Cygnus columbianus – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Last Day Of Winter Tundra Swans

By Mia McPherson|March 20th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah, Video|Tags: adult, bottoms, Cygnus columbianus, marsh, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, up, video, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

When I was at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge on the last day of winter, I decided to take a video of some of the Tundra Swans I found on the auto tour loop.

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Today Is Utah’s Swan Day For 2024

By Mia McPherson|March 9th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: Bear River MBR, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, close up, Cygnus columbianus, ice, marsh, mountains, portrait, resting, small in frame, snow, specular highlights, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, Utah, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

Today is March 9th, and it is Utah's Swan Day 2024! The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto tour loop is a terrific place to see these lovely white swans.

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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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Tundra Swans And Precious Memories

By Mia McPherson|February 7th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, Anas platyrhynchos, Cygnus columbianus, dabbling ducks, duck, ducks, flight, flying, ice, ice shelf, immature, mallards, marsh, phragmites, phrags, swan, swans, Tundra Swans, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter, young|

Tundra Swans and memories are on my mind this morning. Six years ago, I sat in my Jeep watching hundreds of Tundra Swans at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

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Time To See And Hear Tundra Swans

By Mia McPherson|November 10th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, Box Elder County, Cygnus columbianus, fall, flight, flock, flying, marsh, mountains, pair, phragmites, phrags, Promontory Mountains, sky, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

Now is a great time to see and hear Tundra Swans from the marshes at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I saw several large flocks of them yesterday from there.

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Learning More About Collared Tundra Swans

By Mia McPherson|April 3rd, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, banded, collar, collared, Cygnus columbianus, flight, flock, flying, grasses, ice, inset, male, marsh, mountains, neck markers, snow, snow covered, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, U915, U961, U974, USGS, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

As the Tundra Swans in Utah begin to make their long journeys to their breeding grounds, I wanted to do one more post about the collared Tundra Swans I've found.

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World Water Day 2023

By Mia McPherson|March 22nd, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Conservation, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, Glacier County, Glacier National Park, Juab County, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Sawgrass Lake Park, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, American Coots, aspens, Box Elder County, canyon, Centennial Mountains, Centennial Valley, clouds, conifers, coots, creek, Cygnus columbianus, Fish Springs Range, flight, flock, Florida, flying, footbridge, foothills, grass, grasses, hills, ice, immature, Juab County, maple swamp, marsh, mountains, Pinellas County, pond, Promontory Mountains, rapids, reflections, river, rocks, rushing, sage, sagebrush, Sawgrass Lake Park, shadows, shrubs, sky, snow, snow-topped, spring, summer, swamp, swan, swans, trail, trees, Tundra Swan, Utah, valley, water, waterfowl, west desert, wetlands, Wigeon Pond, willows, winter, young|

Today is World Water Day. The theme for World Water Day 2023 is: Accelerate Change. Every human being on this planet is roughly 60% water.

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Tracking Tundra Swan U915: A Story of Survival

By Mia McPherson|March 5th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, banded, collared, Cygnus columbianus, flock, grasses, ice, inset, male, marsh, mountains, Promontory Mountains, sky, snow, snow covered, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, U915, USGS, water, waterfowl, wetlands, Whistling Swan, winter|

Three days ago I found a collared Tundra Swan in a flock of swans at Bear River MBR. The blue collar caught my eye and I took photos of the swan.

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Big & Beautiful: Tundra Swans of Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|March 3rd, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, alert, bath, bathing, bill, close, Cygnus columbianus, droplets, flight, flock, flying, goofy, ice shelf, immature, marsh, nips, Promontory Mountains, relaxing, resting, sky, snow, spot, swans, Tundra Swan, walking, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter, young|

Yesterday morning I spent time with a flock of big, beautiful Tundra Swans at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I loved every moment that I had with the swans.

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Bear River MBR: Winter Haven For Tundra Swans

By Mia McPherson|February 7th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, azure, Cygnus columbianus, flight, flying, immature, marsh, sky, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, Tundra Swans, waterfowl, wetlands, winter, young|

I had hoped that this morning would be sunny so I could head to Bear River MBR to see, listen to, and photograph Tundra Swans on the marshes.

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My 2022 Year In Review

By Mia McPherson|December 31st, 2022|Categories: American Kestrels, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Box Elder County, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Golden Eagles, Great Horned Owls, Horned Grebes, Morgan County, Ring-billed Gulls, Rock Wrens, Ruffed Grouse, Tundra Swans, Utah, Warbling Vireos, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow Warblers|Tags: adult, Amelanchier utahensis, American Kestrel, Aquila chrysaetos, autumn, background, berries, Bewick's Swan, bill, birds of prey, Black-billed Magpie, blooming, blooms, blossoms, Bonasa umbellus, boulder, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Bubo virginianus, building, canyon, close up, corvids, Cygnus columbianus, Cygnus columbianus bewickii, Davis County, desert, dirt, eagle, eagles, Falco sparverius, falcon, falcons, fall, farmlands, female, fledgling, flight, flock, flowering, flowering shrub, flying, forest edge, fruiting shrub, fruits, fruting shrubs, Golden Eagle, gorget, Great Horned Owl, grebe, grebes, grouse, gull, gulls, Horned Grebe, hummingbird, hummingbirds, immature, juvenile, kestrel, kestrels, Larus delawarensis, lichen, lores, magpie, magpies, male, marsh, mountains, nest, nest box, nesting, nonbreeding plumage, owl, owls, perched, Pica hudsonia, Podiceps auritus, raptors, rare, reflection, Ring-billed Gull, riparian habitat, road, roadside, rock, Rock Wren, rocks, Ruffed Grouse, Salpinctes obsoletus, Selasphorus platycercus, serviceberries, serviceberry, Setophaga petechia, shrub, spring, stink-eye, summer, swan, swans, thicket, tree, Tundra Swans, Utah, Utah Serviceberry, vagrant, warbler, warblers, water, waterbirds, waterfowl, wetlands, willow, willow thicket, willows, winter, winter plumage, wood-warbler, wood-warblers, wren, wrens, Yellow Warbler, young|

On this last day of the year it is time for my annual 2022 Year in Review post. In some ways 2022 has been great for me and in others not so good.

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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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Bright Winter Light VS A Winter Whiteout

By Mia McPherson|December 3rd, 2022|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, Antelope Island Causeway, back view, bright, Cygnus columbianus, field of snow, fog, ice, light, marsh, snow, standing, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, waterfowl, wetlands, white on white, white out, winter|

Earlier this year I photographed a Tundra Swan in bright winter light that today I am comparing to another swan image I took in winter whiteout conditions.

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Tundra Swan Framed By Phrags

By Mia McPherson|November 17th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, Cygnus columbianus, fall, framed, ice, marsh, phragmites, phrags, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, water, waterfowl, wetlands|

When I explored the marshes at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge on Monday I was able to take photos of one Tundra Swan framed by phrags from the dirt road.

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Fifteen Tundra Swan Photos For Swan Day 2022

By Mia McPherson|March 11th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Cygnus columbianus, ice, ice shelf, marsh, running, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, Utah, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

This past Monday while I was enjoying the peace and solitude of the auto tour route at Bear River MBR I took hundreds of Tundra Swan photos from inside my Jeep.

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Tundra Swan In Flight In Early Morning Light

By Mia McPherson|March 7th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, Cygnus columbianus, flight, flying, marsh, pastel, phragmites, phrags, sky, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, vegetation, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

I took this Tundra Swan photo on my most recent trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge when I came upon hundreds of these swans on the marsh.

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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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Swimming Immature Tundra Swan At Farmington Bay

By Mia McPherson|February 19th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: Cygnus columbianus, immature, marsh, swan, swans, swimming, Tundra Swan, water, wetlands, winter, young|

Two mornings ago at Farmington Bay WMA I had a swimming immature Tundra Swan in my viewfinder for a few minutes.

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February Tundra Swan Photos Plus Some Very Early Sandhill Cranes

By Mia McPherson|February 11th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Sandhill Cranes, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, alert, Antigone canadensis, crane, cranes, Cygnus columbianus, early, ice, marsh, resting, road, Sandhill Crane, snow, snow covered, stink-eye, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, walking, wary, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

Late last month I mentioned that I hadn't yet gotten the Tundra Swan photos that I wanted to take. Yesterday at Bear River MBR I was delighted to remedy that situation.

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Tundra Swans On Ice And Open Water

By Mia McPherson|January 29th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: Cygnus columbianus, duck, ducks, flock, gull, gulls, ice, ice shelf, marsh, mountains, open water, sky, snow, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, Wasatch Mountain Range, Wasatch Mountains, water, waterbirds, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

I haven't yet gotten the photos of Tundra Swans this year that I would like to take but that won't stop me from sharing some that I have taken this winter.

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It Is Time To Look And Listen For Tundra Swans In Northern Utah

By Mia McPherson|October 23rd, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, Bald Eagle, birds of prey, clouds, Cygnus columbianus, eagle, eagles, feeding, flight, flying, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, immature, marsh, mountains, on the wing, Promontory Mountains, raptors, scenery, sky, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

This morning I noticed in my Facebook memories that I saw and heard my first of season Tundra Swans at Bear River MBR on this date in 2015 and that made me happy.

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Swan Day in Utah – March 13, 2021

By Mia McPherson|March 11th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, Cygnus columbianus, flight, flying, ice, icy, marsh, mountains, pair, Promontory Mountains, resting, sidelit, sky, swan, Swan Day, swans, Tundra Swan, waterfowl, winter|

This Saturday, March 13th, is Swan Day here in Utah. It is a day to celebrate these large, white, beautiful birds that spend time here during the winter.

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Tundra Swans On Ice At Farmington Bay WMA

By Mia McPherson|February 23rd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: Cygnus columbianus, ice, landscape, marsh, morning, mountains, Oquirrh Mountains, sky, snow, snowy, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, waterfowl, winter|

I photographed Tundra Swans on the ice at Farmington Bay WMA that showed the snow covered Oquirrh Mountains in the background last week.

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Adult Tundra Swan On The Wing

By Mia McPherson|January 30th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, clouds, Cygnus columbianus, flight, flying, marsh, on the wing, sky, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, waterfowl, winter|

I've been thinking that I need to hop into my Jeep and head to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge to photograph the Tundra Swans before they head north to breed and nest.

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Tundra Swans Are Showing Up In Northern Utah

By Mia McPherson|October 21st, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, clouds, Cygnus columbianus, flight, flock, fly by, flying, immature, marsh, mountains, phragmites, phrags, sky, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, Tundra Swans, waterfowl, winter|

I can barely wait to hear and see my first of season Tundra Swans and to see them on the wing over the marshes that surround the Great Salt Lake.

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Visions Of Tundra Swans

By Mia McPherson|December 4th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, cloudy sky, Cygnus columbianus, flight, flying, immature, marsh, mountains, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, waterfowl, winter|

I need to get to Bear River MBR soon because I have visions of Tundra Swans drifting through my mind and I'd love to see them in person on the marshes of the refuge again.

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Photographing Tundra Swans And Northern Pintails In Low Light

By Mia McPherson|March 5th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Pintails, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: Cygnus columbianus, duck, ducks, flight, flock, flocks, lifting off, low light, marsh, mountains, Northern Pintail, photograph, photographing, refuges, snow, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, waterfowl, winter|

Our Tundra Swans won't be at the refuge much longer and will soon be winging their way to their breeding grounds in the Arctic and I realize that my opportunities to photograph them before they leave are dwindling.

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Focusing On The Tundra Swans And Wetlands Of Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|February 3rd, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, calling, Cygnus columbianus, dawn, flight, immature, marsh, marshes, Promontory Mountains, shades of blue, swan, swans, taking flight, Tundra Swan, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

One year ago today I spent the morning focusing on and photographing the Tundra Swans and wetlands of Bear River MBR and I have to say that those birds and the marshes bring me such joy that I feel like I have to share them over and over.

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Adult And Immature Tundra Swans At Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|January 10th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, Cygnus columbianus, first winter, flight, flying, immature, marsh, migration, overwinter, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, water, wing flapping, winter, young|

I am itching to get back out into the field and one of the places I am most excited to get back to is Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Box Elder County, Utah because of the Tundra Swans that I know are there.

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2018 Year In Review For On The Wing Photography

By Mia McPherson|December 31st, 2018|Categories: Baltimore Orioles, Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, California Gulls, Cedar Waxwings, Northern Mockingbirds, Peregrine Falcons, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Say's Phoebes, Tundra Swans, Wild Turkeys, Yellow Warblers, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: Baltimore Oriole, Bombycilla cedrorum, Brewer's Blackbird, California Gull, Cedar Waxwing, Cygnus columbianus, Euphagus cyanocephalus, Falco peregrinus, Icterus galbula, Larus californicus, Marmota flaviventris, Meleagris gallopavo, Mimus polyglottos, Northern Mockingbird, Peregrine Falcon, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Say's Phoebe, Sayornis saya, Setophaga petechia, Sitta canadensis, Tundra Swan, Wild Turkey, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-bellied Marmot|

All in all, as 2018 comes to a close I realize how fortunate I am to see all the birds that I do throughout the year as a bird photographer, to be able to do what I love and to love my feathered subjects too.

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