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
One Second American Pipit Scuffle
Earlier this week while photographing birds at Farmington Bay WMA I was able to take images of a one second scuffle between two American Pipits.
Loggerhead Shrikes With Prey in Northern Utah
Three days ago while photographing birds in northern Utah I was able to take images of two individual Loggerhead Shrikes with prey.
Welcome to the Carrion Cafe – Turkey Vulture & Landscape Composite
Two days ago I saw a sign I hadn't seen before and it had me laughing out loud, the sign simply said "Carrion Cafe" in an area that earlier in the year may have had a Turkey Vulture hanging around or soaring overhead.
Adult and Juvenile European Starlings in Fall Plumage
I have an alternate title for this post which is "Invasive European Starlings perched on invasive Russian Olives" because both the birds in this post and the trees are not native but introduced.
Autumn Colors – Red Leaves on a Wild Rose & Rose Hips
Last week while photographing birds in northern Utah I saw a wild rose whose leaves and rose hips had turned a brilliant scarlet color for fall.
Autumn Brewer’s Blackbirds
I always have fun photographing Brewer's Blackbirds even though they are a challenge to expose properly, it is precisely that challenge that keeps me on my toes.
Wild Turkeys in Northern Utah
It was a fine Autumn morning for photographing Wild Turkeys in northern Utah yesterday because the skies were mostly clear and the turkeys were a bit more cooperative than usual.
American Pipit – Stretch, Lift and Fluff
American Pipits aren't flashy birds, their coloring might even be called drab by some people, but I have a great time photographing them whenever I can.
Adult and Juvenile White-crowned Sparrow Portraits
Yesterday morning while looking for birds to photograph on Antelope Island State Park I had two White-crowned Sparrows fly into a rabbitbrush that was so close to me that all I could do was take portraits of them.
Immature Red-winged Blackbird Male Diving Towards The Ground
The plumage of male juvenile Red-winged Blackbirds is highly variable during their first year, some of the young blackbirds can look like females and some can look more like adult males.
White-crowned Sparrow Juvenile Feeding On Wild Sunflower Seeds
I've been seeing plenty of White-crowned Sparrows on Antelope Island State Park of late and yesterday they were busy feeding on the wild sunflowers that grow there.
Antelope Island Sagebrush Sparrow
It was a real treat for me yesterday morning to photograph another Sagebrush Sparrow on Antelope Island State Park when I spotted it pop up on a clump of greasewood.
Dark-eyed Junco, Mullein & Blooming Rabbitbrush
Yesterday while looking for birds to photograph a single Dark-eyed Junco popped up into my view and perched on a dried mullein stalk in front of blooming rabbitbrush.
Common Checkered-Skipper On Flowering Asters
This is a Common Checkered-Skipper and can be found in most of the U.S., some southern parts of Canada and northern Mexico.
Franklin’s Gulls at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
Franklin's Gulls are only here in northern Utah during the breeding season, during the winter they spend their time along the west coast of South America.
First of Season Merlin – Odd Behavior and Possible Explanation
I spotted my first of the season Merlin yesterday morning out on the flats at Farmington Bay yesterday morning and it truly delighted me.
Red-necked Phalaropes – Migration and the Great Salt Lake
Last month I was able to photograph flocks of Red-necked Phalaropes on the Great Salt Lake when they were migrating through the area.
Song Sparrows – Out In The Open And Partially In View
I can't pick a favorite between these two Song Sparrow photos because I find them both visually appealing and I don't feel a need or a desire to pick one over the other.
Dorsal view of a Ring-billed Gull in Flight
Just a simple post today of a simple bird, a dorsal view of a Ring-billed Gull in flight over a water feature at Farmington Bay WMA.
Northern Utah Mule Deer
These two Mule Deer were photographed in different settings, different lighting situations but about the same time of the morning and I find them both appealing.
Photographing a Dynasty of Ruby-crowned Kinglets
Yesterday I saw so many Ruby-crowned Kinglets in northern Utah that it was impossible for me to keep up with them, I am certain I missed some excellent images because of that.
Ferruginous Hawk, Harvest Moon and the Rising Sun
Truthfully I had better luck with the moon and mountains than I did birds yesterday except for one handsome Ferruginous Hawk perched along the road near farm lands.
Adult White-crowned Sparrow on Blooming Rabbitbrush
When I spotted this White-crowned Sparrow perched on a blooming rabbitbrush yesterday I quickly swung my lens toward it, focused and started taking photos as quickly as I could.
Limpkins in Florida
Florida is about as far north as Limpkins are found in North America and they can be seen in freshwater marshes, ponds, lakeshores and swamps.
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Fall Colors on the Refuge Plus a Unique Forster’s Tern Experience
There were birds that I photographed including this Yellow-rumped Warbler who perched out in the open with the fall colors of curly docks in the background.
Winter Ring-billed Gull Adult
I photographed this adult Ring-billed Gull last winter at my local pond and loved the snow in the frame, the muted colors of the gull's plumage and the pops of color in the eye and bill of the gull.
Yellow-rumped Warbler With Prey Close To Home
A few days ago I photographed a Yellow-rumped Warbler at a pond close to home that was tossing its prey around before it consumed it.
Ruby-crowned Kinglets in Northern Utah
Ruby-crowned Kinglets are tiny little songbirds weighing in at a mere 0.23 ounces but what they lack in size they make up for in high-powered energy, they just don't sit still.
Frustrations in Bird Photography – Belted Kingfisher with Branches in the Way
I never did get any decent shots of the Belted Kingfisher yesterday but I am glad to know he is back at the pond and that I should have more opportunities with him... if nothing gets in the way.
Autumn Marsh Wren at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
The Marsh Wrens at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge live there year round even through the heat of summer and our harsh winters they are there going about the business of living.