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.

Black-billed Magpie Fledgling Perched In A Serviceberry

By |July 18th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I liked this image of one of the fledgling Black-billed Magpies I photographed because of the serviceberry perch, the great eye contact I had with the young bird and its pose.

Twelve-spotted Skimmer Dragonfly – Other Things With Wings

By |July 17th, 2020|Categories: Box Elder County, Davis County, Eight-spotted Skimmers, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Twelve-spotted Skimmer Dragonflies, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Five days ago I photographed a lifer dragonfly when I found a male Twelve-spotted Skimmer that was hanging around a spring-fed seep next to a gravel road in Box Elder County.

Adult Willow Flycatcher Perched In A Serviceberry

By |July 16th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Willow Flycatchers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Obtaining decent photos of Willow Flycatchers in the Wasatch Mountains has been harder and more challenging for me this year than last and there are a few reasons for that.

Male Lazuli Buntings Photographed In The Wasatch Mountains

By |July 15th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Lazuli Buntings, Morgan County, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Over the past week I have had the pleasure of photographing male Lazuli Buntings high in the Wasatch Mountains in several different settings.

Recently Fledged Red-tailed Hawks From Two Nests

By |July 13th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had a great time photographing three recently fledged Red-tailed Hawks from two different nests in northern Utah yesterday morning.

American Robin Fledglings Exploring Their Mountain Home

By |July 12th, 2020|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Three days ago I saw lots of young birds in the Wasatch Mountains east of where I live in Salt Lake City and among them were several American Robin fledglings.

Begging Fledgling Gray Catbird High In The Wasatch Mountains

By |July 11th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Frustrations in bird photography, Gray Catbirds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I saw a Gray Catbird fledgling inch its way up a stick two days ago and then exhibit begging behavior by raising its wings and opening its bill I locked on to it.

Great Egret In Front Of Stormy Skies

By |July 8th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Egrets, Pinellas County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of the birds I found that summer morning was a Great Egret perched on a stump that the waves of the Gulf had deposited on the shore of the beach.

Male American Goldfinch – Sunlight And Shadows

By |July 7th, 2020|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The bright yellow bird that flew into my field of view was a male American Goldfinch that stood out like a ray of sunshine against the shadows of some tall nearby trees.

Black-headed Grosbeak in the Wasatch Mountains

By |July 5th, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was happy that I decided to photograph the striking Black-headed Grosbeak instead of the Downy Woodpecker that was at least forty feet in front of me.

Adult Male Belted Kingfisher With His Freshly Caught Fish

By |July 4th, 2020|Categories: Belted Kingfishers, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The male Belted Kingfisher had been perched and without warning dove into the water, caught a fish, returned to his perch, and ate it all within close proximity to where I sat in my Jeep.

Cedar Waxwings Plus A Singing Mystery Bird Revealed

By |July 3rd, 2020|Categories: Birds, Cedar Waxwings, Morgan County, Summit County, Utah, Video, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

As soon as I stopped my Jeep two Cedar Waxwings popped into view. The waxwings were close so I took portraits of them perched among the honeysuckles.

Adult MacGillivray’s Warblers With Food For Their Chicks

By |July 2nd, 2020|Categories: Birds, MacGillivray's Warblers, Morgan County, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My best opportunities photographing the adult MacGillivray's Warblers with food for their young yesterday happened when the female popped into view with prey in her bill.

Yellow Warbler Female With Food For Her Chicks

By |July 1st, 2020|Categories: Birds, Northern Yellow Warblers, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The female Yellow Warbler often flew in, landed out in the open and then dove down to deliver the prey she had gathered to her chick that was hidden in the willows.

Muskrat In An Alpine Creek – Wildlife In The Wasatch Mountains

By |June 30th, 2020|Categories: Muskrats, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This spring I've been able to enjoy photographing a family of muskrats that live in a creek in the Wasatch Mountains and I expect I will also see them at least part way through the summer as well.

Cooler Weather Today In Northern Utah

By |June 29th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I woke this morning and opened my living room window to the smell of rain in the air and even in the darkness I could see that the street was wet and I am okay with that, we need the moisture.

Least Chipmunk Eating A Serviceberry

By |June 28th, 2020|Categories: Least Chipmunks, Morgan County, Shrubs, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week while I was up in the Wasatch Mountains photographing birds I had a Least Chipmunk pop into my view while it ate a serviceberry.

Curious Short-eared Owl Fledgling At Bear River MBR

By |June 26th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I took quite a few photos of the fledgling Short-eared Owl that I had a clear view of and even though the lighting wasn't the best I was enchanted by the views I had of it.

Eastern Kingbird Perched On Pickleweed

By |June 24th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Eastern Kingbirds, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

One of the birds I was excited to see and photograph yesterday morning was an adult Eastern Kingbird perched on a pickleweed next to the road.

Black Henbane – Noxious Weeds In Utah

By |June 23rd, 2020|Categories: Black Henbane, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This plant is Black Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) and is also known as Henbane, Hog’s-bean, and Stinking Nightshade and is native to the Mediterranean.

Weidemeyer’s Admiral Butterflies In The Wasatch Mountains

By |June 22nd, 2020|Categories: Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Weidemeyer's Admiral Butterflies, Wildlife|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week I was able to photograph Weidemeyer's Admiral butterflies up in the Wasatch Mountains on two consecutive days and the butterflies had me all aflutter.

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