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
Something Is Fishy
Long ago in a subtropical clime with plenty of heat, humidity and the occasional hurricane I used to photograph with a small point and shoot camera from Canon and had great fun doing it.
Black-necked Stilt at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
In yesterday's post I mentioned that I have seen my first of the year American Avocets and not long after they arrive Black-necked Stilts will also be making their appearance too.
An Adult American Avocet In Its Breeding Plumage
Three days ago I saw my first of the season American Avocets flying over the causeway to Antelope Island State Park and I let out a gleeful "whoop"!
Juvenile Brown Pelican gliding over the Gulf of Mexico
In Florida it was not uncommon for me to see Brown Pelicans gliding just barely above the surface of the Gulf of Mexico like the juvenile shown in my image.
Chukars on Antelope Island State Park
After seeing few Chukars on Antelope Island State Park over the winter it is a delight to see them perching on rocks, preening, calling and warming up in the first rays of sunlight on the island again.
Ethics for Nests and Chicks
I feel that as a bird photographer I need to care for my subjects every time I am in the field and that is amplified when there are young, defenseless chicks.
Antelope Island – Where The Buffalo Still Roam
Antelope Island State Park in northern Utah is a place where the "Buffalo" still roam unfettered by fences in a wild and majestic location.
Long billed Birds and Preening
Preening in birds is essential for keeping their feathers clean, arranged correctly and for some birds it is a way to distribute oils from the uropygial gland which helps to keep the feathers clean and healthy.
Loggerhead Shrikes Are Calling On Antelope Island
Last year about this time I wrote a post complaining about Loggerhead Shrikes being MIA but this year I don't have that complaint because I am seeing and hearing these "Butcherbirds" on Antelope Island.
Long-billed Curlews Are Winging Their Way To Utah
Long-billed Curlews have begun to leave or have left their wintering grounds and should be winging their way to Utah and arriving here any day now.
Adult and juvenile Laughing Gulls
Laughing Gulls are commonly seen at Fort De Soto County Park but novices to birding and bird watching might think they are three different kinds of gulls depending on their age and plumage.
As Spring Approaches
As Spring Approaches it is a Great Time to be a Bird Photographer in Utah!
Coyote Running By The Great Salt Lake
This Coyote image always makes me smile. It was taken in early March of 2010 as the Great Salt Lake began to thaw and there was a hint of spring in the air.
Feeding Habits of Red-breasted Mergansers
According to Birds of North America there are four foraging methods used by Red-breasted Mergansers which are Cooperative Herding, Individual Search, Shallow Diving and Deep Diving.
Taking a Gander at mating Canada Geese
Officially it isn't spring yet but the Canada Geese here in the Salt Lake Valley don't seem to be paying much attention to our human calendars at all and have begun their mating season.
Coyotes on the Antelope Island State Park Causeway
Starting the day photographing Coyotes always makes me want to howl with delight. They are amazing adaptable creatures who help to keep nature in balance.
Great Horned Owl juvenile in Montana
I especially like the combination of old wood and owls, in this photo a juvenile Great Horned Owl is perched on an external structural beam of an old granary in Glacier County, Montana.
Roseate Spoonbills On A Foggy Florida Morning
As soon as I crossed the north beach footbridge I spotted several Roseate Spoonbills in the tidal lagoon on my right. There were adults and a few juveniles, some were resting while others preened.
Spring Chukar on Antelope Island
The last time I went to Antelope Island State Park I noticed that the Chukars were more visible than they have been for awhile and I also noticed a tiny wildflower called Redstem Filaree starting to green up.
Comparing American White Pelicans to Brown Pelicans
The recent arrival of American White Pelicans to the Salt Lake Valley started me thinking about the differences between Brown Pelicans and American White Pelicans.
White Gyrfalcon – Yet Another Escaped Falconry Bird!
In the four and a half years I have been in Utah I have found, pointed out, and photographed four escaped falconry birds, one in 2009, and two in 2012.
Reddish Egret cleared for landing
This is one of my favorite Reddish Egret images that I have taken at Fort De Soto County Park's north beach.
American Oystercatcher Lift Off
One of two species of oystercatchers in North America the American Oystercatchers quickly stole my heart after I first saw them because of their colors, long bills, pink legs and their Goth-like black toenails.
The Centennial Valley of Montana beckons to me
The Centennial Valley says "home" to me with the expansive views it offers of not only the valley but the Centennial Mountains and the Lower Lake and beyond. I find peace there.
The Advantages of Photographing Birds Close to Home
Many beginning photographers dream of taking images in far off places of exotic birds and there is nothing wrong with that. But we shouldn’t overlook the advantages of photographing birds close to home.
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge After Spring Has Sprung
The snow has melted in the Salt Lake Valley where temps have been unseasonably warm thanks to the "Pineapple Express" and although winter hasn't left it has begun to feel like spring which means it won't be long before spring has sprung up all over Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge!
Snowy Plover On A Sugar Sand Beach
Shorebirds like this tiny Snowy Plover on a sugar sand beach were my "spark" birds when it comes to my bird photography and they are what made my passion for bird photography catch fire.
Northern Harrier Along The Shore Of The Great Salt Lake
Two years ago I could often find Northern Harriers hunting along the causeway to Antelope Island State Park and I photographed a series of images of this female Northern Harrier on February 16th of that year.
Wildflowers for Valentine’s Day
Happy Valentine's Day! I never much cared for cut flowers and prefer to see them in nature so today I present a wet American White Waterlily I photographed in 2007 at Sawgrass Lake Park in Florida.
Caution: Spring Birds Ahead
It won't be long before the American White Pelicans are back at Bear River National Wildlife Refuge which is where I photographed the pelican in the image above last spring.