lift off – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Autumn Female Northern Flicker At A Birdbath

By Mia McPherson|October 18th, 2024|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Northern Flickers, Sebastian County|Tags: adult, Arkansas, autumn, bird bath, birdbath, Colaptes auratus, drink, fall, female, flicker, flickers, garden, lift off, Northern Flicker, Sebastian County, suburban, take off, water, woodpecker, woodpeckers, yard|

Yesterday morning, I was thrilled when a female Northern Flicker flew into the birdbath for a drink on a chilly autumn day. She seemed to glow in the sunlight.

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Low Light Carolina Wren Images

By Mia McPherson|September 28th, 2024|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Carolina Wrens, Sebastian County|Tags: adult, autumn, Carolina Wren, driftwood, fall, feeder, garden, lift off, low light, perched, suet, Thryothorus ludovicianus, urban, wren, yard|

I don't always have the best light to photograph birds in—that's simply a fact. But I do like these low-light Carolina Wren images taken this week.

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Green Heron Images From Sequoyah NWR

By Mia McPherson|July 23rd, 2024|Categories: Birds, Green Herons, Oklahoma, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: adult, Arkansas River, bottomland hardwood forests, bottomlands, branch, Butorides virescens, duckweed, foraging, Green Heron, heron, herons, lift off, mud, sky, small in frame, sub-adult, subadult, summer, take off, vines, wading birds, water|

This morning, I'm sharing three Green Heron photos plus a short video that were taken at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma earlier this month.

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Male Northern Cardinal In An Oak Tree Images

By Mia McPherson|May 25th, 2024|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Northern Cardinals, Sebastian County|Tags: adult, Arkansas, branches, cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, cardinals, garden, leaves, lift off, male, Northern Cardinal, oak, oak tree, Sebastian County, spring, tree, urban, yard|

Even though they are abundant in Arkansas and Oklahoma, I can't seem to see or take enough Northern Cardinal images. I sure missed them when I lived in Utah.

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Carolina Chickadee In Pre-lift Off Pose

By Mia McPherson|June 15th, 2023|Categories: Arkansas, Birds, Carolina Chickadees, Sebastian County|Tags: adult, Carolina Chickadee, chicadee, chickadee, driftwood, feeder, fluttering, lift off, perched, Poecile carolinensis, pose, spring, take off, urban, wings, yard|

I've photographed plenty of Black-capped Chickadees out west but it was about time to add a Carolina Chickadee gallery to my website. Now I have.

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Osprey Lifting Off After Missing Prey

By Mia McPherson|April 29th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Ospreys, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, dive, flight, flying, lift off, lifting off, Osprey, ospreys, Pandion haliaetus, park, pond, raptors, spring, take off, taking off, unsuccessful, urban, water|

I had great fun photographing this Osprey lifting off from an unsuccessful dive for prey two days ago. It was definitely a challenge and I will explain why.

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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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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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International Vulture Awareness Day 2022

By Mia McPherson|September 3rd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Tooele County, Turkey Vultures, Utah, West Desert|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Cathartes aura, desert, flight, flying, foothills, juniper, landing, lichen, lift off, perched, raptors, rock, sage, sagebrush, sky, spring, stump, Turkey Vulture, vulture, Vulture Awareness Day, vultures|

The first Saturday of September is International Vulture Awareness Day which is a day to bring awareness to these birds that face a range of threats.

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Spring Gadwall Drake Photos

By Mia McPherson|April 30th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Gadwalls, Utah|Tags: adult, alert, dabbling ducks, displaying, drake, duck, ducks, Gadwall, gadwalls, lift off, male, Mareca strepera, marsh, spring, water, waterfowl, wetlands|

This morning I am sharing two simple Gadwall drake photos that I took last spring from the auto tour route at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

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Cinnamon Teal Hen Lift Off Images

By Mia McPherson|April 7th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Cinnamon Teals, Utah|Tags: adult, Cinnamon Teal, dabbling ducks, duck, female, hen, lift off, lifting off, marsh, Spatula cyanoptera, spring, take off, taking off, teal, teals, water, wetlands|

I felt delighted to be able to take a series of this Cinnamon Teal hen lifting off from the marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge yesterday morning.

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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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Winter Great Blue Heron Photos From Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|January 7th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: adult, Ardea herodias, clouds, frost, frosty, frozen, Great Blue Heron, gulls, habitat, heron, herons, ice, ice shelf, lift off, lifting off, marsh, mountains, reflection, sky, slowly, take off, taking off, wading birds, walking, water, wetlands, winter|

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge can be a great location to take winter Great Blue Heron photos out on the frozen marshes and wetlands during January.

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Female Hooded Merganser Lifting Off From The Bear River

By Mia McPherson|December 10th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Hooded Mergansers, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, Bear River, close, diving ducks, duck, ducks, fall, female, Glover Pond, hen, Hooded Merganser, ice, lift off, lifting off, Lophodytes cucullatus, merganser, mergansers, pond, river, running, take off, taking off, water, waterfowl, wetlands|

I spotted a single female Hooded Merganser on the Bear River two days ago and photographed her as she ran on top of the water to lift off.

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Adult Female Northern Harrier Lifting Off From A Tumbleweed

By Mia McPherson|November 23rd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, birds of prey, Circus hudsonius, Davis County, fall, Farmington Bay WMA, female, flats, flight, flying, harrier, harriers, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, hen, lift off, lifting off, marsh, Northern Harrier, raptors, resting, take off, taking off, tumbleweed, Utah, wetlands|

When I spotted this adult female Northern Harrier resting on a tumbleweed yesterday morning it took a few moments for me to point her out.

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Dark Morph Red-tailed Hawk Lifting Off With Prey

By Mia McPherson|November 22nd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteos, dark morph, desert, fall, flight, flying, grass, grasses, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, lift off, lifting off, mammal, prey, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, rocks, sky, take off, taking off|

Yesterday morning I spotted this dark morph Red-tailed Hawk high on a cliff and I was able to photograph him as he lifted off with prey in his talons.

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Three Canada Geese On An Autumn Morning

By Mia McPherson|November 4th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, Branta canadensis, Canada Goose, fall, flight, flying, geese, Glover Pond, goose, grass, grasses, lift off, lifting off, pond, take off, taking off, teasels, water, waterfowl, wetlands|

Last week I photographed three Canada Geese lifting off from Glover Pond at Farmington Bay and it brought memories from November of 2008.

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Dark and light morph Red-tailed Hawk Photos

By Mia McPherson|October 9th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteos, cliff, cliff face, dark morph, desert, fall, female, flight, flying, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, lichen, lichen covered, lift off, light morph, male, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, resting, take off|

I almost missed finding this adult dark morph Red-tailed Hawk last Sunday because when I first spotted the hawk he was behind a tree in dark shadows but I recognized the shape and form of the raptor.

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Immature Light Morph Ferruginous Hawk

By Mia McPherson|September 22nd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks|Tags: Buteo regalis, Buteos, desert, fence post, Ferruginous Hawk, flight, flying, ground, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, immature, lift off, lifting off, light morph, looking, prey, raptors, summer, sunflowers, take off, taking off, Tooele County, Utah, west desert, wooden post, young|

Yesterday on the last full day of summer I found a couple of hawks in the West Desert including this immature light morph Ferruginous Hawk.

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Snowy Egret Photos – Farmington Bay Opening Day

By Mia McPherson|September 17th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Snowy Egrets, Utah|Tags: adult, behavior, chasing, Covid, dashing, defensive, egret, egrets, Egretta thula, fight, fighting, flight, flying, hair style, head on, landing, lift off, lifting off, marsh, Snowy Egret, summer, take off, taking off, tip toe, tiptoe, wading birds, water, wetlands, wing tip, wingtip, wooden pole|

Yesterday was kind of an opening day at Farmington Bay and the Snowy Egret show was the highlight of the day.

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Soothing Sounds of Birds From My Living Room Window

By Mia McPherson|September 6th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Black-capped Chickadees, Canada Geese, Capitol Reef National Park, Downy Woodpeckers, Morgan County, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: adult, autumn, ballet, Black-capped Chickadee, branch, Branta canadensis, Canada Goose, canyon, chickadee, chickadees, Downy Woodpecker, Dryobates pubescens, fall, forest edge, geese, goose, lift off, lifting off, male, mountains, perched, Poecile atricapillus, pond, take off, taking off, urban, waterfowl, winter, woodpecker, woodpeckers|

I like having my windows open so I can hear the sounds of birds when I can't be in the field. It helps me to hear them especially when the world is so crazy.

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Vesper Sparrow Lifting Off

By Mia McPherson|July 31st, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Utah, Vesper Sparrows|Tags: adult, desert, Fragrant Sumac, freshwater seep, lift off, lifting off, Poocetes gramineus, Rhus aromatica, seep, sky, smoky, sparrow, sparrows, sumac, summer, take off, taking off, Vesper Sparrow|

While looking through my archives yesterday I came across this image of a Vesper Sparrow I photographed last September near a freshwater seep in Box Elder County.

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Goofy Looking Canada Goose Lift Off

By Mia McPherson|July 21st, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Canada Geese, Utah|Tags: adult, Branta canadensis, Canada Goose, flight, flying, funny, geese, goofy, goose, lift off, lifting off, marsh, phragmites, phrags, spring, take off, taking off, water, wetlands|

Some of the bird photos I take make me laugh and this goofy looking Canada Goose lifting off from the marsh at Bear River MBR is one of them.

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Say’s Phoebe In Sage

By Mia McPherson|June 11th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Say's Phoebes, Utah|Tags: adult, Artemisia tridentata, Big Sagebrush, desert, eponymous common names, flycatcher, flycatchers, honorific common names, lift off, lifting off, perched, phoebe, phoebes, precariously, sage, sagebrush, Say's Phoebe, Sayornis saya, spring, take off, taking off, tyrant flycatchers|

I think Rufous-bellied Phoebe would be a great name instead of Say's Phoebe, with or without the hyphen. It is certainly more descriptive.

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Subadult Peregrine Falcon

By Mia McPherson|May 24th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Peregrine Falcons, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: adult plumage, birds of prey, calling, desert, Falco peregrinus, falcon, falcons, fence post, First Spring, flight, flying, foothills, immature, juvenal plumage, lift off, lifting off, molt, molting, Peregrine Falcon, raptors, second year bird, sky, spring, sub-adult, subadult, take off, taking off, wooden post, young|

Last week before I found the Rock Wren I wrote about I also found a subadult Peregrine Falcon perched on a wooden post in the West Desert.

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West Desert Male Rough-legged Hawk

By Mia McPherson|March 3rd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Rough-legged Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: adult, alert, birds of prey, boulder, Buteo lagopus, Buteos, fence post, flight, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, lichen, lift off, lifting off, male, perched, raptors, Rough-legged Hawk, take off, wooden post|

Yesterday morning was clear, bright, chilly, and I spent ten minutes photographing an adult male Rough-legged Hawk that I found in the West Desert.

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Ferruginous And Rough-legged Hawk Lift Off Photos

By Mia McPherson|February 22nd, 2021|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Rough-legged Hawks, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Buteo lagopus, Buteo regalis, Buteos, feathered legs, feathered tarsi, feet, Ferruginous Hawk, first winter, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, immature, legs, lift off, lifting off, light morph, male, power pole, raptors, rock, rocks, Rough-legged Hawk, sky, take off, taking off, young|

Yesterday morning I was able to take Ferruginous and Rough-legged Hawk lift off photos where both of the raptors still had their feet on their perches.

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It’s Superb Owl Sunday!

By Mia McPherson|February 7th, 2021|Categories: American Barn Owls, Birds, Great Horned Owls, Short-eared Owls|Tags: adult, American Barn Owl, Asio flammeus, Athene cunicularia, autumn, birds of prey, Bubo virginianus, Burrowing Owl, close up, desert, fledgling, flight, Great Horned Owl, immature, juvenile, lift off, marshes, owl, owls, Owls of Utah, perched, portrait, raptors, Short-eared Owl, snow, Tamarisk, Tyto furcata, white out, winter, young|

It is Superb Owl Sunday so I wanted to share four of the owls that I see most frequently. Barn, Burrowing, Great Horned and Short-eared Owls are the owls that I photograph most often here in northern Utah.

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Winter Female American Kestrel Photos

By Mia McPherson|February 3rd, 2021|Categories: American Kestrels, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Kestrel, Antelope Island State Park, back view, Davis County, Falco sparverius, falcon, falcons, Falcons of Utah, female, flight, flying, kestrel, kestrels, lift off, lifting off, perched, raptors, resting, rock, rocks, stalk, Utah, winter|

Yesterday morning I was able to take female American Kestrel photos from the causeway to Antelope Island State Park twice.

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