Tree Swallows

Tachycineta bicolor

Tree Swallows are medium-sized swallows with white underparts and iridescent blue upperparts, they have forked tails, dark eyes and bills.

Tree Swallow Nesting In An Aspen

By |2022-06-08T14:30:48-06:00June 8th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Summit County, Tree Swallows, Uinta National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While up high in the Uinta Mountains yesterday morning I photographed this female Tree Swallow checking out a nesting cavity in a Quaking Aspen.

Swallow Photos

By |2022-03-05T10:22:55-07:00March 5th, 2022|Categories: Bank Swallows, Barn Swallows, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Cliff Swallows, Morgan County, Northern Rough-winged Swallows, Tooele County, Tree Swallows, Utah, Violet-green Swallows, Wasatch Mountains, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

Tree Swallows Have Returned

By |2022-05-27T06:28:16-06:00March 23rd, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Idaho, Modoc Creek, Summit County, Targhee National Forest, Tree Swallows, Uinta Mountains, Uinta National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A little birdie told me that Tree Swallows returned to the marshes at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge about the middle of this month.

Tree Swallows Nesting In The Uinta Mountains

By |2021-03-23T08:59:39-06:00May 25th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Summit County, Tree Swallows, Uinta Mountains, Uinta National Forest, Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Tree Swallows and other birds should be nesting in the Uinta Mountains by now and I am itching to hop into my Jeep to drive up there to find them.

Swallow Quartet – Bank, Barn, Cliff And Tree Swallows At Bear River MBR

By |2021-03-23T09:59:23-06:00September 7th, 2019|Categories: Bank Swallows, Barn Swallows, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Cliff Swallows, Tree Swallows, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was glad to be able to photograph Bank, Barn, Cliff and Tree Swallows perched on top of a stand of phragmites near the auto tour route on the refuge in early morning light.

Some Of The Birds Seen At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge During The Month of May

By |2024-03-19T03:44:00-06:00May 19th, 2019|Categories: American Avocets, American Bitterns, American Coots, American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Blue-winged Teals, Box Elder County, Brown-headed Cowbirds, California Gulls, Cinnamon Teals, Clark's Grebes, Cliff Swallows, Forster's Terns, Killdeer, Long-billed Dowitchers, Marsh Wrens, Northern Shovelers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Ruddy Ducks, Savannah Sparrows, Tree Swallows, Utah, Western Grebes, White-faced Ibises, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

May is a time of renewal at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and as the marsh begins to green up the migrant birds return and along with the year round residents their songs and calls can be heard over the wetlands.

Spring Gathering Of Tree Swallows At Bear River MBR

By |2021-03-23T05:10:45-06:00April 9th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tree Swallows, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

Tree Swallows were the most numerous of the swallows I saw and at the far northwest part of the auto tour route I found bunches of them resting in a stand of phragmites so I decided to get out, set up my tripod and photograph them from across the water.

Nesting Tree Swallows in the High Uintas

By |2021-03-23T09:03:12-06:00June 3rd, 2018|Categories: Birds, Summit County, Tree Swallows, Uinta Wasatch Cache National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

While I photographed nesting House Wrens in the High Uintas the last day of May I also photographed nesting Tree Swallows in the same Aspen tree in a cavity a bit lower on the trunk.

With Midges Emerging Will Swallows Arrive Soon?

By |2021-05-07T04:14:41-06:00February 18th, 2018|Categories: Barn Swallows, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Clark County, Cliff Swallows, Idaho, Modoc Creek, Morgan County, Targhee National Forest, Tree Swallows, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

That one midge I saw in the restroom at Bear River MBR did cause me to wonder if the swallows will show up early this year in northern Utah or will the predicted cooler weather cause them arrive at their normal time.

Up close with a Tree Swallow at Red Rock Lakes NWR

By |2021-03-23T09:08:39-06:00July 27th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Tree Swallows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

While stopped at a gate at Red Rock lakes NWR a Tree Swallow flew in and landed on a fence post so close that I wasn't sure I was going to be able to focus on it but I had to try.

Low light Tree Swallow in the Targhee National Forest of Idaho

By |2021-03-23T09:11:15-06:00May 20th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Modoc Creek, Targhee National Forest, Tree Swallows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

Last year I was able to spend time photographing this male Tree Swallow in low light in the Targhee National Forest of Idaho and even though the light wasn't the best I still liked the resulting images.

Birds of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge – Celebrating National Wildlife Refuge Week

By |2023-12-17T05:34:28-07:00October 9th, 2016|Categories: American Avocets, American White Pelicans, Bald Eagles, Barn Owls, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Black-necked Stilts, Box Elder County, Redheads, Rough-legged Hawks, Sandhill Cranes, Tree Swallows, Tundra Swans, Utah, Virginia Rails, Western Grebes, White-faced Ibises|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This is National Wildlife Refuge Week and in celebration I wanted to do a pictorial essay that includes some of my images of the Birds of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Tree Swallow near Modoc Creek, Idaho

By |2020-04-14T13:20:13-06:00June 3rd, 2016|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Modoc Creek, Targhee National Forest, Tree Swallows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I liked this image of a Tree Swallow near Modoc Creek because of the eye contact, head turn, colors and the pattern of the conifer needles in the background.

Tree Swallow Defending Its Nest Photo In Memory Of A Great Friend

By |2021-03-23T09:32:02-06:00July 7th, 2015|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Tree Swallows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm posting this Tree Swallow image that was taken at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in memory of a great friend, Rohn McKee.

Return of the Tree Swallows

By |2021-03-23T09:34:54-06:00March 25th, 2015|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Tree Swallows, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Not only are Tree Swallows colorful and beautiful they are bug-zapping machines and keep the number of flying insects down.

The Magical Sapsucker Tree in Clark County, Idaho

By |2024-02-26T07:47:25-07:00July 4th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Clark County, House Wrens, Idaho, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Targhee National Forest, Tree Swallows, Williamson's Sapsuckers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A month ago I photographed a pair of Williamson's Sapsuckers excavating a nesting cavity in Idaho and this past week I spent several days photographing them again.

The Amazing Legacy of the Bluebird Man

By |2023-09-05T08:49:35-06:00July 13th, 2013|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Capitol Reef National Park, Centennial Valley, Conservation, Downy Woodpeckers, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Tree Swallows, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I want to thank Neil Paprocki for sharing information about Al Larson and the upcoming film The Bluebird Man, I have learned a lot from the web site and through my interview with Neil and I am all for learning more about the wonderful natural world around me.

Male Tree Swallow in flight

By |2022-10-12T15:17:55-06:00March 24th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Tree Swallows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This male Tree Swallow in flight image was taken two years ago at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in Montana and for some reason I had not processed it until now.

Montana is beckoning to me…

By |2024-03-05T09:56:16-07:00May 7th, 2012|Categories: Beaverhead County, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Birds, Cliff Lake, Eastern Kingbirds, Glacier County, Glacier National Park, Gravelly Range, Great Horned Owls, Madison County, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds, Pronghorn, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-tailed Hawks, Short-eared Owls, Swainson's Hawks, Tree Swallows, Wilson's Snipes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Seeing the word "Montana" so often has gotten me anxious, antsy and itching to head north soon to see more of a state that beckons to me because I have fallen in love with it.

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