on the wing – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Canada Goose On The Wing

By Mia McPherson|January 12th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, branches, Branta canadensis, calling, Canada Geese, flight, flying, geese, goose, on the wing, park, pond, Salt Lake County, sky, tree, urban, Utah, waterfowl, winter|

There was a break in the gray clouds yesterday before noon, so I drove down to my local pond. While I was there, I photographed this Canada Goose on the wing.

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Northern Harrier – My First Raptor of 2024

By Mia McPherson|January 7th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: birds of prey, Circus hudsonius, first winter, flight, flying, harrier, harriers, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, immature, male, marsh, Marsh hawk, Northern Harrier, on the wing, raptors, sky, wetlands, winter, young|

The first raptor I photographed in 2024 was this young male Northern Harrier that I found near the refuge auto tour loop at Bear River MBR on New Year's Day.

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Murmuration Of European Starlings On The Wing

By Mia McPherson|December 16th, 2023|Categories: Birds, European Starlings, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: autumn, bank, blasting off, constellation, edge, European Starling, fall, flight, flock, flying, lifting off, Murmuration, murmurations, on the wing, park, pond, shore, sky, starling, starlings, Sturnus vulgaris, taking off, trees, urban, water|

I wasn't the only person who noticed the huge murmuration of European Starlings at my local pond yesterday morning; other people stopped and admired them too.

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Immature Female Northern Harrier

By Mia McPherson|December 12th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Environment, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Habitat, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: autumn, birds of prey, Circus hudsonius, clouds, fall, female, field, first winter, flight, flying, harrier, harriers, hawk, hawks, immature, marsh, Northern Harrier, on the wing, perched, post, raptors, scanning, sky, snow, snowy, wetlands, wooden post, young|

Today I am sharing three photos of an immature female Northern Harrier that I took ten years ago at Farmington Bay WMA.

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Adult Golden Eagle On The Wing

By Mia McPherson|December 4th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Golden Eagles, Utah|Tags: adult, Aquila chrysaetos, autumn, birds of prey, cliff, desert, eagle, eagles, fall, flight, flying, Golden Eagle, on the wing, raptor, ridge, sage, sagebrush, sky|

Back in November of 2017, I took this photo of an adult Golden Eagle flying past a ridge in Box Elder County. I'm not sure why I never shared it until today.

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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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It Is Time To Watch For Bald Eagles In Northern Utah

By Mia McPherson|November 3rd, 2021|Categories: Bald Eagles, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, Bald Eagle, birds of prey, eagle, eagles, flight, flying, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, on the wing, pond, raptors, sky, trees, urban, winter|

Starting today I will be keeping an eye out for the return of Bald Eagles to the lower elevations of northern Utah.

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It Is Time To Look And Listen For Tundra Swans In Northern Utah

By Mia McPherson|October 23rd, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, Bald Eagle, birds of prey, clouds, Cygnus columbianus, eagle, eagles, feeding, flight, flying, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, immature, marsh, mountains, on the wing, Promontory Mountains, raptors, scenery, sky, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

This morning I noticed in my Facebook memories that I saw and heard my first of season Tundra Swans at Bear River MBR on this date in 2015 and that made me happy.

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Drake Cinnamon Teal In Flight

By Mia McPherson|May 3rd, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Cinnamon Teals, Utah|Tags: adult, breeding plumage, Cinnamon Teal, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, flight, flying, male, marsh, on the wing, Spatula cyanoptera, teal, teals, wetlands|

On the same morning that I photographed the drake Northern Shoveler flying by at the refuge I also photographed a drake Cinnamon Teal in flight.

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Great Blue Heron In Flight Photos

By Mia McPherson|May 1st, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: adult, Ardea herodias, banked, clouds, diffused light, dorsal aspect, flight, flying, Great Blue Heron, heron, herons, high, marsh, morning, on the wing, Promontory Mountains, spread, spring, sunlight, thin, wading birds, wetlands, wings|

Today I am sharing seven Great Blue Heron in flight photos from the marsh at Bear River MBR that I took three days ago.

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Common Raven On The Wing

By Mia McPherson|March 10th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Ravens, Utah|Tags: adult, Common Raven, corvids, Corvus corax, flight, flying, marsh, on the wing, raven, ravens, sky, wetlands, winter|

Earlier this month I had a brief opportunity to photograph a Common Raven on a gate at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge on a bright, beautiful morning.

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Adult Barn Owl On The Wing

By Mia McPherson|February 17th, 2021|Categories: American Barn Owls, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: adult, American Barn Owl, day, daylight, flats, flight, flying, marsh, nocturnal, on the wing, owl, owls, Tyto furcata, winter|

So far this winter I have only seen one Barn Owl on the wing on the 6th of January as it flew over the marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

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It’s Isn’t Too Early To Spot An American White Pelican

By Mia McPherson|February 10th, 2021|Categories: American White Pelicans, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: American White Pelican, clouds, flight, flying, immature, marsh, on the wing, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, pelican, pelicans, sky, winter|

February isn't too early in the year to spot an American White Pelican on the wing in northern Utah. In fact I expect them to start showing up right about now.

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Adult Tundra Swan On The Wing

By Mia McPherson|January 30th, 2021|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, clouds, Cygnus columbianus, flight, flying, marsh, on the wing, sky, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, waterfowl, winter|

I've been thinking that I need to hop into my Jeep and head to Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge to photograph the Tundra Swans before they head north to breed and nest.

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Hunting Barn Owl In Flight Over The Frozen Marsh At Farmington Bay WMA

By Mia McPherson|December 20th, 2020|Categories: American Barn Owls, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: American Barn Owl, birds of prey, bitter cold, clouds, day, daylight, deep, flight, flying, fog, harsh, hunting, on the wing, owl, owls, sky, snow, Tyto furcata, winter|

During the winter there are times I am able to photograph Barn Owls in flight during the day when the snow is deep and the temps are bitter cold.

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Canada Geese On The Wing In Front Of The Snowy Wasatch Mountains

By Mia McPherson|December 18th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, Branta canadensis, Canada Geese, flight, flying, geese, goose, mountains, on the wing, pair, snow, snow covered, snowy, urban, Wasatch Mountains, waterfowl, winter|

I love to photograph birds on the wing. It doesn't matter if my subject is as small as a hummingbird, as large as an eagle, as slow as a gliding pelican, or as fast as a stooping falcon as long as it is a bird.

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Serious Looking Ring-billed Gull On The Wing

By Mia McPherson|December 17th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Ring-billed Gulls, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, clouds, flight, flying, gull, gulls, Larus delawarensis, on the wing, Ring-billed Gull, serious, sky, winter|

I love photographing gulls. Whether they are feeding, resting, preening, fighting, calling, or in flight gulls are one of my favorite bird species to have in my viewfinder.

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Photographing Bald Eagles At Farmington Bay WMA During An Inversion

By Mia McPherson|December 10th, 2020|Categories: Bald Eagles, Birds, Cooper’s Hawks, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: Accipiter cooperii, adult, air pollition, Antelope Island, Bald Eagle, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, Circus hudsonius, Cooper’s Hawk, eagle, eagles, EPA, flight, flying, government, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, hawk, hawks, hazy, hazy sky, ice, inversion, inversions, marsh, Northern Harrier, on the wing, perched, polluted sky, pollution, raptors, Red-tailed Hawk, sky, tree, turning, winter|

Think carefully before you make a trip to Utah to photograph our overwintering Bald Eagles in the valley. The inversions are awful and can be life threatening.

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Focusing On A Gray Ghost – AKA Male Northern Harrier

By Mia McPherson|December 9th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Circus hudsonius, flight, flying, Gray Ghost, harrier, harriers, Hawks of Utah, hunting, male, marsh, Northern Harrier, on the wing, raptors, side view, vegetation, winter|

Today I am focusing on an adult male Northern Harrier that I had in my viewfinder for a few seconds yesterday that was on the wing over the marsh.

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Frosty Female Northern Harrier In Flight

By Mia McPherson|December 1st, 2020|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Circus hudsonius, female, flight, flying, frost, frosty, harrier, harriers, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, marsh, Marsh hawk, Northern Harrier, on the wing, raptors, winter|

I saw a few harriers on the wing yesterday at Farmington Bay WMA and I was able to take a few photos of a female Northern Harrier that still had frost on her nape.

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Time To Keep An Eye On The Sky For Bald Eagles

By Mia McPherson|November 21st, 2020|Categories: Bald Eagles, Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah|Tags: adult, Bald Eagle, banking, eagle, eagles, flat, flats, flight, flooded, flying, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, marsh, on the wing, raptors, water, winter|

I could see a Bald Eagle being chased by a gull in the sky and my heart skipped a beat because I know it is time for me to keep an eye on the sky for Bald Eagles again.

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Adult Female Northern Harrier On The Wing Over Farmington Bay WMA

By Mia McPherson|November 3rd, 2020|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Circus hudsonius, female, flight, fly by, flying, harrier, harriers, hawks, Hawks of Utah, marsh, Marsh Hawks, Northern Harrier, on the wing, raptors, sky|

It has been too long since I have had a Northern Harrier in my viewfinder although I'm now excited because I know that fall and winter are great seasons for me to find and photograph them.

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Golden Eagle On The Wing

By Mia McPherson|February 14th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Golden Eagles, Utah|Tags: Aquila chrysaetos, blue sky, branches, close up, eagle, eagles, flight, flying, Golden Eagle, lift off, lifting off, on the wing, perched, raptors, sky, tree, winter|

No matter how these Golden Eagle photos came to be I am happy to have photographed this magnificent bird on the wing.

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Photographing A Great Blue Heron Flying In Dense Fog

By Mia McPherson|February 3rd, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: Ardea herodias, dense fog, flight, flying, focusing, fog, foggy, foggy conditions, Great Blue Heron, heavy fog, heron, herons, ice, landing, marsh, on the wing, photographing, primordial swamps, snow, time-traveler, wading birds, wetlands, winter|

These Great Blue Heron images also help me to "see" what this species would have looked like as they lived their lives in primordial swamps, estuaries and marshes hundreds of thousands of years ago.

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Rufous Female Red-tailed Hawk Fly By

By Mia McPherson|January 24th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteos, cliff face, desert, female, flight, flying, frustrations in bird photography, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, on the wing, raptors, red tail, Red-tailed Hawk, rufous, rufous morph|

I keep wondering if I will see this big, gorgeous, rufous Red-tailed Hawk female in my viewfinder again this year.

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Canada Goose On The Wing And The Snowy Wasatch Mountains

By Mia McPherson|January 23rd, 2020|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, Branta canadensis, Canada Goose, clouds, flight, flying, geese, goose, mountains, on the wing, peaks, snow, snow-covered, urban, Wasatch Mountains|

I've grown to love and appreciate the mountain views I have here in Utah. When I can take photographs that combine my passion for birds with mountains in them I am one very happy woman.

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White-faced Ibis On The Wing Over The Marsh At Farmington Bay WMA

By Mia McPherson|September 24th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Utah, White-faced Ibises|Tags: adult, flight, flying, ibis, ibises, loss of habitat, marsh, nonbreeding plumage, on the wing, playa, Plegadis chihi, summer, wetlands, White-faced Ibis|

I took this White-faced Ibis on the wing over the marsh at Farmington Bay WMA photo last week and at first I thought the bird was too small in the frame but the more I look at it the more I like it.

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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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Black-billed Magpie On The Wing – Sideways

By Mia McPherson|March 5th, 2018|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Davis County, Utah|Tags: adult, Black-billed Magpie, corvids, flight, flying, Greasewood, Great Salt Lake, head on, magpie, magpies, on the wing, Pica hudsonia, sideways|

This Black-billed Magpie had been perched on the top of a leafless greasewood when it lifted off from it and flew almost directly towards me with its body and wings turned sideways in flight.

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Juvenile Northern Harrier in flight over Farmington Bay

By Mia McPherson|December 24th, 2015|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Northern Harriers, Utah|Tags: birds of prey, breezy, Circus hudsonius, clouds, flight, flying, harrier, harriers, hawks, immature, juvenile, Northern Harrier, on the wing, open water, raptors, sky, young|

I was able to take a few frames of this juvenile Northern Harrier in flight as it flew over some open water.

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