My Daily Story Timeline
Every day, I write about the true stories behind my images and share them on my site. One day, I might write about birds; the next, about an insect; and the following day, I might focus on a specific location. Each of these stories revolves around nature, my connection to it, or my concerns about preserving our natural world. This daily journal primarily serves as a collection of factual accounts from my journeys in the field.
While my primary passion is for birds, since everything in nature is interconnected, I photograph everything and write about it all. My life has always been intertwined with nature, and I hope it always will be.
Best wishes,
Mia
Spring Elk Bull In Velvet On A Hillside
The first time I raised my lens yesterday morning in the Wasatch Mountains it was for three Elk I spotted on a hillside.
Female MacGillivray’s Warbler Perched In A Blooming Serviceberry
This female MacGillivray’s Warbler popped into view briefly two years ago high in the Wasatch Mountains and even though she never came out into the open I enjoyed how she was surrounded by the white blooms of a Utah Serviceberry.
Green-tailed Towhees Are Migrating Into Utah
One year ago today I "whooped" out loud when I spotted my first of the year Green-tailed Towhee singing as he perched in top of a sagebrush.
It Has Been Five Years…
That is one thousand eight hundred and twenty-seven posts about birds, wildlife, flowers and the incredible scenery I see out in the field.
Nesting Northern Flickers Provide Nests For Other Birds
By excavating their own nests Northern Flickers provide nests for other woodland birds that can't excavate nesting cavities on their own and those nests can be used over and over again. Nature is brilliant.
Nesting Mountain Bluebirds And Other Woodland Birds
Yesterday I had a blast photographing a pair of Mountain Bluebirds at a natural nesting cavity at the edge of a forest along with some other woodland birds.
Migrating Yellow Warblers Have Returned
Two days ago my pulse quickened when I saw and heard my first of the season Yellow Warblers while looking for birds to photograph high up in the Wasatch Mountains.
Vesper Sparrows In Spring
Earlier this month I spotted my first of year Vesper Sparrow way up north in Box Elder County and since then I have been looking for them closer to home in the Wasatch Mountains.
Wax Currants, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds And Their Favorite Perches
In just a matter of days Wax Currants will start to bloom in some of the lower elevations of the mountains that aren't far from where I live and that has me excited.
Uinta Ground Squirrels Eating Earthworms
Two days ago I photographed something I had never seen or documented when I stopped to take photos of a Uinta Ground Squirrel and it started eating a big, fat earthworm.
Focusing On Belted Kingfishers High In The Wasatch Mountains
I spent yesterday morning high up in the Wasatch Mountains where part of the time I focused on photographing the Belted Kingfishers that I found in two counties.
Springtime American Robin In The Mountains
Today I am sharing a simple photo of an American Robin perched on a wooden fence high in the Wasatch Mountains that I took photos of two days ago.
Spring Least Chipmunk On An Old Wooden Fence In The Wasatch Mountains
This Least Chipmunk was running along the rails of an old wooden fence and when it stopped for a rest on a fence post I was ready.
Red-breasted Nuthatch And Juniper Titmouse Photos
These are the stories behind how I took these Red-breasted Nuthatch and Juniper Titmouse photos while relaxing and enjoying a lovely day in the West Desert.
Photographing Blooming Glacier Lilies
I enjoyed my journey to photograph the Glacier Lilies yesterday, it was quiet, peaceful and very relaxing. No news, no negativity, and not thinking about what a mess our world is in helped me to de-stress.
Adult Male American Avocet Stretching His Wings
Six years ago in early April I went to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and photographed this male American Avocet stretching his wings while his head was low to the water.
Male Burrowing Owl At His Burrow Plus Waking To An Empty Amber Alert
One year ago today I spent time photographing an adult male Burrowing Owl at his burrow that was surrounded by Redstem Filaree, a pink wildflower.
Finding Wild Turkey Hens Roosting In Aspens
I got out into the field for a little while yesterday morning and because of the observation skills I have developed over many years I was able to find two Wild Turkey hens roosting in Aspen trees.
My First Of Year Snowy Egret Sightings
Three days ago I spotted my first of the year Snowy Egret at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge when two egrets flew out of a ditch on the way to the auto tour loop.
Fledgling Short-eared Owl Parallaxing From An Old Wooden Post
The young Short-eared Owl in this photo was parallaxing when I photographed it in which basically means the fledgling owl was moving its head to gain different viewpoints.
Adult Eared Grebe At Bear River MBR Plus A 4.2 Aftershock
The light yesterday morning was a little bit funky because of high, thin clouds overhead but I took a few photos of the birds that I was able to get close to including one of the Eared Grebes.
Roadside Mourning Dove in Morning Light
Mourning Doves aren't flashy but I think they are handsome birds and that their calls are hauntingly beautiful.
Photographing Willow Flycatchers
Once I'm in Willow Flycatcher habitat the next thing I do is to listen for them. I often hear Willow Flycatchers before I see them because they can blend into their habitat well.
My First Of Year Gray Catbird – Heard But Not Seen
On April 2nd in a canyon in some mountains of the West Desert of Utah I heard a familiar call, the mewing call of a Gray Catbird while I was looking for birds to photograph.
Thermoregulating Turkey Vulture Close Up
Mornings have still been fairly chilly here in northern Utah and the Turkey Vultures that recently arrived on spring migration have been taking advantage of the rising sun by thermoregulating to help chase off the chill.
West Desert Wild Turkey Tom Strutting And Displaying
I took hundreds of photos of the tom Wild Turkey fanning his tail, walking on the dirt road, strutting and displaying for the hens I could not see. And for those moments all seemed right in the world.
Yellow-bellied Marmot High Up On A Cliff
I have taken thousands of images of Yellow-bellied Marmots where the marmots have been closer but very few of them that include as much habitat as this photo does.
Adult Male Red-naped Sapsucker With Food For His Chicks
The adult Red-naped Sapsuckers often clung to the entrance to the nesting cavity for a few seconds before they went inside with the food they had gathered to give to their chicks.
My Rare Mountain Plover Sighting Happened Almost Seven Years Ago
My rare Mountain Plover sighting happened almost seven years ago on Antelope Island State Park when I spotted, identified and photographed of the plovers during spring migration.
Photographing Nesting Williamson’s Sapsuckers
For one and a half wonderful nesting seasons I was thrilled to photograph a pair of mated Williamson's Sapsuckers excavating a nest and tending to their young.