Photographer and Author

About Mia McPherson

I am Mia McPherson. I became seriously passionate about bird photography while living in Florida. After my move West in 2009 I have spent much of my time photographing birds in Utah, Idaho, Montana, and beyond. As a nature lover, bird and wildlife photographer, I have a passion for capturing the beauty and grace of birds and wildlife in their natural habitats.
Life is good.

Black-throated Gray Warbler Images

By |August 9th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I am sharing two Black-throated Gray Warbler images that I took yesterday while exploring the canyons of sky island mountains in the West Desert.

Male American Goldfinch With Ripe Serviceberries

By |August 8th, 2022|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was happy to have this male American Goldfinch perched with ripe serviceberries in front of him for a few moments yesterday high in the mountains.

Sage Thrasher In Riparian Habitat

By |August 7th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Sage Thrashers, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Towards the end of last month I found a Sage Thrasher high in the mountains in riparian habitat which surprised me. A lot.

Least Chipmunk Family Photos

By |August 5th, 2022|Categories: Least Chipmunks, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two mornings ago I had an absolutely fantastic time photographing a Least Chipmunk family feeding, cuddling, grooming and playing high in the mountains. 

Willow Flycatcher Up Close – What Are Rictal Bristles?

By |August 3rd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Willow Flycatchers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On Sunday I had a wonderful opportunity to photograph an adult Willow Flycatcher up close when it landed very near my vehicle high in the Wasatch Mountains. 

Wasatch Mountain Range Sandhill Crane Images

By |August 1st, 2022|Categories: Birds, Sandhill Cranes, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I spent ten minutes taking Sandhill Crane images high in the Wasatch Mountain Range after finding a pair of cranes next to an alpine creek.

Young Cedar Waxwing Photos

By |July 31st, 2022|Categories: Birds, Cedar Waxwings, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I found this young Cedar Waxwing in the remnants of a small aspen forest two days ago while I watched for other birds to come in to feed on ripe serviceberries.

Adult Cedar Waxwing In Morgan County

By |July 29th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Cedar Waxwings, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was happy to photograph an adult Cedar Waxwing perched on top of a willow thicket in Morgan County high in the Wasatch Mountains four days ago.

Juvenile Lazuli Bunting Images

By |July 26th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Lazuli Buntings, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday I had fun taking juvenile Lazuli Bunting images as several of these young birds rested and moved around eating grass seeds for breakfast.

Raggedy Song Sparrow Adult

By |July 25th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Song Sparrows, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Friday morning while enjoying the cooler temps in the Wasatch Mountains I had this raggedy Song Sparrow adult pop out of a wild rose bush next to my Jeep.

Request For Grasshopper Identification

By |July 24th, 2022|Categories: Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildlife|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I have struggled for the past four days trying to identify a bright green grasshopper nymph that I found on a Common Mullein up in the Wasatch Mountains.

Female American Goldfinch With Thistles

By |July 22nd, 2022|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Musk Thistle, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Right after I photographed a juvenile Lazuli Bunting two days ago a female American Goldfinch landed in a patch of thistles in front of me.

Young Lazuli Bunting In A Serviceberry

By |July 21st, 2022|Categories: Birds, Lazuli Buntings, Summit County, Utah, Utah Serviceberry, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I escaped into the coolness of the Wasatch Mountains yesterday morning for a few hours. While I was there I photographed this young Lazuli Bunting.

Female Eight-spotted Skimmer Dragonfly

By |July 20th, 2022|Categories: Davis County, Eight-spotted Skimmers, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Earlier this week my last subject of the morning was a female Eight-spotted Skimmer dragonfly that landed in front of me next to a creek in the mountains.

Female And Male Yellow Warbler Images

By |July 19th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two mornings ago I spent a few moments taking female and male Yellow Warbler images that were in a willow thicket next to a creek high in the mountains.

Young Coyote Near A Creek In The Mountains

By |July 18th, 2022|Categories: Coyotes, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning while photographing bees on wildflowers I spotted a young Coyote walking towards a mountain creek through some grass and sagebrush. 

Lazuli Bunting Male – Small In Frame

By |July 17th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Lazuli Buntings, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I shared so many images yesterday that today I am keeping it simple with one image of a Lazuli Bunting male I photographed high in the Wasatch Mountains last week.

Early July Wildflowers In The Wasatch Mountains

By |July 16th, 2022|Categories: Blue Elderberry, Morgan County, Musk Thistle, Parsnipflower Buckwheat, Silvery Lupine, Spearleaf Arnica, Sticky Purple Geraniums, Summit County, Utah, Washington County, Wood's Rose|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I wanted to share some of the wildflowers I photographed in the first part of July that I have found in Summit and Morgan Counties high in the Wasatch Mountains.

Young Black-billed Magpie In A Serviceberry

By |July 13th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last Friday I found this Black-billed Magpie perched in a serviceberry shrub high in the mountains and stopped to take photos of the young bird.

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