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.

My Great Two Bunting Morning

By |July 11th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Indigo Buntings, Lazuli Buntings, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Late last week I headed up into the Wasatch Mountains to look for birds in cooler temps and had a great time photographing two bunting species before 8 am.

Juvenile Green-tailed and Spotted Towhee Side By Side

By |July 10th, 2022|Categories: Bird ID, Birds, Green-tailed Towhees, Morgan County, Salt Lake County, Spotted Towhees, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Until two days ago I had never gotten photos of a juvenile Green-tailed and young Spotted Towhee in the same frame so I was thrilled when I saw them fly in.

Irresistible Young Yellow Warbler

By |July 9th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning I photographed a juvenile Yellow Warbler in the patchy mix of yellow and gray feathers that they only sport for a short time after fledging.

Showy Milkweed Images

By |July 8th, 2022|Categories: Morgan County, Showy Milkweed, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I found some blooming Showy Milkweed in Morgan County high in the Wasatch Mountains two days ago and felt compelled to take images of these wonderful wildflowers.

Summer Vesper Sparrow Photos

By |July 7th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Summit County, Utah, Vesper Sparrows, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today my post is focused on a little brown bird with a wonderful song I photographed yesterday in the Wasatch Mountains. The LBB was a handsome Vesper Sparrow.

California Darner Dragonfly In The Wasatch Mountains

By |July 5th, 2022|Categories: California Darners, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On the 26th of June I had a darner dragonfly land on a honeysuckle in front of me, that dragonfly was a California Darner.

Lewis’s Flax – Feeling The Blues

By |July 4th, 2022|Categories: Lewis’s Flax, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

While I was up in the Wasatch Mountains last week I saw several clumps of blooming Lewis's Flax and I stopped to take a few photos of these lovely wildflowers.

Adult Uinta Ground Squirrel Photos

By |July 3rd, 2022|Categories: Summit County, Uinta Ground Squirrels, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I'm sharing some adult Uinta Ground Squirrel photos that were taken high in the Wasatch Mountains over the past month that I like a lot.

One Wary Dusky Flycatcher

By |July 2nd, 2022|Categories: Bird ID, Birds, Dusky Flycatchers, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

There is a story behind these Dusky Flycatcher photos that I took earlier this week while I sat in my Jeep next to a creek in the Wasatch Mountains.

Ornate Checkered Beetle In Sticky Purple Geraniums

By |July 1st, 2022|Categories: Ornate Checkered Beetles, Sticky Purple Geraniums, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

When my trips to the field are slow bird-wise there is always something else to focus on. Earlier this week it was an Ornate Checkered Beetle on Sticky Purple Geraniums.

Not A Blue-eyed Darner Dragonfly – Other Things With Wings

By |June 29th, 2022|Categories: Blue-eyed Darner Dragonflies, Morgan County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildlife|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I love photographing dragonflies so when this darner dragonfly landed in front of me near a creek in the Wasatch Mountains I was delighted.

Mallard Ducklings And White Water Crowfoot

By |June 28th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Mallards, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, White Water Crowfoot, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I am sharing photos of Mallard ducklings and blooming White Water Crowfoot taken in a creek high in the Wasatch Mountains.

Blooming Beardtongue Photos From The Wasatch Mountains

By |June 23rd, 2022|Categories: Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Two days ago I focused on wildflowers I found high in the Wasatch Mountains and this morning I am sharing blooming Beardtongue photos from that morning. 

Blooming Scarlet Gilia In The Wasatch Mountains

By |June 22nd, 2022|Categories: Scarlet Gilia, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning birds were a little slow high in the Wasatch Mountains so I looked for wildflowers to focus on including blooming Scarlet Gilia.

Male Yellow Warbler Photos

By |June 21st, 2022|Categories: Birds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week while up in the mountains on two separate mornings I was able to take some adult male Yellow Warbler photos at the same willow thicket.

Blooming Hound’s Tongue In The Wasatch Mountains

By |June 20th, 2022|Categories: Hound’s Tongue, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildflowers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Hound’s Tongue is considered a noxious weed in Utah. Although it is labeled a noxious weed I think blooming Hound's Tongue is pretty.

Male Brewer’s Blackbird After Bathing In A Creek

By |June 18th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Brewer's Blackbirds, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

A few days ago I spotted a male Brewer's Blackbird bathing in the cool, shallow water of an alpine creek and moved towards him to take a few photos.

Cedar Waxwing Photos And Serviceberries Are Setting Fruit

By |June 16th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Cedar Waxwings, Morgan County, Utah, Utah Serviceberry, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday morning one of the birds I photographed was a stunning adult Cedar Waxwing perched on a serviceberry that has started to develop fruit.

Yellow-bellied Marmot Photos From The Uinta Mountains

By |June 14th, 2022|Categories: Summit County, Uinta Mountains, Uinta National Forest, Utah, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week I showed my friend Steve Mirror Lake Highway in the Uinta Mountains and I was able to put him on a lifer Yellow-bellied Marmot.

Some Birds And Blooms From The Wasatch Mountains

By |June 13th, 2022|Categories: American Goldfinches, Birds, Black Twinberry Honeysuckle, Black-chinned Hummingbirds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Gray Catbirds, Mallards, Morgan County, Mountain Goldenbanner, Red-tailed Hawks, Song Sparrows, Summit County, Utah, Utah Serviceberry, Wasatch Mountains, Western Chokecherry, Yellow Warblers|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning I wanted to share some photos of the birds and blooms that I took images of one morning last week while I was high in the Wasatch Mountains.

Two-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly With Serviceberry Blossoms

By |June 12th, 2022|Categories: Shrubs, Summit County, Two-tailed Swallowtails, Utah, Utah Serviceberry, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Late last week I stopped my Jeep in the Wasatch Mountains because I spotted a Two-tailed Swallowtail butterfly resting on a blooming serviceberry shrub.

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