shadow – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

My First Visit To Moonshiners Cave in Arkansas

By Mia McPherson|November 13th, 2024|Categories: Arkansas, Moonshiners Cave, Washington County|Tags: Arkansas, autumn, bluff, Boston Mountains, cave, enclosed bluff, fall, forest, hike, Moonshiners Cave, mountains, Ozark Mountains, shadow, sign, trail, Washington County, waterfall|

Yesterday morning, Steve Creek and I hiked into the Ozark Mountains to visit Moonshiners Cave. Steve had been there before, it was my first visit.

5

My Mom Would Have Been 92 Today

By Mia McPherson|May 17th, 2024|Categories: Eastern Cottonwood, Miscellaneous, Oklahoma, Tishomingo National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: American Sycamore, babies, birds of prey, bottomland hardwood forests, Buteo lineatus, Buteos, chicks, Cottonwood, Eastern Cottonwood, forest, hawk, hawks, heart, heart shape, immature, juvenile, leaves, light, native, natural, nest, nestling, Platanus occidentalis, Populus deltoides, raptors, Red-shouldered Hawk, shadow, spotlight, spring, sycamore, tree, tree trunk, trunk, young|

My mom would have been 92 today. I miss her terribly, but she is with me in so many ways. She was also with me when I went to Tishomingo NWR last Saturday.

6

Common Raven Back View

By Mia McPherson|February 29th, 2024|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Common Ravens, Utah|Tags: adult, back view, Common Raven, corvids, Corvus corax, flight, flying, ice, landing, marsh, raven, ravens, shadow, snow, wetlands, winter|

This isn't my typical idea of a Common Raven photo because the raven's face can't be seen. But I like this photo of the raven about to land on the frozen marsh.

3

Fun With A Goofy Immature Ring-billed Gull

By Mia McPherson|January 16th, 2024|Categories: Birds, Ring-billed Gulls, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: close up, goofier, goofy, gull, gulls, humor, immature, Larus delawarensis, laughter, park, pond, prim, proper, Ring-billed Gull, Salt Lake County, shadow, snow, snowbank, urban, Utah, water, winter, young|

I'm always ready for fun, and this goofy, immature Ring-billed Gull provided a bit of fun for me yesterday afternoon at one of my snowy local ponds.

3

Barn Swallow And Toe Shadows

By Mia McPherson|August 15th, 2023|Categories: Barn Swallows, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: auto tour loop, auto tour route, Barn Swallow, feet, fish and wildlife service, Hirundo rustica, marsh, perched, shadow, shadows, sign, sky, summer, swallow, swallows, toes, wetlands|

One year ago today, I photographed this Barn Swallow perched on a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service sign from the auto tour loop at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge.

2

Great Egret Portrait At Sequoyah NWR

By Mia McPherson|August 6th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Great Egrets, Oklahoma, Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge|Tags: adult, Ardea alba, Azolla, close up, egret, foraging, Great Egret, Miner's Cove, portrait, refuge, shadow, slough, spring, Steve Creek, wading birds, water, water fern|

I took this Great Egret portrait at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma in June while I was visiting my friend and fellow photographer, Steve Creek.

3

Golden Hour: Urban Great Blue Heron

By Mia McPherson|February 26th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Great Blue Herons, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: Ardea herodias, bank, early morning light, golden light, Great Blue Heron, heron, herons, park, pond, shadow, shore, urban, wading birds, water, winter|

The last time I photographed at a local park I found a Great Blue Heron resting in the water at the edge of a pond in the golden light found just after dawn.

2

Great Blue Heron On Ice – Small In Frame

By Mia McPherson|February 20th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: adult, Ardea herodias, Great Blue Heron, heron, herons, ice, marsh, shadow, small in frame, snow, snow covered, wading birds, wetlands, winter|

Last week I had the opportunity to photograph a Great Blue Heron on the ice at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, where the heron was small in the frame.

Comments Off

My Shadow Plus The Wild Beauty of Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|February 3rd, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: beauty, frozen, ice, landscape, marsh, mountains, Promontory Mountains, scenery, shadow, sky, snow, snow-capped, snow-covered, water, wetlands, wild, winter|

Yesterday morning while it was still dark I bundled up and drove up to soak in the wild beauty of Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I am so glad that I went.

4

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.

3

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.

10

Birds On Ice In Northern Utah

By Mia McPherson|December 14th, 2022|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Canada Geese, Common Ravens, Ring-billed Gulls, Salt Lake County, Trumpeter Swans, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, Branta canadensis, Canada Geese, Canada Goose, Common Raven, corvids, Corvus corax, Cygnus buccinator, Cygnus columbianus, feathers, geese, goose, gull, gulls, ice, Larus delawarensis, marsh, phragmites, phrags, pond, raven, ravens, Ring-billed Gull, shadow, stretching, swan, swans, Trumpeter Swan, Tundra Swan, urban, vegetation, walking, wary, waterfowl, wetlands, wings, winter|

This morning I'm sharing photos of five bird species that I find on ice during the coldest months of the year in marsh and urban locations.

5

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.

8

Close Up Chukar On Fresh Snow

By Mia McPherson|December 8th, 2021|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Chukars, Davis County, Utah|Tags: adult, Alectoris chukar, Chukar, chukars, close up, desert island, introduced, shadow, snow, upland terrestrial birds, winter|

I came across this photo of an adult Chukar standing in top of fresh snow the other day and felt a pang of sadness.

10

Snowy Egret With The Strangest Shadows I Have Ever Seen – How Does This Even Happen?

By Mia McPherson|October 1st, 2021|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Snowy Egrets, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, bank, egret, egrets, Egretta thula, enclosed, fall, inside, legs, light, marsh, morning light, odd, projected, reflection, reflections, secondary shadow, shadow, shadows, Snowy Egret, strange, strangest, wading birds, water, weird, wetlands|

Yesterday morning I took a series of photos of a Snowy Egret at Farmington Bay WMA with the strangest shadows I have ever seen.

8

Adult Spotted Sandpiper Walking On An Exposed Creek Bed

By Mia McPherson|July 6th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Spotted Sandpipers, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: Actitis macularia, adult, canyon, creek, creek bed, mountains, sandpiper, sandpipers, shadow, Spotted Sandpiper, walking|

I haven't seen any Spotted Sandpiper chicks so far this breeding season but that doesn't mean they haven't hatched yet.

4

Nesting Mountain Bluebirds And Other Woodland Birds

By Mia McPherson|April 30th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Chipping Sparrows, House Wrens, Mountain Bluebirds, Yellow-rumped Warblers|Tags: adult, aspen, bird finding tip, bluebird, bluebirds, branch, breeding plumage, breeding season, canyon, Chipping Sparrow, clod, close up, dirt, forest, forest edge, gathering, House Wren, instincts, looking up, male, mate, Mountain Bluebird, mountains, nesting cavity, nesting materials, perched, photographic rut, portrait, regal, road, Setophaga coronata, shadow, Sialia currucoides, singing, sparrow, sparrows, Spizella passerina, spring, thrushes, trees, Troglodytes aedon, warbler, warblers, wren, wrens, Yellow-rumped Warbler|

Yesterday I had a blast photographing a pair of Mountain Bluebirds at a natural nesting cavity at the edge of a forest along with some other woodland birds.

13

Adult Canada Goose Resting On Ice At Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|February 17th, 2020|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Canada Geese, Utah|Tags: adult, Branta canadensis, Canada Goose, early morning, frost, geese, goose, ice, marsh, resting, shadow, snow, waterfowl, winter|

Yesterday I shared a photo of a Bald Eagle resting on the icy marsh at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and this morning I am sharing a Canada Goose doing exactly the same thing.

3

Wild Turkeys, Hay Bales And The Noisy Diesel Pickup That Chased Them Away

By Mia McPherson|February 9th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Etiquette, Utah, Wild Turkeys|Tags: alert, colorful, diesel pickup, etiquette, feeding, female, hay, hay bales, hen, light colored, Meleagris gallopavo, noisy, ranch, shadow, stack, stressed, ticked off, turkey, turkeys, upland terrestrial birds, Wild Turkey, winter|

In about the span of minute all of the Wild Turkeys had flown off of the bales of hay because of that noisy, diesel pickup truck being so close to them.

8

Fun Photographing Reddish Egrets In Florida

By Mia McPherson|January 25th, 2020|Categories: Birds, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Pinellas County, Reddish Egrets|Tags: adult, beach, breeding plumage, calling, canopy feeding, close up, dark morph, dunes, egret, egrets, Egretta rufescens, feeding behavior, fish, flight, flying, foraging, Gulf of Mexico, lagoon, mangroves, nesting materials, nonbreeding plumage, photographing, portrait, prey, Reddish Egret, sand, sand dunes, shadow, umbrella pose, wading birds, walking, white morph, Wing-Flicking|

I had so much fun photographing Reddish Egrets when I lived in Florida and could see them nearly every time I went to Fort De Soto County Park's north beach.

6

Great Blue Heron In Winter Snow

By Mia McPherson|December 15th, 2019|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: adult, Ardea herodias, creek, Great Blue Heron, heron, herons, marsh, shadow, snow, snow bank, wading birds, water, wetlands, winter|

On that bright winter afternoon one of my best avian subjects was this Great Blue Heron standing in water with a bank of fresh, white snow behind it.

4

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, American Goldfinch & American Tree Sparrow in Northern Utah

By Mia McPherson|October 30th, 2017|Categories: American Goldfinches, American Tree Sparrows, Birds, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: American Goldfinch, American Tree Sparrow, autumn, bi-colored bill, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, branch, fall, finches, Fragrant Sumac, gnatcatcher, gnatcatchers, goldfinch, goldfinches, nonbreeding plumage, perched, Polioptila caerulea, shadow, sparrow, sparrows, Spinus tristis, Spizelloides arborea, tree sparrow|

I spent time photographing primarily small birds yesterday in northern Utah which included Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, American Goldfinches and American Tree Sparrows.

7

Light Morph Swainson’s Hawk with Different Backgrounds and Distances

By Mia McPherson|May 2nd, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Swainson's Hawks, Utah|Tags: adult, angles, backgrounds, bird photography, birds of prey, Buteo swainsoni, Buteos, close up, hawks, light morph, mountains, perched, profile, raptors, shadow, Swainson's Hawk, tan background|

I always try to pay attention to what is going on in the background of my photos because by changing distance or angles the same bird, like this Swainson's Hawk, can look very different in my images.

5

Great Blue Heron Winter Delight

By Mia McPherson|January 13th, 2013|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Great Blue Herons, Utah|Tags: adult, Ardea herodias, creek, creek bank., flight, flying, fresh snow, Great Blue Heron, heron, herons, hill, ice, icy, lift off, marsh, shadow, snow, snow bank, snowy, wading birds, winter|

I spotted this Great Blue Heron yesterday at Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area and loved the setting with the fresh snow blanketing the steep creek bank.

38

Photographing Red-tailed Hawk Juveniles On The Wing

By Mia McPherson|December 4th, 2012|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Davis County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: birds of prey, Buteo jamaicensis, flight, flying, hawks, Hawks of Utah, immature, juvenile, landing, lift off, photograph, photographing, raptors, red tail, Red-tailed Hawk, shadow|

These are a just few images that I have edited taken since August of Red-tailed Hawk juveniles on Antelope Island State Park.

28

Marbled Godwit with its shadow

By Mia McPherson|July 22nd, 2012|Categories: Birds, Florida, Marbled Godwits|Tags: adult, catch light, coast, coastal, feeding, Florida, Fort De Soto County Park, Godwit, godwits, Limosa fedoa, Marbled Godwit, mudflats, shadow, shorebird, water|

This Marbled Godwit had been feeding on the mudflats of a tidal lagoon at Fort De Soto's north beach.

12