gift – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Surprise Grasshopper Sparrow at Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|2023-04-27T03:41:19-05:00April 27th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Grasshopper Sparrows, Utah|Tags: adult, Ammodramus savannarum, gift, grasses, Grasshopper Sparrow, marsh, nature, sparrow, sparrows, spring, surprise, wetlands|

After a rough start to my week, I very much needed some time out in nature yesterday morning. Nature, in turn, gifted me with a surprise Grasshopper Sparrow.

Royal Terns Courting in Florida

By Mia McPherson|2021-04-21T06:05:50-05:00April 25th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Royal Terns|Tags: adult, beach, breeding grounds, call, circling, courting, courtship behavior, crest, female, fish, gift, male, parade, prey, Royal Tern, sand, tern, terns, Thalasseus maximus|

The "Circling" courtship behavior of Royal Terns was one that I found interesting because as the male circled the female she moved too and kept her sides facing him.

Great Blue Heron’s Gift

By Mia McPherson|2021-04-17T19:13:00-05:00January 5th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: adult, Ardea herodias, bird photography, birds, branch, breeding plumage, courtship, courtship behavior, flight, flying, gift, Great Blue Heron, heron, herons, nest, nesting material|

In January in Florida the Great Blue Herons are already going into breeding plumage and have begun courtship displays and have started building their nests.