{"id":94260,"date":"2021-08-30T06:00:34","date_gmt":"2021-08-30T12:00:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=94260"},"modified":"2025-11-06T14:40:23","modified_gmt":"2025-11-06T20:40:23","slug":"our-sage-thrashers-will-migrate-soon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/08\/30\/our-sage-thrashers-will-migrate-soon\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Sage Thrashers Will Migrate Soon"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"BackBack view of a Sage Thrasher in early morning light – 2015
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

While looking through some of my older Sage Thrasher photos yesterday I realized that they will be migrating south soon and that I have seen very few of them this year. Sage Thrashers are only in Utah for their breeding season and by now all their chicks have fledged and are feeding on their own. Usually by the third week of September I have seen my last of them for the season.<\/p>\n

\"SageSage Thrasher near a desert seep – 2020
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

If I head out to Antelope Island<\/span><\/a> or up north I should be able to see and photograph some Sage Thrashers before they head south on migration. I would certainly love to hear them at least one more time before they go.<\/p>\n

\"YoungYoung Sage Thrasher perched on a light colored rock – 2016
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

I’ve missed out on photographing Sage Thrashers displaying early in their breeding seasons the last two years. In 2020 it was because of the pandemic and in 2021 it was because the biting gnats came out so soon after the Sage Thrashers arrived on spring migration. I’ve had such bad reactions to the biting gnat bites the last three or four years that I have to avoid them when they hatch on Antelope Island.<\/p>\n

\"SageSage Thrasher chick in low light – 2015
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

And that also means I have missed out on seeing Sage Thrasher chicks and fledglings make their first appearance on the island too.<\/p>\n

There are still a few weeks for me to find and photograph these “Mountain Mockingbirds” and I hope that I can because I admire their subtle beauty and their calls<\/span><\/a> and songs<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

Sage Thrashers are only in Utah for their breeding season and by now all their chicks have fledged and are feeding on their own.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":162929,"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":[511,27,1148,1022,103,26],"tags":[4004,5180,4897,4134,3981,4098,11978,6692,4141,4067,4071,821,4164,4104,4289,4921,4003,7474,165,2315,4613,735,30,4193],"class_list":["post-94260","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-davis-county-utah","category-sage-thrashers","category-utah","tag-adult","tag-back-view","tag-branch","tag-chick","tag-davis-county","tag-desert","tag-desert-island","tag-early-morning-light","tag-fledgling","tag-immature","tag-juvenile","tag-mimids-2","tag-oreoscoptes-montanus","tag-perched","tag-rabbitbrush","tag-rock","tag-sage-thrasher","tag-seep","tag-spring","tag-summer-3","tag-thrasher","tag-thrashers","tag-utah-2","tag-young"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-back-view-mia-mcpherson-2564.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-owk","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":100621,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2022\/03\/13\/looking-for-my-first-of-year-sage-thrasher\/","url_meta":{"origin":94260,"position":0},"title":"Looking For My First Of Year Sage Thrasher","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 13, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"March 13th is an anniversary of sorts for me. The date is the earliest that I have seen and photographed a Sage Thrasher in northern Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fluffy Sage Thrasher adult warming up on a rock, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/sage-thrasher-adult-on-rock-mia-mcpherson-0248.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/sage-thrasher-adult-on-rock-mia-mcpherson-0248.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/sage-thrasher-adult-on-rock-mia-mcpherson-0248.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/sage-thrasher-adult-on-rock-mia-mcpherson-0248.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":21394,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/04\/07\/nesting-sage-thrashers-in-a-rush-to-reproduce\/","url_meta":{"origin":94260,"position":1},"title":"Nesting Sage Thrashers – In a Rush to Reproduce","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 7, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday I had my first opportunity to photograph a Sage Thrasher with nesting materials in its bill on Antelope Island State Park.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sage Thrasher close up, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-close-up-mia-mcpherson-4034.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-close-up-mia-mcpherson-4034.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-close-up-mia-mcpherson-4034.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-close-up-mia-mcpherson-4034.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":36791,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/03\/06\/sage-thrasher-in-golden-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":94260,"position":2},"title":"Sage Thrasher in Golden Light","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"March 6, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I didn't get to see Greater Sage Grouse on my recent trip to southern Utah but I did get a few brief looks at another sagebrush obligate when a single Sage Thrasher popped up into view.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sage Thrasher in golden light, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-golden-light-mia-mcpherson-3497.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-golden-light-mia-mcpherson-3497.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-golden-light-mia-mcpherson-3497.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-golden-light-mia-mcpherson-3497.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14817,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2014\/04\/23\/sage-thrashers-and-sagebrush\/","url_meta":{"origin":94260,"position":3},"title":"Sage Thrashers and Sagebrush","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 23, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Sage Thrashers are considered sagebrush obligates meaning that they require sagebrush for some part of their life cycle and for the Sage Thrashers in Utah that means they need it during the breeding cycle.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fluffed up Sage Thrasher and pastel hues, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-adult-perched-mia-mcpherson-5990.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-adult-perched-mia-mcpherson-5990.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-adult-perched-mia-mcpherson-5990.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-adult-perched-mia-mcpherson-5990.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":83163,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/04\/02\/spring-sage-thrasher-portrait\/","url_meta":{"origin":94260,"position":4},"title":"Spring Sage Thrasher Portrait","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 2, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The second bird I photographed yesterday morning on Antelope Island State Park was an adult Sage Thrasher in gorgeous early morning light.\u00a0","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Spring Sage Thrasher portrait, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-close-up-adult-mia-mcpherson-2045.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-close-up-adult-mia-mcpherson-2045.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-close-up-adult-mia-mcpherson-2045.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-close-up-adult-mia-mcpherson-2045.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":28094,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/09\/03\/an-immature-sage-thrasher-on-a-september-morning\/","url_meta":{"origin":94260,"position":5},"title":"An Immature Sage Thrasher On A September Morning","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 3, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The Sage Thrashers on Antelope Island State Park are busy getting ready for migration and the thrashers hatched this year appear to be almost ready to go.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Immature Sage Thrasher fluttering its wings on a branch, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-juvenile-september-mia-mcpherson-3579.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-juvenile-september-mia-mcpherson-3579.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-juvenile-september-mia-mcpherson-3579.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sage-thrasher-juvenile-september-mia-mcpherson-3579.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\/94260","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=94260"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/94260\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/162929"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=94260"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=94260"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=94260"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}