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
My First Rough-legged Hawk of 2021
Two days ago I photographed my first Rough-legged Hawk of 2021 at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Or was it two?
Common Goldeneye Making Waves
Yesterday morning I took a series of a Common Goldeneye making waves as he landed in icy cold water in the marshes of Bear River MBR.
Brown Pelicans And Memories
Eleven years ago this morning I had an amazing time photographing flocks of Brown Pelicans plunge feeding in the Gulf of Mexico.
Pileated Woodpecker – The 2021 ABA Bird of The Year
The American Birding Association has selected the Pileated Woodpecker as their Bird of the Year for 2021 and I think it is an excellent choice.
First Winter Red-tailed Hawk Lift Off Photos
Last month I spent twenty-eight lovely minutes photographing this first winter Red-tailed Hawk in the marsh at Farmington Bay WMA.
Winter American Herring Gulls In Utah
Winter Herring Gulls have arrived in northern Utah and I am excited that I will have opportunities to photograph this gull species again.
European Starling – My First Of Year Bird 2021
The first bird I saw in 2021 was a European Starling perched on a power line on the road to my local grocery store about 8:15 am yesterday morning.
Happy New Year’s Day 2021
It is a chilly 29°F where I live in northern Utah on New Year's Day 2021 and from my living room window I can see that it is foggy outside.
2020 Photographic 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.
Second Winter Black-crowned Night Heron
Yesterday morning at Farmington Bay I found and photographed a second winter Black-crowned Night Heron at the edge of the frozen marsh.
Young Female Northern Harrier In Flight
Last week I was able to photograph this young Northern Harrier flying over a marsh on a trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.
Immature Great Blue Heron On Christmas Day
One of my Christmas Day gifts from Mother Nature was the chance to photograph an immature Great Blue Heron in a field.
Which Bird Do These Feet Belong To?
What we can see are greenish, lobed feet and a dark, rounded body. With just those two identification features can you guess which bird these feet belong to?
Five Bird Photos From Christmas Day 2020
Much to my delight I was able to photograph some birds on Christmas Day at Farmington Bay WMA yesterday morning.
Christmas Day Bird Photos Thru The Years
Today I wanted to share some of the Christmas Day bird photos I have taken through the years out in the field and close to home.
Happy Holidays 2020
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.
Spring And Summer With A Belted Kingfisher Family
I was totally unaware on that April morning that I would be photographing a Belted Kingfisher family for several months.
Great Blue Heron Resting On A Goose Nest
When I found this Great Blue Heron resting on a man made goose nest yesterday morning at Farmington Bay WMA I knew I wanted to photograph it.
Northern Shovelers Feeding On Glover Pond
Early in December while at Farmington Bay WMA I was able to photograph and take videos of Northern Shovelers feeding on Glover Pond.
Hunting American Barn Owl In Flight Over The Frozen Marsh At Farmington Bay WMA
During the winter there are times I am able to photograph Barn Owls in flight during the day when the snow is deep and the temps are bitter cold.
Colors Of Nature – Juvenile Yellow Warblers
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.
Canada Geese On The Wing In Front Of The Snowy Wasatch Mountains
I love to photograph birds on the wing. It doesn't matter if my subject is as small as a hummingbird, as large as an eagle, as slow as a gliding pelican, or as fast as a stooping falcon as long as it is a bird.
Serious Looking Ring-billed Gull On The Wing
I love photographing gulls. Whether they are feeding, resting, preening, fighting, calling, or in flight gulls are one of my favorite bird species to have in my viewfinder.
First Winter Ferruginous Hawk In The West Desert
Two years and one day ago I only photographed two birds on a trip out into the West Desert and this light morph Ferruginous Hawk made the trip well worth the journey out into the cold.
Wild Utah Mink Tests Positive For Coronavirus
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.
Still Life – Great Blue Heron And Its Reflection
Great Blue Herons are very patient hunters and there are times when they are hunting that they move so slowly that it is barely perceptible.
Drake Common Goldeneye With Pigment Issues On His Bill
When I got back home and uploaded the images I took of the drake Common Goldeneye I could see that his bill had pigment issues and that it wasn't a white feather stuck on his bill.
Seeing All Birds – European Starling On A Frosty Perch
I have a backlog of raptor images I took earlier this week but I wanted to share one of a species that some people hate or many bird photographers prefer to ignore, the European Starling.
Female American Kestrel With Her Prey
Three days ago I had one minute with a beautiful adult female American Kestrel and her partially eaten prey at Farmington Bay WMA.
Photographing Bald Eagles At Farmington Bay WMA During An Inversion
Think carefully before you make a trip to Utah to photograph our overwintering Bald Eagles in the valley. The inversions are awful and can be life threatening.