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.

More Snow: Snow Geese At Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge

By |January 26th, 2025|Categories: Oklahoma, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Snow Geese|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning, I'm writing about more "snow"—but not the fluffy, melty kind. Nope, it's the live, honking, feathered kind. By that, I mean beautiful Snow Geese.

Cell Phone Issues This Week Made Me Want To Scream

By |January 24th, 2025|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Humor, Utah, Western Grebes|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Last week, I decided to switch my cell phone carrier and get a new phone because my ancient one wouldn’t work at all on the new network. What I didn’t know...

Winter Common Grackle Images In Snow And Fog And Bright Light

By |January 19th, 2025|Categories: Arkansas, Common Grackles, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Today, I'm sharing two very different winter Common Grackle images. One photo was taken on a snowy, foggy morning, and the other on a bright, sunny afternoon.

Mockzilla The Northern Mockingbird In Snow

By |January 17th, 2025|Categories: Arkansas, Northern Mockingbirds, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Mockzilla, the extremely territorial Northern Mockingbird, was great fun to photograph during the recent snowstorm in Arkansas because she or he seemed calmer.

Snowy Slate-colored Dark-eyed Junco Photos From Arkansas

By |January 16th, 2025|Categories: Arkansas, Dark-eyed Juncos, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The second day of the big snowstorm here in Arkansas last week had me out on the deck, taking snowy Slate-colored Dark-eyed Junco photos along with other birds.

Female Red-winged Blackbirds In Fog And Snow

By |January 14th, 2025|Categories: Arkansas, Red-winged Blackbirds, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

After the recent snowstorm in Arkansas, I photographed several female Red-winged Blackbirds in foggy, snowy conditions. I had a great time taking their photos.

Three Zonotrichia Sparrows in Arkansas Winters

By |January 13th, 2025|Categories: Arkansas, Harris's Sparrow, Sebastian County, White-crowned Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday, I had a trifecta of Zonotrichia sparrows in my viewfinder. These are photos of the three Zonotrichia sparrows that visit Arkansas during the winter.

Fox Sparrow Photos – Nemesis No More!

By |January 12th, 2025|Categories: Arkansas, Fox Sparrows, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday, I took lots of Fox Sparrow photos, and by doing so, I conquered a nemesis. I've had so much trouble getting Fox Sparrow images that I actually like.

First Winter Harris’s Sparrow In An Arkansas Snowstorm

By |January 10th, 2025|Categories: Arkansas, Harris's Sparrow, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was over the moon when I saw and photographed a first-winter Harris's Sparrow in a snowstorm yesterday. I’ve waited years and years to take these photos.

Oklahoma Tallgrass Prairie White-tailed Deer Buck

By |January 8th, 2025|Categories: Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Oklahoma, Osage County, White-tailed Deer|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my first visit to Oklahoma's Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, I saw and photographed quite a few White-tailed Deer, including this buck.

American Bison On The Tallgrass Prairie Of Oklahoma

By |January 7th, 2025|Categories: American Bison, Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Oklahoma, Osage County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

The largest mammals I saw at the Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Oklahoma were herds upon herds of American Bison. There were so many bison!

Nine-banded Armadillo Excitement At Osage Hills State Park

By |January 6th, 2025|Categories: Nine-banded Armadillos, Oklahoma, Osage Hills State Park|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , |

I was thrilled to see and photograph a Nine-banded Armadillo last week at Osage Hills State Park in Oklahoma. The last time I photographed one was in Florida.

Downy Woodpecker At Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve

By |January 5th, 2025|Categories: Downy Woodpeckers, Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Oklahoma, Osage County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

This morning, I'm sharing photos of an adult male Downy Woodpecker on a gravel road at Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Osage County, Oklahoma.

One Beautiful Coyote At Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve

By |January 4th, 2025|Categories: Coyotes, Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Oklahoma, Osage County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

It was our second day exploring the Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve when I spotted a pair of ears in the grasses—they belonged to this Coyote.

Common Loon: The 2025 ABA Bird of the Year

By |January 3rd, 2025|Categories: Common Loons, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Yesterday, the American Birding Association announced that the Common Loon is the 2025 ABA Bird of the Year, and I was so excited. I love these striking loons!

Eastern Cottontail Rabbits – Do They Hibernate?

By |January 2nd, 2025|Categories: Arkansas, Eastern Cottontails, Sebastian County|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

Over the past few months, I've been seeing fewer Eastern Cottontail rabbits, which led me down a momentary rabbit hole wondering if this rabbit species hibernates.

I Saw My First Forster’s Terns At Sequoyah NWR

By |December 30th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Florida, Forster's Terns, Fort De Soto County Park, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

On my most recent trip to Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, I saw, but didn’t photograph, Forster’s Terns flying and hunting over Sally Jones Lake.

ABA Birding Magazine – December 2024 – My Clark’s Grebe Cover

By |December 28th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Clark's Grebes, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , |

My Clark's Grebe photo graces the cover of the ABA's Birding Magazine December 2024 edition, and I wanted to share the cover along with what I wrote about it.

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