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
Male Checkered White Butterflies On Thistles
A while back I came across some butterfly photos that I had taken on July 19, 2015 that I hadn't processed or identified so recently I went about finding out what species of butterfly I had photographed.
Molting Northern House Wren
About two weeks ago I photographed a molting Northern House Wren high in the Wasatch Mountains as it perched near a willow thicket.
In Every Sunset There Is A Promise And A Gift From Nature
Throughout my life I have liked to think that every sunset has a promise and a gift from Nature in it. The promise that the sun will rise again in the morning.
Immature Male Downy Woodpecker Close Up
A few weeks ago while up in the Wasatch Mountains I was able to see and photograph an immature male Downy Woodpecker as it foraged for food in willows and while clinging to a Common Mullein.
Common Sunflower, Great Basin Bumble Bee And Long-horned Bee At Bear River MBR
When I photographed this Common Sunflower I noticed the Great Basin Bumble Bee right away then I saw the other bee and what appears to be two midges on the upper left quadrant of the flower petals.
Barn Swallow Landing In The Wind
When this Barn Swallow came in to land it struggled a bit with the wind which is why its wings were raised to regain its balance in this image.
Immature Eastern Kingbirds At Bear River MBR
I only had two minutes with these immature Eastern Kingbirds and I felt I had to make every second I had with them in my viewfinder count. I succeeded.
High Key Ring-billed Gull In Whiteout Conditions
I took this photo of a Ring-billed Gull walking through the snow in whiteout conditions on December 30, 2019 at a pond not far from where I live.
Green-tailed Towhees – He? She? It?
This is probably far more information on "He? She? It?" than anyone wanted to see this morning but after photographing the adult and immature Green-tailed Towhees yesterday I thought this was a great time to do this post.
Ta-ta For Now Uinta Ground Squirrels
I may have seen and heard my last Uinta Ground Squirrel of the year last week while up in the Wasatch Mountains looking for birds to photograph.
Western Tanager Photos From This Week
On four out of five trips up into the Wasatch Mountains this week I've been able to take images of immature and female Western Tanagers
Adult Cedar Waxwing Resting In A Stand Of Hawthorns
Stopping to eat my muffins at this location was a great idea because this week on three trips to this spot I've photographed more than just Cedar Waxwings at this location.
Messy, Molting Song Sparrow
This Song Sparrow will replace its damaged feathers quickly and will look like it normally does once again. Until then, I still think it is a beautiful, albeit somewhat ruffled, bird.
Pine Siskin In The Wasatch Mountains
The bird activity picked up just after the sun rose over the mountains peaks and as I scanned the area for birds I spotted this Pine Siskin almost directly in front of me clinging to a small branch.
Black-capped Chickadee In The Wasatch Mountains
I saw and heard Black-capped and Mountain Chickadees yesterday morning but only this Black-capped Chickadee came in close enough for me to photograph.
Young Cedar Waxwing Photos
I was excited when I found this young Cedar Waxwing out in the open and within the range of my lens right after it caught a crane fly to eat for breakfast.
Yellow Warbler Among Ripe Serviceberries
Several Yellow Warblers flew into the serviceberry and in this photo I can see that this female has been feeding on the ripe berries because her lower mandible has a juicy residue on it.
Least Chipmunk Feasting On Ripe Serviceberries
Birds aren't the only creatures feasting on the ripe serviceberries in the Wasatch Mountains right now, Least Chipmunks are also gorging on the juicy berries too.
Adjusting To Life During A Global Pandemic
I've felt varying degrees of disappointment when comparing "what should have been" with the way we have had to adjust to life and living during a global pandemic as I am sure many of us have this year.
Adult Cedar Waxwing With Ripening Serviceberries
The Cedar Waxwing didn't appear to be on the shrub to eat the serviceberries because all it did was call and look around. Perhaps its young were also in the area.
Immature MacGillivray’s Warbler Photos
One of the birds I had in my viewfinder for a few moments yesterday morning was an immature MacGillivray's Warbler where it perched on the branches of a serviceberry at the edge of a dusty, gravel road.
Young Red Fox Close Up Photos
Yesterday I did take some bird photos and although I didn't find any avian rarities I did find a beautiful young Red Fox in a mountain meadow to photograph.
Wintry View Of Bear River MBR And The Snow-covered Wasatch Mountains
Just viewing this winter photo of the refuge made me feel refreshed and cooler. I also realized it might be hot now but cooler weather will be here before long.
An Adult Male And Immature Western Tanager
It was fun to have the male and immature Western Tanager in my viewfinder for a few moments high in the Wasatch Mountains last week. I hope I see more soon.
Least Chipmunk Close Up Photos
When a Least Chipmunk popped up on a fence post that was so close I wasn't sure I'd be able to get sharp images of it due to my minimum focusing distance I still tried. I'm glad that I did.
Swimming Spotted Sandpiper Chick Photos
I was over the moon to be able to take these photos of the young Spotted Sandpiper swimming across the alpine creek because I've never had the opportunity to do so before.
Young Mountain Bluebirds In My Viewfinder
I was happy to have these juvenile Mountain Bluebirds in my viewfinder yesterday and to be able to listen to their soft calls high on the sagebrush dotted hillside.
Focusing On Spotted Sandpiper Chicks
Yesterday morning the first birds I spotted in the high country of the Wasatch Mountains were two tiny, butt bouncing Spotted Sandpiper chicks foraging on their own.
An Immature Yellow Warbler And Thistles
Last week I had a blast photographing several Yellow Warblers, young and adults, foraging for aphids in a patch of thistles high up in the Wasatch Mountains.
Resting Great Blue Herons In The Wasatch Mountains
I'm actually more than a touch fascinated by the Great Blue Herons I see, observe and photograph in the higher altitudes of the Wasatch Mountains.