Beaverhead County – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Montana is beckoning to me…

By Mia McPherson|2024-03-28T17:02:22-05:00May 7th, 2012|Categories: Beaverhead County, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Birds, Cliff Lake, Eastern Kingbirds, Glacier County, Glacier National Park, Gravelly Range, Great Horned Owls, Madison County, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds, Pronghorn, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-tailed Hawks, Short-eared Owls, Swainson's Hawks, Tree Swallows, Wilson's Snipes|Tags: Antilocapra americana, Asio flammeus, Bubo virginianus, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteo swainsoni, Cliff Lake, Eastern Kingbird, Gallinago delicata, Great Horned Owl, homestead, immature, juvenile, Madison Range, Madison River, Mountain Bluebird, Pronghorn, Red-tailed Hawk, Short-eared Owl, Sialia currucoides, Swainson's Hawk, Tachycineta bicolor, Tree Swallow, Tyrannus tyrannus, Wilson's Snipe|

Seeing the word "Montana" so often has gotten me anxious, antsy and itching to head north soon to see more of a state that beckons to me because I have fallen in love with it.

24

Mountain Bluebird Male

By Mia McPherson|2024-03-28T17:08:50-05:00March 21st, 2012|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: adult, bluebird, bluebirds, fence post, male, migration, Mountain Bluebird, north, perched, Sialia currucoides, thrush, thrushes, valley, wooden post|

How blue can blue be? I think Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoide) males are a wonderful example of just how blue a bird can be.

20

Rainbow and Wilson’s Phalaropes

By Mia McPherson|2022-08-23T04:35:06-05:00December 31st, 2011|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Wilson's Phalaropes|Tags: adult, flight, flying, nature, phalarope, phalaropes, Phalaropus tricolor, rainbow, shorebirds, storms, wetlands, wildlife, Wilson's Phalarope|

As 2011 comes to a close and 2012 is just hours away , I wanted to do one more blog post for the year.

16

Newborn Pronghorn Fawn

By Mia McPherson|2024-03-29T16:00:30-05:00June 19th, 2011|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Pronghorn, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: american, animals, antelope, baby, blur, cute, fawn, low light, nature, newborn, photography, Pronghorn, spring, umbilical cord, valley, wildlife, wobbly, young|

Seeing this newborn Pronghorn is one of those experiences that I will never forget. I already think that Pronghorn young are the cutest furry baby mammals on the planet.

3

Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge – Rockin’ Weather

By Mia McPherson|2021-06-23T08:35:16-05:00June 19th, 2011|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: "Fine Art", blue skies, camping, Centennial Mountains, gale force winds, grasses, landscapes, lightning, Lower Lake, marshes, nature, photography, rainbows, scenery, spring weather, stormy skies, sunshine, thunder, weather, western skies|

While at the refuge it rained, it hailed, there was thunder, lighting and at times even gale force winds but the biggest weather surprise after leaving the refuge was seeing snow falling lightly near Lima, MT... in June.

4

Montana Short-eared Owls

By Mia McPherson|2016-12-07T12:14:41-06:00June 12th, 2011|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, flight, male, nature, owl, owls, prey, Short-eared Owl|

I will soon be on the road back to Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in southern Montana, another one of my favorite locations on this planet.

1

Short-eared Owl in a fog

By Mia McPherson|2021-09-13T03:24:50-05:00December 12th, 2010|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, bird ID, birds of prey, female, foggy, low light, owl, owls, perched, Short-eared Owl|

I hope to find some Short-eared Owls this winter in Utah, I think that some snow would make for a lovely setting for these delightful & enchanting birds.

1

Short-eared Owl female – 13 minutes of joy

By Mia McPherson|2021-09-13T03:27:17-05:00November 12th, 2010|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, female, fog, foggy, owl, owls, perched, Short-eared Owl, valley, wooden post|

A foggy morning at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge brought me 13 minutes of joy after spotting a shape on the gravel road, it was a female Short-eared Owl and she flew up and landed on a post not too far from the road.

6

I’ve added a new favorite location

By Mia McPherson|2022-06-11T06:48:51-05:00September 21st, 2010|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Locations, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: birds, Montana, Red Rock Lakes NWR|

You can find my information and photos of Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge here

Comments Off

A Matter Of Taste?

By Mia McPherson|2023-09-29T03:14:38-05:00September 20th, 2010|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Critique Forums, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: a matter of taste, adult, Asio flammeus, bird photography, birds, Buteo swainsoni, critique forum, female, hawk, hawks, low light, Montana, owl, owls, Short-eared Owl, summer, valley|

I got excited while I was on the refuge when I spotted a female Short-eared Owl that flew up from the gravel road and landed on a fence post in a heavy, swirling fog.

Comments Off