Northern Shoveler – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Drake Northern Shoveler And American Coot

By Mia McPherson|March 28th, 2024|Categories: American Coots, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: adult, American Coot, coot, coots, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, Fulica americana, male, marsh, Northern Shoveler, shoveler, shovelers, Spatula clypeata, swimming, water, wetlands, winter|

This drake Northern Shoveler swam past me on my last trip up to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I couldn't resist taking photos of him. Why would I want to?

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Ducks On The Wing Over The Marsh At Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|March 12th, 2022|Categories: American Wigeons, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Green-winged Teals, Mallards, Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: adult, American Wigeon, Anas acuta, Anas crecca, Anas platyrhynchos, flight, flying, Green-winged Teal, Mallard, Mareca americana, marsh, mountains, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, on the wing, Promontory Mountains, snow, Spatula clypeata, wetlands, winter|

I took this photo of ducks on the wing over the marsh on my most recent trip up to the wetlands of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

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Remembering Higher Water In The Great Salt Lake

By Mia McPherson|November 29th, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Conservation, Davis County, Green-winged Teals, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: Anas crecca, breeding plumage, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, dying lake, eclipse plumage, female, Great Salt Lake, Green-winged Teal, hen, hypersaline lake, inland sea, lake, male, Northern Shoveler, shoveler, shovelers, Spatula clypeata, surf, teal, teals, water, waves|

I came across this photo of a Green-winged Teal with Northern Shovelers in the surf of the Great Salt Lake that I took in December of 2011 yesterday. It was a punch in the gut.

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Drake Northern Shoveler Landing On A Chilly Pond

By Mia McPherson|November 26th, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, breeding plumage, chilly, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, fall, flight, flying, Glover Pond, landing, male, marsh, Northern Shoveler, pond, shoveler, shovelers, Spatula clypeata, water, waterfowl, wetlands|

This morning I am sharing a simple photo of a drake Northern Shoveler landing on a chilly pond that I took in early December of last year.

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Drake Northern Shoveler In Flight

By Mia McPherson|April 29th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: breeding plumage, dabbling duck, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, flight, flying, male, marsh, Northern Shoveler, shoveler, shovelers, Spatula clypeata, wetlands|

It isn't easy to photograph some birds on the wing so I was thrilled yesterday to photograph a drake Northern Shoveler in flight.

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Northern Shovelers Feeding On Glover Pond

By Mia McPherson|December 21st, 2020|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Shovelers, Utah, Video|Tags: adult, circling, dabbling ducks, duck, ducks, feeding, Glover Pond, Northern Shoveler, pond, shoveler, shovelers, Spatula clypeata, video, water, waterfowl, whirling|

Early in December while at Farmington Bay WMA I was able to photograph and take videos of Northern Shovelers feeding on Glover Pond.

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Northern Shoveler, The Rising Sun And Fog

By Mia McPherson|November 16th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: adult, dabbling ducks, duck, ducks, fog, Northern Shoveler, rising, rising sun, shoveler, shovelers, Spatula clypeata, steam fog, sun, Wasatch Mountains, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

Three days ago there was a little bit of fog at Farmington Bay WMA while the sun was coming up over the Wasatch Mountains which set up the conditions I needed to take this Northern Shoveler photo.

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Some Of The Birds Seen At Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge During The Month of May

By Mia McPherson|May 19th, 2019|Categories: American Avocets, American Bitterns, American Coots, American White Pelicans, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-crowned Night Herons, Blue-winged Teals, Box Elder County, Brown-headed Cowbirds, California Gulls, Cinnamon Teals, Clark's Grebes, Cliff Swallows, Forster's Terns, Killdeer, Long-billed Dowitchers, Marsh Wrens, Northern Shovelers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Ruddy Ducks, Savannah Sparrows, Tree Swallows, Utah, Western Grebes, White-faced Ibises, Yellow-headed Blackbirds|Tags: American Avocet, American Bittern, American Coot, American White Pelican, Black-crowned Night Heron, Blue-winged Teal, Brown-headed Cowbird, California Gull, Cinnamon Teal, Clark's Grebe, Cliff Swallow, Forster's Tern, Killdeer, Long-billed Dowitcher, Marsh Wren, Northern Shoveler, Red-winged Blackbird, Ruddy Duck, Savannah Sparrow, Tree Swallow, Western Grebe, White-faced Ibis, Yellow-headed Blackbird|

May is a time of renewal at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and as the marsh begins to green up the migrant birds return and along with the year round residents their songs and calls can be heard over the wetlands.

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Birds On The Wing At Farmington Bay

By Mia McPherson|February 18th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Shovelers, Ring-necked Pheasants, Utah, White-faced Ibises|Tags: dabbling ducks, drakes, ducks, flight, hen, ibis, ibises, marsh, Northern Shoveler, on the wing, Phasianus colchicus, pheasant, pheasants, Plegadis chihi, Ring-necked Pheasant, shoveler, shovelers, Spatula clypeata, upland terestrial bird, White-faced Ibis, winter|

Even though my primary focus was on photographing Bald Eagles I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to take photos of the other birds I saw on the wing at Farmington Bay that morning.

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Dabbling Duck Shuffle – Plus White Geese Become Gray Geese

By Mia McPherson|July 8th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Cinnamon Teals, Gadwalls, Northern Shovelers, Snow Geese|Tags: American Ornithological Society, American Ornithological Union, Anser caerulescens, AOS, AOU, Cinnamon Teal, Gadwall, lumps, Mareca strepera, Northern Shoveler, scientific name, shuffle, Snow Goose, Spatula clypeata, Spatula cyanoptera, splits|

A few more changes in the Fifty-Eighth Supplement to the AOS Check-list have to do with dabbling ducks and "white geese".

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Northern Shoveler Drake and Hen

By Mia McPherson|October 2nd, 2016|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: adult, breeding plumage, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, female, hen, male, marsh, Northern Shoveler, shoveler, skittish, Spatula clypeata, waterfowl, wetlands|

This beautiful Northern Shoveler drake in breeding plumage was photographed in one of those no hunting areas on New Years Day 2015 at Farmington Bay.

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Whirlpool of Feeding Northern Shovelers on the Great Salt Lake

By Mia McPherson|February 2nd, 2016|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: adult, brine shrimp, close up, comblike, dabbling ducks, duck, ducks, eggs, feeding, feeding behavior, female, flock, Great Salt Lake, hen, lake, lamellae, large bills, marsh, Northern Shoveler, plankton, portrait, raft, rafts, shoveler, shovelers, spatulated, water, waterfowl, wetlands, whirlpool|

It is interesting to see this whirlpool effect of Northern Shovelers on the surface of the Great Salt Lake and to hear the sounds of their bills dabbling in the water.

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Flock of Northern Shovelers feeding on the Great Salt Lake

By Mia McPherson|November 10th, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: adult, breeding, breeding plumage, comblike, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, eclipse plumage, elongated bills, feeding, female, flock, hen, hypersaline lake, lamellae, male, nonbreeding, Northern Shoveler, Northern Shovelers, shoveler, shovelers, Spatula clypeata, waterfowl, winter|

Last December on the way off of Antelope Island I saw huge flocks of Northern Shovelers feeding on the Great Salt Lake and liked how they appeared through my viewfinder.

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The Great Salt Lake is D(r)ying and Utah’s Water Crisis

By Mia McPherson|April 26th, 2015|Categories: American White Pelicans, Antelope Island State Park, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-necked Stilts, Box Elder County, Brine Flies, Conservation, Davis County, Eared Grebes, Environment, Franklin's Gulls, Northern Shovelers, Utah, Wilson's Phalaropes|Tags: American White Pelican, bird photography, birds, Black-necked Stilt, brine fly, brine shrimp, climate change, climate crisis, drought, drying, duck, ducks, dying, Eared Grebe, Great Basin hub, Great Salt Lake, grebe, grebes, habitat, hyper saline, hypersaline, migration, Northern Shoveler, Pacific Flyway, pelican, pelicans, phalarope, phalaropes, record low, shoveler, shovelers, water crisis, Wilson's Phalarope|

One thing I know for certain is that we can't drink dust.

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Bird Images From New Years Day

By Mia McPherson|January 2nd, 2015|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Shovelers, Utah, White-crowned Sparrows|Tags: bird photography, breeding plumage, drake, duck, ducks, eclipse plumage, immature, juvenile, male, marsh, Northern Shoveler, rabbitbrush, shoveler, shovelers, snow-covered, sparrow, sparrows, Spatula clypeata, waterfowl, White-crowned Sparrow, winter, Zonotrichia leucophrys|

It was chilly but bright yesterday morning and there were bluebird skies overhead and Antelope Island State Park beckoned and I of course heeded that call.

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Prairie Falcon with a Northern Shoveler as prey (Graphic)

By Mia McPherson|November 11th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Prairie Falcons, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, birds of prey, eating, Falco mexicanus, falcon, falcons, fall, Great Salt Lake, hypersaline lake, lake, lake shore, Northern Shoveler, Prairie Falcons, prey, raptors, shore, shoreline, Spatula clypeata|

Earlier this morning I spotted a Prairie Falcon perched on a rock while on the Antelope Island Causeway, before we could get stopped and into position to photograph the falcon it took off over the water and attacked a Northern Shoveler.

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Wild and Wonderful – Antelope Island State Park – The Birds

By Mia McPherson|January 25th, 2012|Categories: American Barn Owls, American Kestrels, American White Pelicans, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Brewer's Blackbirds, Burrowing Owls, California Gulls, Chukars, Common Ravens, Davis County, Great Horned Owls, Green-winged Teals, Horned Larks, Killdeer, Long-billed Curlews, Northern Harriers, Northern Shovelers, Peregrine Falcons, Prairie Falcons, Rough-legged Hawks, Sage Thrashers, Utah, Western Meadowlarks, Willets|Tags: American Barn Owl, American Kestrel, American White Pelican, bird photography, birding, Birds of Antelope Island State Park, Black-billed Magpie, Brewer's Blackbird, Burrowing Owl, California Gull, Chukar, Common Raven, Gray Ghost, Great Horned Owl, Green-winged Teal, Horned Lark, Killdeer, Loggerhead Shrike, Northern Harrier, Northern Shoveler, Peregrine Falcon, Prairie Falcons, Rough-legged Hawk, Sage Thrasher, Western Meadowlark, Willet|

This is the third post in my series about Wild and Wonderful Antelope Island State Park, I've saved the best (and longest) for last. The Birds! Okay, maybe they aren't the best thing about Antelope Island State Park, but I am a bird photographer and they are what I am most passionate about!

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Peregrine Falcon with prey ~ Low light

By Mia McPherson|December 28th, 2011|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Frustrations in bird photography, Peregrine Falcons, Utah|Tags: bird photography, birds of prey, crop, eating, Falco peregrinus, falcon, falcon images, falcons, frustrations, hatch year, immature, low light, Northern Shoveler, Peregrine Falcon, prey, raptors, winter, young|

Where is the light when you want it? Yesterday it was hiding behind the clouds and lake fog when I spotted this Peregrine Falcon at a close distance, on prey and sticky.

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Things are getting Ducky in Utah!

By Mia McPherson|October 1st, 2011|Categories: Birds, Buffleheads, Cinnamon Teals, Common Goldeneyes, Common Mergansers, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Gadwalls, Greater Scaups, Mallards, Northern Pintails, Northern Shovelers, Red-breasted Mergansers, Ring-necked Ducks, Salt Lake Valley|Tags: Anas acuta, Anas platyrhynchos, autumn, Aythya collaris, Aythya marila, Bucephala albeola, Bucephala clangula, Bufflehead, Cinnamon Teal, Common Goldeneye, Common Merganser, Davis County, Gadwall, Greater Scaup, Mallard, Mareca strepera, Mergus merganser, Mergus serrator, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Red-breasted Merganser, Ring-necked Duck, Salt Lake County, Spatula clypeata, Spatula cyanoptera|

Another wonderful change that I have been seeing is that a variety of duck species have been arriving at the Great Salt Lake

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Northern Shovelers blasting off

By Mia McPherson|February 11th, 2011|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Northern Shovelers, Utah|Tags: adult, Antelope Island Causeway, back lit, bird photography, blast off, blasting off, chaos, dabbling ducks, duck, ducks, flight, flying, Great Salt Lake, hypersaline lake, lake, lift off, Northern Shoveler, shoveler, shovelers, Spatula clypeata, take off, winter|

This morning when we had almost reached Antelope Island I spotted a huge flock of Northern Shovelers blasting off from the water

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