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
Signs Of Autumn And A Chipmunk Preparing For Winter
Over the past week I have seen, felt and heard several signs of autumn in the high country of the Wasatch Mountains to as low as the Salt Lake Valley.
Douglas Firs – Bird Food Grown, Stored And Served in Handy Cones
The cones of Douglas Firs provide food for birds and mammals and the trees provide shelter and nesting areas too. I've been paying attention to the Douglas Firs we have here for several years because of the birds I know I can find eating the seeds of the trees from their cones.
Rough-legged Hawk On A Snowy Day At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
I didn't see or photograph as many Rough-legged Hawks last winter as I have in previous years but I did have a close up, extraordinary experience with one who was expelling a pellet on a snowy, foggy day at Bear River MBR.
An Immature Red-tailed Hawk On A Foggy Morning In The Mountains
There are times when one bird can make my day and yesterday that bird was an immature Red-tailed Hawk that I spotted just before heading home after a trip into the mountains that included fog and other challenges.
American White Pelican At Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge
The lighting I had wasn't the best but for some reason I really like this photo of the American White Pelican on the wing over the refuge because of the contrasts between the whites and blues in the frame.
Cedar Waxwing Eating Ripe Chokecherries
Two days ago I was up in the Wasatch Mountains and heard a Cedar Waxwing near some chokecherry trees and once I spotted the waxwing I waited until I could get a clear shot of it with a chokecherry in its beak.
Caption Call – Chipmunk Fun
The Least Chipmunks had been chasing each other around on a low leafless shrub and then this happened, the tail of the upper chipmunk rested on the head of the other chippie for exactly two frames.
Immature Swainson’s Hawk In Changing Light
This photo session with an immature Swainson's Hawk reinforced how as a bird photographer I need to not only be keenly aware of changing light it also showed how I may need to quickly change my settings to get the photos I want.
Gray Flycatcher Perched In Fragrant Sumac
As it turns out this flycatcher gave me a wonderful behavioral clue that made identifying it a little easier for me because I watched it wag its tail slowly up and down repeatedly while perched which Gray Flycatchers are known to do.
Swallow Quartet – Bank, Barn, Cliff And Tree Swallows At Bear River MBR
I was glad to be able to photograph Bank, Barn, Cliff and Tree Swallows perched on top of a stand of phragmites near the auto tour route on the refuge in early morning light.
Immature Swainson’s Hawk, Golden Light And Common Sunflowers
Two days ago I was able to photograph an immature Swainson's Hawk in golden light perched on a fence post that was surrounded by bright yellow common sunflowers. Yes, I was blissed out.
Rare Brown Pelican At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
The Brown Pelican didn't do much while I had it in my viewfinder and I probably took way too many photos of it but I don't care, it was unique to see here in land-locked Utah and the setting of the Bear River was definitely different than the many times I have photographed this species back East.
Adult White-crowned Sparrow In Rabbitbrush – Small in The Frame
Sometimes the colors of in a photo I have taken are what pleases me and draws me in even if my subject is small in the frame, in this case my subject was an adult White-crowned Sparrow.
Coyote Searching For Prey In The Wasatch Mountains
If I hadn't been looking for birds I wouldn't have spotted this coyote searching for prey yesterday near a creek in a canyon which made it my best subject of the day.
Mirage As Seen From Bear River MBR Auto Tour Route
Whatever this mirage was, it got my attention and I felt I had to stop and take photos of this naturally occurring optical phenomena, I mean I don't see things like this everyday!
Ruby-crowned Kinglets – Challenging Subjects
Ruby-crowned Kinglets always seem to be on the move and blend into their habitat well which makes them challenging subjects to photograph. I love the challenge of photographing small birds though.
Photographing Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk Siblings
I spent 26 minutes yesterday photographing juvenile Red-tailed Hawk siblings and had a blast watching them preen, lift off, flying, scratching, resting and landing.
Female Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly High In The Wasatch Mountains
Last year I saw an abundance of Great Spangled Fritillary butterflies in the Wasatch Mountains, it seemed that I could easily spot them flitting about or nectaring on thistles but this year I noticed that these and the numbers of other species of butterflies are way down in numbers
Photographing A Male Downy Woodpecker In A Chokecherry Tree
When I noticed the Downy Woodpecker moving towards the front part of the tree I changed my focus to it and waited to see if he would come out into the open and when it did I was ready to takes images of him.
An American Mink In The Wasatch Mountains
I was excited to have been able to take a decent image of an American Mink when I found this one in the Wasatch Mountains yesterday morning.
Peek-a-boo Rock Squirrel Close Up In A Serviceberry Bush
In mid August I was attempting to get close up photos of a Rock Squirrel that was actively feeding on serviceberries in the Wasatch Mountains and two things happened that ruined my chances for better images.
A Few Moments With A Least Chipmunk
I spent a few moments watching and photographing a Least Chipmunk yesterday in the Wasatch Mountains and tried to savor every second I had with it.
Cooling Winter Views Of The Great Salt Lake
I live in such a beautiful state and even though birds are my primary focus as subjects the natural world that surrounds me is endlessly fascinating, stunning and I hope I never lose the sense of wonder I feel when I see it.
Immature Northern Flicker In The Wasatch Mountains
This immature Northern Flicker was one of the last birds I spotted and photographed three days ago while up in the Wasatch Mountains and I was happy that she stayed long enough for me to take a nice series of images of her.
Calling Black-capped Chickadee Perched In The Open
Two days ago this Black-capped Chickadee and several other others were moving through a willow thicket in a canyon in the Wasatch Mountains where I had been focusing on photographing warblers, tanagers, and vireos.
Yellow Warbler In Willows
When this hatch year Yellow Warbler popped out into an open area of a willow thicket in a beam of sunlight I was happy to take its photo.
Nemesis Birds – American Goshawks
My luck with American Goshawks has been horrible and because of that they have earned the distinction of being a nemesis for me.
Focusing On MacGillivray’s Warblers In The Wasatch Mountains
I'm seeing more MacGillivray's Warblers this season than I have in previous years but I am still challenged by how quickly these warblers move and by how they can seem to disappear so quickly.
Cedar Waxwings – Perched And On The Wing
I had a nice time photographing Cedar Waxwings yesterday morning as they perched in willows next to a creek and while they were on the wing catching insects in the Wasatch Mountains.
Juvenile Dark-eyed Junco High In The Uinta Mountains
I was in the high Uinta Mountains near Washington Lake when I spotted this young Dark-eyed Junco and I was able to take a few images of it before it flew away.