gruiformes – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Sandhill Cranes On Spring Migration

By Mia McPherson|2021-03-18T06:11:16-05:00March 18th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Sandhill Cranes, Utah|Tags: adult, Antigone canadensis, crane, cranes, field, Greater, gruiformes, Lesser, Sandhill Crane, side lit, sidelit, spring, spring migration|

I spent a few minutes photographing Sandhill Cranes twice yesterday, once not long after sunrise and then later in the morning.

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Adult American Coot Bathing

By Mia McPherson|2021-01-18T06:29:51-06:00January 18th, 2021|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Coot, bath, bathing, cold, coot, coots, Fulica americana, gruiformes, icy, pond, splashing, water, winter|

Three days ago I photographed this adult American Coot bathing on a sunny afternoon at a pond close to where I live in Salt Lake City.

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Which Bird Do These Feet Belong To?

By Mia McPherson|2024-02-24T06:00:14-06:00December 27th, 2020|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Coot, close up, coot, coots, feet, Fulica americana, gruiformes, patrol, snow, snowy, walking, winter|

What we can see are greenish, lobed feet and a dark, rounded body. With just those two identification features can you guess which bird these feet belong to?

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Sandhill Cranes In Flight During Spring Migration

By Mia McPherson|2022-07-14T06:19:50-05:00March 12th, 2018|Categories: Bicknell Bottoms Wildlife Management Area, Birds, Sandhill Cranes, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: adult, Antigone canadensis, calls, clouds, crane, cranes, farmlands, flight, gruiformes, mates, pair, Sandhill Crane, sky, spring migration, winter|

The last couple of times I have gone to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and further north of there I have been so happy to hear and see, even if from a long distance, the return of our Sandhill Cranes.

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Photographing An American Coot’s Post Bathing Behavior

By Mia McPherson|2021-01-18T05:42:38-06:00January 10th, 2018|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: American Coot, bath, bathing, behavior, coot, coots, fluffing, Fulica americana, gruiformes, photograph, photographing, pond, shaking, splashing, sunny, water, wings, winter|

Perhaps I am easy to please but I got a real kick out of photographing this American Coot while it bathed, shook and fluffed on the pond close to home.

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Nonbreeding Sora in the Centennial Valley of Montana

By Mia McPherson|2016-12-07T12:06:21-06:00March 13th, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Soras|Tags: adult, farm pond, foraging, gruiformes, nonbreeding plumage, Porzana carolina, rails, Sora|

Last year I had the pleasure of photographing this nonbreeding Sora in the Centennial Valley of Montana.

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American Coot running on water

By Mia McPherson|2022-01-11T04:26:51-06:00November 22nd, 2015|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: adult, American Coot, autumn, coot, coots, Fulica americana, gruiformes, marsh, running, water, wetlands|

About two weeks ago I photographed this American Coot running on water at Farmington Bay WMA.

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They Might Be Common But I Love Coots

By Mia McPherson|2021-08-19T16:24:51-05:00October 11th, 2015|Categories: American Coots, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: Aechmophorus occidentalis, American Coot, coot, coots, Fulica americana, grebe, grebes, gruiformes, marsh, shaking, Western Grebe, wetlands, wing lift|

Both American Coots and Western Grebes have fascinating red eyes, interesting bills and black & white plumage.

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Virginia Rails at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

By Mia McPherson|2021-10-16T17:10:52-05:00August 20th, 2015|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah, Virginia Rails|Tags: foraging, grasses, gruiformes, habitat, marsh, marsh bird, migratory, mudflats, rail, rails, Rallus limicola, secretive, shallow water, vegetation, Virginia Rail, wetland|

Virginia Rails are secretive marsh birds that can be found at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge during the breeding season and the can be very difficult to see let alone photograph.

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An American Coot munching on food

By Mia McPherson|2023-12-03T02:46:36-06:00November 15th, 2014|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Coot, autumn, coot, coots, eating, fall, food, Fulica americana, gruiformes, munching, park, urban, water|

American Coots are common birds and some folks might find them fairly plain but I like them and enjoy photographing them too.

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American Coots on Thin Ice

By Mia McPherson|2023-10-12T15:05:32-05:00October 10th, 2012|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: behaviors, coot, coots, Fulica americana, gruiformes, ice, nature photography, thin ice, wildlife photography|

The temps are dropping here in the Salt Lake Valley, two days ago it was below freezing when we went out shooting. Winter brings challenges and birds we don't see during the summer so I am excited about that.

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Whoops – American Coot on Thin Ice

By Mia McPherson|2023-10-12T15:12:36-05:00April 25th, 2012|Categories: American Coots, Humor, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: American Coot, coot, coots, Fulica americana, funny, gruiformes, humor, thin ice, whoops, winter|

Some images are simply too funny not to share. Even with those huge feet this American Coot (Fulica americana) couldn't stay in top of the ice at a pond near where I live in Salt Lake County, Utah.

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American Coots – Birds to Rail About

By Mia McPherson|2023-01-04T07:56:23-06:00January 29th, 2012|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Coot, bronze, chasing, coot, coots, Fulica americana, gruiformes, head, ice, pond, running, silky, small in frame, tilted, urban, water, winter|

American Coots are the most widely distributed members of the Rail family in North America and are very abundant in habitats with open water.

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