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.

Trumpeter Swan Landing In The Centennial Valley Of Montana

By |2023-05-20T01:50:23-05:00May 20th, 2023|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Trumpeter Swans|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I came across this Trumpeter Swan photo taken in Montana in my archives a few days ago and wondered why I had never processed the file or shared it before.

Live, Love, Laugh, Sing, Dance, Be, Do

By |2023-08-11T15:23:09-05:00May 18th, 2023|Categories: Anclote Key, Florida, Pasco County, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I saw this quote that aligns with my philosophy of Live, Love, Laugh, Sing, Dance, Be, Do and thought I would share a post about the reason I like the quote.

Happy 91st Birthday Mom!

By |2023-05-17T02:33:51-05:00May 17th, 2023|Categories: Mountain Bluebells, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Happy 91st Birthday Mom! I appreciate the time you gave me, the unconditional love, the wisdom you have shared, and the memories we have created together.

American White Pelicans – Study Of Light And Shadows

By |2023-05-15T03:01:02-05:00May 15th, 2023|Categories: American White Pelicans, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last month there were plenty of American White Pelicans at my local pond. Because they were there I had the opportunity to photograph them in light and shadows.

World Migratory Bird Day 2023 – Focus On Water

By |2023-05-13T04:22:09-05:00May 13th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Common Loons, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

World Migratory Bird Day is observed on the second Saturday of May every year to promote the significance of preserving migratory birds and their habitats.

Male American Goldfinch In His Finest Plumage

By |2023-05-11T05:01:44-05:00May 11th, 2023|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The heavy snowpack is still making it impossible for me to get into the mountains to photograph birds like this male American Goldfinch in breeding plumage.

My First Of Year Western Kingbird Images

By |2023-05-08T03:45:54-05:00May 8th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Kingbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my last trip to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I was tickled to take my first of year Western Kingbird photos when I was heading back to the interstate.

Pretty but Problematic: The Bradford Pear Tree

By |2023-05-07T07:15:39-05:00May 7th, 2023|Categories: Bradford Pears, Salt Lake County, Trees, Shrubs and Flowers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On the first of May I took a series of blossoming Bradford Pear tree images. I've been meaning to do that for years to show that they are pretty, but...

Double-crested Cormorant With A Tiger Trout

By |2023-05-06T06:30:35-05:00May 6th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Double-crested Cormorants, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

At the end of April, while photographing an Osprey and Caspian Terns, I also found a Double-crested Cormorant swallowing a Tiger Trout close to home.

Spring Caspian Tern Photos Plus A Bonus Osprey Image

By |2023-05-04T04:42:52-05:00May 4th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Caspian Terns, Ospreys, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

At the end of last month, I had the pleasure of taking Caspian Tern photos as these terns were flying and fishing at my local pond.

Springtime Grebe And Avocet Portraits

By |2023-05-03T03:26:22-05:00May 3rd, 2023|Categories: American Avocets, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I am sharing two springtime portraits that I took last week at Bear River MBR. The first is a Western Grebe, the second, an American Avocet.

American Coots Fighting – Pond Pugilists

By |2023-04-30T06:25:56-05:00April 30th, 2023|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I was at my local pond three days ago, I took my best-to-date images of fighting American Coots. I had a blast and laughed a lot while I took them.

Drake Ruddy Duck And His Sky Blue Bill

By |2023-04-28T03:43:31-05:00April 28th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Ruddy Ducks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning, I had a real treat photographing a drake Ruddy Duck close to home. He was in his most dapper breeding plumage, including his sky blue bill.

Surprise Grasshopper Sparrow at Bear River MBR

By |2023-04-27T03:41:19-05:00April 27th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Grasshopper Sparrows, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

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.

Missing My Time In The Mountains

By |2023-04-26T02:39:43-05:00April 26th, 2023|Categories: Belted Kingfishers, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have been missing springtime in the mountains. There is so much snow up there from this past winter that most of the mountain roads I use are still closed.

Female Great-tailed Grackle Iris Variation

By |2023-04-23T04:45:59-05:00April 23rd, 2023|Categories: Birds, Great-tailed Grackles, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I photographed Common Loons at my local park this month I also took some female Great-tailed Grackle images and today I am sharing two of them.

Migrating Common Loon Photos

By |2023-04-22T03:06:54-05:00April 22nd, 2023|Categories: Birds, Common Loons, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I went through more of the Common Loon photos that I have taken since the beginning of this month. I wanted to share more images of these beautiful birds.

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