Photographer and Author

About Mia McPherson

I'm 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.

Great Blue Herons At The Farmington Bay Rookery

By |February 18th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The breeding season has begun for the Great Blue Herons at the Farmington Bay rookery and throughout northern Utah.

Canada Geese Are Pairing Up – Signs Of Spring

By |February 15th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Canada Geese, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my last couple of trips up to Bear River MBR I have noticed that the Canada Geese have already started pairing up which is a definite sign of spring.

I Am Going To Miss This Rough-legged Hawk

By |February 13th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week I photographed this male Rough-legged Hawk on Monday and Thursday while at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Four Immature Red-tailed Hawk Portraits

By |February 12th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I was able to take a nice series of immature Red-tailed Hawk portraits on my most recent trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

February Tundra Swan Photos Plus Some Very Early Sandhill Cranes

By |February 11th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Sandhill Cranes, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Late last month I mentioned that I hadn't yet gotten the Tundra Swan photos that I wanted to take. Yesterday at Bear River MBR I was delighted to remedy that situation.

Yawning Immature Rough-legged Hawk

By |February 10th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This is the same immature light morph Rough-legged Hawk that I shared portraits of two days ago that were taken at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Winter Great Blue Heron Images

By |February 9th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I was at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge two days ago I was able to take quite a few Great Blue Heron images of four individual herons in the marsh. 

Immature Light Morph Rough-legged Hawk Portraits

By |February 8th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Rough-legged Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had five minutes of bird bliss yesterday morning at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge when I was able to take immature light morph Rough-legged Hawk portraits.

Light Morph Male Rough-legged Hawk Winter Site Fidelity

By |February 5th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have been photographing a light morph male Rough-legged Hawk on or near a One Way sign at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge frequently this winter.

Wild Turkey Hen Perched In A Netleaf Hackberry Tree

By |February 4th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Wild Turkeys|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last month while up in Box Elder County looking for birds I spotted this Wild Turkey hen perched in a Netleaf Hackberry tree not long before noon.

Rough-legged Hawk In Soft Morning Light

By |February 3rd, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last month while enjoying one of the most relaxing trips I have had to Bear River MBR in a long time I came across this Rough-legged Hawk in soft morning light.

First Winter Common Merganser On The Bear River

By |January 31st, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Mergansers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my last two trips up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I've stopped long enough to photograph a first winter Common Merganser on the Bear River.

Adult Male Rough-legged Hawk In Early Morning Light

By |January 30th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Of all the photos I took yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge the one I liked the most is of this Rough-legged Hawk in early morning light.

Tundra Swans On Ice And Open Water

By |January 29th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I haven't yet gotten the photos of Tundra Swans this year that I would like to take but that won't stop me from sharing some that I have taken this winter.

Adult Male Prairie Merlin At Bear River MBR

By |January 28th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Merlins, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of the birds I photographed yesterday at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge was an adult male Prairie Merlin that I spotted on a fence post close to the road.

Pied-billed Grebe Going Into Breeding Plumage

By |January 26th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Pied-billed Grebes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I was down at my local pond a few days ago I noticed a Pied-billed Grebe that is going into breeding or Definitive Alternate Plumage.

Bathing Canvasback Hen And The Story Behind The Images

By |January 25th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Canvasbacks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I photographed this bathing Canvasback hen three days ago at a pond close to home I was really happy to see her doing well and doing what ducks do.

First Winter Common Goldeneye Drake Images

By |January 24th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I spent a lot of time focused on a first winter Common Goldeneye drake as he swam, foraged, and ate at an urban pond close to home.

White-faced Ibis Resting On A Frozen Marsh

By |January 22nd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah, White-faced Ibises|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my last trip to Farmington Bay WMA earlier this month I found a small flock of overwintering White-faced Ibis that were too far away to photograph.

Squirrel Appreciation Day 2022

By |January 21st, 2022|Categories: Box Elder County, Least Chipmunks, Morgan County, Summit County, Uinta Ground Squirrels, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

January 21st is Squirrel Appreciation Day around the globe. There are many reasons to appreciate these furry, four legged, cute creatures. 

Great Blue Heron In Fog On The Playa At Farmington Bay

By |January 20th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my last trip to Farmington Bay WMA ten days ago one of my birdy subjects was an adult Great Blue Heron in a light fog out on the playa in morning light.

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