Belt of Venus – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Happy Holidays 2025

By Mia McPherson|December 25th, 2025|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Oklahoma, Sebastian County, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, White-throated Sparrows|Tags: adult, Arkansas, autumn, beaver dam, Belt of Venus, fall, feeder, fog, foggy, garden, low light, Lower Scarborough Slough, Oklahoma, pink, reflections, Sebastian County, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, sky, slough, snow, snowy, sparrow, sparrows, suburban, sunrise, trees, water, White-throated Sparrow, winter, yard, Zonotrichia albicollis|

I'm not sure where 2025 went, but I know it seemed to be the holiday season a bit too fast. 2026 will appear in the blink of an eye.

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Great Blue Heron Memories From Fort De Soto

By Mia McPherson|August 21st, 2025|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Pinellas County|Tags: adult, Ardea herodias, beach, Belt of Venus, close up, coastal island, earth shadow, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Heron, Gulf Coast, Gulf of Mexico, heron, herons, immature, Pinellas County, portrait, ruffled, sand, sandbar, territorial behavior, turtle grass, wading birds, walking, water, young|

It seems a little dreamy, but some of these Great Blue Heron photos taken at Fort De Soto County Park in Florida are almost 20 years old now!

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February Sunrise At Charleston Lake

By Mia McPherson|February 4th, 2025|Categories: Arkansas, Charleston Lake Park, Franklin County|Tags: Belt of Venus, Charleston Lake, clouds, earth shadow, lake, reflections, sky, sun rise, sunrise, trees, water|

Sunrise in February at Charleston Lake Park in Franklin County, Arkansas, can be extremely beautiful, glorious, relaxing, refreshing, and reflective.

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Bald Eagle On A Leaning Post Plus Trees With The Earth Shadow And Belt Of Venus

By Mia McPherson|January 31st, 2024|Categories: Bald Eagles, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: adult, Bald Eagle, Belt of Venus, birds of prey, eagle, eagles, earth shadow, grasses, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, leaning, majestic, marsh, pasture, perched, post, raptors, regal, scenery, sky, trees, wetlands, winter|

While I was up at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge yesterday, I photographed a Bald Eagle on a leaning post, plus trees with the Earth Shadow and Belt of Venus.

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Great Blue Heron, Belt of Venus and Earth Shadow Memories

By Mia McPherson|October 15th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Pinellas County|Tags: adult, Ardea herodias, atomospheric conditions, Belt of Venus, coast, coastal, dune, earth shadow, Great Blue Heron, heron, herons, low light, pre-dawn, predawn light, preening, sand, sky, wading birds, walking, wind, windy|

Thirteen years ago this morning I photographed a Great Blue Heron, Belt of Venus and the Earth Shadow on the north beach of Fort De Soto County Park on the west coast of Florida.

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Photographing The Earth’s Shadow With A Great Blue Heron

By Mia McPherson|October 27th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Pinellas County|Tags: adult, Ardea herodias, Belt of Venus, earth shadow, Earth's Shadow, Great Blue Heron, Gulf Coast, Gulf of Mexico, heron, herons, lagoon, photograph, photographing, pre-dawn light, twilight, water|

Because I arrived at twilight that morning and had a clear sky I knew that I could take photos of the Great Blue Heron with the blue colored Earth's Shadow and pink Belt of Venus behind it.

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I’ve Got The Blues – Great Blue Herons That Is!

By Mia McPherson|October 15th, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Pinellas County|Tags: adult, Ardea herodias, Belt of Venus, bird photography, coast, coastal, earth shadow, Great Blue Heron, Gulf of Mexico, heron, herons, low light, portrait, pre-dawn light, sand dune, twilight, warm light|

It seems I have always had a fondness for Great Blue Herons although I don't recall the first time I ever saw one. Great Blues are large wading birds that have a prehistoric look to them and even their calls; more like a croak, sound like something from the long distant past.

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Low light Great Blue Heron with Earth Shadow

By Mia McPherson|October 23rd, 2011|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Pinellas County|Tags: adult, Ardea herodias, Belt of Venus, coast, coastal, difficult conditions, earth shadow, Earth's Shadow, experimentation, Great Blue Heron, heron, herons, high ISO's, low light, wading birds|

The Great Blue Heron images from the series I created that blustery November morning on Fort De Soto's north beach are still favorites of mine and likely always will be.

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