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.

Feeding Habits of Red-breasted Mergansers

By |March 1st, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Red-breasted Mergansers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

According to Birds of North America there are four foraging methods used by Red-breasted Mergansers which are Cooperative Herding, Individual Search, Shallow Diving and Deep Diving.

Roseate Spoonbills On A Foggy Florida Morning

By |February 25th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Roseate Spoonbills|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As soon as I crossed the north beach footbridge I spotted several Roseate Spoonbills in the tidal lagoon on my right. There were adults and a few juveniles, some were resting while others preened.

Spring Chukar on Antelope Island

By |February 24th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Chukars, Davis County, Utah, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

The last time I went to Antelope Island State Park I noticed that the Chukars were more visible than they have been for awhile and I also noticed a tiny wildflower called Redstem Filaree starting to green up.

Comparing American White Pelicans to Brown Pelicans

By |February 23rd, 2014|Categories: American White Pelicans, Birds, Brown Pelicans, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The recent arrival of American White Pelicans to the Salt Lake Valley started me thinking about the differences between Brown Pelicans and American White Pelicans.

White Gyrfalcon – Yet Another Escaped Falconry Bird!

By |February 22nd, 2014|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Gyrfalcons, Peregrine Falcons, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In the four and a half years I have been in Utah I have found, pointed out, and photographed four escaped falconry birds, one in 2009, and two in 2012.

American Oystercatcher Lift Off

By |February 20th, 2014|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of two species of oystercatchers in North America the American Oystercatchers quickly stole my heart after I first saw them because of their colors, long bills, pink legs and their Goth-like black toenails.

The Centennial Valley of Montana beckons to me

By |February 19th, 2014|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Centennial Valley says "home" to me with the expansive views it offers of not only the valley but the Centennial Mountains and the Lower Lake and beyond. I find peace there.

The Advantages of Photographing Birds Close to Home

By |February 18th, 2014|Categories: American Coots, American White Pelicans, Birds, Pied-billed Grebes, Red-breasted Mergansers, Ring-necked Ducks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Many beginning photographers dream of taking images in far off places of exotic birds and there is nothing wrong with that. But we shouldn’t overlook the advantages of photographing birds close to home.

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge After Spring Has Sprung

By |February 17th, 2014|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Cliff Swallows, Marsh Wrens, Utah, Western Grebes, White-faced Ibises, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The snow has melted in the Salt Lake Valley where temps have been unseasonably warm thanks to the "Pineapple Express" and although winter hasn't left it has begun to feel like spring which means it won't be long before spring has sprung up all over Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge!

Northern Harrier Along The Shore Of The Great Salt Lake

By |February 15th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two years ago I could often find Northern Harriers hunting along the causeway to Antelope Island State Park and I photographed a series of images of this female Northern Harrier on February 16th of that year.

Wildflowers for Valentine’s Day

By |February 14th, 2014|Categories: Florida, Roosevelt Wetlands, Sawgrass Lake Park, White Water Lily, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , |

Happy Valentine's Day! I never much cared for cut flowers and prefer to see them in nature so today I present a wet American White Waterlily I photographed in 2007 at Sawgrass Lake Park in Florida.

Caution: Spring Birds Ahead

By |February 13th, 2014|Categories: American Avocets, American White Pelicans, Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It won't be long before the American White Pelicans are back at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge which is where I photographed the pelican in the image above last spring.

Juvenile Red-naped Sapsucker in Summit County

By |February 10th, 2014|Categories: Ashley National Forest, Birds, High Uintas, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Summit County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The bad weather here has given me cabin fever so last night I looked through my archives and enjoyed some images from brighter, warmer days and came across this juvenile Red-naped Sapsucker image from my first camping trip to Utah's high Uintas in Summit County.

Black-chinned Hummingbird To Brighten A Dreary Winter Day

By |February 9th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-chinned Hummingbirds, Utah, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

The opposite of cold, gray, windy and rainy is summertime in my mind so I thought that today I would post some thing from a warmer, brighter and calmer day and what could be more summery than a Black-chinned Hummingbird feeding on Rocky Mountain Bee Plant?

Song Dog And A Sun Dog On The Same Day!

By |February 8th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Coyotes, Utah, Weather Phenomena|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

I don't see Sun Dogs all that often in the warmer months; though they do occur all year long, but I do see them quite often during the winter and when I can I like to take images of them.

Lone Coyote On The Shore Of The Great Salt Lake

By |February 6th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Coyotes, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There are times when one subject will make my day in the field worthwhile, yesterday it was a lone Coyote hunting for voles on the shoreline of the Great Salt Lake.

1000 posts at On The Wing Photography and still going strong

By |February 4th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Capitol Reef National Park, Centennial Valley, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Hoverflies, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Utah|Tags: , , , , , |

Today I reached the 1000 posts mark for my blog here at On The Wing Photography. In those 1000 posts I've covered a lot of birds, animals and locations.

An Osprey in flight with a huge Flounder

By |February 2nd, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Ospreys|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This Osprey flying in from the Gulf over the north beach of Fort De Soto came as a surprise to us so I had little time to prepare and get my setting right due to how fast the Osprey was flying.

D.O.T.S. – Dreaming Of The Sun

By |February 1st, 2014|Categories: Big Cottonwood Canyon Scenic Byway, Salt Lake County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , |

Yesterday I mentioned that I had D.W.B. (Dreary Weather Blues) and after a nice email from a friend last night who reminded me that it is only 7 weeks until the spring equinox I now have the D.O.T.S, better known as Dreaming Of The Sun.

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