Box Elder County – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Eyes On The Sky – Osprey Migration Is Underway

By Mia McPherson|March 15th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Ospreys, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, Box Elder County, desert, Fish Hawk, flight, flying, migration, Osprey, ospreys, Pandion haliaetus, park, perched, pole, pond, ranchlands, raptor, raptors, Salt Lake County, sky, spring, urban, Utah, water|

It is time for me to keep my eyes on the sky because Osprey migration is underway. Online, in the past week, I've seen them being reported in Montana and Idaho.

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Today Is Utah’s Swan Day For 2024

By Mia McPherson|March 9th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: Bear River MBR, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, close up, Cygnus columbianus, ice, marsh, mountains, portrait, resting, small in frame, snow, specular highlights, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, Utah, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

Today is March 9th, and it is Utah's Swan Day 2024! The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge auto tour loop is a terrific place to see these lovely white swans.

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Fun Drake Mallard At Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|January 4th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Mallards, Utah|Tags: adult, Anas platyrhynchos, Bear River MBR, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, breeding plumage, dabbling duck, drake, ducks, flight, flying, ice, lifting off, male, Mallard, mallards, marsh, New Year's Day, taking off, Utah, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

On New Year's Day morning, I had fun photographing a drake Mallard from the auto tour loop of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge as he lifted off from the marsh.

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My Solitaire Common Name Change Recommendation

By Mia McPherson|November 20th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Tooele County, Townsend's Solitaires, Utah, West Desert|Tags: adult, autumn, berries, berry, Box Elder County, Celtis reticulata, desert, fall, Fragrant Sumac, hackberries, hackberry, juniper, junipers, Juniperus osteosperma, leaves, Myadestes townsendi, Netleaf Hackberry, perched, ranchlands, Rhus aromatica, roadside, shrub, sky, snow, snowy, solitaire, solitaires, sumac, thrush, thrushes, Townsend's Solitaire, tree, Utah, Utah Juniper|

In 2024, the common name for Townsend's Solitaire will change, along with many other bird names. My recommendation would be to rename it the Juniper Solitaire.

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Time To See And Hear Tundra Swans

By Mia McPherson|November 10th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, Box Elder County, Cygnus columbianus, fall, flight, flock, flying, marsh, mountains, pair, phragmites, phrags, Promontory Mountains, sky, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

Now is a great time to see and hear Tundra Swans from the marshes at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I saw several large flocks of them yesterday from there.

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An Incredible Shelf Cloud Over Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|October 24th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Miscellaneous, Utah, Weather Phenomena|Tags: Arcus clouds, autumn, Bear River MBR, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, cloud, cloud formations, clouds, composite, Cumulonimbus clouds, fall, flats, morning, panorama, ranchlands, shelf cloud, sky, stormy, tree, unusual, Utah, weather phenomena|

Today, I am sharing a few images of an incredible shelf cloud over Bear River MBR that I was thrilled to see and photograph yesterday morning.

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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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Red-tailed Hawk Pre-Lift Off

By Mia McPherson|March 15th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Box Elder County, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteo jamaicensis calurus, Buteos, desert, grasses, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, lichens, lift off, pre-lift off, raptors, red tail, Red-tailed Hawk, rocks, rufous, sky, take off, Utah, winter|

It's been about four years since I photographed this rufous Red-tailed Hawk in in a pre-lift off pose way up in northern Utah. This pose can be hard to capture.

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Ring-billed Gull Feeding Frenzy Excitement

By Mia McPherson|November 16th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Ring-billed Gulls, Utah|Tags: autumn, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, fall, feeding, flight, flying, frenzy, gull, gulls, Larus delawarensis, marsh, Promontory Mountains, Ring-billed Gull, Utah, video, water, wetlands|

When I was at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge two days ago I witnessed several Ring-billed Gull feeding frenzies out on the marshes of the refuge.

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Winter California And American Herring Gull Comparison In Utah

By Mia McPherson|November 8th, 2022|Categories: American Herring Gulls, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, California Gulls, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Herring Gull, beach, Bear River, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, breeding plumage, California Gull, coastal, comparison, composite, Definitive Alternate Plumage, Definitive Basic Plumage, floating, Gulf of Mexico, gull, gulls, ice, ID features, identification, Larus californicus, Larus smithsonianus, marsh, nonbreeding plumage, river, sand, side by side, water, wetlands, winter, winter plumage|

Since I frequently get asked which is which I thought this would be a good time to do a winter California and American Herring Gull comparison and ID feature post.

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Fall Views At Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|November 6th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Scenics, Utah|Tags: auto tour loop, autumn, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, calm, clouds, fall, fog, grasses, ground fog, marsh, mountains, Promontory Mountains, road, sky, sunrise, trees, Utah, vegetation, water, wetlands|

Yes, I go to Bear River MBR to find and photograph birds, but I also go there to unwind and find comfort in the marsh and the magnificent surroundings.

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Desert Red-tailed Hawk Photos

By Mia McPherson|October 28th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, Artemisia tridentata, autumn, Big Sagebrush, birds of prey, Box Elder County, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteos, Celtis reticulata, cliff, cliff face, dark morph, desert, dwelling, fall, hackberries, hackberry, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, immature, leaves, lichen, lift off, lifting off, metal post, Netleaf Hackberry, perched, preparing, raptors, red tail, Red-tailed Hawk, rocks, sage, sagebrush, sky, stony eyed, take off, taking off, Utah, young|

While I was up in far northern Utah looking for birds last week, I took quite a few Red-tailed Hawk photos. I shared one image a few days ago and here are a few more.

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Jaywalking Wild Turkey Pictures

By Mia McPherson|October 23rd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Wild Turkeys|Tags: autumn, Box Elder County, desert, fall, female, hen, jaywalking, Meleagris gallopavo, ranchlands, road, turkey, turkeys, Utah, walking, Wild Turkey|

Three days ago, while I was in northern Utah I found some jaywalking Wild Turkey hens near some ranchlands, which made me chuckle out loud.

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Greater Yellowlegs And Pickleweed Photos

By Mia McPherson|September 4th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Greater Yellowlegs, Utah|Tags: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, glasswort, Greater Yellowlegs, halophyte, herb, herbaceous, marsh, marsh samphire, perennial, picklegrass, Pickleweed, playa, Salicornia, Salicornia rubra, salt tolerant, samphire greens, Sarcocornia utahensis, sea asparagus, sea beans, shorebirds, succulent, summer, swampfire, Tringa melanoleuca, Utah, water, wetlands, yellowlegs|

On my last trip up to Bear River MBR I had a Greater Yellowlegs land close to me in pickleweeds while I was parked on the north side of the auto tour route.

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Young Killdeer At Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|August 16th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Killdeer, Utah|Tags: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Charadrius vociferus, dawn, hatch year, immature, Killdeer, killdeers, marsh, plover, plovers, shorebirds, summer, Utah, water, wetlands, young|

Yesterday morning I drove up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge where the second bird that I photographed was a young Killdeer in the early light of dawn.

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Springtime Rock Wren Photos

By Mia McPherson|April 11th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Rock Wrens, Utah|Tags: adult, blue, Box Elder County, clear, cliff, desert, desert habitat, lichen, lichen covered, lichens, nesting materials, perched, rock, Rock Wren, rocks, Salpinctes obsoletus, sky, spring, staring, Utah, wren, wrens|

Any time I have a Rock Wren in my viewfinder is a good day for me. Yesterday was an especially good day because I had two nesting adult Rock Wrens to focus on.

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Spring Male Yellow-headed Blackbird Portraits

By Mia McPherson|April 3rd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: adult, alert, blackbird, blackbirds, Box Elder County, calls, close up, desert, fluffed up, male, perched, portrait, ranchlands, road, singing, song, spring, Utah, Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus, Yellow-headed Blackbird|

When I was up in northern Utah two days ago there was a male Yellow-headed Blackbird that was so close that all I could do was take portraits of him.

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Young Golden Eagle On A Cliff

By Mia McPherson|April 2nd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Golden Eagles, Utah|Tags: Aquila chrysaetos, birds of prey, Box Elder County, breeze, cliff, crown, desert, eagle, eagles, feathers, Golden Eagle, immature, lichen, morning, morning light, perched, raptors, rocks, shadow, spring, Utah, yawn, yawning, young|

I found and pointed out quite a few birds yesterday but my favorite was this young Golden Eagle on a cliff in morning light because it was so beautiful.

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Singing Female Yellow-headed Blackbird At Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|March 26th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: adult, blackbird, blackbirds, Box Elder County, female, marsh, morning, morning light, perched, phragmites, phrags, Song Spread, spring, wetlands, Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus, Yellow-headed Blackbird|

I had a wonderful and relaxing morning at Bear River MBR yesterday and took photos of a female Yellow-headed Blackbird singing on the marsh not long after sunrise.

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Fifteen Tundra Swan Photos For Swan Day 2022

By Mia McPherson|March 11th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Cygnus columbianus, ice, ice shelf, marsh, running, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, Utah, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

This past Monday while I was enjoying the peace and solitude of the auto tour route at Bear River MBR I took hundreds of Tundra Swan photos from inside my Jeep.

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Drake Northern Pintail Lift Off Images

By Mia McPherson|March 8th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Pintails, Utah, Video|Tags: adult, Anas acuta, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, dabbling ducks, drake, ducks, female, flight, flock, flying, hen, lift off, lifting off, male, marsh, mountains, Northern Pintail, pintail, pintails, sky, snow, take off, taking off, Utah, video, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

I drove up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge yesterday morning and came home with some drake Northern Pintail lift off images that I am pleased with.

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Trumpeter Swan Photos From Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|February 21st, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Bird ID, Birds, Box Elder County, Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, back view, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, calling, Cygnus buccinator, Cygnus columbianus, ice, lift off, lifting off, marsh, phragmites, phrags, swan, swans, take off, taking off, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, Utah, vegetation, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

When I was at Bear River MBR two days ago I was excited to be able to take a nice series of Trumpeter Swan photos on the west side of the auto tour loop.

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I Am Going To Miss This Rough-legged Hawk

By Mia McPherson|February 13th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Buteo lagopus, Buteos, hawk, hawks, information sign, light morph, male, marsh, morning, one way sign, parking sign, perched, raptors, refuge, Rough-legged Hawk, sign, Utah, wetlands, winter|

Last week I photographed this male Rough-legged Hawk on Monday and Thursday while at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

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Four Immature Red-tailed Hawk Portraits

By Mia McPherson|February 12th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteos, close up, hawk, hawks, head on, hunting, immature, looking, perched, portrait, prey, ranchlands, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, Utah, wooden post, young|

Two days ago I was able to take a nice series of immature Red-tailed Hawk portraits on my most recent trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

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Yawning Immature Rough-legged Hawk

By Mia McPherson|February 10th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Buteo lagopus, Buteos, hawk, hawks, immature, light morph, marker, marsh, perched, plastic post, raptors, Rough-legged Hawk, sub-adult, subadult, Utah, wetlands, winter, yawn, yawning, young|

This is the same immature light morph Rough-legged Hawk that I shared portraits of two days ago that were taken at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

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Winter Rock Wren Photos

By Mia McPherson|February 7th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Rock Wrens, Utah|Tags: adult, Box Elder County, desert, lichen, lichen covered, lichens, rock, Rock Wren, rocks, Salpinctes obsoletus, Utah, winter, wren, wrens|

Yesterday I found and pointed out a bunch of birds in northern Utah. The long distance Rock Wren photos I took were the birds that brought me the most joy.

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Light Morph Male Rough-legged Hawk Winter Site Fidelity

By Mia McPherson|February 5th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, birds of prey, Box Elder County, Buteo lagopus, Buteos, close up, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, light morph, male, marsh, one way sign, portrait, raptors, Rough-legged Hawk, sign, site fidelity, territorial site fidelity, Utah, wetlands, winter|

I have been photographing a light morph male Rough-legged Hawk on or near a One Way sign at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge frequently this winter.

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Riverbank Red-tailed Hawk Dining Al Fresco

By Mia McPherson|January 9th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: al fresco, bank, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteos, close up, dining, eating, first winter, grass, grasses, Great Blue Heron, hawk, hawks, ice, immature, portrait, prey, raptors, river, river bank, riverbank, Utah, wetlands, winter, young|

Yesterday morning I photographed an immature Red-tailed Hawk dining al fresco on the bank of the Bear River on my way back to I-15 to head home.

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One Very Cooperative Male Rough-legged Hawk

By Mia McPherson|January 3rd, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Rough-legged Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, blue sky, Box Elder County, Buteo lagopus, Buteos, close up, frost, frosted, frosty, hawk, hawks, light morph, male, marsh, perched, plastic marker, portrait, raptors, Rough-legged Hawk, stretching, Tamarisk, tree, Utah, wetlands, wings, winter|

For the second year in a row the first bird I photographed in the New Year was a Rough-legged Hawk and both were photographed at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

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Great Blue Heron Photos Taken on The Winter Solstice

By Mia McPherson|December 22nd, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: adult, Ardea herodias, Bear River, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, chest, driftwood, feathers, Great Blue Heron, heron, herons, icy, landing, perched, river, riverbank, snag, snow, Solstice, Utah, wading birds, wetlands, winter|

To my delight I was able to take Great Blue Heron photos yesterday on the Winter Solstice that I found on the banks of the Bear River at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

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