American Wigeons – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

American Wigeons are medium sized dabbling ducks. Males in breeding plumage have a cream to white forehead and crown with a broad green patch starting behind the eyes extending to the nape, they have pinkish brown flanks, breasts and backs with a section of white in the flanks and black undertail coverts. Females have grayish heads with white and dusky streaks, their breasts and flanks are reddish brown and their mantles are gray-brown. Both sexes have small bills, the males are blue-gray with a black tip and the females are gray with a black tip.

Storm Wigeon – It’s A Crap Shot – The Story Behind This Image

By Mia McPherson|December 15th, 2024|Categories: American Wigeons, Oklahoma, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: adult, American Wigeon, autumn, bottomlands, color morph, dabbling ducks, drake, fall, Four Corners Slough, male, Mareca americana, plumage variation, rare, slough, Storm Wigeon, water, waterfowl, wetlands, wigeon, wigeons|

There is no way to deny that this is a crap shot of a Storm Wigeon. This awful photo was taken at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma last week.

American Wigeon On The Last Day Of Winter

By Mia McPherson|March 23rd, 2023|Categories: American Wigeons, Birds, Salt Lake Valley, Utah|Tags: adult, American Wigeon, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, male, Mareca americana, morning light, pareidolia, park, pond, urban, water, waterfowl, wigeon, wigeons, winter|

I photographed an American Wigeon drake on the last day of winter at my local pond. The light was nice and lovely but my view of the wigeon was even nicer.

American Wigeon Portraits – I See Spats

By Mia McPherson|March 18th, 2023|Categories: American Wigeons, Birds, Humor, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Wigeon, close up, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, female, hen, male, Mareca americana, park, pond, portrait, spat, spats, urban, wigeon, wigeons, winter|

This morning, I am sharing two American Wigeon portraits. I felt fortunate to take them recently at one of my local urban ponds on a frosty, cold morning.

Urban Drake American Wigeon In Snow

By Mia McPherson|March 10th, 2023|Categories: American Wigeons, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Wigeon, bill, breeding plumage, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, male, Mareca americana, park, pond, resting, snow, urban, wigeon, wigeons, winter|

The sun came out for a bit yesterday so I went down to my local urban ponds. I was tickled to find and photograph a drake American Wigeon resting in the snow.

Ducks On The Wing Over The Marsh At Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|March 12th, 2022|Categories: American Wigeons, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Green-winged Teals, Mallards, Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: adult, American Wigeon, Anas acuta, Anas crecca, Anas platyrhynchos, flight, flying, Green-winged Teal, Mallard, Mareca americana, marsh, mountains, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, on the wing, Promontory Mountains, snow, Spatula clypeata, wetlands, winter|

I took this photo of ducks on the wing over the marsh on my most recent trip up to the wetlands of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

Northern Utah Winter Waterfowl Photo

By Mia McPherson|February 27th, 2022|Categories: American Wigeons, Birds, Canada Geese, Great Blue Herons, Mallards|Tags: American Wigeon, Anas platyrhynchos, Ardea herodias, Branta canadensis, Canada Goose, dabbling ducks, desert, duck, ducks, fog, frost, geese, goose, grasses, Great Blue Heron, heron, herons, hoar frost, Mallard, mallards, Mareca americana, mist, pond, ranchlands, snow, steam fog, water, waterfowl, wigeon, wigeons, winter|

The photo I liked the most from yesterday was of winter waterfowl on a small pond with mist rising from the water and hoar frost covering the vegetation.

Hen And Drake American Wigeons Close To Home

By Mia McPherson|November 25th, 2020|Categories: American Wigeons, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Wigeon, breeding plumage, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, female, hen, male, Mareca americana, pair, pond, shoreline, urban, water, wigeon, wigeons, winter|

Among the duck species I look for during the winter are American Wigeons which are medium sized dabbling ducks.

Drake American Wigeon Close Ups in Afternoon Light

By Mia McPherson|January 15th, 2019|Categories: American Wigeons, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Wigeon, close up, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, male, Mareca americana, portrait, urban, waterfowl, wigeon, wigeons, winter|

American Wigeons are here in this area of northern Utah year round but I seem to have my best opportunities with them during the winter. I'm delighted that this drake came in so close.

Photographing American Wigeon Drakes in Afternoon and Low Light

By Mia McPherson|January 19th, 2018|Categories: American Wigeons, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, alert, American Wigeon, breeding plumage, close up, dabbling duck, Definitive Alternate Plumage, drake, duck, ducks, exposure compensation, low light, male, Mareca americana, photograph, photographing, pond, portrait, urban, waterfowl, wigeon, wigeons|

I like how both these two American Wigeon photos turned out even though they were taken in different lighting conditions, they are both pleasing to my eye.

American Wigeon Pair In Northern Utah

By Mia McPherson|January 7th, 2018|Categories: American Wigeons, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Wigeon, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, female, hen, male, Mareca americana, pair, pond, urban, water, waterfowl, wigeon, wigeons|

I wonder how long this pair of American Wigeons will hang around, I hope it is long enough for me to see more green iridescence on the drake's head and long enough for me to take more images of them.