Salt Lake County – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Canada Geese On A Snowy Day

By Mia McPherson|2022-11-13T04:48:12-06:00November 13th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, Branta canadensis, Canada Geese, cloudy, geese, goose, low light, pond, snow, snowy, urban, water, waterfowl, winter|

After the hottest summer on record here in the Salt Lake Valley, I am looking forward to photographing Canada Geese on snowy days close to home.

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My First Of Season Common Goldeneye

By Mia McPherson|2023-10-01T03:02:00-05:00November 12th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: autumn, Bear River, Bucephala clangula, Common Goldeneye, diving ducks, drake, duck, ducks, fall, first of season, lifting off, male, pond, preening, river, taking off, urban, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

I found my first of season Common Goldeneye near a stand of rushes while walking around a local pond after a light skiff of snow had fallen overnight.

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Golden Cottonwood Leaf On Fresh Snow

By Mia McPherson|2022-11-11T03:46:49-06:00November 11th, 2022|Categories: Eastern Cottonwood, Salt Lake County, Trees, Utah|Tags: autumn, Cottonwood, cottonwoods, Eastern Cottonwood, fall, fresh, golden, ground, Jordan River, Jordan River Parkway Trail, Jordan River Trail, leaf, leaves, native, Populus deltoides, skiff, snow, tree, tress, urban|

Yesterday morning I had planned on walking along the Jordan River after the sun came up and when I saw that there was fresh snow on the ground I was even more excited.

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Hen Canvasback Preening Her Belly

By Mia McPherson|2022-11-09T04:21:20-06:00November 9th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Canvasbacks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, Aythya valisineria, belly, Canvasback, diving ducks, duck, ducks, feathers, female, hen, pond, preening, urban, water, winter|

I took this photo of a hen Canvasback preening her belly feathers at my local pond back in January of 2021 and thought I would share it this morning.

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Redhead Ducks At My Local Pond

By Mia McPherson|2022-11-07T05:09:32-06:00November 7th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Redheads, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, Aythya americana, drake, duck, ducks, female, flapping, hen, male, pond, Redhead, shadowed, urban, urban birds, water, waterfowl, wings, winter|

Yesterday morning I took a brief walk at my local pond and was thrilled to see a small flock of Redhead ducks resting together on the surface of the pond.

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Autumn California Quail Covey

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-31T04:08:20-05:00October 31st, 2022|Categories: Birds, California Quails, Jordan River Parkway Trail, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, California Quail, Callipepla californica, covey, fall, female, leaf, leaves, male, quail, quails, Salt Lake County, upland game birds, urban, Utah|

While walking along the Jordan River yesterday, I came upon a covey of about 25 California Quail. I was able to get close enough to photograph a few of them.

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Jordan River Mallard Drake

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-20T05:23:23-05:00October 20th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Mallards, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, Anas platyrhynchos, autumn, drake, duck, ducks, fall, Jordan River, Jordan River Parkway Trail, Jordan River Trail, low light, male, Mallard, river, urban, water, waterfowl|

I took this low light Mallard drake photo yesterday while I walked along the Jordan River in the chill of the early morning.

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Cottonwood Tree On The Jordan River Trail

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-14T05:55:49-05:00October 12th, 2022|Categories: Fremont Cottonwood, Jordan River Parkway Trail, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: autumn, bark, Cottonwood, cottonwoods, fall, Fremont Cottonwood, leaf, leaves, native, Populus fremontii, tactile, touch, tree, tree trunk, trees, trunk|

Being a tactile person, I appreciated getting close to and touching a cottonwood tree on the bank of the Jordan River on my walk last Sunday.

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Male Spotted Towhee – Urban Birds

By Mia McPherson|2022-10-11T16:40:29-05:00October 10th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Jordan River Parkway Trail, Salt Lake County, Spotted Towhees, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, branches, Crataegus rivularis, fall, hawthorn, hawthorns, male, Pipilo maculatus, sky, sparrow, sparrows, Spotted Towhee, towhee, towhees, tree, urban, urban birds|

Today I'm sharing a photo of a male Spotted Towhee that I captured yesterday while walking along the Jordan River in Salt Lake County early in the morning.

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Juvenile Green-tailed and Spotted Towhee Side By Side

By Mia McPherson|2022-07-10T05:21:54-05:00July 10th, 2022|Categories: Bird ID, Birds, Green-tailed Towhees, Morgan County, Salt Lake County, Spotted Towhees, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, canyon, chick, comparison, fence post, fledgling, Green-tailed Towhee, immature, Jordan River, juvenile, lichens, low light, male, mountains, perched, Pipilo chlorurus, Pipilo maculatus, riparian habitat, river, snow, sparrow, sparrows, Spotted Towhee, spring, summer, towhee, towhees, urban, willows, winter, wooden post, young|

Until two days ago I had never gotten photos of a juvenile Green-tailed and young Spotted Towhee in the same frame so I was thrilled when I saw them fly in.

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Spring Canada Goose Portrait

By Mia McPherson|2022-04-16T05:02:33-05:00April 16th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, Branta canadensis, Canada Goose, close up, geese, goose, leash law, park, portrait, resting, spring, urban, waterfowl|

I took this Canada Goose portrait last week at my local pond before the weather decided to turn to crap and go from spring to winter and back to spring.

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Bass Weathervane – Non-Birdy Things That Catch My Eyes

By Mia McPherson|2022-04-18T03:22:40-05:00April 15th, 2022|Categories: Miscellaneous, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: Bass, east, metal, north, sky, south, spring, Weathervane, west|

Sometimes when I am in the field photographing birds other things catch my eyes that I want to take images of. This Bass weathervane is one of those things.

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American White Pelican In Low Light

By Mia McPherson|2022-04-10T05:22:43-05:00April 10th, 2022|Categories: American White Pelicans, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American White Pelican, breeding plumage, caruncle, drought-tolerant plants, Great Salt Lake, Gunnison Island, horn, lake level, native, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, pelican, pelicans, pond, spring, standing, urban, water, xeriscaping|

I am enjoying seeing the birds that have returned to breed in Utah including this American White Pelican I photographed in low light two days ago at a local pond.

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Spring Male Great-tailed Grackle Portraits

By Mia McPherson|2022-04-09T05:35:55-05:00April 9th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Great-tailed Grackles, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, Bill-Up, blackbird, blackbirds, breeding season, close up, display, displaying, grackle, grackles, Great-tailed Grackle, Head-Up, male, park, portrait, Quiscalus mexicanus, Ruff-Out, Salt Lake County, spring, urban, Utah|

Yesterday morning I had fun taking spring male Great-tailed Grackle portraits because these males were displaying and not paying attention to me or my camera.

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Spring American Robin Photos

By Mia McPherson|2023-01-28T06:32:29-06:00April 5th, 2022|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Robin, back view, crabapple, curb, grass, grasses, greenspace, robin, robins, Salt Lake County, spring, standing, thrush, thrushes, Turdus migratorius, urban, Utah, walking|

Yesterday morning I spent a few minutes taking American Robin photos as they foraged for crabapples at an urban park close to home in Salt Lake City.

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American White Pelican In Bright Morning Light

By Mia McPherson|2022-03-22T05:01:38-05:00March 22nd, 2022|Categories: American White Pelicans, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American White Pelican, breeding plumage, bright, caruncle, horn, morning light, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, pelican, pelicans, pond, reflection, urban, water, winter|

I have a lot going on right now so this morning I'm only sharing one image of an adult American White Pelican in bright morning light taken five days ago.

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Urban California Gull In Soft Morning Light

By Mia McPherson|2024-01-13T05:35:02-06:00March 21st, 2022|Categories: Birds, California Gulls, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, breeding plumage, California Gull, gull, gulls, Larus californicus, morning light, park, perched, pond, railing, soft, urban, water, winter|

Last week I spent a few minutes focused on photographing an urban California Gull in soft morning light at a pond close to home.

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World Sparrow Day 2022

By Mia McPherson|2023-11-06T03:43:33-06:00March 20th, 2022|Categories: American Tree Sparrows, Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Brewer's Sparrows, Chipping Sparrows, Daggett County, Dark-eyed Juncos, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Green-tailed Towhees, Harris's Sparrow, House Sparrows, Lark Buntings, Lark Sparrows, Lincoln's Sparrows, Morgan County, Sagebrush Sparrows, Salt Lake County, Savannah Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, Stansbury Mountains, Summit County, Tooele County, Utah, Vesper Sparrows, Wasatch Mountains, White-crowned Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows|Tags: adult, American Tree Sparrow, Artemisiospiza nevadensis, Brewer's Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Chondestes grammacus, Dark-eyed Junco, Green-tailed Towhee, House Sparrow, Junco hyemalis, Lark Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii, Melospiza melodia, Passer domesticus, Passerculus sandwichensis, Pipilo chlorurus, Pipilo maculatus, Poocetes gramineus, Sagebrush Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Song Sparrow, sparrow, sparrows, Spizella breweri, Spizella passerina, Spizelloides arborea, Spotted Towhee, Vesper Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, World Sparrow Day, Zonotrichia albicollis, Zonotrichia leucophrys|

Today is World Sparrow Day and since I love all of the sparrows on the planet I thought I'd share some of the sparrows I have photographed in North America.

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Late Winter Song Sparrow Close To Home

By Mia McPherson|2022-03-19T05:45:21-05:00March 19th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Salt Lake County, Song Sparrows, Utah|Tags: adult, Melospiza melodia, park, perched, recording, rushes, sing, song, Song Sparrow, sparrow, sparrows, urban, winter|

When I photographed this Song Sparrow close to home two days ago it perched out in the open for almost a minute on the cool, late winter morning.

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Male Great-tailed Grackle – Whatchu Lookin’ At?

By Mia McPherson|2022-03-18T05:23:00-05:00March 18th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Great-tailed Grackles, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, blackbird, blackbirds, breeding season, close up, displaying, grackle, grackles, Great-tailed Grackle, male, park, pine, portrait, Quiscalus mexicanus, sky, tree, urban, winter|

When I photographed this Great-tailed Grackle male in a pine yesterday I was torn between focusing on taking photos of him and laughing out loud.

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An American White Pelican In Soft Morning Light

By Mia McPherson|2023-10-04T05:49:00-05:00March 17th, 2022|Categories: American White Pelicans, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American White Pelican, morning light, park, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, pelican, pelicans, pond, preening, soft, urban, water, winter|

Two mornings ago I photographed my first American White Pelican of the year in soft morning light at an urban park close to home.

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It Is Great-tailed Grackle Breeding Season

By Mia McPherson|2022-03-27T03:29:24-05:00March 16th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Great-tailed Grackles, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, bath, blackbird, blackbirds, breeding display, breeding season, close up, courtship display, displaying, female, grackle, grackles, Great-tailed Grackle, male, park, portrait, Quiscalus mexicanus, resting, rushes, Salt Lake County, urban, Utah, wet, winter|

I had a fun time at my local pond yesterday because it is Great-tailed Grackle breeding season and photographing these grackles kept me on my toes.

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Drake Common Goldeneye Close Up Photos

By Mia McPherson|2022-02-01T05:24:40-06:00February 1st, 2022|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, Bucephala clangula, close up, Common Goldeneye, diving ducks, drake, duck, ducks, goldeneye, goldeneyes, head on, male, pond, shaking, urban, water, waterfowl, winter|

Last week while going through photos I had taken last year I came across three drake Common Goldeneye close up photos that I wanted to share.

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White Feather Floating On A Pond

By Mia McPherson|2022-01-27T05:03:02-06:00January 27th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Miscellaneous, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: downy, feather, floating, fluffy, pond, pure, snow, truth, urban, water, white, winter|

A few days ago I came across this image of a snow white feather floating on a pond when I went down a rabbit hole into my photo archives.

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Pied-billed Grebe Going Into Breeding Plumage

By Mia McPherson|2022-01-26T05:25:58-06:00January 26th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Pied-billed Grebes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, band, bill, breeding plumage, Definitive Alternate Plumage, Definitive Basic Plumage, eye ring, grebe, grebes, Pied-billed Grebe, Podilymbus podiceps, pond, throat, urban, water, waterbirds, winter|

When I was down at my local pond a few days ago I noticed a Pied-billed Grebe that is going into breeding or Definitive Alternate Plumage.

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Bathing Canvasback Hen And The Story Behind The Images

By Mia McPherson|2023-12-20T03:40:45-06:00January 25th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Canvasbacks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, April Olson, Aythya valisineria, bathing, Canvasback, diving ducks, duck, ducks, feathers, female, hen, pond, reflections, rehab, rehabilitated, release, Salt Lake County, shaking, urban, Utah, water, water droplets, Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah, winter, WRCNU|

When I photographed this bathing Canvasback hen three days ago at a pond close to home I was really happy to see her doing well and doing what ducks do.

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First Winter Common Goldeneye Drake Images

By Mia McPherson|2022-02-01T05:17:05-06:00January 24th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: 1st winter, bill, breakfast, Bucephala clangula, catch light, Common Goldeneye, crawdad, crayfish, diving ducks, drake, duck, eating, first winter, goldeneye, goldeneyes, immature, male, paddling, pond, prey, Salt Lake County, swallowing, swimming, urban, Utah, water, winter, young|

Two days ago I spent a lot of time focused on a first winter Common Goldeneye drake as he swam, foraged, and ate at an urban pond close to home.

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Misty American Coot

By Mia McPherson|2022-01-23T06:30:12-06:00January 23rd, 2022|Categories: American Coots, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Coot, coot, coots, fog, Fulica americana, mist, misty, morning, pond, steam fog, urban, water, winter|

Yesterday morning I photographed birds at my local pond in freezing temps and this American Coot in a morning mist was one of my favorite images that I took.

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Three California Gull Photos

By Mia McPherson|2022-01-28T02:47:56-06:00January 19th, 2022|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, California Gulls, Davis County, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, breeding plumage, California Gull, close up, Definitive Alternate Plumage, desert island, Erodium cicutarium, gape, grass, grasses, gull, gulls, Larus californicus, near breeding plumage, orbital ring, portrait, Redstem Filaree, resting, urban, wildflowers, winter|

While taking a short break yesterday morning I went down to my local pond for a few minutes and took a few California Gull photos while I was there.

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Canada Goose In Flight – My First Bird Sighting Of 2022

By Mia McPherson|2022-01-02T05:20:56-06:00January 2nd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, Branta canadensis, Canada Goose, close up, eye, flight, flying, geese, goose, landing, mountains, portrait, skimming, small in frame, snow, snowy, staring, tree, urban, Wasatch Mountains, water, waterfowl, winter|

The first bird that I could positively identify seeing for 2022 was a Canada Goose flying away from my local pond yesterday morning.

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