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.

Merlin Memories

By |October 12th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Merlins, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I noticed in my Facebook memories that four years ago this morning was when I found my first of season Merlin out on the mudflats at Farmington Bay WMA.

October West Desert Views Of Clouds, Mountains, And The Moon

By |October 10th, 2021|Categories: Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today I wanted to share these photos of some West Desert views of clouds, mountains, and the moon because I'd like to be out there seeing and photographing them all.

Dark and light morph Red-tailed Hawk Photos

By |October 9th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I almost missed finding this adult dark morph Red-tailed Hawk last Sunday because when I first spotted the hawk he was behind a tree in dark shadows but I recognized the shape and form of the raptor.

Changes At Farmington Bay WMA And Glover Pond

By |October 8th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Conservation, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Every year when I make my first trip to Farmington Bay WMA in the fall I dread the changes that inevitably happen.

Fall Yellow-rumped Warbler – Urban Birds

By |October 7th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Jordan River Parkway Trail, Salt Lake County, Utah, Yellow-rumped Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This has been a weird fall so far and because of that I haven't been out to look for urban birds like this Yellow-rumped Warbler I photographed last year close to home.

Phragmites Fix Or Fail At Bear River MBR?

By |October 5th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Conservation, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Phragmites fix or fail? I think my photos through the years provide the answer.

Autumn Townsend’s Solitaire Plus Snow In The 10 Day Forecast

By |October 4th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Townsend's Solitaires, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I found quite a few birds yesterday in far northern Utah and of all the photos I took this autumn Townsend's Solitaire was my favorite.

How I Found A Flock Of Clark’s Nutcrackers Yesterday

By |October 2nd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Clark's Nutcrackers, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My eyes and my birding instincts didn't lead me astray because there was a Clark's Nutcracker perched at the top of the fir.

Snowy Egret With The Strangest Shadows I Have Ever Seen – How Does This Even Happen?

By |October 1st, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Snowy Egrets, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I took a series of photos of a Snowy Egret at Farmington Bay WMA with the strangest shadows I have ever seen.

Clouded Sulphur Butterfly And Rabbitbrush

By |September 29th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Clouded Sulphur Butterflies, Shrubs, Utah, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I got lucky at one rabbitbrush when I found a Clouded Sulphur butterfly nectaring on what I believe is a Rubber Rabbitbrush.

Immature Black-crowned Night Heron In Marsh Habitat

By |September 28th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Nearly hidden in the marsh vegetation was an immature Black-crowned Night Heron perched on some phrags at the edge of the water.

Thoughts on Our Drought, Douglas Firs, And Birds

By |September 27th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Tooele County, Trees, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Drought stressed Douglas Fir trees will produce what is called a "stress crop" of cones which is what I believe is happening to the firs in this location.

Young Pied-billed Grebe In Juvenal Plumage Compared To Adult Plumage Phases

By |September 26th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Pied-billed Grebes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

About a week ago I photographed a young Pied-billed Grebe that was still in juvenal plumage on a pond at Farmington Bay WMA.

Red-tailed Hawk Pre-flight Poop Shot

By |September 25th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When the Red-tailed Hawk took a pre-flight poop I thought I'd get my chance at those lift off and flight photos.

Immature Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk

By |September 22nd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday on the last full day of summer I found a couple of hawks in the West Desert including this immature light morph Ferruginous Hawk.

Migrating Greater Yellowlegs

By |September 21st, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Greater Yellowlegs, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Greater Yellowlegs migrate starting in the summer until late in the fall and return early in the spring. I will be seeing them until about December here in Utah.

Immature Light Morph Red-tailed Hawk Plus A Dark Morph Adult

By |September 19th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I spotted the light colored breast of this immature light morph Red-tailed Hawk from a distance it seemed to glow in the morning light.

Franklin’s Gull Flying In A Smoky Sky

By |September 18th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Franklin's Gulls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have a soft spot for gulls so when I had the opportunity two days ago to photograph this Franklin's Gull flying in a smoky sky I was both excited and thrilled.

Snowy Egret Photos – Farmington Bay Opening Day

By |September 17th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Snowy Egrets, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday was kind of an opening day at Farmington Bay and the Snowy Egret show was the highlight of the day.

Late Summer Turkey Vulture And Common Sunflowers

By |September 16th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Turkey Vultures, Utah, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I found an adult Turkey Vulture perched on a metal pipe with a field of sunflowers below and it behind it. I liked the pop of yellow in my photos of this bird.

More West Desert Red-tailed Hawk Images

By |September 15th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I went out into the West Desert yesterday and came back with more Red-tailed Hawk images that I was delighted to have taken and that I am happy with.

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