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
Rough-legged Hawk on a Designated Parking Sign
Many of the birds here in the Salt Lake Valley find a place to roost in the evening and overnight frost begins to accumulate on their feathers like it did on this Rough-legged Hawk on a parking sign.
Gulls, Ducks and Geese in a Snow Storm
I spent about 40 minutes photographing the gulls, ducks and geese in the snow storm here in northern Utah yesterday and had a lot of fun doing it.
Possible Eastern and Western Willet Split in 2017
The question regarding this proposal is... Willet happen?
Possible Name Change for Ring-necked Duck to Ring-billed Duck
In 2017 one of the proposals submitted to the AOS is to rename Ring-necked Ducks to Ring-billed Ducks and I personally am all for the name change!
Feisty Canada Geese Threat Displays
That morning the Canada Geese were the most lively of the subjects I photographed, bathing, mating and exhibiting threat displays.
Wild versus Captive Birds in Photography – Keeping it Real, Keeping it Honest
I've made it clear on my post about Galileo and in this post about Goose that they are education birds and in my photo galleries I have included this symbol (C) to indicate they are captive birds.
Ring-billed Gull In Earlier Than Normal Definitive Alternate Plumage
I start seeing some Ring-billed Gulls in breeding/Definitive Alternate Plumage in February but I sure didn't expect to see this one on the third day of January, I was quite surprised by it.
Pale-chested American Kestrel – Variability in the Underparts of Male American Kestrels
The male American Kestrel caught my eye immediately because he has such a pale chest that the spots on his chest stood out like tiny black jewels set in a field of snow white.
Runty Second Winter Ring-billed Gull Photos
On January 3rd I photographed two unusual Ring-billed Gulls at my local pond in Salt Lake County, today I am sharing one of those gulls, the runty, second winter Ring-billed Gull.
Prairie Falcon with Prey in Box Elder County, Utah (Graphic)
The Prairie Falcon I photographed had prey and that may be why it was less skittish. I have no idea what the prey is but it is larger than a vole and had fur not feathers.
Photographing a Red-tailed Hawk at Farmington Bay
Almost three years ago today I spent time photographing a Red-tailed Hawk at Farmington Bay that was hunting in a snowy field while using a nest box as a perch to watch for prey.
My Visit with Galileo the Short-eared Owl at HawkWatch International
Galileo will be an education bird at HawkWatch International and he will help show people, young and old, in class rooms and community centers the importance of having owls and other raptors in our environment.
Funny Rough-legged Hawk – Preserving, Nurturing and Expressing a Sense of Humor
I think this Rough-legged Hawk has read one too many hysterical Tweets lately. I know I have.
Strolling Yellow-crowned Night Heron – Thinking Back on Brighter, Warmer Days
This morning my mind drifted back to June of 2009, to a bright, warm day on the Gulf coast of Florida and a strolling Yellow-crowned Night Heron that I photographed as waves churned up behind it.
Ring-billed Gull with Crayfish in the Snow – Plus Our Crazy Weather in Northern Utah Right Now
Last week while I was photographing birds at the local pond I saw a Ring-billed Gull catch a crayfish at the shoreline then it gobbled it up quickly before the rest of the gulls realized it had food.
Ruddy Turnstone – ABA Bird of the Year 2017
A few days ago the ABA announced the 2017 Bird of the Year as the Ruddy Turnstone and I couldn't be any happier because shorebirds were my "spark" birds that propelled me into the world of bird photography.
Frustrations of Bird Photography at Below Freezing Temps – Heat Waves Suck
Every single image I took yesterday was way softer than they would have been had it not been for those heat waves coming up the side of the pickup. To say I was disappointed is putting it lightly.
Paying Attention to the Birds Beyond My Subject – The Surprise Curlew Behind the Reddish Egret
I kept this photo of the Reddish Egret with the surprise curlew in the background not because it is a great image but to remind myself to look beyond the subject in front of me.
Ring-billed Gulls Bathing on New Year’s Day
The Ring-billed Gulls up close to me were bathing frequently so I focused on them for a bit to catch them splashing and dipping their heads and bodies into the water.
Common Goldeneyes Have Started Their Courtship Displays
I'm seeing plenty of goldeneyes around right now and I have also begun to see the male Common Goldeneyes performing their courtship displays.
Mallard Hen Caught in a Ring-billed Gull Feeding Frenzy
I noticed a Mallard hen and was watching and photographing her when the gulls swarmed around her like bees do honey and caught her immediately after a Ring-billed Gull grabbed her bread right out of her bill.
Raccoon on Ice at Farmington Bay on New Years Day
While photographing a Great Blue Heron at the first bridge I spotted a dark shape running, slipping and sliding on the snow-covered ice and could see that it was a Raccoon.
Welcoming the New Year
Each of us are the authors of how 2017 will be written in those history books as surely as we are the pathfinders in the journeys of our own lives.
Looking at 2016 in the Rear View Mirror or My Photographic Year in Review
Wow, today is the last day of the year 2016. This is my photographic year in review from Utah, Idaho and Montana!
Immature Great Blue Heron in a Snow Storm
As I focused on the Great Blue Heron I could tell it was an immature bird braving its first winter alone in the marshes of Farmington Bay.
Winter American Coot Portrait
When the birds settled back down on the pond this American Coot walked up onto the shore with the open water behind it and I couldn't resist taking portraits of it.
Canada Goose landing on Willow Pond in Salt Lake County
When I had the opportunity to photograph this Canada Goose landing on Willow Pond I took it and I caught the goose as its webbed feet hit the water so that it looked like the goose was water skiing.
Wintertime Wilson’s Snipes in Snow
Wilson's Snipes are medium-sized, stocky shorebirds that can be found in Utah year round despite the ice, freezing temperatures and heavy snow we have here during our winters.
First year Red-tailed Hawk Close Up in a Snow Storm
This first year Red-tailed Hawk close up in the snow storm was a reminder of how much our birds and wildlife have to struggle to get through the harsh winter.
Happy Holidays From Me To You
I woke this morning to several inches of fresh snow on the ground, our first heavy snowfall of the winter in the Salt Lake Valley arrived just in time for Christmas Day.