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 spent much of my time photographing birds in Utah, Idaho, Montana, and beyond. Now I photograph in primarily in east central Oklahoma and Arkansas. 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.

Wind Blown Great Blue Heron Photographed Using Different Angles

By |March 21st, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

These Great Blue Heron photos were taken of the same bird, photographed at same location on the same day just one minute apart.

Tranquil Tricolored Heron

By |March 20th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Tricolored Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

There is a quality that feels very tranquil about this Tricolored Heron image for me. It may be the still, silky texture of the water or the soft pastel color of the water created by the early morning light.

Bouquet of Black Rosy-Finches at Capitol Reef National Park

By |March 18th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Black Rosy-Finches, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

One of the biggest surprises for me on my recent trip to southern Utah was coming across a "bouquet" of 500 or more Black Rosy-Finches that were foraging along the side of Utah State Highway 24.

Great Horned Owl and fledgling strongly backlit by the setting sun

By |March 16th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Great Horned Owls, Honeymoon Island State Park, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

What can I say about this image of an adult Great Horned Owl feeding its young that is strongly back lit by the setting sun on Honeymoon Island State Park in Florida?

Juvenile Brown Pelican gliding over the Gulf of Mexico

By |March 11th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Brown Pelicans, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

In Florida it was not uncommon for me to see Brown Pelicans gliding just barely above the surface of the Gulf of Mexico like the juvenile shown in my image.

Chukars on Antelope Island State Park

By |March 10th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Chukars, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , |

After seeing few Chukars on Antelope Island State Park over the winter it is a delight to see them perching on rocks, preening, calling and warming up in the first rays of sunlight on the island again.

Ethics for Nests and Chicks

By |March 9th, 2014|Categories: American Oystercatchers, Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Harassment, Nesting Birds, Wildlife Ethics|Tags: , , , , , , , , , |

I feel that as a bird photographer I need to care for my subjects every time I am in the field and that is amplified when there are young, defenseless chicks.

Long billed Birds and Preening

By |March 7th, 2014|Categories: American Oystercatchers, American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Long-billed Curlews, Roseate Spoonbills|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Preening in birds is essential for keeping their feathers clean, arranged correctly and for some birds it is a way to distribute oils from the uropygial gland which helps to keep the feathers clean and healthy.

Loggerhead Shrikes Are Calling On Antelope Island

By |March 6th, 2014|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Loggerhead Shrikes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last year about this time I wrote a post complaining about Loggerhead Shrikes being MIA but this year I don't have that complaint because I am seeing and hearing these "Butcherbirds" on Antelope Island.

Long-billed Curlews Are Winging Their Way To Utah

By |March 5th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Long-billed Curlews|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Long-billed Curlews have begun to leave or have left their wintering grounds and should be winging their way to Utah and arriving here any day now.

Adult and juvenile Laughing Gulls

By |March 4th, 2014|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Laughing Gulls, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Laughing Gulls are commonly seen at Fort De Soto County Park but novices to birding and bird watching might think they are three different kinds of gulls depending on their age and plumage.

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.

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