest boxes only requires knowing where nest boxes have been established. Tree Swallows will flock to those nest boxes if they are in locations where the habitat is suitable to their needs.<\/p>\n

This stunning male Tree Swallow was photographed in the Targhee National Forest<\/span><\/a> of Idaho in June of 2016.<\/p>\n

Last year I didn’t photograph many Tree Swallows due to travel restrictions caused by the global pandemic. In six days I will get my second dose of the Pfizer vaccine and two weeks after that I should be able to travel a bit more than I have in the past year. Hopefully that will mean more opportunities with these striking and charismatic swallows.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

A little birdie told me that Tree Swallows returned to the marshes at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge about the middle of this month.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":143999,"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":[124,27,1148,2244,3717,1731,2261,2171,8514,3886,26],"tags":[4004,1919,4247,5370,6949,156,4062,4094,530,4069,4075,4893,2580,4104,4059,165,4807,3470,4377,1523,4095],"class_list":["post-82114","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-idaho","category-modoc-creek","category-summit-county-utah","category-targhee-national-forest","category-tree-swallows","category-uinta-mountains","category-uinta-national-forest","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-aspen","tag-flock","tag-forest","tag-gathering","tag-low-light-2","tag-male","tag-marsh","tag-migration","tag-mountains","tag-nest","tag-nest-boxes","tag-nesting-cavity","tag-perched","tag-phragmites","tag-spring","tag-swallow","tag-swallows","tag-tachycineta-bicolor","tag-tree-swallow","tag-wetlands"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/tree-swallows-marsh-bear-river-mbr-mia-mcpherson-7704.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-lmq","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":100381,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/05\/swallow-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":82114,"position":0},"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":125851,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/03\/25\/tree-swallows-have-migrated-into-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":82114,"position":1},"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 "Beaverhead County"","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, 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focus on a nearby adult Cliff Swallow as it warmed up on the dirt auto tour loop road and take a nice series of images of it in the soft light.","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":"Back view of an adult Cliff Swallow, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cliff-swallow-adult-on-road-mia-mcpherson-5414.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/cliff-swallow-adult-on-road-mia-mcpherson-5414.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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Avocets","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/shorebirds\/american-avocets\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Adult Virginia Rail and its reflection at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/virginia-rail-adult-mia-mcpherson-1903.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/virginia-rail-adult-mia-mcpherson-1903.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/virginia-rail-adult-mia-mcpherson-1903.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/virginia-rail-adult-mia-mcpherson-1903.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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