Photographer and Author

About Mia McPherson

I am Mia McPherson. I became seriously passionate about bird photography while living in Florida. After my move West in 2009 I have spent much of my time photographing birds in Utah, Idaho, Montana, and beyond. As a nature lover, bird and wildlife photographer, I have a passion for capturing the beauty and grace of birds and wildlife in their natural habitats.
Life is good.

Why I See More Than A Tree In These Photos

By |2023-12-29T05:01:28-07:00December 29th, 2023|Categories: Conservation, Davis County, Environment, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Habitat, Trees, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Both of these photos show the same tree on Goose Egg Island at Farmington Bay WMA. The images were taken in December of 2022 and 2013.

Ring-billed Gull Portrait And My Sense Of Humor

By |2023-12-26T06:06:30-07:00December 26th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Ring-billed Gulls, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm sharing this day after Christmas Ring-billed Gull portrait this this morning. I know a lot of people don't like gulls. I will never be one of those people.

Christmas Day Young Northern Harrier On The Wing

By |2023-12-25T03:28:36-07:00December 25th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On this Christmas morning, I am sharing a photo of a young female Northern Harrier in flight that I took exactly three years ago at Farmington Bay WMA.

Rough-legged Hawk In Dense Fog

By |2023-12-19T05:04:38-07:00December 19th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Some bird photographers might not share a photo like this Rough-legged Hawk in dense fog that I took two years ago today at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Ruddy Duck Drake – What A Difference 20 Days Makes

By |2024-01-19T04:15:38-07:00December 18th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Ruddy Ducks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Just 20 days can make a big difference in the way this Ruddy Duck drake looks. His bill is a lot bluer now than it was when I first saw him at my local pond.

Murmuration Of European Starlings On The Wing

By |2023-12-16T03:55:57-07:00December 16th, 2023|Categories: Birds, European Starlings, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I wasn't the only person who noticed the huge murmuration of European Starlings at my local pond yesterday morning; other people stopped and admired them too.

Western Meadowlark And A Windy Morning At Bear River MBR

By |2023-12-14T04:31:13-07:00December 14th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Video, Western Meadowlarks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I didn't photograph many birds at Bear River MBR yesterday because it was windy. I did take photos of this handsome Western Meadowlark at the refuge though.

Juniper Titmouse Photos In Utah

By |2023-12-13T04:24:05-07:00December 13th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Juniper Titmouses, Mercur Canyon, Simpson Springs, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Even though I have taken Juniper Titmouse images, this titmouse species is still a bit of a nemesis bird for me. I just don't see them as much as I would like.

Immature Female Northern Harrier

By |2023-12-12T05:20:01-07:00December 12th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Environment, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Habitat, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today I am sharing three photos of an immature female Northern Harrier that I took ten years ago at Farmington Bay WMA.

Bird Talk: American White Pelicans

By |2023-12-11T06:21:22-07:00December 11th, 2023|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Bird ID, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My subject today is about bird talk: American White Pelicans, my friend Adonis, and his recent first trip back East, and to the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Drake Common Goldeneye Landing

By |2023-12-10T04:22:49-07:00December 10th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today, I am sharing a simple photo of a drake Common Goldeneye coming in to land on my local pond early in the morning. I took this image a few days ago.

Red-breasted And White-breasted Nuthatch Photos

By |2023-12-10T03:54:16-07:00December 9th, 2023|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Salt Lake County, Sebastian County, Utah, White-breasted Nuthatches|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm sharing a Red-breasted Nuthatch photo taken in my yard in Utah, plus a White-breasted Nuthatch image taken in Steve Creek's yard in Arkansas this morning.

California Gull In Winter Plumage

By |2024-01-13T04:10:07-07:00December 8th, 2023|Categories: Birds, California Gulls, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I was at my local pond three days ago, I was happy to photograph this California Gull in winter plumage that had just landed on the water.

Plastic Netting Will Kill This Pied-billed Grebe

By |2023-12-07T06:10:27-07:00December 7th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Environment, Pied-billed Grebes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Plastic netting will kill this Pied-billed Grebe unless myself or someone else can capture the grebe and remove the netting. The grebe will starve to death.

Another Scrub-Jay Name Change in 2024

By |2023-12-05T04:38:31-07:00December 5th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Ophir Canyon, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Lately, I've been wondering what the new name for the Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay species, that I photograph here in Utah, will be when it is changed in 2024.

Immature Pied-billed Grebe Being Chased And Other Grebe Behaviors

By |2023-12-02T03:51:38-07:00December 2nd, 2023|Categories: Pied-billed Grebes, San Juan County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week, I photographed an immature Pied-billed Grebe being chased by an adult at my local pond. I observed some other interesting grebe behaviors as well.

Bring On The Snow!

By |2023-12-01T04:51:27-07:00December 1st, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Dark-eyed Juncos, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Blue Herons, Ring-billed Gulls, Ring-necked Pheasants, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Snow is supposed to start falling around 10 a.m. where I live in northern Utah. It might be the first significant snowfall of this winter down in the valley.

My Uncommon Common Grackle Sighting Anniversary

By |2023-11-30T16:16:18-07:00November 30th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Common Grackles, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today is the third anniversary of my uncommon Common Grackle sighting in Utah. I found the grackle perched in a Russian Olive tree next to Glover Pond.

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