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.

West Desert Great Basin Gopher Snake

By |August 19th, 2022|Categories: Gopher Snakes, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago while out exploring the West Desert of Utah I was thrilled to come across a large Great Basin Gopher Snake warming itself on a dusty dirt road.

Warbling Vireo And Ripe Chokecherries

By |August 18th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Western Chokecherry, Western Warbling-Vireos|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of the birds that I photographed in Morgan County two days ago was this lovely Warbling Vireo perched alongside of ripe chokecherries. I was excited to see it.

Young Killdeer At Bear River MBR

By |August 16th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Killdeer, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I drove up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge where the second bird that I photographed was a young Killdeer in the early light of dawn.

Young And Scruffy Yellow-rumped Warbler

By |August 13th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert, Yellow-rumped Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Earlier this week I spent a few moments focused on a scruffy young Yellow-rumped Warbler perched above a creek in the sky island mountains of the West Desert.

Least Chipmunk And Serviceberries

By |August 12th, 2022|Categories: Least Chipmunks, Summit County, Utah, Utah Serviceberry, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Warning: More cute Least Chipmunk photos ahead plus serviceberries high in the Wasatch Mountain Range. I just can't resist them and I don't want to.

Immature Bullock’s Oriole Photos From The Mountains

By |August 11th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Bullock's Orioles, Morgan County, Utah, Utah Serviceberry, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My last stop yesterday up in the Wasatch Mountains gave me great views and photos of this immature Bullock's Oriole perched in a serviceberry shrub.

Black-throated Gray Warbler Images

By |August 9th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I am sharing two Black-throated Gray Warbler images that I took yesterday while exploring the canyons of sky island mountains in the West Desert.

Male American Goldfinch With Ripe Serviceberries

By |August 8th, 2022|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was happy to have this male American Goldfinch perched with ripe serviceberries in front of him for a few moments yesterday high in the mountains.

Sage Thrasher In Riparian Habitat

By |August 7th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Sage Thrashers, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Towards the end of last month I found a Sage Thrasher high in the mountains in riparian habitat which surprised me. A lot.

Least Chipmunk Family Photos

By |August 5th, 2022|Categories: Least Chipmunks, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two mornings ago I had an absolutely fantastic time photographing a Least Chipmunk family feeding, cuddling, grooming and playing high in the mountains. 

Willow Flycatcher Up Close – What Are Rictal Bristles?

By |August 3rd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Willow Flycatchers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On Sunday I had a wonderful opportunity to photograph an adult Willow Flycatcher up close when it landed very near my vehicle high in the Wasatch Mountains. 

Wasatch Mountain Range Sandhill Crane Images

By |August 1st, 2022|Categories: Birds, Sandhill Cranes, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I spent ten minutes taking Sandhill Crane images high in the Wasatch Mountain Range after finding a pair of cranes next to an alpine creek.

Young Cedar Waxwing Photos

By |July 31st, 2022|Categories: Birds, Cedar Waxwings, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I found this young Cedar Waxwing in the remnants of a small aspen forest two days ago while I watched for other birds to come in to feed on ripe serviceberries.

Adult Cedar Waxwing In Morgan County

By |July 29th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Cedar Waxwings, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was happy to photograph an adult Cedar Waxwing perched on top of a willow thicket in Morgan County high in the Wasatch Mountains four days ago.

Juvenile Lazuli Bunting Images

By |July 26th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Lazuli Buntings, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I had fun taking juvenile Lazuli Bunting images as several of these young birds rested and moved around eating grass seeds for breakfast.

Raggedy Song Sparrow Adult

By |July 25th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Song Sparrows, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Friday morning while enjoying the cooler temps in the Wasatch Mountains I had this raggedy Song Sparrow adult pop out of a wild rose bush next to my Jeep.

Request For Grasshopper Identification

By |July 24th, 2022|Categories: Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildlife|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have struggled for the past four days trying to identify a bright green grasshopper nymph that I found on a Common Mullein up in the Wasatch Mountains.

Female American Goldfinch With Thistles

By |July 22nd, 2022|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Musk Thistle, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Right after I photographed a juvenile Lazuli Bunting two days ago a female American Goldfinch landed in a patch of thistles in front of me.

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