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.

Great Egret, Mallards and Hooded and Common Mergansers On The Bear River

By |December 23rd, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Mergansers, Great Egrets, Hooded Mergansers, Mallards, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The Great Egret landed where I had views of Hooded and Common Mergansers and three Mallards resting on the ice on the Bear River.

Great Blue Heron Photos Taken on The Winter Solstice

By |December 22nd, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

To my delight I was able to take Great Blue Heron photos yesterday on the Winter Solstice that I found on the banks of the Bear River at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

ABA Bird Of The Year 2022 – The Burrowing Owl!

By |December 20th, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Davis County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was announced yesterday that the Burrowing Owl is the 2022 ABA Bird of the Year! Burrowing Owls are small, long-legged, sandy-colored, charismatic owls with bright yellow eyes.

Immature Red-tailed Hawk Perched In Tree with Many Branches

By |December 19th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was a truly gloomy day when I spotted this immature Red-tailed Hawk perched in a tree with many branches at Farmington Bay last December.

American Barn Owl Covered In Hoar Frost

By |December 18th, 2021|Categories: American Barn Owls, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This Barn Owl covered in hoar frost was taken during my first full winter living in Utah and it was also the subject of my first blog post here on my site.

Male Rough-legged Hawk On A National Wildlife Refuge Sign

By |December 17th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Nine days ago this Rough-legged Hawk resting on a National Wildlife sign in low light was the first hawk I spotted and photographed.

Loggerhead Shrike At Bear River MBR

By |December 16th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Loggerhead Shrikes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my last trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge I found this Loggerhead Shrike perched on a twig near the end of the auto tour loop.

Overnight Snow Storm In Northern Utah

By |December 15th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Egrets, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I haven't been outside to measure the snow but I'd estimate that 6 to 8 inches have fallen already just by looking out my living room window.

Female Hooded Merganser Lifting Off From The Bear River

By |December 10th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Hooded Mergansers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I spotted a single female Hooded Merganser on the Bear River two days ago and photographed her as she ran on top of the water to lift off.

Late Clark’s Grebe Plus A Rough-legged Hawk On A One Way Sign

By |December 9th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Clark's Grebes, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I found and pointed out a few birds at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge including a very late Clark's Grebe I spotted from the auto tour route.

Merlin On A Large Wooden Post At Bear River MBR

By |December 7th, 2021|Categories: Bald Eagles, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Merlins, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week I spotted a Merlin perched on a large wooden post way out in the marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in northern Utah.

Adult Rough-legged Hawk Calling Plus Photos Of A Younger Roughie

By |December 6th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I heard a male Rough-legged Hawk calling which is highly unusual away from their breeding grounds in the Arctic tundra and taiga of the far north.

American Pipits In My Viewfinder

By |December 5th, 2021|Categories: American Pipits, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been seeing and hearing American Pipits since the end of September but this was the first time this fall I was able to get close to them.

Hatch Year Male Red-winged Blackbird

By |December 3rd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-winged Blackbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I spent just a few moments focused on a hatch year male Red-winged Blackbird perched in an Russian Olive tree near Glover Pond here in northern Utah.

Autumn Coyote In My Viewfinder

By |December 2nd, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Coyotes, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I spotted a Coyote in poor light at Farmington Bay WMA that reminded me of a recent photo I took of a Coyote there in late November.

Ferruginous Hawk In Bright Morning Light

By |December 1st, 2021|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I took this photo of a Ferruginous Hawk bathed in bright morning light back in October while I was out driving on dirt roads of the West Desert of Utah.

Male Belted Kingfisher In The UK – He’s A Long Way From Home

By |November 30th, 2021|Categories: Belted Kingfishers, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been following an amazing sighting of a male Belted Kingfisher in Lancashire, UK for about a week now, it is only the 4th such sighting for that country.

Remembering Higher Water In The Great Salt Lake

By |November 29th, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Conservation, Davis County, Green-winged Teals, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I came across this photo of a Green-winged Teal with Northern Shovelers in the surf of the Great Salt Lake that I took in December of 2011 yesterday. It was a punch in the gut.

Help With Drake Scaup Identification

By |November 28th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Greater Scaups, Lesser Scaups, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Every fall and winter when Lesser and Greater Scaups are seen in northern Utah I hear questions about scaup identification.

Immature Red-tailed Hawk Perched In Front Of The Wasatch Mountains

By |November 27th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photograph tons of Red-tailed Hawks. I have shared more Red-tailed Hawk articles on my blog and images in my photo galleries than any other birds species.

Drake Northern Shoveler Landing On A Chilly Pond

By |November 26th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I am sharing a simple photo of a drake Northern Shoveler landing on a chilly pond that I took in early December of last year.

Ruddy Ducks In Flight

By |November 24th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Ruddy Ducks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A few days ago I saw someone say that they rarely saw photos of Ruddy Ducks in flight and I remembered I had a series of them flying past taken 11 years ago.

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