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.

Scenic Views of My Recent Trip to Montana and Idaho

By |September 20th, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Idaho, Montana, Targhee National Forest|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I go on trips to Montana and Idaho it is primarily about finding and photographing birds but the places I visit are so beautiful that I feel I have to photograph the scenic views too.

Two Red-tailed Hawks Near Old Route 91

By |September 19th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Clark County, Idaho, Red-tailed Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed these two Red-tailed Hawks near old route 91 in Idaho which runs close to Interstate 15, part of the road is still paved and part of it is gravel.

Centennial Valley Prairie Falcon and a Short-eared Owl Barbed Wire Casualty

By |September 18th, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Idaho, Montana, Prairie Falcons, Short-eared Owls|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent some time in the Centennial Valley of Montana yesterday and the best bird I spotted was this adult Prairie Falcon photographed on a cattle chute with a white cloud in the background.

Male Yellow-headed Blackbird Displaying at Bear River MBR

By |September 15th, 2016|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I photographed this male Yellow-headed Blackbird displaying at Bear River MBR it was a beautiful May morning and all the birds there were singing.

Red-breasted Merganser Floating On The Gulf of Mexico

By |September 14th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Red-breasted Mergansers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed this Red-breasted Merganser floating on the Gulf of Mexico on an April morning from the shoreline at Fort De Soto, Florida in April of 2008.

American Pipits at Farmington Bay

By |September 12th, 2016|Categories: American Pipits, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

American Pipits will soon be migrating through the Salt Lake Valley and I will hear their flight calls along the causeway to Antelope Island and the fields at Farmington Bay WMA.

Perched Sub-adult Swainson’s Hawk in Low Light

By |September 10th, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been meaning to post images of this sub-adult Swainson's Hawk in low light for about a year now and I am finally getting around to it.

Update On The Short-eared Owl That I Helped To Rescue

By |September 7th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I can now give another update on the Short-eared Owl, he will be going to Hawkwatch International in October to be used as an educational bird!

Great Horned Owl in the Marsh at Bear River MBR

By |September 6th, 2016|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Horned Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last month I wrote about how surprised I was to spot a Great Horned Owl in the marsh at Bear River MBR in northern Utah and said I would post more photos later, so here they are.

International Vulture Awareness Day 2016

By |September 3rd, 2016|Categories: Birds, Black Vultures, Box Elder County, Florida, Pinellas County, Roosevelt Wetlands, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Vultures and condors are scavengers and help to clean up the environment by consuming carrion, road kill and gut piles left from the kills of human and non-human hunters.

Gulf Shore Yellow-crowned Night Heron

By |September 2nd, 2016|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Yellow-crowned Night Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I did see and photograph this adult Yellow-crowned Night Heron standing on a grassy sand dune overlooking the Gulf of Mexico in beautiful, soft light.

Immature Sharp-shinned Hawk in the Centennial Valley of Montana

By |August 31st, 2016|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Sharp-shinned Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

Last year on September 8th I located an immature Sharp-shinned Hawk in the Centennial Valley of Montana early in the morning as it flew low to the ground looking for small birds to capture and consume.

American Avocet Devouring a Tiny Crayfish

By |August 29th, 2016|Categories: American Avocets, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was tickled to photograph this American Avocet as it fed but it wasn't until later that I knew it was devouring a tiny crayfish.

Red-naped Sapsucker Showing Its Tongue

By |August 28th, 2016|Categories: Birds, High Uintas, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Summit County, Uinta National Forest, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I came across this image and realized that the Red-naped Sapsucker had its tongue stuck out and I hadn't noticed that before.

Golden Eagle, Turkey Vultures Plus a Covey of Gray Partridges

By |August 26th, 2016|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Golden Eagles, Gray Partridges, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spent time in northern Utah yesterday and I was able to photograph a juvenile Golden Eagle, Turkey Vultures plus a covey of Gray Partridges.

Celebrating 100 Years of U.S. National Parks

By |August 25th, 2016|Categories: Alaska, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Denali National Park, Glacier National Park, Montana, Polychrome Pass, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , |

Today marks the Centennial of our National Park Service and entry to our National Parks is free from August 24 through August 28 so that we can all enjoy the celebration.

Adult and Juvenile Ring-billed Gulls

By |August 23rd, 2016|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Ring-billed Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It will take several molts before this immature Ring-billed Gull looks like an adult but by now, a year after it was photographed, this juvenile should look more like the adult.

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