{"id":50659,"date":"2018-01-12T06:53:20","date_gmt":"2018-01-12T13:53:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=50659"},"modified":"2025-08-04T08:32:47","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T13:32:47","slug":"standing-up-for-nature-is-fighting-for-our-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/01\/12\/standing-up-for-nature-is-fighting-for-our-lives\/","title":{"rendered":"Standing Up For Nature Is Fighting For Our Lives"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 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-0 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-flex-column\" style=\"--awb-bg-blend:overlay;--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-width-large:100%;--awb-margin-top-large:0px;--awb-spacing-right-large:1.92%;--awb-margin-bottom-large:0px;--awb-spacing-left-large:1.92%;--awb-width-medium:100%;--awb-spacing-right-medium:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-medium:1.92%;--awb-width-small:100%;--awb-spacing-right-small:1.92%;--awb-spacing-left-small:1.92%;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-flex-justify-content-flex-start fusion-content-layout-column\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"lazyload aligncenter wp-image-151308 size-full\" title=\"Barn Owl in flight - Standing Up for Nature\" src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-nature-mia-mcpherson-9521.jpg\" data-orig-src=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-nature-mia-mcpherson-9521.jpg\" alt=\"Barn Owl in flight - Standing Up for Nature\" width=\"850\" height=\"607\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%27http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%27%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20viewBox%3D%270%200%20850%20607%27%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%27850%27%20height%3D%27607%27%20fill-opacity%3D%220%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-nature-mia-mcpherson-9521-200x143.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-nature-mia-mcpherson-9521-300x214.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-nature-mia-mcpherson-9521-400x286.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-nature-mia-mcpherson-9521-600x428.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-nature-mia-mcpherson-9521-768x548.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-nature-mia-mcpherson-9521.jpg 850w\" data-sizes=\"auto\" data-orig-sizes=\"(max-width: 850px) 100vw, 850px\" \/><span style=\"color: #999999;\">Barn Owl in flight &#8211; Standing Up for Nature<\/span><\/p>\n<p>There are days when I simply do not have much to say out loud and on those days I often have a river of tumultuous thoughts flowing through my mind. Today is one of those days.<\/p>\n<p>I can&#8217;t help but think of how blessed I have been in my lifetime to love the natural world, to be <em>in<\/em> it, part <em>of<\/em> it and to <em>record<\/em> it with my camera. To have lived in the 70&#8217;s when people awakened enough to fight for the water, the land, the birds, the animals and for our future. To have seen and recognized the environmental impact we have on nature and the planet and actually <em>do<\/em> something about it.<\/p>\n<p>People who are environmentally conscious and whom respect and love nature already know this, they are my sisters and brothers at arms. They know that when we stand up for nature we are fighting for our lives. And not just human lives but every living being.<\/p>\n<p>Then I wonder how we can reach, teach and educate those who are not aware or simply do not care about how our actions affect this planet when science is scorned and disregarded, when intelligent, compassionate people who care about the future of our world are called tree huggers or environmental terrorists, when profit is placed before our health and the health of the world we live in. When facts are called hoaxes and the truth is ignored.<\/p>\n<p>Maybe we will never reach those with closed minds and are wasting our efforts and valuable energy with them and should focus instead on teaching our children and young adults the value of taking care of our home, our planet. They are the ones who will be here when we are gone and what happens today will have the most effect on them and their lives.<\/p>\n<p>I know what I want, I want the world to be as good if not better for my grandchildren and their children than it was for me in my lifetime and for every child everywhere. I want them to have clean water and air, wild places and to see animals and birds outside of zoos and aviaries.<\/p>\n<p>I want them to be able to smell the earthy aroma of a forest, dip their toes in a cold, clean stream, climb a mountain, watch the desert awaken at sunrise, be dazzled by the stars on a velvety dark night and hear the sounds of a vibrant, healthy world with their own ears. They deserve it and so much more.<\/p>\n<p>Mia<\/p>\n<p>Read more about me, my ethics, thoughts, and more on my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/about\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">About Mia McPherson page<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>People who are environmentally conscious and whom respect and love nature already know this, they are my sisters and brothers at arms. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":151308,"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":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[129,27,1022,697,26],"tags":[3985,2663,4312,4052,4122,3970,519,3967,294,6321,4018,4050,49,373],"class_list":["post-50659","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-barn-owls","category-avian","category-davis-county-utah","category-farmington-bay-wma","category-utah","tag-barn-owl","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-environment","tag-flight","tag-flying","tag-hunting","tag-nature","tag-owl","tag-owls","tag-planet","tag-sky","tag-snow","tag-tyto-furcata","tag-winter"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-nature-mia-mcpherson-9521.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-db5","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":50659,"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":133770,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2024\/09\/04\/great-horned-owl-mystery\/","url_meta":{"origin":50659,"position":1},"title":"Great Horned Owl Mystery &#8211; Things That Go Hoot In The Night","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"September 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday morning, while it was still pitch dark outside, I heard a bird call. Then, I heard a Great Horned Owl hooting. I soon had a mystery on my hands.","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":"Great Horned Owl in Tamarisk looking right at me on Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/great-horned-owl-female-perched-mia-mcpherson-thumbnail-1018.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/great-horned-owl-female-perched-mia-mcpherson-thumbnail-1018.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/great-horned-owl-female-perched-mia-mcpherson-thumbnail-1018.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":49316,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/11\/06\/bear-river-mbr-barn-owls-in-flight-all-small-in-the-frame\/","url_meta":{"origin":50659,"position":2},"title":"Bear River MBR American Barn Owls in Flight &#8211; All Small in the Frame","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"November 6, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"By having the American Barn Owls smaller in the frame in my photos I can share more visual information about where these beautiful owls live, hunt and thrive.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American Barn Owls&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American Barn Owls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/owls\/barn-owls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Foggy, snowy American Barn Owl in flight, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-fog-snow-mia-mcpherson-1777.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-fog-snow-mia-mcpherson-1777.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-fog-snow-mia-mcpherson-1777.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-fog-snow-mia-mcpherson-1777.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42763,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/10\/22\/an-unexpected-barn-owl-at-farmington-bay\/","url_meta":{"origin":50659,"position":3},"title":"An Unexpected American Barn Owl at Farmington Bay","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 22, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday I spent time photographing a cooperative yet unexpected Barn Owl at Farmington Bay, unexpected simply because Barn Owl are primarily nocturnal and I saw it during the day.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American Barn Owls&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American Barn Owls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/owls\/barn-owls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Barn Owl day time flight, Farmington Bay WMA, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-flight-mia-mcpherson-9574.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-flight-mia-mcpherson-9574.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-flight-mia-mcpherson-9574.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-flight-mia-mcpherson-9574.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":42912,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/10\/30\/wintry-barn-owl-flight\/","url_meta":{"origin":50659,"position":4},"title":"Wintry American Barn Owl Flight","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 30, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Earlier this year in January I was able to photograph a American Barn Owl in flight flying directly towards me with the snowy Promontory Mountains in the background while at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;American Barn Owls&quot;","block_context":{"text":"American Barn Owls","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/owls\/barn-owls\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"American Barn Owl flight with snowy mountains, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-winter-flight-mia-mcpherson-7826.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-winter-flight-mia-mcpherson-7826.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-winter-flight-mia-mcpherson-7826.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/barn-owl-winter-flight-mia-mcpherson-7826.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":83352,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/04\/04\/spotting-a-short-eared-owl-in-the-distance\/","url_meta":{"origin":50659,"position":5},"title":"Spotting A Short-eared Owl In The Distance","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 4, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"What caught my attention was this adult male Short-eared Owl perched on a bush way out in the distance in the middle of a rancher's field.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Birds&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Short-eared Owl in the distance, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-distance-50mm-mia-mcpherson-9542.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-distance-50mm-mia-mcpherson-9542.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-distance-50mm-mia-mcpherson-9542.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, 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