Centennial Valley – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Savannah Sparrow In The Centennial Valley Of Montana

By Mia McPherson|August 7th, 2024|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Savannah Sparrows|Tags: adult, Passerculus sandwichensis, perched, river, riverbank, Savannah Sparrow, sparrow, sparrows, spring, valley, water, wetlands|

I was looking through some older files for an image licensing request when I came across this photo of a Savannah Sparrow that I took in Montana in 2016.

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Tree Swallows Have Migrated Into Northern Utah

By Mia McPherson|March 25th, 2024|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, High Uintas, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Summit County, Tree Swallows, Uinta Mountains, Uinta National Forest, Utah|Tags: adult, aspen, aspens, close up, female, forest, male, mountains, natural, nest, nest box, nesting, nesting box, nesting cavity, nesting season, perched, Populus tremuloides, portrait, Quaking Aspen, spring, Summit County, swallow, swallows, Tachycineta bicolor, Tree Swallow, tree trunk, Utah|

Over the weekend, I read on Facebook that Tree Swallows have migrated back into Northern Utah for their breeding season. I am so excited about that news!

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Trumpeter Swan Landing In The Centennial Valley Of Montana

By Mia McPherson|May 20th, 2023|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Trumpeter Swans|Tags: adult, Cygnus buccinator, fence, grass, grasses, landing, mountain valley, mountains, spring, swan, swans, Trumpeter Swan, valley, water, waterfowl, willows|

I came across this Trumpeter Swan photo taken in Montana in my archives a few days ago and wondered why I had never processed the file or shared it before.

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World Water Day 2023

By Mia McPherson|March 22nd, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Conservation, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, Glacier County, Glacier National Park, Juab County, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Sawgrass Lake Park, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, American Coots, aspens, Box Elder County, canyon, Centennial Mountains, Centennial Valley, clouds, conifers, coots, creek, Cygnus columbianus, Fish Springs Range, flight, flock, Florida, flying, footbridge, foothills, grass, grasses, hills, ice, immature, Juab County, maple swamp, marsh, mountains, Pinellas County, pond, Promontory Mountains, rapids, reflections, river, rocks, rushing, sage, sagebrush, Sawgrass Lake Park, shadows, shrubs, sky, snow, snow-topped, spring, summer, swamp, swan, swans, trail, trees, Tundra Swan, Utah, valley, water, waterfowl, west desert, wetlands, Wigeon Pond, willows, winter, young|

Today is World Water Day. The theme for World Water Day 2023 is: Accelerate Change. Every human being on this planet is roughly 60% water.

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Colorful Twilight Sky

By Mia McPherson|September 12th, 2021|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: beauty, clouds, colorful, evening, fence, grasses, lake, light, marsh, mountains, pastels, peaceful, relaxed, sky, summer, sunset, twilight, valley, vivid, wetlands|

I don't have much to say today and all I really wanted to do was share this photo of a colorful twilight I took at Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge about 6 years ago.

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Was the Killing Of Bob The Sandhill Crane Really Necessary?

By Mia McPherson|September 5th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Montana, Sandhill Cranes, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: adult, Antigone canadensis, behavior, breeding display, clouds, courtship behavior, courtship display, crane, cranes, displaying, field, flight, flying, killed, killing, marsh, mated pair, mountains, pair, Sandhill Crane, spring, storrm, summer, Utah DWR, wetlands|

One of the other things that made me upset with Bob the Sandhill Crane being killed is that this could have been prevented.

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World Wetlands Day 2021

By Mia McPherson|February 2nd, 2021|Categories: American Barn Owls, American Bitterns, American Coots, Bald Eagles, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Black-crowned Night Herons, Blue-winged Teals, Brewer's Blackbirds, Centennial Valley, Checkered White Butterflies, Cinnamon Teals, Common Mergansers, Conservation, Eight-spotted Skimmers, Environment, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, Greater Scaups, Green-winged Teals, Halloween Pennants, Hooded Mergansers, Least Sandpipers, Lesser Scaups, Long-tailed Weasels, Marsh Wrens, Montana, Moose, Muskrats, Northern Harriers, Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, Pectoral Sandpipers, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Red-breasted Mergansers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Reddish Egrets, Redheads, Ruddy Ducks, Rusty Blackbirds, Sandhill Cranes, Scarlet Skimmers, Snowy Egrets, Spotted Sandpipers, Tricolored Herons, Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans, Utah, Variegated Meadowhawk, White-faced Ibises, Wildflowers, Wilson's Phalaropes, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: birds, critical, insects, plants, protection, water, wetlands, wildlife, World Wetlands Day|

February 2nd is World Wetlands Day to raise global awareness about the critical role of wetlands for people, wildlife and our planet.

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All Storms Come To An End

By Mia McPherson|November 12th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge, Juab County, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Utah, West Desert|Tags: blue sky, clear sky, clouds, dissapating, Fish Springs Mountain Range, marsh, mountains, ominous, Promontory Mountain Range, rain, rainy, sky, spring, storms, stormy, summer, valley, water, weather, winter|

There are times when I feel as if I am riding out a storm due to circumstances or events that are out of my control I remind myself that all storms come to an end.

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Adult Bald Eagle At The Edge Of A Forest

By Mia McPherson|October 16th, 2020|Categories: Bald Eagles, Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana|Tags: adult, Bald Eagle, conifer, eagle, eagles, forest edge, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, perched, resting, roosting, small in frame|

I'm not sure why I like this Bald Eagle image as much as I do but I do know that while I am looking at it I feel calm.

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In Every Sunset There Is A Promise And A Gift From Nature

By Mia McPherson|August 23rd, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: clouds, evening, evening light, grasses, hills, lake, Lower Lake, lower lake campground, marsh, mountains, sky, sunset, water, wetlands|

Throughout my life I have liked to think that every sunset has a promise and a gift from Nature in it. The promise that the sun will rise again in the morning.

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Black-headed Grosbeak in the Wasatch Mountains

By Mia McPherson|July 5th, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, Black-headed Grosbeak, breeding plumage, canyon, female, first year, flowering shrub, flowers, foraging, grosbeak, grosbeaks, immature, male, mountains, perched, Pheucticus melanocephalus, riparian habitat, shrub, summer, willow thicket|

I was happy that I decided to photograph the striking Black-headed Grosbeak instead of the Downy Woodpecker that was at least forty feet in front of me.

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Female Brown-headed Cowbird In A Serviceberry

By Mia McPherson|June 17th, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Morgan County, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Savannah Sparrows, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: adult, Amelanchier utahensis, berries, blackbird, blackbirds, brood parasite, Brown-headed Cowbird, canyon, chick, cowbird, cowbirds, female, fence rail, fledgling, fruit, immature, juvenile, Molothrus ater, mountains, Passerculus sandwichensis, perched, Savannah Sparrow, serviceberry, sparrow, sparrows, Utah Serviceberry, young|

Three days ago one of the birds that the Song Sparrows chased off was an adult female Brown-headed Cowbird that landed on a serviceberry in front of me.

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Female Mountain Bluebird With Prey

By Mia McPherson|May 31st, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds|Tags: adult, bluebird, bluebirds, caterpillar, female, fence post, grasses, lake, meadow, Mountain Bluebird, perched, pond, prey, Sialia currucoides, thrush, thrushes, valley, water, wooden post, young|

As I went through the images I took four years ago this photo of a female Mountain Bluebird perched on an old fence post with prey for her young in her bill stood out to me.

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It Has Been Five Years…

By Mia McPherson|May 2nd, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Milestone, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls|Tags: adult, Asio flammeus, golden light, grasses, male, meadow, milestone, mountains, owl, owls, resting, Short-eared Owl, spring, valley|

That is one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven posts about birds, wildlife, flowers and the incredible scenery I see out in the field.

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Swainson’s Hawk Chicks, Sub-adult And Adults

By Mia McPherson|March 31st, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Idaho, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, breeding grounds, Buteo swainsoni, Buteos, chicks, conifer, dark morph, defecating, female, hawk, hawks, immature, intermediate morph, juvenile, light morph, male, nest tree, nesting tree, perched, pooping, post, raptors, rousing, sky, storm, stormy, sub-adult, subadult, Swainson's Hawk, wooden post, young|

These are the life stages of the Swainson's Hawks I see, observe and photograph here in Utah, Idaho and Montana.

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My First Of Year Sandhill Crane Sightings

By Mia McPherson|February 26th, 2020|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Sandhill Cranes|Tags: adult, Antigone canadensis, blue flag iris, calls, crane, cranes, meadow, Sandhill Crane, sighting, spring, valley, wet meadow, wildflowers|

I was delighted to hear the Sandhill Cranes calling yesterday. Their bugling calls touch me and remind me that I am every bit a part of nature as the cranes are.

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Immature Swainson’s Hawk In Changing Light

By Mia McPherson|September 9th, 2019|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Swainson's Hawks|Tags: Buteo swainsoni, Buteos, changing light, close up, eye on the sky, flight, gravel road, hatch year bird, hawks, Hawks of Montana, immature, ISO, lift off, lifting off, light morph, low light, pose, raptors, Swainson's Hawk, variable|

This photo session with an immature Swainson's Hawk reinforced how as a bird photographer I need to not only be keenly aware of changing light it also showed how I may need to quickly change my settings to get the photos I want.

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Poof: Utah’s Merlins Could Disappear

By Mia McPherson|August 13th, 2019|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Conservation, Environment, Merlins, Montana, Utah|Tags: adult, burn area, climate change, climate crisis, disappear, early morning, Falco columbarius, Falco columbarius richardsonii, falcon, falcons, fence, marsh, Merlin, merlins, perched, post, prairie, prey, wetlands|

In my experience Merlins are already hard to find in the state of Utah but because of our climate crisis they could become even more difficult to locate or they might even disappear from the state altogether.

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Fledgling Mountain Bluebird In Montana

By Mia McPherson|April 12th, 2019|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Mountain Bluebirds|Tags: bluebird, bluebirds, chick, fence, fledgling, immature, juvenile, Mountain Bluebird, perched, Sialia currucoides, spider web, summer, thrush, thrushes, wire fence|

I dug through my older files and found this photo of a fledgling Mountain Bluebird perched on a wire fence that I photographed in July of 2017 up in Montana's Centennial Valley.

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Early Franklin’s Gull at Bear River MBR on March 6, 2018

By Mia McPherson|March 6th, 2019|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Davis County, Franklin's Gulls, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Utah|Tags: Antigone canadensis, breeding plumage, early migrant, Franklin's Gull, gull, gulls, Larus delawarensis, Leucophaeus pipixcan, marsh, molting, Ring-billed Gulls, Sandhill Crane|

While I had the Sandhill Crane and the Ring-billed Gulls in my view finder I heard a call and it only took a second for my brain to figure out that I was hearing a Franklin's Gull which surprised me because it was at the refuge much earlier than I have ever seen one there before.

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Adult Sandhill Crane At The Edge Of A Summer Storm In Montana

By Mia McPherson|February 4th, 2019|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Sandhill Cranes|Tags: adult, Antigone canadensis, clouds, crane, cranes, foraging, grassland, light, sandhill, Sandhill Crane, sandhills, shadows, spring, storm, valley|

I was drawn to this photo because of the light on the Sandhill Crane and the grasses it was foraging in plus how that contrasts with the dark shadows on the mountains behind the bird.

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My Photographic Journal Featured in the University of Montana’s Crown of the Continent and Greater Yellowstone Magazine

By Mia McPherson|July 16th, 2018|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Mountains, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: colorful, Crown of the Continent and Greater Yellowstone e-Magazine, journal, journeys, Lower Lake, sunset, Susie Graetz, University of Montana|

I typically don't announce publication of my work on my website but I am so honored to have my work included in Crown of the Continent and Greater Yellowstone e-Magazine that I decided to share this with my family, friends and all of the people who view my site.

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Mother Nature, Wildflowers and Moms

By Mia McPherson|May 13th, 2018|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Wildflowers|Tags: lupine, lupines, Lupinus argenteus, Mother's Day, Silvery Lupine, wildflowers|

There may be a bit of sunshine today and I hope there is so me and my Mom can get out and enjoy some of the beauty that Mother Nature provides us with each and every day.

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Young Wildlife – Moose, Marmot, Pronghorn, Red Fox and Wild Horses

By Mia McPherson|May 2nd, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Box Elder County, Centennial Valley, Clark County, Idaho, Montana, Moose, Mustangs, Pronghorn, Red Foxes, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Targhee National Forest, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert, Wild Horses, Wildlife, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: Alces alces, Antilocapra americana, babies, calf, cow, creek, cute animals, encrusted, Equus ferus caballus, fawn, foals, kit, lichen, Marmota flaviventris, Moose, playing, Pronghorn, pup, Red Fox, rock, Vulpes vulpes, wild horses, wildlife, Yellow-bellied Marmot, young|

Spring is the season of birth and rebirth, the leaves of trees unfurl, the dormant grasses and forbs poke up through the ground, flower buds burst open and flowers in all the colors of the rainbow appear on the landscapes, birds nest and incubate and wild animals give birth to their young.

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Photos Of Owls In Flight

By Mia McPherson|April 3rd, 2018|Categories: American Barn Owls, Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Beaverhead County, Birds, Box Elder County, Burrowing Owls, Centennial Valley, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Short-eared Owls, Utah|Tags: adult, American Barn Owl, Asio flammeus, Athene cunicularia, birds of prey, Burrowing Owl, flight, flying, head on, juvenile, lift off, owl, owls, prey, Short-eared Owl, Tyto furcata|

I spend a lot of time in the field looking for, observing and photographing owls and obtaining photos of them in flight can often be frustrating when I have the opportunity but very fulfilling when I accomplish my goal.

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Seasons Greetings From On The Wing Photography

By Mia McPherson|December 25th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: Christmas, colorful, seasons greetings, snow, sunrise, winter|

Wherever you are, whatever holiday you celebrate if you celebrate at all, I wish you joy and peace and hope that you will feel the love of your family and friends today and every day.

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Public Lands Under Fire – Just Think About It

By Mia McPherson|December 7th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Daggett County, Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, Utah|Tags: Antiquities Act, environment, National Conservation Areas, National Monuments, National Recreation Areas, National Wildlife Refuges, protection, public lands, reduction, under fire|

Like to fish? Hunt? Watch wildlife? Recreate on public lands? Then think real hard at what the reduction of existing national monuments mean and the precedent that might be set.

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Juvenile Vesper Sparrow in Southwest Montana

By Mia McPherson|December 2nd, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Vesper Sparrows|Tags: bird ID, fence post, juvenile, perched, Poocetes gramineus, post, sparrow, sparrow ID, sparrows, summer, valley, Vesper Sparrow, wooden post|

I have seen very few juvenile Vesper Sparrows and I have just a handful of images of them so when I spot one in good light I certainly want to do my best to photograph it.

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First of Season Merlin – Odd Behavior and Possible Explanation

By Mia McPherson|October 13th, 2017|Categories: American Pipits, Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Merlins, Montana, Utah|Tags: adult, alkali flats, American Pipits, Anthus rubescens, Falco columbarius, Falco columbarius richardsonii, falcon, falcons, flats, marsh, Merlin, merlins, perched, pipits, prey, wetlands|

I spotted my first of the season Merlin yesterday morning out on the flats at Farmington Bay yesterday morning and it truly delighted me.

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Blooming Gardner’s Yampah in Southwestern Montana

By Mia McPherson|September 25th, 2017|Categories: Beaverhead County, Centennial Valley, Montana, Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: Common Yampah, edible, food source, Gairdner's Yampah, Gardner's Yampah, Perideridia gairdneri, squawroot, western false caraway, white wildflower, wildflowers|

Earlier this year in July I spent some time in the Centennial Valley of southwestern Montana where I photographed this Gardner's Yampah near Elk Lake.

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