Cygnus buccinator – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Tundra Swan – Trumpeter Swan Comparison

By Mia McPherson|February 21st, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Bird ID, Birds, Box Elder County, Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, comparing, comparison, Cygnus buccinator, Cygnus columbianus, ice, inset, marsh, phragmites, phrags, standing, swan, swans, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

I hope this comparison helps anyone who might be struggling with Trumpeter Swan and Tundra Swan identification in the field or when they are looking at their own photos.

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Trumpeter Swan Landing In The Centennial Valley Of Montana

By Mia McPherson|May 20th, 2023|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Trumpeter Swans|Tags: adult, Cygnus buccinator, fence, grass, grasses, landing, mountain valley, mountains, spring, swan, swans, Trumpeter Swan, valley, water, waterfowl, willows|

I came across this Trumpeter Swan photo taken in Montana in my archives a few days ago and wondered why I had never processed the file or shared it before.

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Birds On Ice In Northern Utah

By Mia McPherson|December 14th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Canada Geese, Common Ravens, Ring-billed Gulls, Salt Lake County, Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, Branta canadensis, Canada Geese, Canada Goose, Common Raven, corvids, Corvus corax, Cygnus buccinator, Cygnus columbianus, feathers, geese, goose, gull, gulls, ice, Larus delawarensis, marsh, phragmites, phrags, pond, raven, ravens, Ring-billed Gull, shadow, stretching, swan, swans, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, urban, vegetation, walking, wary, waterfowl, wetlands, wings, winter|

This morning I'm sharing photos of five bird species that I find on ice during the coldest months of the year in marsh and urban locations.

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Trumpeter Swan Photos From Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|February 21st, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Bird ID, Birds, Box Elder County, Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, back view, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, calling, Cygnus buccinator, Cygnus columbianus, ice, lift off, lifting off, marsh, phragmites, phrags, swan, swans, take off, taking off, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Utah, vegetation, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

When I was at Bear River MBR two days ago I was excited to be able to take a nice series of Trumpeter Swan photos on the west side of the auto tour loop.

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The Trumpeter Swan I Couldn’t Rescue

By Mia McPherson|November 13th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Trumpeter Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, Cygnus buccinator, fall, injured, marsh, portrait, rescue, swan, swans, Trumpeter Swan, waterfowl, wetlands|

As I look at this Trumpeter Swan photo and see my Jeep reflected in its eyes I feel a sense of loss. I know that I won't forget the swan that I couldn't rescue.

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Young Trumpeter Swan Glowing Brightly On Dark Waters In Montana

By Mia McPherson|August 31st, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Trumpeter Swans|Tags: cygnet, Cygnus buccinator, dark water, Elk Lake, glowing, immature, lake, summer, swan, swans, Trumpeter Swan, water, waterfowl, young|

One of my fondest memories for photographing Trumpeter Swans happened on an evening of September of 2015 in southwestern Montana.

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Trumpeter Swans of Southwestern Montana

By Mia McPherson|August 30th, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Trumpeter Swans|Tags: adult, cygnet, Cygnus buccinator, Elk Lake, evening light, lake, summer, swan, swans, Trumpeter Swan, water, waterfowl|

One of my favorite photo sessions of that trip last fall was an evening spent with the Trumpeter Swans of southwestern Montana in gorgeous evening light.

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Trumpeter Swan Cygnets and Preening, Pin Feathers and Molt

By Mia McPherson|September 18th, 2015|Categories: Beaverhead County, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Trumpeter Swans|Tags: cygnet, cygnets, Cygnus buccinator, Definitive Basic Plumage, juvenal plumage, juveniles, lake, leucistic, molt, pin feathers, preening, primaries, swan, swans, Trumpeter Swan, water, young|

In my last post on the Trumpeter Swan Cygnets On Elk Lake I mentioned that the cygnets spent a lot of time preening and part of the reason they do is they are molting.

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Trumpeter Swan Cygnets On Elk Lake

By Mia McPherson|September 12th, 2015|Categories: Beaverhead County, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Birds, Montana, Trumpeter Swans|Tags: bird photography, cygnet, cygnets, Cygnus buccinator, eating, Elk Lake, foraging, immature, lake, swan, swans, Trumpeter Swan, water, young|

I am totally enamored by Trumpeter Swans, they are not only graceful and beautiful but the adults seem like such caring parents and keep an ever watchful eye on their young.

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Trumpeter Swans of the Centennial Valley

By Mia McPherson|January 27th, 2015|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Trumpeter Swans|Tags: adult, Cygnus buccinator, Elk Lake, lake, preening, swan, swans, Trumpeter Swan, valley, water|

One of the locations I am daydreaming about is the Centennial Valley of Montana and the birds I find there.

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Trumpeter Swans – From Near Extinction to Restoration

By Mia McPherson|September 21st, 2014|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Trumpeter Swans|Tags: adult, cob, Cygnus buccinator, Elk Lake, lake, mountain lake, swan, swans, Trumpeter Swan, Trumpeter Swan Society, water, wildlife photography|

Small populations of Trumpeter Swans were found in mountain valleys in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming and those birds are the reason we have Trumpeter Swans today.

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