rocks – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Great Blue Heron And Reflection On The Bear River

By Mia McPherson|February 3rd, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: Ardea herodias, Bear River, Great Blue Heron, heron, herons, marsh, reflection, river, riverbank, rocks, wading birds, water, wetlands, winter|

Today, I'm sharing a simple Great Blue Heron photo I took late last month at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I liked the heron's reflection on the Bear River.

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House Sparrow On The Rocks

By Mia McPherson|November 6th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, House Sparrows, Utah|Tags: autumn, fall, House Sparrow, introduced, male, nonnative, old lake bed, Passer domesticus, perched, ranchlands, rocks, sparrow, sparrows|

One of the last birds I photographed on my recent trip to Bear River MBR was this male House Sparrow, perched on a lichen-covered rock south of the Bear River.

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Late Summer Long-tailed Weasel Photos

By Mia McPherson|September 8th, 2023|Categories: Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Long-tailed Weasels, Utah|Tags: adult, close up, Long-tailed Weasel, marsh, Mustela frenata, portrait, raspberry, rocks, side lit, side-eye, standing, summer, summer coat, tongue, weasel, weasels, wetlands|

I was super excited to take Long-tailed Weasel photos yesterday morning while I was looking for birds to photograph at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area.

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International Vulture Awareness Day 2023

By Mia McPherson|September 2nd, 2023|Categories: Birds, Black Vultures, Box Elder County, Oklahoma, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: adult, Black Vulture, bottomland hardwood forests, bottomlands, Cathartes aura, cliff face, Coragyps atratus, desert, foothills, immature, juvenile, lichen, lichens, nest, nesting cavity tree, ranchlands, raptors, rocks, roosting, spring, Steve Creek, summer, tree, Turkey Vulture, vulture, vultures, young|

Today is International Vulture Awareness Day 2023. I admit to having a soft spot for vultures because they are often misunderstood, and because I tend to stand up for those who have no voice.

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My First Of Season Turkey Vulture Images

By Mia McPherson|April 21st, 2023|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: adult, Cathartes aura, desert, first of season, lichen, lichens, outcropping, raptor, resting, rocks, rocky, spring, Turkey Vulture, vulture, vultures|

I took my first Turkey Vulture images of the season two days ago. That is later than usual for me, but this spring hasn't been normal at all.

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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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Communing With Sandhill Cranes

By Mia McPherson|March 13th, 2023|Categories: Bicknell Bottoms Wildlife Management Area, Birds, Sandhill Cranes, Utah, Wayne County|Tags: adult, Antigone canadensis, buttes, clouds, crane, cranes, dancing, dawn, farmlands, fields, migration, morning, pair, pastel, red rocks, road, rocks, Sandhill Crane, shrubs, sky, spring migration, sunrise, winter|

I've been thinking a lot about Sandhill Cranes recently so I am going back in time to nine years ago today when I photographed them in Wayne County, Utah.

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Coyote On A Sunny Spring Morning

By Mia McPherson|March 11th, 2023|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Coyotes, Davis County, Utah|Tags: adult, canids, Canis latrans, Coyote, coyotes, desert island, hillside, lichens, mammals, rocks, rocky, sage, sagebrush, spring, standing|

I came across this image I took of a Coyote standing on rocks on a sunny spring morning yesterday and realized that I miss seeing coyotes as often as I used to.

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A Shadow Will Be Seen

By Mia McPherson|February 2nd, 2023|Categories: Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: adult, desert, foothills, ground squirrels, Groundhog Day, lichens, male, marmot, Marmota flaviventris, marmots, Promontory Mountains, rocks, winter, Yellow-bellied Marmot|

This morning a shadow will be seen by any Yellow-bellied Marmots that venture above the snow-covered, frozen ground in northern Utah.

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My 2022 Year In Review

By Mia McPherson|December 31st, 2022|Categories: American Kestrels, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Black-billed Magpies, Box Elder County, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Golden Eagles, Great Horned Owls, Horned Grebes, Morgan County, Ring-billed Gulls, Rock Wrens, Ruffed Grouse, Tundra Swans, Utah, Warbling Vireos, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow Warblers|Tags: adult, Amelanchier utahensis, American Kestrel, Aquila chrysaetos, autumn, background, berries, Bewick's Swan, bill, birds of prey, Black-billed Magpie, blooming, blooms, blossoms, Bonasa umbellus, boulder, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Bubo virginianus, building, canyon, close up, corvids, Cygnus columbianus, Cygnus columbianus bewickii, Davis County, desert, dirt, eagle, eagles, Falco sparverius, falcon, falcons, fall, farmlands, female, fledgling, flight, flock, flowering, flowering shrub, flying, forest edge, fruiting shrub, fruits, fruting shrubs, Golden Eagle, gorget, Great Horned Owl, grebe, grebes, grouse, gull, gulls, Horned Grebe, hummingbird, hummingbirds, immature, juvenile, kestrel, kestrels, Larus delawarensis, lichen, lores, magpie, magpies, male, marsh, mountains, nest, nest box, nesting, nonbreeding plumage, owl, owls, perched, Pica hudsonia, Podiceps auritus, raptors, rare, reflection, Ring-billed Gull, riparian habitat, road, roadside, rock, Rock Wren, rocks, Ruffed Grouse, Salpinctes obsoletus, Selasphorus platycercus, serviceberries, serviceberry, Setophaga petechia, shrub, spring, stink-eye, summer, swan, swans, thicket, tree, Tundra Swans, Utah, Utah Serviceberry, vagrant, warbler, warblers, water, waterbirds, waterfowl, wetlands, willow, willow thicket, willows, winter, winter plumage, wood-warbler, wood-warblers, wren, wrens, Yellow Warbler, young|

On this last day of the year it is time for my annual 2022 Year in Review post. In some ways 2022 has been great for me and in others not so good.

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Great Blue Heron On Ice At Farmington Bay WMA

By Mia McPherson|December 30th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Florida, Gandy Beach, Great Blue Herons, Pinellas County, Utah|Tags: adult, Ardea herodias, beach, coastal, Great Blue Heron, heron, herons, ice, marsh, Mia McPherson, oysters, photograph, pond, rocks, shadow, taking, Tampa Bay, Utah, vegetation, wading birds, water, wetlands, winter, yawning|

I had some fun photographing a Great Blue Heron on ice along with its shadow yesterday morning on a pond at Farmington Bay WMA.

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Some Mammals I Loved In 2022

By Mia McPherson|December 28th, 2022|Categories: American Badgers, Davis County, Elk, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Least Chipmunks, Long-tailed Weasels, Morgan County, Mule Deer, Summit County, Uinta Ground Squirrels, Uinta Mountains, Uinta National Forest, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: adult, American Badger, autumn, baby, badger, badger burrow, badgers, canyon, Cervus canadensis, chipmunk, chipmunks, close up, cow, curious, cute, Elk, elks, fall, female, fence post, grazing, ground squirrel, ground squirrels, high Uintas, hillside, kissing, Least Chipmunk, Long-tailed Weasel, mammals, marmot, Marmota flaviventris, marmots, marsh, mountains, Mustela frenata, mustelids, Neotamias minimus, portrait, profile, roadside, rock, rock pile, rocks, rocky slope, shadow, spring, squirrel, squirrels, summer, summer coat, Taxidea taxus, Uinta Ground Squirrel, Urocitellus armatus, weasel, weasels, wetlands, wooden post, Yellow-bellied Marmot, young|

This morning I am sharing some photos of the mammals I loved finding, seeing, photographing and having in my viewfinder in 2022.

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My Fondness For American Pipits

By Mia McPherson|December 2nd, 2022|Categories: American Pipits, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Pipit, Anthus rubescens, autumn, cold, fall, flats, fondness, morning, old lake bed, pipit, pipits, playa, rock, rocks, staring, walking|

It has been almost exactly one year since I have taken high quality images of American Pipits. I have a fondness for these birds and I have missed them.

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West Desert Dark Morph Ferruginous Hawk

By Mia McPherson|November 21st, 2022|Categories: Birds, Ferruginous Hawks, Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: adult, autumn, Buteo regalis, Buteos, clouds, conifers, dark morph, desert, fall, fence post, Ferruginous Hawk, foot, foothills, hawk, hawks, lifting, mountain, mountains, peak, raptors, rocks, sky island mountains, snow, trees, wooden post|

Nearly three years have passed since I found, pointed out, and photographed this stunning dark morph Ferruginous Hawk in the West Desert of Utah.

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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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Under The Weather

By Mia McPherson|October 27th, 2022|Categories: Salt Lake Valley, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: clouds, Covid, mountains, rocks, sky, snow, snowy, symptoms, trees, vaccine, Wasatch Mountains, Wasatch Range, weather, winter|

For the first time this winter, snow fell at home yesterday night. Although the snow didn't stick, it is a sign of the weather changing.

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Immature Red-tailed Hawk With ‘Tude

By Mia McPherson|October 24th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: 'tude, attitude, autumn, birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, Buteos, cliff, desert, fall, hawk, hawks, Hawks of Utah, immature, laughing, laughter, lichen, looking, perception, raptors, red tail, Red-tailed Hawk, rocks, sky, surly, young|

While I was up in far northern Utah last week, the first bird I photographed was this immature Red-tailed Hawk that seemed to have a surly attitude about it.

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Rock Wren On The Last Day Of Summer

By Mia McPherson|September 23rd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Rock Wrens, Utah|Tags: boulder, close up, Long-tailed Weasel, mammals, marsh, Mustela frenata, mustelids, rock, Rock Wren, rocks, Salpinctes obsoletus, summer, summer coat, weasel, weasels, wetlands, wren, wrens|

I spotted this Rock Wren at Farmington Bay WMA two days ago. The wren looked slightly out of place surrounded by the marshes that are found at this location.

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Long-tailed Weasel Close Up Photos

By Mia McPherson|September 22nd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Long-tailed Weasels, Rock Wrens, Utah, Wildlife|Tags: adult, close up, curious, focused, leaning, Long-tailed Weasel, mammals, marsh, Mustela frenata, mustelids, portrait, rock, Rock Wren, rocks, Salpinctes obsoletus, staring, summer, summer coat, weasel, weasels, wetlands, wren, wrens|

This morning I am thrilled to share these Long-tailed Weasel photos taken on the last full day of summer at Farmington Bay WMA which are all thanks to a Rock Wren.

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Least Chipmunk In A Ravine

By Mia McPherson|July 15th, 2022|Categories: Least Chipmunks, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains, Wildlife|Tags: adult, chipmunk, chipmunks, eating, Least Chipmunk, mammals, mountains, Neotamias minimus, ravine, rocks, squirrels, summer|

The last time I was in the field I spotted a Least Chipmunk eating in a small ravine next to a road high in the Wasatch Mountains.

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Young Yellow-bellied Marmot Pup Portraits

By Mia McPherson|May 3rd, 2022|Categories: Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: babies, baby, burrow, close up, den, desert, ground squirrel, ground squirrels, lichen, mammals, marmot, Marmota flaviventris, marmots, portrait, pup, pups, rock, rocks, spring, Yellow-bellied Marmot, young|

Today I am sharing two portraits of recently photographed Yellow-bellied Marmot pups that I found near their den in desert habitat in northern Utah.

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Mourning Doves On Lichen Covered Rocks

By Mia McPherson|May 1st, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Mourning Doves, Utah|Tags: adult, cliff, cliff face, desert, dove, doves, grass, grasses, lichen, lichen covered, male female, mates, Mourning Dove, pair, rocks, spring, wildflowers, yellow wildflowers, Zenaida macroura|

I had mere seconds to take this photo of a pair of Mourning Doves perched on lichen covered rocks on a desert cliff face in Box Elder County yesterday morning.

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Loggerhead Shrike Population Decline Concerns

By Mia McPherson|April 23rd, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Loggerhead Shrikes, Utah|Tags: adult, desert, Lanius ludovicianus, lichen, lichen covered, lichens, Loggerhead Shrike, perched, population decline, rock, rocks, shrike, shrikes, spring|

About two weeks ago I found an adult Loggerhead Shrike perched on a lichen covered rock in northern Utah a good distance from the road that I was on.

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My First of Year Turkey Vulture

By Mia McPherson|April 17th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Turkey Vultures, Utah|Tags: adult, birds of prey, Cathartes aura, desert, first of year, lichen, raptors, rocks, roosting, sage, sagebrush, spring, Turkey Vulture, vulture, vultures|

This post with an image of my first of year Turkey Vulture is about 16 days late because I actually spotted this vulture on April 1st way up in northern Utah.

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Yellow-bellied Marmot Babies

By Mia McPherson|April 13th, 2022|Categories: Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: babies, baby, desert, ground squirrels, hibernate, mammals, marmot, Marmota flaviventris, marmots, pup, pups, rock, rocks, spring, Yellow-bellied Marmot, young|

A few days ago I was thrilled to have four small Yellow-bellied Marmot babies to observe and photograph on some rocks in far northern Utah.

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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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Yellow-bellied Marmot Pup In A Crack In Some Rocks

By Mia McPherson|April 4th, 2022|Categories: Box Elder County, Utah, Yellow-bellied Marmots|Tags: baby, crack, crevice, desert, lichen, lichen covered, mammals, marmot, Marmota flaviventris, marmots, mobile blind, pup, rock, rocks, shelter, spring, wildlife ethics, Yellow-bellied Marmot, young|

I was delighted to find and photograph a Yellow-bellied Marmot pup peeking out of a crack in some lichen-covered rocks on the 1st of April in northern Utah.

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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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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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