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.

Interesting Pied-billed Grebe Faux Crash-Dive Behavior

By |2023-11-01T04:20:47-05:00November 1st, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Pied-billed Grebes, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I had a great time observing and photographing a Pied-billed Grebe exhibiting Crash-dive behavior at Bear River MBR from the auto tour loop on Monday.

Wilson’s Snipe Portraits From Bear River MBR

By |2023-11-17T04:02:06-06:00October 31st, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Wilson's Snipes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning, I was beyond thrilled to take several Wilson's Snipe portraits in frosty grasses while I was on the auto tour loop at Bear River MBR.

Fall Killdeer at Bear River MBR

By |2023-10-29T04:21:05-05:00October 29th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Killdeer, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Since moving to Utah, I have seen and photographed Killdeer in every month of the year. It was no surprise that I found several at Bear River MBR last Monday.

Three American Coots Side By Side

By |2023-10-28T04:30:32-05:00October 28th, 2023|Categories: American Coots, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

What's better than having one coot in my viewfinder? I'd say having three American Coots side by side in my viewfinder at one time!

Fall American White Pelican Images At Bear River MBR

By |2023-10-27T03:56:25-05:00October 27th, 2023|Categories: American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On this fall morning, I'm sharing three American White Pelican images from Bear River MBR taken earlier this week and a bonus flock photo from last year.

An Incredible Shelf Cloud Over Bear River MBR

By |2023-10-24T05:51:47-05:00October 24th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Miscellaneous, Utah, Weather Phenomena|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today, I am sharing a few images of an incredible shelf cloud over Bear River MBR that I was thrilled to see and photograph yesterday morning.

Male Great-tailed Grackle On A Weathervane

By |2023-10-23T04:30:05-05:00October 23rd, 2023|Categories: Birds, Great-tailed Grackles, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today, I'm sharing a photo of a male Great-tailed Grackle perched on a weathervane. I took this photo while walking down at one of my local ponds last week.

Bathing Western Grebe Giggles

By |2023-10-20T08:08:16-05:00October 20th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning, a bathing Western Grebe gave me the giggles. Amidst global turmoil and my own personal struggles this year, I needed those laughs.

Red-tailed Hawk In Front Of The Wasatch Mountains

By |2023-10-19T04:09:03-05:00October 19th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I took a few long distance photos of this Red-tailed Hawk at Farmington Bay WMA because of the fall colors in the Wasatch Mountains in the background.

Pine Siskin In A Greasewood At Farmington Bay

By |2023-10-18T03:55:50-05:00October 18th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Pine Siskins, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm always happy to have a Pine Siskin in my viewfinder. When I saw this siskin five days ago in a Greasewood, I thought about how easily they can blend in.

Male Lesser Goldfinch Images

By |2023-10-17T03:24:58-05:00October 17th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Lesser Goldfinches, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was thrilled to take several male Lesser Goldfinch images on my last trip to Farmington Bay WMA. It was a bright, sunny day, and I was enjoying it and myself.

Male House Finch Color Comparisons

By |2023-10-16T04:05:19-05:00October 16th, 2023|Categories: Arkansas, Bird ID, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, House Finches, Salt Lake County, Sebastian County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I photographed this male House Finch at Farmington Bay WMA 3 days ago. I noticed that he seemed dull compared to male House Finches I saw in Arkansas this year.

My Leucistic Song Sparrow Sighting

By |2023-10-15T04:15:48-05:00October 15th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Leucistic, Song Sparrows, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My second gobsmack in a week occurred when I spotted a stunning leucistic Song Sparrow while driving slowly along the road at Farmington Bay WMA two days ago.

Autumn Sharp-shinned Hawk Portraits

By |2023-10-14T05:45:50-05:00October 14th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The last bird I photographed yesterday at Farmington Bay WMA was a surprise Sharp-shinned Hawk that flew in so close I could only take portraits of her or him.

Bird Battle: Belted Kingfisher vs. Merlin

By |2023-10-15T04:08:15-05:00October 13th, 2023|Categories: Belted Kingfishers, Birds, Merlins, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Little did I know that on my last trip up into the Wasatch Mountains, that I would witness a battle between a Belted Kingfisher and my first-of-season Merlin.

Aerial Yellowjacket Nest In The Wasatch Mountains

By |2024-02-13T03:24:22-06:00October 11th, 2023|Categories: Aerial Yellowjackets, Summit County, Utah, Video, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I first found and photographed this Aerial Yellowjacket nest in August, high in the Wasatch Mountains. Now that the leaves have fallen, I can see it better.

Red-tailed Hawk On A West Desert Weather Station

By |2023-10-19T03:13:49-05:00October 9th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Red-tailed Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A West Desert weather station wasn't the prettiest perch, but that is where I found this handsome Red-tailed Hawk last week when I went looking for birds.

Autumn Flatbud Prickly Poppy

By |2023-10-08T05:04:33-05:00October 8th, 2023|Categories: Flatbud Prickly Poppy, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When I drove out to the West Desert for some peace and solitude three days ago, I was thrilled to spot this Flatbud Prickly Poppy still in bloom.

Black-footed Drone Fly On Rabbitbrush

By |2023-10-07T05:00:56-05:00October 7th, 2023|Categories: Black-footed Drone Flies, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While out in the West Desert two days ago, I photographed this adult Black-footed Drone Fly, a member of the hoverfly family, on a rabbitbrush.

Fall Male Horned Lark Plus A Bonus Photo

By |2023-10-07T04:35:02-05:00October 6th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Horned Larks, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning, I spent time photographing a male Horned Lark perched on a barbed wire fence in the West Desert, with Stansbury Island in the background.

West Desert Tarantula-hawk Wasp

By |2023-10-05T04:52:53-05:00October 5th, 2023|Categories: Thisbe's Tarantula-hawk Wasps, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've been meaning to share this Tarantula-hawk Wasp photo that I took in the West Desert of Utah for about a year, and today is as good a day as any.

American White Pelicans Fueling Up For Fall Migration

By |2023-10-27T02:54:38-05:00October 4th, 2023|Categories: American White Pelicans, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week, I was happy to photograph a small flock of American White Pelicans fueling up for their fall migration in the wetlands of Farmington Bay WMA.

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