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
How House Finches moved East
House Finches are fairly common birds throughout the U.S. Mexico and into Central America but they didn't used to be common in the eastern U.S.
Greater Scaup Drake At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
This Greater Scaup drake is making the transition into his breeding plumage and was in among American Coots, a resting female scaup, Pied-Billed Grebes and a single Canvasback.
Winter American Robin – Turdus migratorius
Personally, I love to see American Robins any time of the year and to watch them searching for prey. Common? Yes, but delightful too.
Great Blue Heron hunkered down against winter’s brutal cold
Last December I photographed this Great Blue Heron as it hunkered down against the brutal cold at the edge of the water in a marsh.
An American Coot Munching On Food
American Coots are common birds and some folks might find them fairly plain but I like them and enjoy photographing them too.
Ring-billed Gull Age Progression
In February of 2011 I wrote about the age progression of Bald Eagles along with images to illustrate the ages, today I am doing the same but with Ring-billed Gulls.
Time to look for Northern Shrikes
I write about the raptors I expect to see during the winter in Utah but there are also song birds I keep an eye out for too like this immature Northern Shrike.
Juvenile Northern Harrier In Flight
Northern Harriers are year round residents in Utah and I am encouraged by the numbers of them I have seen lately at Farmington Bay WMA.
Veterans Day 2014
Words will never fully be enough when I think about the sacrifices our Veterans have made for our country.
Wildlife In A Blizzard Two Years Ago Today
Today there are great big clouds with small patches of blue sky but two years ago it was very different, we were having a blizzard.
The Richest Values Of Wilderness Lie In The Future
Every day scientists, conservationists and nature lovers are speaking up. Our numbers are growing and we are an increasing force to be reckoned with.
White-crowned Sparrow Juvenile On A Wild Rose
It was nice to get out yesterday morning and photograph a few birds including this juvenile White-crowned Sparrow perched on a wild rose.
Marbled Godwit And The Gulf Of Mexico
I have always thought of Marbled Godwits as graceful, elegant shorebirds and I still do.
Snow Birds – Dark-eyed Juncos
When I lived in Virginia I could almost predict when the first snow would fall because the juncos showed at my feeders up a day or two before the first winter storm.
Autumn Pronghorn Portraits
I am very fortunate to live in an area where I can see these beautiful creatures up close and that is some thing I don't take for granted.
Downy Woodpecker In The Willows At Farmington Bay
I was delighted to spot this male Downy Woodpecker in the willows the last time I went out to Farmington Bay Bird Refuge.
Pair of Greater Yellowlegs in flight
Shorebirds are still migrating through the Salt Lake Valley and Farmington Bay WMA and there have been quite a few Greater Yellowlegs in the area.
We need a refuge even though we may never need to go there…
Wilderness brings me peace, hope and the desire to immerse myself into it as much as I possibly can.
Prairie Merlin
I saw a fleeting glimpse of a bird a few days ago that I suspect was a Merlin that migrated to winter here in Utah and it inspired me to post a few Merlin images today.
Preening Brewer’s Blackbird
I have been seeing plenty of blackbirds lately at Farmington Bay WMA and a few days ago I photographed this preening Brewer's Blackbird on a fence post.
Red-tailed Hawk Lifting Off
Lately it has been wonderful to see and photograph more birds including raptors. I think the long dry spell that started the end of July might be over finally.
Pied-billed Grebe Shaking It Off
I'm seeing more and more Pied-billed Grebes and that excites me because these little guys might be small but they are tough. They kind of remind me of myself.
There is Gold in Utah – American Goldfinches!
Even though the American Goldfinches are in their non-breeding plumage now I still think of them as gold.
Semipalmated Plover with its eye on me
This morning I wanted to keep my post simple and how much more simple could this image of a Semipalmated Plover with its eye on me be?
Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay perched on an oak
Last month I was able to photograph this Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay on my way up to Cascade Springs in Wasatch County, Utah as it perched on an oak near the road.
Utah’s Bounty Program on Coyotes is just plain stupid
There is an article about the coyote bounty program in the Salt Lake Tribune that has me ticked off, or should I call it the ignorant name the state gave it, "Mule Deer Preservation Act".
American White Pelican Stretching
The caruncle or horn is a growth on the bill of American White Pelicans that occurs yearly during the breeding season.
Juvenile Dark Morph Harlan’s Hawk
Harlan's Hawks are a subspecies of Red-tailed Hawks that breed in Alaska and northern Canada and spend their winters in the northern Great Plains.
Nature’s Gifts
75,326 coyotes in 2013 were "denied" their portion of Nature's gifts when they were senselessly exterminated by USDA’s Wildlife Services
Rock Hopping Chukar
I've been missing Chukars on Antelope Island for the past few months.