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.

Rock Squirrel Tree Topper

By |2023-04-02T05:03:06-05:00April 2nd, 2023|Categories: Rock Squirrels, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Almost three years ago, I photographed this Rock Squirrel perched in top of a juniper in the foothills of some sky island mountains in the West Desert of Utah.

Snow Weary And Needing A Bird Fix

By |2023-03-31T04:26:28-05:00March 31st, 2023|Categories: American Avocets, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Marsh Wrens, Red-winged Blackbirds, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

More fresh snow on the ground this morning. I am snow weary. What I need is a bird, nature, gone exploring in the wild fix with no real or clear return time.

Muskrat Kit In The Wasatch Mountains

By |2023-03-30T03:31:25-05:00March 30th, 2023|Categories: Morgan County, Muskrats, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I came across these images of Muskrat kit that I photographed in July of 2020 high in the Wasatch Mountains and realized I hadn't shared the images of them yet.

Striped Skunk Butt – Skunked By The Weather Forecast

By |2023-03-29T08:54:37-05:00March 29th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Striped Skunks, Utah, Wildlife|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I was skunked by a terribly wrong weather forecast so I decided this was the day that I would share one of my Striped Skunk photos taken last year.

Scruffy And Tailless Male Yellow Warbler

By |2023-03-26T03:42:09-05:00March 26th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I was searching for other photos of a mammal I had taken, I came across this picture I had taken of a scruffy male Yellow Warbler without a tail to share.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird Daydreams

By |2023-03-25T05:41:45-05:00March 25th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been having Broad-tailed Hummingbird daydreams lately. I can't wait to hear their tiny wing beats and chirps once again high in the Wasatch Mountains.

Two Least Chipmunks Together In The Mountains

By |2023-03-24T12:55:19-05:00March 24th, 2023|Categories: Least Chipmunks, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildlife|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was editing some images for a new project when I came across this photo of two Least Chipmunks side by side on a wooden post high in the Wasatch Mountains.

American Wigeon On The Last Day Of Winter

By |2023-03-23T03:14:14-05:00March 23rd, 2023|Categories: American Wigeons, Birds, Salt Lake Valley, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed an American Wigeon drake on the last day of winter at my local pond. The light was nice and lovely but my view of the wigeon was even nicer.

World Water Day 2023

By |2024-02-02T05:37:24-06:00March 22nd, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Conservation, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, Glacier County, Glacier National Park, Juab County, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Sawgrass Lake Park, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today is World Water Day. The theme for World Water Day 2023 is: Accelerate Change. Every human being on this planet is roughly 60% water.

Late Winter Female Brewer’s Blackbird

By |2023-03-21T05:44:19-05:00March 21st, 2023|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I photographed this Female Brewer's Blackbird a few days ago she was the focus of attention for four nearby males that were displaying on the frosty grass.

American Wigeon Portraits – I See Spats

By |2023-03-18T03:00:55-05:00March 18th, 2023|Categories: American Wigeons, Birds, Humor, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning, I am sharing two American Wigeon portraits. I felt fortunate to take them recently at one of my local urban ponds on a frosty, cold morning.

Male Brewer’s Blackbird Portraits

By |2023-03-17T03:01:12-05:00March 17th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I took these two male Brewer's Blackbird portraits yesterday at my local pond. In one the blackbird was displaying, in the other he just looked funny to me.

Mating Greater Sage-Grouse On A Wild Windswept Lek

By |2023-03-16T05:36:47-05:00March 16th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Greater Sage-Grouse, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

During the breeding season, male Greater Sage-Grouse gather in communal display areas known as leks to perform an elaborate courtship ritual.

Red-tailed Hawk Pre-Lift Off

By |2023-03-15T05:42:28-05:00March 15th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It's been about four years since I photographed this rufous Red-tailed Hawk in in a pre-lift off pose way up in northern Utah. This pose can be hard to capture.

Double-crested Cormorant on the Bear River

By |2023-03-14T04:53:10-05:00March 14th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Double-crested Cormorants, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed this adult Double-crested Cormorant at the end of March last spring as it swam by me on the Bear River. The color of its eyes was so striking.

Communing With Sandhill Cranes

By |2023-03-13T05:47:19-05:00March 13th, 2023|Categories: Bicknell Bottoms Wildlife Management Area, Birds, Sandhill Cranes, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been thinking a lot about Sandhill Cranes recently so I am going back in time to nine years ago today when I photographed them in Wayne County, Utah.

Urban Drake American Wigeon In Snow

By |2023-03-11T03:40:39-06:00March 10th, 2023|Categories: American Wigeons, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The sun came out for a bit yesterday so I went down to my local urban ponds. I was tickled to find and photograph a drake American Wigeon resting in the snow.

When Life Gives You A Twisted Neck Just Go With The Flow

By |2023-03-08T03:15:10-06:00March 8th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Egrets, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I took photos of this Great Egret with a twisted neck and buggy eyes at Fort De Soto I didn't think I'd still be laughing at them fourteen years later.

Great Blue Heron: Solitude On The Ice

By |2023-03-06T02:52:16-06:00March 6th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my last journey up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I stopped to take photos of a majestic Great Blue Heron enjoying some solitude on the ice.

Tracking Tundra Swan U915: A Story of Survival

By |2023-11-10T02:44:56-06:00March 5th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Three days ago I found a collared Tundra Swan in a flock of swans at Bear River MBR. The blue collar caught my eye and I took photos of the swan.

Singing Red-winged Blackbird Male

By |2023-03-04T04:07:05-06:00March 4th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Bird ID, Box Elder County, Red-winged Blackbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

After my long and photo heavy Tundra Swan post yesterday I am keeping my post today simple. I'm sharing a single photo of a singing Red-winged Blackbird male.

Go to Top