snow-covered – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Swirling Clouds Enveloping The Wasatch Mountains

By Mia McPherson|January 27th, 2024|Categories: Salt Lake County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: clouds, cloudy, conifers, mountains, peak, peaks, sky, snow, snow-covered, snowy, trees, Wasatch Mountain Range, Wasatch Mountains, winter|

There were swirling clouds enveloping some of the snow-covered peaks of the Wasatch Mountains yesterday morning. I felt simply compelled to take a few photos.

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Luminous Snow-covered Promontory Mountains

By Mia McPherson|February 19th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: alkali flats, alpenglow, dawn, flats, luminous, mountains, pink glow, playa, Promontory Mountain Range, Promontory Mountains, sky, snow, snow-covered, sunrise, winter|

While I was driving to the auto tour loop at Bear River MBR last week, I stopped to take photos of the luminous, snow-covered Promontory Mountains.

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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.

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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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Focusing On American Herring Gulls – Winter Visitors To Northern Utah

By Mia McPherson|January 9th, 2020|Categories: American Herring Gulls, Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Herring Gull, breeze, California Gull, clouds, distortion, eating, fish, fishing, frost, gull, gulls, gulping, heat waves, ice, Larus smithsonianus, lifting off, marsh, mixed, mountains, photograph, photographing, prey, Ring-billed Gull, sky, snow, snow-covered, swallowing, water, winter|

I know some people don't get excited about gulls but I do and I was thrilled two days ago at Bear River MBR when I spotted and photographed my first Herring Gulls of this winter season.

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Female American Kestrel On A Crabapple Tree Near The Jordan River

By Mia McPherson|December 17th, 2019|Categories: American Kestrels, Birds, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Kestrel, birds of prey, clouds, crabapple, evergreens, Falco sparverius, falcon, falcons, female, kestrel, kestrels, mountains, peaks, perched, sky, snow-covered, winter|

I was delighted when I spotted this female American Kestrel perched high on a crabapple tree next to a road near the Jordan River and pleased that she stuck around for a few photos.

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Barn Owl, Immature Bald Eagle, California And Ring-billed Gulls

By Mia McPherson|February 9th, 2019|Categories: American Barn Owls, Bald Eagles, Birds, California Gulls, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Ring-billed Gulls, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: American Barn Owl, Bald Eagle, behavior, California Gull, eagle, eagles, grasses, gull, gulls, Haliaeetus leucocephalus, head low, hunting, ice, immature, landing, Larus californicus, Larus delawarensis, marsh, marshes, owl, owls, perched, pole, raptors, Ring-billed Gull, snow, snow-covered, stretch, thin ice, Tyto furcata, Wasatch Mountains, wing lift, winter|

So, even though I didn't get great photos yesterday I was glad to get out and photograph a Barn Owl, Bald Eagle and these California and Ring-billed Gulls.

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Finishing Up Old Projects To Prepare For The New Year

By Mia McPherson|December 30th, 2018|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Box Elder County, Utah|Tags: blue skies, marsh, mountains, refuge, road, snow, snow-covered, winter|

The road ahead is wide open and I'm excited to move forward, to explore more, get lost in nature more often, more moments to enjoy the sounds of being in the wilderness, to enjoy more.

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Snow-covered Deseret Peak and the Stansbury Mountain Range

By Mia McPherson|January 29th, 2018|Categories: Stansbury Mountains, Tooele County, Utah, West Desert|Tags: Captain Howard Stansbury, cliffs, Deseret Peak, Deseret Peak Wilderness, mountains, snow-covered, west desert canyons|

My only keeper images of the morning were a few photos I took of the Stansbury Mountain Range and Deseret Peak and even those weren't that great but I loved seeing the snow-covered mountains.

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Calling Chukar in Snow on Antelope Island

By Mia McPherson|December 30th, 2017|Categories: Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Chukars, Davis County, Utah|Tags: adult, Alectoris chukar, calling, Chukar, chukars, island, rock, snow, snow-covered, upland terestrial bird, upland terrestrial birds, winter|

I always feel fortunate when I am able to photograph Chukars in the snow on the island because it helps to make them more visible than they are during other seasons of the year

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Birds and Beasts in a November 2012 Snow Storm on Antelope Island

By Mia McPherson|November 10th, 2017|Categories: American Bison, Antelope Island State Park, Birds, Coyotes, Davis County, Red-tailed Hawks, Utah|Tags: American Bison, birds of prey, Bison bison, blizzard, buffalo, bull, Buteo jamaicensis, Canis latrans, climate change, Coyote, Great Basin, Great Salt Lake, hawks, herd, raptors, red tail hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, snow, snow-covered, snowy, winter|

The birds and beasts on Antelope can survive the harsh winters here but as each years passes I wonder how they will be able to adapt to our changing climate. I can't help but be concerned.

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Moon Set Over the Snowy Promontory Mountains and a Deceased Golden Eagle

By Mia McPherson|January 24th, 2017|Categories: Birds, Box Elder County, Golden Eagles, Utah|Tags: Aquila chrysaetos, eagle, eagles, Golden Eagle, Hawkwatch International, moon, moon set, Promontory Mountains, snow, snow-covered, snowy, vehicle strikes, winter|

Further down the road I spotted a dark lump on the shoulder and my heart sank because I immediately realized that the lump was a deceased Golden Eagle.

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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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