Nature Photographer and Music Producer
It’s been a busy couple of months, and I wanted to share what I’ve been pouring my time into. I’m juggling three major projects right now, each one pushing me
Continue readingWhat I’ve Been Working On — Bird App, OMSI Exhibit, and a New Venture
I’m excited to share a project I’ve been working on — a bird identification app built specifically for Portland, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. What It Does The Portland Bird
Continue readingBuilding the Portland Bird ID App — Progress Update
With Seattle Seahawks winnning the superbowl, I learned that the osprey is sometimes called a “seahawk.” I’ve attached a few of my photos of local ospreys.
Some of my most popular Bald Eagle Photos....
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I made a music video of my favorite photos and clips from Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge: lots of songbirds, waterfowl, and a few surprise visitors. The music is my version
Continue readingSpring is Around the Corner
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Hello everyone, I wanted to take a moment to share some exciting updates about jonswanproductions.com – and to apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced over the past few
Continue readingWebsite Improvements: Faster, More Reliable, and Better Than Ever
The morning I found myself beside the water, camera in hand, I expected the usual solitary moments — a single heron standing like a statue, a kingfisher’s brief flash of
Continue readingA Quiet Lesson from the Water: When Birds Teach Us to Live Together
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In Oaks Bottom I had that rare, clear quality that makes the city seem to exhale: a low, golden sun, a thin, crisp air, and the marsh grasses catching light
Continue readingA Winter Wildlife Spectacal in OaksBottom
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The peregrine falcon — the fastest bird on the planet in its high‑speed stoop — has always felt like a mirror for my own chase for speed. I nearly reached
I spent my birthday exactly where I wanted to be—at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge—surrounded by crisp fall air, dripping gold and copper leaves, and the calm of wetland life. It
Continue readingA Perfect Birthday at Oaks Bottom
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This morning’s walk through Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge stopped me in my tracks. A small, unassuming bird — the Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) — hopped through the leaf litter less
Continue reading A Quiet Moment with a Hermit Thrush at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge
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On a recent visit to Oaks Bottom, I had the good fortune to photograph four striking woodpecker species: the pileated woodpecker, the Downy woodpecker, the northern flicker, and the red‑breasted
Continue reading– Drummers of the Oaks: Woodpeckers at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge
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My neighbors call it “magical,” and I think they’re right. In a small urban space I’ve created a thriving, wildlife-friendly garden that’s as beautiful as it is productive. With organic
Continue readingSmall Space, Big Harvest: A Magical Garden That Feeds People and Pollinators
For nearly ten years I’ve come to Oaks Bottom hoping to catch sight of a pileated woodpecker. I had heard rumors of people seeing a Pileated Woodpecker in the forest
Continue reading– Wood Chips kept falling on My Head — A Long Hunt Ends at Oaks Bottom
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Yesterday I had one of those wildlife moments that makes you forget to breathe. While standing on the viewing deck at Oak Bottom Wildlife Refuge, a river otter slipped quietly
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That afternoon in Sellwood was a beautiful fall day with perfect golden hour lighting. I was wandering through Sellwood Park and I noticed a high-pitched chatter. A busy, bouncing cloud
Continue readingFluff and Fury: A Flock of Bushtits in Sellwood Oregon
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The garden still hums with life as spring winds down. Cosmos sway in the soft late-afternoon light, butterflies flit from petal to petal, and the neighborhood cat takes long, sunny
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Capture the essence of Portland, Oregon with this 2025 calendar featuring stunning photographs by Jonathan Swanson. Hang it in your office or home to add a touch of Pacific Northwest
Continue readingNew Portland Scenes 2026 Calendar is now available to order.
I love birds in my backyard: chickadees, finches, and a Downy woodpecker that brightens my mornings. Lately I’ve also noticed my neighbor’s cat prowling around the feeders and caught it