Wasatch Mountains – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Male Belted Kingfisher With His Catch Of The Day

By Mia McPherson|2021-05-16T05:15:36-05:00May 16th, 2021|Categories: Belted Kingfishers, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, Belted Kingfisher, bill, branch, canyon, catch, catch of the day, creek, fingerling, fish, kingfisher, kingfishers, male, Megaceryle alcyon, mountains, prey, swallowing, trout|

Three days ago I watched as a male Belted Kingfisher caught a small fish, landed on a branch and swallowed his catch of the day high in the Wasatch Mountains.

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Bluebells, Currants, Warblers And A Duck

By Mia McPherson|2021-05-15T05:59:28-05:00May 15th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Mallards, Morgan County, Shrubs, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildflowers, Yellow Warblers|Tags: adult, alpine, Anas platyrhynchos, bath, bathing, beaver damage, bloom, blooming, blossoms, blue wildflowers, branch, branches, canyon, creek, creekside, currant, currants, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, female, flowering, flowers, fork, Golden Currant, male, Mallard, mallards, Mertensia ciliata, Mountain Bluebells, mountains, perched, pink wildflowers, purple wildflowers, Ribes aureum, riparian zone, Setophaga petechia, shrub, singing, spring, stump, tapestry, warbler, warblers, water, water droplets, wildflowers, Yellow Warbler, yellow wildflowers|

I spent my morning up in the Wasatch Mountains yesterday and came home with photos of bluebells, currants, warblers, and a duck.

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Spring Green-tailed Towhee Photo

By Mia McPherson|2022-07-10T08:21:12-05:00May 14th, 2021|Categories: Green-tailed Towhees, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, canyon, Green-tailed Towhee, mew call, mountains, perched, Pipilo chlorurus, raised crown, sparrow, sparrows, towhee, towhees|

Two days ago I was able to take my first of season Green-tailed Towhee photos in Morgan County high in the Wasatch Mountains.

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Springtime Vesper Sparrow Images

By Mia McPherson|2023-03-07T10:34:39-06:00May 13th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Summit County, Utah, Vesper Sparrows, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, back view, canyon, close up, grass, grasses, leaning, metal post, mountains, perched, Poocetes gramineus, post, rock, sage, sagebrush, shoulder, singing, sparrow, sparrows, spring, Summit County, Utah, Vesper Sparrow, Wasatch Mountains|

Yesterday morning I heard my first Vesper Sparrow of spring singing high in the Wasatch Mountains. I was enchanted and thrilled at the same time.

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Coyote Stalking Adult Sandhill Cranes

By Mia McPherson|2021-05-12T05:52:46-05:00May 12th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Coyotes, Sandhill Cranes, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, Antigone canadensis, Canis latrans, canyon, Coyote, coyotes, crane, cranes, flight, flying, grasses, lifted off, mountains, sagebrush, Sandhill Cranes, stalking, took flight, walking, willows|

Yesterday morning while up in the Wasatch Mountains I heard Sandhill Cranes calling repeatedly and when I spotted them I also found a Coyote near the cranes.

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It’s Time For Hummingbird Photography

By Mia McPherson|2021-05-11T05:43:48-05:00May 11th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, branch, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, canyon, favorite perch, hummingbird, hummingbirds, male, mountains, perched, Selasphorus platycercus, stretching, wings|

The wildflowers and flowering shrubs are beginning to bloom in the mountains and canyons and for me that means it's time for hummingbird photography.

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Male Belted Kingfisher And Pussy Willows

By Mia McPherson|2021-05-10T05:38:23-05:00May 10th, 2021|Categories: Belted Kingfishers, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, alert, background, Belted Kingfisher, branch, canyon, catkins, creek, kingfisher, kingfishers, male, Megaceryle alcyon, mountains, perched, pussy willows, spring, well weathered, willows|

Saturday morning I was delighted when a male Belted Kingfisher flew in and perched in front of pussy willow catkins high in the Wasatch Mountains.

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Spring Yellow Warbler Joy

By Mia McPherson|2021-05-09T06:13:43-05:00May 9th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow Warblers|Tags: adult, branch, canyon, male, mountains, perched, Setophaga petechia, spring, warbler, warblers, willow, willows, wood-warblers, Yellow Warbler|

I took my first of year Yellow Warbler photos in the Wasatch Mountains when I drove up into the mountains on Friday morning.

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My First Of Season Spotted Sandpiper Photos

By Mia McPherson|2021-05-08T05:16:27-05:00May 8th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Spotted Sandpipers, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: Actitis macularia, adult, breeding plumage, calling, canyon, creek, Definitive Alternate Plumage, Definitive Basic Plumage, mountains, nonbreeding plumage, perched, sandpiper, sandpipers, shorebirds, Spotted Sandpiper, spring, stump, water|

I took my first of season Spotted Sandpiper photos yesterday morning high in the Wasatch Mountains as I sat in my Jeep next to a creek.

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Six Years Of Daily Posts At On The Wing Photography

By Mia McPherson|2023-05-01T05:23:47-05:00May 2nd, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, East Canyon, Milestone, Morgan County, Mountain Plovers, Nashville Warblers, Utah, Vesper Sparrows, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: berries, branch, Charadrius montanus, Crataegus rivularis, fruit, hawthorn, hawthorns, Leiothlypis ruficapilla, mentoring, milestone, Mountain Plover, Nashville Warbler, plover, plovers, Poocetes gramineus, River Hawthorn, shorebirds, sparrow, sparrows, Vesper Sparrow, warbler, warblers|

Today I am celebrating six years of daily posts without missing a day here at On The Wing Photography. That is two thousand one hundred and ninety-two days of nonstop publication.

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My First Of Year Uinta Ground Squirrels

By Mia McPherson|2021-04-30T10:18:41-05:00April 30th, 2021|Categories: Summit County, Uinta Ground Squirrels, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, canyon, frost, frosted, frosty, grass, grasses, ground squirrel, ground squirrels, morning, mountains, side by side, spring, squirrel, squirrels, standing, Uinta Ground Squirrel, Urocitellus armatus|

Yesterday I spent some time up in the Wasatch Mountains where I found and photographed my first of year Uinta Ground Squirrels with frost on the ground.

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Perky Adult Gray Catbird In The Wasatch Mountains

By Mia McPherson|2021-04-27T05:48:54-05:00April 27th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Gray Catbirds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, canyon, catbird, catbirds, Dumetella carolinensis, fence post, Gray Catbird, mimids, mountains, perky, spring, Wasatch Mountains, wooden post|

The month of May is nearly upon us and for me that means it is time to start looking and listening for my first of year Gray Catbird.

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It’s Time To Look For Uinta Ground Squirrels

By Mia McPherson|2021-04-18T14:08:31-05:00April 18th, 2021|Categories: Summit County, Uinta Ground Squirrels, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, canyons, golden light, ground squirrel, ground squirrels, mountains, spring, squirrel, squirrels, Uinta Ground Squirrel, Urocitellus armatus, Wasatch Mountains|

This is the time of the year when I look forward to taking my first of the season Uinta Ground Squirrel photos high in the Wasatch Mountains.

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Dreaming Of Wildflowers

By Mia McPherson|2022-05-27T06:26:11-05:00March 30th, 2021|Categories: Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildflowers|Tags: Bearberry honeysuckle, Black Twin Berry, Black twinberry honeysuckle, blue wildflowers, Bluebells, flora, Lewis flax, Lewis's flax, Linum lewisii, Lonicera involucrata, Mertensia ciliata, Mountain Bluebells, Prairie Flax, shade, shrub, spring, Twinberry honeysuckle, Wild Blue Flax, wildflower, wildflowers, wildlflowers|

My dreams were filled with blooming wildflowers and me taking photos of them in the field so it seemed appropriate to share a few wildflower photos this morning.

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Adult Male Yellow Warbler Photo

By Mia McPherson|2021-03-24T05:30:54-05:00March 24th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow Warblers|Tags: adult, canyon, male, mountains, perched, Setophaga petechia, summer, warbler, warblers, Wasatch Mountains, willow, wood-warblers, Yellow Warbler|

This adult male Yellow Warbler photo taken in the Wasatch Mountains a few years ago reminds me that any day now I could see and hear these bright yellow birds.

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Late Winter American Robin Photos

By Mia McPherson|2024-03-10T13:14:59-05:00March 20th, 2021|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Morgan County, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, American Robin, barren, hawthorn, horse pasture, robin, robins, thrush, thrushes, Turdus migratorius, Wasatch Mountains, winter|

I took a few American Robin photos yesterday morning high in the Wasatch Mountains in two counties and two very different settings.

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Immature Bald Eagle In The Wasatch Mountains

By Mia McPherson|2021-03-08T06:02:58-06:00March 8th, 2021|Categories: Bald Eagles, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: Bald Eagle, birds of prey, eagle, eagles, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, immature, mountains, perched, raptors, second winter, snow, subadult, tree, Weber River|

When I spotted this immature Bald Eagle high in the Wasatch Mountains three days ago I hoped at some point to get photos of it in flight.

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American Tree Sparrow In The Wasatch Mountains

By Mia McPherson|2022-04-27T07:41:40-05:00March 6th, 2021|Categories: American Tree Sparrows, Bird ID, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, American Tree Sparrow, bird ID, identifcation, key identification features, mountains, road, roadside, snow, sparrow, sparrows, Spizelloides arborea, Summit County, tree sparrow, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, winter|

Yesterday I was thrilled to spot and photograph an adult American Tree Sparrow high in the Wasatch Mountains.

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Thinking Of Summer Birds On A Dreary Winter Day

By Mia McPherson|2021-02-12T06:57:39-06:00February 12th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, branch, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, canyon, Chokecherry, cloudy, hummingbird, hummingbirds, male, mountains, Prunus virginiana, Selasphorus platycercus, summer, summer birds, weather forecast, winter day|

When the weather forecast looks as dreary as this screenshot shows I find myself day-dreaming about summer birds, warmer days, and cloudless skies.

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National Squirrel Appreciation Day

By Mia McPherson|2023-04-11T05:16:42-05:00January 21st, 2021|Categories: American Red Squirrels, Eastern Gray Squirrels, Florida, Glacier County, Juab County, Montana, Morgan County, Pinellas County, Richardson's Ground Squirrels, Rock Squirrels, Sawgrass Lake Park, Summit County, Uinta Ground Squirrels, Utah, Virginia, Wasatch Mountains, West Desert, White-tailed Antelope Squirrels|Tags: American Red Squirrel, Eastern Gray Squirrel, flying squirrels, ground squirrel, ground squirrels, National Squirrel Appreciation Day, Richardson's Ground Squirrels, Rock Squirrel, squirrel, squirrels, Uinta Ground Squirrel, White-tailed Antelope Squirrel|

January 21st is National Squirrel Appreciation Day and it recognizes these creatures that some people consider pests while others find them fascinating.

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2020 Photographic Year In Review

By Mia McPherson|2024-04-04T16:03:29-05:00December 31st, 2020|Categories: Bald Eagles, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Bushtits, Common Loons, Cooper’s Hawks, Desert Tarantulas, Eastern Kingbirds, Elk, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Ferruginous Hawks, Golden Eagles, Gray Catbirds, Great Blue Herons, Green Herons, Green-tailed Towhees, Merlins, Mountain Bluebirds, Nashville Warblers, Northern Harriers, Pine Siskins, Red Foxes, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Red-tailed Hawks, Ring-billed Gulls, Rusty Blackbirds, Short-eared Owls, Townsend's Solitaires, Uinta Ground Squirrels, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, West Desert, Wild Turkeys, Wildflowers, Yellow Warblers|Tags: 5.7 earthquake, blackbirds, bluebirds, catbirds, coronavirus, eagles, Elk, fox, ground squirrels, gulls, harriers, hawks, herons, hummingbirds, kingbirds, loons, Merlin, owls, rare birds, red tailed hawks, siskins, tarantula, towhees, turkeys, uncommon, wablers, year in review|

This is my 2020 photographic year in review. I'm selecting some of my favorite photos from 2020 and a few that just make me happy to see them.

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Happy Holidays 2020

By Mia McPherson|2020-12-24T07:12:39-06:00December 24th, 2020|Categories: Salt Lake County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: clouds, cloudy, holidays, mountains, peak, peaks, snowy, trees, Wasatch Mountains|

If you can't be with friends, family or loved ones this year because of the pandemic I hope that you will be able to talk to them and wish them Happy Holidays on the phone or via video chat.

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Spring And Summer With A Belted Kingfisher Family

By Mia McPherson|2021-05-10T04:32:52-05:00December 23rd, 2020|Categories: Belted Kingfishers, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: Actitis macularia, adult, Barn Swallow, Belted Kingfisher, bill defect, canyon, chick, creek, defensive, defensive behavior, defensive posture, female, fish, kingfisher, kingfishers, male, Megaceryle alcyon, mountains, perch, perched, prey, shaking, Spotted Sandpiper, stream, Summit County, swallow, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, wildflowers|

I was totally unaware on that April morning that I would be photographing a Belted Kingfisher family for several months.

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Colors Of Nature – Juvenile Yellow Warblers

By Mia McPherson|2023-03-26T06:50:40-05:00December 19th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Morgan County, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow Warblers|Tags: begging, Blue Elderberry, calling, canyon, colors of nature, gray, Illuminating, juvenile, mountains, Pantone 2021 Colors, Sambucus cerulea, Setophaga petechia, Ultimate Gray, warbler, warblers, willow, willows, yellow, Yellow Warbler, young|

It tickles me that Pantone® picked these colors this year and once again I am reminded how the colors we see in nature brighten and add inspiration to our lives.

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Wild Utah Mink Tests Positive For Coronavirus

By Mia McPherson|2023-10-02T16:46:36-05:00December 15th, 2020|Categories: American Badgers, American Mink, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Long-tailed Weasels, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: 2020, adult, American Badger, American Mink, badger, badgers, burrow, coronavirus, Covid-19, creek, fog, grasses, Long-tailed Weasel, mammals, marsh, mink, minks, Mustela frenata, mustelid, mustelids, Neovison vison, one-eared, rocks, shore, shoreline, standing, Taxidea taxus, vegetation, water, weasel, weasels, winter coat|

I'm concerned for our wild American Mink and have begun to wonder of the coronavirus could be passed to the other native mustelids here in Utah.

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Snowy Wasatch Mountain Peak And Sunlight

By Mia McPherson|2024-02-15T15:44:15-06:00November 30th, 2020|Categories: Salt Lake County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: blue heron, clouds, evergreen, mountain view, mountains, peak, peaks, sky, snow, snow covered, snowy, sun lit, sunlight, Wasatch Mountain Range, wasattsi, winter|

There are days I spend as much time looking at the scenery as I do photographing birds because I think we live on an amazingly beautiful planet.

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Adult Male Belted Kingfisher Close Up With Prey

By Mia McPherson|2021-05-10T04:26:12-05:00November 15th, 2020|Categories: Belted Kingfishers, Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, Belted Kingfisher, canyon, close up, fiish, food, kingfisher, kingfishers, male, Megaceryle alcyon, mountains, portrait, prey, trout|

I was looking through images I had taken this summer and decided to share a close up of a male Belted Kingfisher with prey that I photographed in the Wasatch Mountains this summer.

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I Am Never NOT Looking For Birds

By Mia McPherson|2024-03-16T13:31:50-05:00October 24th, 2020|Categories: American Crows, Birds, Cooper’s Hawks, Morgan County, Salt Lake County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: accipiter, Accipiter cooperii, Accipiters, American Crow, birds of prey, canyon, close up, Cooper’s Hawk, corvid, corvids, Corvus brachyrhynchos, crow, crows, fence rail, frost, grocery store, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, ice, immature, marsh, mountains, parking lot, pine, pine tree, portrait, railing, raptors, walking, winter, wooden fence, young|

It does not matter where I am or what I am doing, I am never not looking for birds.

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Least Chipmunk Grooming Session

By Mia McPherson|2021-07-13T13:07:24-05:00October 23rd, 2020|Categories: East Canyon, Least Chipmunks, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildlife|Tags: adult, canyon, chipmunk, chipmunks, fence post, grooming, hillside, Least Chipmunk, lichen, licking, mammals, mountains, Neotamias minimus, paws, shaking, tongue, Utah, wooden post|

These five images of a Least Chipmunk grooming session are some of the last photos of chipmunks I took high in the Wasatch Mountains in 2020.

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September Warbling Vireo

By Mia McPherson|2021-05-18T16:13:33-05:00October 13th, 2020|Categories: Birds, East Canyon, Morgan County, Utah, Warbling Vireos, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: call, canyon, creek, habitat, listening, mountains, riparian, song, vireo, Vireo gilvus, vireos, Warbling Vireo, willow, willows|

This Warbling Vireo wasn't the last vireo I saw before they migrated but it was the last one where I was able to take photos of this species out in the open this year.

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