![Autumn trees standing in water - Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge[1]](https://thumb.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/23/Autumn_trees_standing_in_water_-_Swan_Lake_National_Wildlife_Refuge.jpg/960px-Autumn_trees_standing_in_water_-_Swan_Lake_National_Wildlife_Refuge.jpg)
Located in Chariton County, Missouri, Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a national wildlife refuge. The nearest town is Brookfield, about 22 km (14 mi) away (Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge lies SSW of town).
Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge is a 10,795-acre (43.69 km2) National Wildlife Refuge established in 1937 and located in Chariton County, Missouri, 2 miles (3.2 km) south of the town of Sumner. It is located near the confluence of the Grand and Missouri Rivers. Following the purchase of the land, the Civilian Conservation Corps began work on the refuge creating wetlands, constructing roads and buildings, and initiating the refuge farming program. The primary purpose of the refuge is to provide nesting, resting, and feeding areas for waterfowl, primarily ducks. Two hundred and forty-one avian species have been observed residing on or passing through the refuge; another fourteen birds, listed under accidentals on the bird list, have been reported but are not normally expected to be present. An important secondary purpose was to preserve a remnant flock of prairie chickens. However,...From the Wikipedia article “Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:46 AM | 58° ENE | 8:44 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:31 AM | 120° ESE | 4:53 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 22m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Wildlife is most active in the first and last two hours of daylight — exactly when the light is warmest.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7:03 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:13 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 41m |
| February | 6:38 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:01 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:19 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:13 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:43 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 57m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:58 AM | 6:38 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 42m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:39 PM | 13h 44m |
| September | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:50 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:56 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:00 AM | 5:58 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:29 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:38 AM | 4:19 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 6:57 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:10 AM | 4:08 PM | 4:50 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 23m |
Local time (America/Chicago), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 2 (typical truly dark site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:20 AM – 5:30 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:30 AM – 5:50 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:27 AM – 4:57 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 4:00 AM | 3.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:44 PM – 3:44 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:36 PM – 2:16 AM | 3.7 | 22° | S → SW |
| August | 9:51 PM – 12:11 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:55 PM – 10:15 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:05 PM – 8:15 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 2 Bortle 2 — Typical truly dark site. The summer Milky Way shows rich structure; clouds look like black holes in the stars. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.75 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 42% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (63%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 72 | 75 | 80 | 89 | 98 | 107 | 109 | 110 | 104 | 94 | 77 | 72 |
| Low °F | -17 | -8 | -4 | 18 | 31 | 45 | 52 | 47 | 36 | 24 | 9 | -5 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.3 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 4.1 | 4.9 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 1.9 | 1.7 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this national wildlife refuge
- Migration peaks bring the largest concentrations — see the birding calendar for this state.
- Use auto-loop roads as mobile blinds; animals often tolerate vehicles more than people on foot.
- Stay on designated routes and keep a respectful distance — if an animal changes behavior, you are too close.
- A 400–600 mm lens (or a crop body) is the usual tool for birds.
- Fast shutter speeds (1/2000 s+) freeze wingbeats; raise ISO rather than lose the shot.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Spring and autumn migration are the highlights; winter brings waterfowl to many southern refuges.
Suggested gear: Telephoto lens (400 mm+), Bean bag for car window, Binoculars. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
Drones: Launching or landing drones on National Wildlife Refuge lands generally requires a special use permit from the refuge manager, and wildlife disturbance rules apply everywhere.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 40 km of Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge, closest first.
State Park
Covered Bridge
Ghost TownGhost TownGhost Town
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
What time is golden hour at Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
Where does the sun rise and set at Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
Can you see the Milky Way from Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge?
How far is Swan Lake National Wildlife Refuge from Brookfield?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.