{"id":44179,"date":"2017-01-01T06:57:10","date_gmt":"2017-01-01T13:57:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=44179"},"modified":"2026-02-23T11:27:19","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T17:27:19","slug":"welcoming-the-new-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/01\/01\/welcoming-the-new-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcoming the New Year"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-padding-top:20px;--awb-padding-bottom:20px;--awb-background-image:linear-gradient(180deg, #ffffff 0%,#ffffff 100%);--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_2_3 2_3 fusion-two-third fusion-column-first\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;width:66.666666666667%;width:calc(66.666666666667% - ( ( 4% ) * 0.66666666666667 ) );margin-right: 4%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\"><p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u201c<em>Here is your country. Cherish these natural wonders, cherish the natural resources, cherish the history and romance as a sacred heritage, for your children and your children&#8217;s children. Do not let selfish men or greedy interests skin your country of its beauty, its riches or its romance.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">~ <strong>Theodore Roosevelt<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The year 2016 will go down in the history books for many reasons, some good for the earth and some were horrible, but 2016 is now in our past. This New Year, 2017,\u00a0 is yet to be written, to be recorded with words and images for future generations to look back on and to learn from.<\/p>\n<p>Each of us are the authors of how 2017 will be written in those history books as surely as we are the pathfinders in the journeys of our own lives. We decide which path our lives take and whether we should be taking up the sword, the protest sign, the pen or in my case, the camera.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-1 fusion_builder_column_1_3 1_3 fusion-one-third fusion-column-last\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;width:33.333333333333%;width:calc(33.333333333333% - ( ( 4% ) * 0.33333333333333 ) );\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-image-element in-legacy-container\" style=\"--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);\"><span class=\" fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-1 hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"329\" height=\"321\" alt=\"Coyote in a Snow Storm\" title=\"Snow Stalker &#8211; Coyote\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-snow-faded-mia-mcpherson-4813.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-snow-faded-mia-mcpherson-4813.jpg\" class=\"lazyload img-responsive wp-image-170155\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27329%27%20height%3D%27321%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20329%20321%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27329%27%20height%3D%27321%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-snow-faded-mia-mcpherson-4813-200x195.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/coyote-snow-faded-mia-mcpherson-4813.jpg 329w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 329px\" \/><\/span><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-2 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-padding-top:20px;--awb-padding-bottom:20px;--awb-background-image:linear-gradient(180deg, #ffffff 0%,#ffffff 100%);--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-2 fusion_builder_column_1_3 1_3 fusion-one-third fusion-column-first\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;width:33.333333333333%;width:calc(33.333333333333% - ( ( 4% ) * 0.33333333333333 ) );margin-right: 4%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-image-element fusion-image-align-center in-legacy-container\" style=\"text-align:center;--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);\"><div class=\"imageframe-align-center\"><span class=\" fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-2 hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"567\" height=\"321\" alt=\"Canada Geese Land in a field of snow on a foggy day\" title=\"Canada Geese landing\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/canada-geese-landing-faded-mia-mcpherson-7409.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/canada-geese-landing-faded-mia-mcpherson-7409.jpg\" class=\"lazyload img-responsive wp-image-44175\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27567%27%20height%3D%27321%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20567%20321%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27567%27%20height%3D%27321%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/canada-geese-landing-faded-mia-mcpherson-7409-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/canada-geese-landing-faded-mia-mcpherson-7409-400x226.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/canada-geese-landing-faded-mia-mcpherson-7409.jpg 567w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 567px\" \/><\/span><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-3 fusion_builder_column_2_3 2_3 fusion-two-third fusion-column-last\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;width:66.666666666667%;width:calc(66.666666666667% - ( ( 4% ) * 0.66666666666667 ) );\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-2\" style=\"--awb-text-transform:none;\"><p>I hope that I will be able to see new vistas this year and revisit those I have loved and explored before, to learn, to become a better person and to be able to do more for nature, birds, animals and the environment.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">&#8220;<em>Like winds and sunsets, wild things were taken for granted until progress began to do away with them. Now we face the question whether a still higher &#8216;standard of living&#8217; is worth its cost in things natural, wild and free. For us of the minority, the opportunity to see geese is more important than television.<\/em>&#8220;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">~ <strong>Aldo Leopold<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-3 fusion-flex-container nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-background-image:linear-gradient(180deg, #ffffff 0%,#ffffff 100%);--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row fusion-flex-align-items-flex-start fusion-flex-content-wrap\" style=\"max-width:2288px;margin-left: calc(-4% \/ 2 );margin-right: calc(-4% \/ 2 );\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-4 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:20px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-order-medium:0;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-order-small:0;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-3\" style=\"--awb-text-transform:none;\"><p>Life <em>is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n<p>I wish you all the best for the New Year.<\/p>\n<p>Mia<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Each of us are the authors of how 2017 will be written in those history books as surely as we are the pathfinders in the journeys of our own lives. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":44178,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[511,27,28,2152,100,1254,26],"tags":[32,4343,733,4002,4431,5584,2117],"class_list":["post-44179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-avian","category-canada-geese","category-conservation","category-coyotes","category-environment-wildlife-ethics","category-utah","tag-branta-canadensis","tag-canada-goose","tag-canis-latrans","tag-coyote","tag-cygnus-columbianus","tag-theodore-roosevelt","tag-tundra-swan"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/coyote-snow-faded-thumbnail-mia-mcpherson-4813.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-buz","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":76602,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/12\/31\/2020-photographic-year-in-review\/","url_meta":{"origin":44179,"position":0},"title":"2020 Photographic Year In Review","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"December 31, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"This is my 2020 photographic year in review. I'm selecting some of my favorite photos from 2020 and a few that just make me happy to see them.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Bald Eagles&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Bald Eagles","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/diurnal-raptors\/bald-eagle\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Golden Eagle in flight, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/golden-eagle-flight-mia-mcpherson-9219.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/golden-eagle-flight-mia-mcpherson-9219.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/golden-eagle-flight-mia-mcpherson-9219.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/golden-eagle-flight-mia-mcpherson-9219.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":89172,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/05\/27\/violet-green-swallow-photos\/","url_meta":{"origin":44179,"position":1},"title":"Violet-green Swallow Photos","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 27, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday I was able to take the Violet-green Swallow photos that I have been dreaming of since I first moved to Utah in 2009.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":74023,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/09\/24\/photographing-my-first-green-heron-in-northern-utah\/","url_meta":{"origin":44179,"position":2},"title":"Photographing My First Green Heron In Northern Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 24, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"It was a terrific \"season opener\" for me yesterday thanks to my keen observation skills at Farmington Bay WMA with a Green Heron, one-eared Long-tailed Weasel and a one-eyed American White Pelican.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American White Pelicans&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American White Pelicans","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/pelicans\/white-pelicans\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sub-adult Green Heron catching prey in Utah, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/green-heron-immature-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-3975.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/green-heron-immature-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-3975.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/green-heron-immature-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-3975.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/green-heron-immature-farmington-bay-mia-mcpherson-3975.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":114879,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2023\/08\/01\/young-and-adult-blue-jay-photos-from-arkansas\/","url_meta":{"origin":44179,"position":3},"title":"Young And Adult Blue Jay Photos From Arkansas","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 1, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"This morning, I am sharing young and adult Blue Jay photos that I took from my dear friend Steve Creek's deck while I was staying with him in Arkansas.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Arkansas&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Arkansas","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/arkansas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Young Blue Jay portrait, Sebastian County, Arkansas","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/blue-jay-young-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-4840.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/blue-jay-young-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-4840.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/blue-jay-young-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-4840.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/blue-jay-young-arkansas-mia-mcpherson-4840.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":72188,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/07\/26\/flocks-of-phalaropes-in-flight-but-which-species\/","url_meta":{"origin":44179,"position":4},"title":"Flocks of Phalaropes In Flight &#8211; But Which Species?","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 26, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"It is the season of phalarope migration here in the Great Basin hub of the Pacific Flyway and one of the best places to view these shorebirds is along the causeway to Antelope Island State Park.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Antelope Island State Park&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Dorsal view of Phalaropes in flight - Which species?","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/red-necked-and-wilsons-phalaropes-flight-mia-mcpherson-8544.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/red-necked-and-wilsons-phalaropes-flight-mia-mcpherson-8544.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/red-necked-and-wilsons-phalaropes-flight-mia-mcpherson-8544.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/red-necked-and-wilsons-phalaropes-flight-mia-mcpherson-8544.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/red-necked-and-wilsons-phalaropes-flight-mia-mcpherson-8544.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":9707,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/10\/04\/greater-yellowlegs-and-copyright-watermarks\/","url_meta":{"origin":44179,"position":5},"title":"Greater Yellowlegs and Copyright Watermarks","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 4, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Which copyright watermark should I use? The small one that doesn't detract from the Greater Yellowlegs or the larger one that would make it harder for image thieves to use?","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44179","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=44179"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/44179\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/44178"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=44179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=44179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=44179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}