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 Broad-tailed Hummingbird Defending His Favorite Perch
The male Broad-tailed Hummingbird lifted off from the perch so I pre-focused on it, listened for him to come back then when I heard the bird get close to the perch I fired off a burst of shots and captured him in a landing position with the vivid color of his gorget showing
Gray Catbird Plus Blooming Hound’s Tongue Photos
I enjoyed my time yesterday morning photographing the Gray Catbird and the Hound's Tongue in bloom but I really wish I had been as happy with my catbird photos as I am the wildflower images.
Male Red-naped Sapsucker Close Ups – Too Much Glass
I spotted a flash of black, white and red as a bird landed in the aspen tree that was closest to me above where the wrens and swallows are nesting and realized that a male Red-naped Sapsucker had flown in and was foraging for food in the buds of the aspen.
Mountain Goldenbanner In The Wasatch Mountains – Yellow Wildflowers
Three days ago there was some Mountain Goldenbanner blooming next to a creek in the canyons of the Wasatch Mountains and I simply had to take some photos of these bright yellow wildflowers.
Chipping Sparrow With Nesting Materials In The Uinta Mountains
While photographing some Pine Siskins that were foraging and gathering nesting materials I caught some movement out of the corner of my eye and spotted a Chipping Sparrow with nesting materials in its bill.
First Spring Male Lazuli Bunting Singing In A Chokecherry Tree
That sighting with my Mom made me hope that I would see more Lazuli Buntings in the canyons, yesterday morning that hope was fulfilled when I spotted a first spring male fly into a blooming Chokecherry tree.
Male Short-eared Owl Perched on a Ranch Access Only Sign
I saw and photographed numerous Short-eared Owls yesterday in northern Utah but this photo of a male perched on a "Ranch Access Only" sign was my favorite of the day.
Nesting Tree Swallows in the High Uintas
While I photographed nesting House Wrens in the High Uintas the last day of May I also photographed nesting Tree Swallows in the same Aspen tree in a cavity a bit lower on the trunk.
Photographing Nesting Northern House Wrens in the High Uintas
Two days ago I spent time photographing nesting Northern House Wrens in the high Uintas near Mirror Lake Highway, of interest to me is that two years ago I photographed Red-naped Sapsuckers using this same nesting cavity.
Close Up Photos Of A Bull Moose In Velvet Eating Willows
I laughed again when I saw this photo on my camera LCD, the Moose was reaching to grab more willow leaves but was also keeping an eye on me in the mobile blind while his "beard" swung like the clapper of a bell.
Green-tailed Towhee Perched On A Blooming Utah Serviceberry
I spent some time up in the canyons of the Wasatch Mountains yesterday photographing the birds I found including this handsome Green-tailed Towhee perched on a blooming Utah Serviceberry.
Fledgling Short-eared Owl Perched On A Tumbleweed – Two Years Ago Today
Two years ago today I had a fantastic time photographing Short-eared Owl fledglings on tumbleweeds that were in front a fence in northern Utah.
Male Northern Yellow Warbler in Willows
This male Northern Yellow Warbler stayed at the top of a willow for quite some time but I was never able to get a completely clear view of him because a light breeze was moving the out of focus willows in the foreground around.
Yellow-bellied Marmot Pup Grooming Its Tail Photograph
There are some photographs that I feel I simply have to take when given the opportunity and this photograph of a Yellow-bellied Marmot pup grooming its tail was one of those photos.
Young Uinta Ground Squirrels Through My Lens
I had a blast photographing these baby Uinta Ground Squirrels and sharing them with my Mom. It was a peaceful, relaxing morning filled with birds, squirrels, lovely scenery and great company.
Focusing On American Goldfinches Feeding On Dandelion Seeds
The day I photographed the Green-tailed Towhee singing up in the mountain canyon I also had an opportunity to take a nice series of photos of what appeared to be a mated pair of American Goldfinches.
Green-tailed Towhee Singing In A Mountain Canyon
I had fun yesterday morning photographing a male Green-tailed Towhee singing in a mountain canyon, this was a bird I heard before I spotted him perched on a flowering branch.
Male Great-tailed Grackle in Low Light Plus Battery Issues
Even though the light yesterday morning wasn't optimal for bird photography I took my Mom to the Farmington Bay WMA area to show her around there, we only made it as far as Glover Pond though.
Mating Killdeer at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
Last week when I took my Mom to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge we were fortunate to see and photograph Killdeer mating while on the auto tour route.
Blooming Desert Globemallows – Orange Wildflowers That Brighten the Desert
The wildflowers I photographed are Desert Globemallows (Sphaeralcea ambigua) and they were blooming abundantly on the road to the jetty, I don't think I have seen so many of them in full bloom before.
Spiral Jetty Earthwork Sculpture Plus Two Short-eared Owl Photos
I did do some bird photography yesterday on the way to the Spiral Jetty. I saw more than eight Short-eared Owls and I was able to photograph two of them as they perched on fence posts.
Photographing a Young Uinta Ground Squirrel in the Wasatch Mountains
May... the month where baby Uinta Ground Squirrels seem to show up everywhere within their favorite habitats which include shrubsteppe habitat, meadows and pastures with elevations of between 4,000 and 8,010 feet in areas of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah.
White-faced Ibis in Breeding and Nonbreeding Plumage
In just a few weeks the White-faced Ibis that are in breeding plumage right now will begin to molt into their nonbreeding plumage and I thought this might be a good time to show some of the differences.
Male Northern Yellow Warblers in the Wasatch Mountains – Sunshine On The Wing
Yesterday morning was spent up in the mountain canyons again photographing the birds I found at the higher elevations, the birds I saw the most of were Northern Yellow Warblers, birds who look like sunshine on the wing.
Adult Uinta Ground Squirrel Damp From Dew Plus a Bonus Baby Squirrel Photo
I'm sharing two Uinta Ground Squirrel photos taken two days ago a canyon in the Wasatch Mountains, one adult that was wet from the morning dew and one baby that was just outside of its burrow.
Northern Yellow Warbler Perched and Foraging in a Mystery Flowering, Thorny Tree
When I had the opportunity to photograph a Northern Yellow Warbler foraging in a flowering tree I jumped at the chance. Right after I took this photo the warbler snatched a tiny insect from the flowers but I couldn't make out what it was.
Immature Black-crowned Night Heron In Flight
When I spotted this immature Black-crowned Night Heron on the wing at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in April I hoped it would fly in closer than it did, still I liked the photos I took of it with a clear blue sky in the background.
Adult Western Kingbird Perched on Rusty Barbed Wire in Northern Utah
Last week I photographed this adult Western Kingbird perched on rusty barbed wire up in northern Utah with spring greenery behind it and I liked the greens, yellows, grays and whites in the photo.
Mother Nature, Wildflowers and Moms
There may be a bit of sunshine today and I hope there is so me and my Mom can get out and enjoy some of the beauty that Mother Nature provides us with each and every day.
Photographing Female Northern Yellow Warblers Feeding Their Fledglings
I was delighted to be able to photograph the female Northern Yellow Warbler as she fed her young and to watch the fledgling as it fluttered its wings and gulped down the food the female brought it.