Barn Swallow stretching on a post, Wasatch Mountains, Morgan County, UtahBarn Swallow stretching on a post – Nikon D500, f9, 1/500, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

When I wrote about the Tundra Swans I photographed on the 13th of February I forgot to mention something that I found when I stopped to answer the call of nature. Regular visitors to my blog will probably remember that in December I found a Great Horned Owl because of a nature break and that was pretty exciting, what I found 5 days ago certainly wasn’t as thrilling as that owl but it did get to me thinking more about spring and the birds that will soon migrate to and through Utah.

So, I’m guessing you all know it has to be a midge I found during my pee break because of the title of this post and you would be correct. It surprised me to see a live midge in the restroom where the auto tour route at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge begins (and ends), I had seen a low of 19°F that morning and it just seems a bit too early for midges to be emerging already but there it was, a midge wiggling on the floor of the restroom. Of course my mind went to all the birds that feed on the midges at the refuge that will soon be arriving including the five species of swallows that are seen there.

Perched Tree Swallow adult calling, Modoc Creek, Targhee National Forest, Clark County, IdahoPerched Tree Swallow adult calling – Nikon D810, f6.3, 1/200, ISO 800, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light

During the winter I miss our swallows, I miss their noisy calls, watching the Cliff and Barn Swallows gathering mud to make their nests and seeing hundreds or even thousands of swallows perched while they preen and watching them catching all kinds of bugs on the wing.

eBird wallows Utah

I went to eBird and looked up the Bird Observations in Utah then scrolled down to the swallows to check out observations throughout the year and saw that Northern Rough-winged Swallows seem to be the first to usually appear in February, and of course the swallows will appear in southern Utah before they arrive here in northern Utah, Tree Swallows then Violet-green Swallows make their appearance next towards the end of February followed by Barn and Bank Swallows in March. I suppose I could dig deeper into the earliest reported sightings of our swallows here in northern Utah on eBird but I simply don’t have the time this morning.

Starting tomorrow according to Accuweather from tomorrow until the beginning of March we are in for normal winter temperatures, which is a switch from the mild winter we have had so far, and we might even get some snow tomorrow and Tuesday.

Cliff Swallow at mud puddle, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, UtahCliff Swallow at mud puddle – Nikon D200, f7.1, 1/350, ISO 200, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light

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. I don’t know and won’t know until I start to see them flying through the sky. I just know that I am looking forward to seeing the swallows again.

Life is good.

Mia

Click here to see more of my swallow photos.