
My Story Timeline
I write about the true stories behind my images and share them on my site. One day, I might write about birds; the next, about an insect; and the following day, I might focus on a specific location. Each of these stories revolves around nature, my connection to it, or my concerns about preserving our natural world. This journal primarily serves as a collection of factual accounts from my journeys in the field.
While my primary passion is for birds, since everything in nature is interconnected, I photograph everything and write about it all. My life has always been intertwined with nature, and I hope it always will be.
Best wishes,
Mia
Quiet Morning Spent with the Birds of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
I headed up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge yesterday morning and I am very glad I did because of the wonderful birds I saw.
White-lined Sphinx Moths for National Moth Week
Yesterday was the first day of National Moth Week 2015 and the featured family of moths for this year are from the Sphingidae family which are commonly know as hawk moths, sphinx moths and hornworms.
Immature Sandwich Tern In Flight
I processed an older image of a juvenile Sandwich Tern in flight from my Florida archives to post this morning.
Juvenile Loggerhead Shrike on a Tintic Quartzite Boulder
Antelope Island State Park is full of juvenile Loggerhead Shrikes right now so it looks like the shrikes had a very successful nesting season.
Sky Line Drive and Wasatch Mountain Journeys
I might need to go wandering up the canyons and Sky Line Drive soon just to see what birds and creatures I can find.
Bald Eagle On Ice
I photographed this adult Bald Eagle as it perched on ice covering the Great Salt Lake in early morning light in January 2012.
Juvenile Burrowing Owls Do Change Their Spots
Leopards don't change their spots but juvenile Burrowing Owls do change their spots on their chests as they mature.
Antelope Island is becoming Spiderific!
Antelope Island State Park's Spider Festival is just a few weeks away and the spiders and their webs are already making an appearance.
The Earth Laughs In Flowers
During the wildflower season is it easy to see why Emerson said that the earth laughs in flowers.
Burrowing Owls And American Robins – Nearly The Same Size But Two Very Different Birds
Burrowing Owls and American Robins are about the same size but they are two very different species of birds.
Male Yellow Warbler and Aspens in the Uinta National Forest
Yellow Warblers are so bright it is not hard to see them as they flit around gleaning insects from the trees in the Uinta National Forest.
Young Sage Thrasher Hiding In Sage
There are loads of young Sage Thrashers on Antelope Island at the moment so it seems their first broods were fairly successful.
Adult Lark Sparrow with Prey
Lark Sparrows are the easiest sparrows to identify that inhabit Antelope Island State Park with their bold facial patterns and white edged tails.
Tree Swallow Defending Its Nest Photo In Memory Of A Great Friend
I'm posting this Tree Swallow image that was taken at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge in memory of a great friend, Rohn McKee.
Burrowing Owl Juvenile Taking A Dive
When I looked at this Burrowing Owl image on my monitor I had to chuckle because in a strange way it reminded me of myself when I first dove off of a 10 meter platform and how my toes were the last to let go.
Long-billed Curlew With Its Head All Twisted Around
Owls are well known for being able to turn their heads 270 degrees, Long-billed Curlews aren't.
Pair of Swainson’s Hawks in Beaverhead County, Montana
I am itching to get back out in the field with Swainson's Hawks partly because they are handsome raptors and partly because by now there might be some young that have fledged.
Shades of Blue and a Willet Too
As we go into a holiday weekend filled with loud noises and flashes of fireworks I wanted to share something more peaceful, a simple image of a Willet walking on the shore of the Gulf of Mexico.
Use of Decoys for Colonial-nesting Seabirds and the Need for Protected Nesting Areas
On an extremely hot April day I was out on Egmont Key for a Florida Master Naturalist class and from a distance I thought I saw some Black Skimmers and Least Terns resting on a beach but they turned out to be decoys.
Bundle of Western Burrowing Owls
I thought I would share some images I have taken of Western Burrowing Owls that I took over several days spent with them in Box Elder County, Utah.
Swainson’s Hawk in Box Elder County
I am always happy to photograph Swainson's Hawks no matter where I find them so I was pleased to find this one perched on a lichen covered rock yesterday in Box Elder County, Utah.
Trio Of Brown Birds from Antelope Island
The heat of summer has turned the green grasses brown on Antelope Island State Park so I thought I'd share some of the "brown birds" I photographed there yesterday.
A Snowy View of Antelope Island State Park’s Mountains to Cool Off on a Hot June Day
I am going to brave the heat today and head to Antelope Island State Park to see if there are any birds around that aren't hiding in the shade or panting with their bills open.
American Robin near Modoc Creek, Idaho
In early May I found this American Robin perched near Modoc Creek, Idaho and I liked the simplicity of of the background and the robin's pose.
Spotted Sandpiper in the Targhee National Forest
These Spotted Sandpiper images are from my last trip to Idaho and were taken near a creek in the Targhee National Forest.
More Fun with Burrowing Owls and the Dangers of Barbed Wire
I spent yesterday morning photographing Burrowing Owls in northern Utah again and while most of it was fun there was something I found that broke my heart.
Snowy Egret in breeding plumage at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
Mornings this time of the year at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge are cool, delightful and early on the subjects can appear to glow from the soft light like this Snowy Egret.
Morning Spent At A Burrowing Owl Burrow
Last week I posted an image of Burrowing Owl siblings that I found in northern Utah and today I am posting images of that burrow after spending yesterday morning being delighted by them once more.
Pronghorn Fawns Cause Me Cuteness Overload
I can't resist Pronghorn fawns, well maybe I can, but I don't want to and won't! I saw three fawns close together yesterday on Antelope Island State Park and they put me into cuteness overload.
Happy Father’s Day 2015
To all the wonderful, deserving Dad's out there I'd like to wish you a Happy Father's Day!