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.

Photographing An American Coot’s Post Bathing Behavior

By |January 10th, 2018|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Perhaps I am easy to please but I got a real kick out of photographing this American Coot while it bathed, shook and fluffed on the pond close to home.

Photographing Canada Geese in Flight in Fog and Golden Afternoon Light

By |January 9th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

These two photos of Canada Geese were taken in very different lighting conditions and while both tested my skills as a bird photographer one of them required more thought from me and challenged my skills more too.

Common Goldeneye Drake With A Crayfish – We Were Both Lucky Ducks

By |January 8th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It is hard to figure out who is the lucky duck here, the Common Goldeneye for catching the crayfish or me for seeing the duck with the crayfish and photographing it.

American Wigeon Pair In Northern Utah

By |January 7th, 2018|Categories: American Wigeons, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I wonder how long this pair of American Wigeons will hang around, I hope it is long enough for me to see more green iridescence on the drake's head and long enough for me to take more images of them.

Yellow-crowned Night Heron In Low Light

By |January 4th, 2018|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Yellow-crowned Night Herons|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The first bird I photographed that day was a Yellow-crowned Night Heron wandering in the sea fog near the dunes and shoreline of the Gulf of Mexico.

Male American Kestrel On A Sign Post With His Prey

By |January 3rd, 2018|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I've found American Kestrels to be "stickier" in cold weather and it wasn't much above 20°F when I photographed him as he consumed the vole bit by bit.

Young Short-eared Owl – A Stroke of Serendipity

By |January 1st, 2018|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

If I hadn't turned my Jeep around when I did in the direction I chose I would never have found three adorable Short-eared Owl chicks not far from the shoulder of the road in beautiful morning light.

My Year of Bird Photography in 2017

By |December 31st, 2017|Categories: American Tree Sparrows, American White Pelicans, Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Green-tailed Towhees, Idaho, Prairie Falcons, Red-naped Sapsuckers, Red-tailed Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Short-eared Owls, Swainson's Hawks, Utah, Yellow-rumped Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I love what I do, I love my subjects and it doesn't matter if I find them close to home or further away. I am blessed. 2017 has been wonderful and I am excited for what 2018 may bring.

Common Mergansers Landing & Lifting Off

By |December 28th, 2017|Categories: Common Mergansers, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I'm over the moon that I was able to photograph these Common Mergansers landing and lifting off from the pond yesterday and I am pleased with the photos I took.

Photographing Pied-billed Grebes With Crayfish – Oh What Fun Can Be Had

By |December 27th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Pied-billed Grebes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The funniest photo I took yesterday, the one that made me laugh out loud the hardest, was when a crayfish landed on the Pied-billed Grebe's head after the bird shook it hard.

American Barn Owl in a Winter White Out

By |December 24th, 2017|Categories: American Barn Owls, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Four years ago I photographed a American Barn Owl in a winter white out at Farmington Bay WMA and I have to admit that photographing it was tough.

Immature Light Morph Rough-legged Hawk in Flight & Landing

By |December 23rd, 2017|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Eight days ago I spent time photographing an immature, light morph Rough-legged Hawk at Farmington Bay WMA in northern Utah.

Pied-billed Grebes With Flying Crayfish – See Food On The Wing

By |December 21st, 2017|Categories: Birds, Pied-billed Grebes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Three afternoons ago I captured images of not just one flying crayfish in the air but two of them because of the Pied-billed Grebes capturing and consuming the freshwater crustaceans.

Great Blue Heron in Flight With The Wasatch Mountains In The Background

By |December 20th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Great Blue Herons, Salt Lake County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , |

It isn't everyday I get to see and photograph a Great Blue Heron in flight with the Wasatch Mountains in the background but I had that opportunity two afternoons ago at a pond close to home.

Urban Birds – California Quail at a Local Park

By |December 19th, 2017|Categories: Birds, California Quails, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It isn't uncommon to see California Quail crossing sidewalks, roads and trails in the city and this photo reminded me of how well this species has adapted to living in urban areas.

Brief But Aggressive Encounter Between Pied-Billed Grebes

By |December 18th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Pied-billed Grebes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This aggressive encounter between the two Pied-billed Grebes only lasted a few seconds and if I hadn't been paying attention I would have missed photographing it.

Immature Rough-legged Hawk – Lift Off, Landing & Lunch

By |December 16th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I was able to photograph an immature Rough-legged Hawk lifting off, landing and lunching at Farmington Bay WMA in northern Utah.

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