waterfowl – Mia McPherson's On The Wing Photography

Canada Geese In A Snowstorm

By Mia McPherson|December 30th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, blizzard, Branta canadensis, Canada Geese, climate change, climate crisis, geese, goose, high key, park, snow, snow storm, snowstorm, urban, waterfowl, whiteout, winter|

As 2023 winds down, I've been looking at older photos taken at the end of previous years. This 2019 image of Canada Geese in a snowstorm stood out to me.

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Snow Goose In Salt Lake County

By Mia McPherson|December 15th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Salt Lake County, Snow Geese, Utah|Tags: adult, Anser caerulescens, autumn, fall, geese, golf course, goose, grass, Snow Geese, Snow Goose, urban, waterfowl|

Towards the end of November, I found a Snow Goose in Salt Lake County at my local pond. Unfortunately, on that afternoon, I didn't have my camera with me.

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Canada Geese In Falling Snow

By Mia McPherson|November 25th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, American Coot, autumn, Branta canadensis, Canada Geese, Canada Goose, coot, coots, fall, falling, Fulica americana, geese, goose, low light, park, pond, snow, snow fall, snowfall, snowing, urban, water, waterbirds, waterfowl|

Yesterday I desperately needed a bird break so I went down to my local pond. While I was there I photographed Canada Geese and American Coots in falling snow.

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Drake Hooded Merganser Memory

By Mia McPherson|November 21st, 2023|Categories: Birds, Hooded Mergansers, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: autumn, close up, diving ducks, drake, ducks, evening light, fall, Hooded Merganser, landing, Lophodytes cucullatus, male, merganser, mergansers, pond, portrait, splashing, up close, water, waterfowl|

Once upon a chilly December evening, I had a blast photographing a stunning drake Hooded Merganser in gorgeous light at an urban pond close to home.

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Canada Goose Splash Landing

By Mia McPherson|November 14th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, Branta canadensis, Canada Geese, fall, geese, goose, landing, park, pond, splash, splashing, urban, water, waterfowl|

Today, I am sharing a simple photo of a Canada Goose splash landing at one of my local ponds. This image was taken on a sunny afternoon almost one year ago.

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Time To See And Hear Tundra Swans

By Mia McPherson|November 10th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, Box Elder County, Cygnus columbianus, fall, flight, flock, flying, marsh, mountains, pair, phragmites, phrags, Promontory Mountains, sky, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

Now is a great time to see and hear Tundra Swans from the marshes at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I saw several large flocks of them yesterday from there.

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Canada Goose With Fall Colors

By Mia McPherson|September 25th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, Branta canadensis, Canada Geese, city park, fall, fall colors, flight, flying, geese, goose, park, trees, urban, waterfowl|

When I took this photo of a Canada Goose at an urban pond close to home several years ago, I loved the fall colors in the background behind the goose.

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Wasatch Mountain Mallard Babies

By Mia McPherson|June 4th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Mallards, Summit County, Utah, Wasatch Mountains|Tags: Anas platyrhynchos, babies, canyon, creek, dabbling ducks, ducklings, immature, juvenile, Mallard, mallards, mountains, spring, water, waterfowl, young|

I can't pass up photographing mountain Mallard babies when I find their little fluffy selves on mountain creeks, streams, lakes, or reservoirs.

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Trumpeter Swan Landing In The Centennial Valley Of Montana

By Mia McPherson|May 20th, 2023|Categories: Beaverhead County, Birds, Centennial Valley, Montana, Trumpeter Swans|Tags: adult, Cygnus buccinator, fence, grass, grasses, landing, mountain valley, mountains, spring, swan, swans, Trumpeter Swan, valley, water, waterfowl, willows|

I came across this Trumpeter Swan photo taken in Montana in my archives a few days ago and wondered why I had never processed the file or shared it before.

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Drake Ruddy Duck And His Sky Blue Bill

By Mia McPherson|April 28th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Ruddy Ducks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: blue bill, bluebill, breeding plumage, Bubbling Display, close up, diving ducks, drake, duck, ducks, male, Oxyura jamaicensis, park, pond, portrait, Ruddy Duck, spring, stiff, swimming, tail, up close, urban, water, waterfowl|

Yesterday morning, I had a real treat photographing a drake Ruddy Duck close to home. He was in his most dapper breeding plumage, including his sky blue bill.

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Mix Of Urban Birds Close To Home

By Mia McPherson|April 10th, 2023|Categories: American Robins, Birds, Double-crested Cormorants, Red-winged Blackbirds, Redheads, Salt Lake County, Savannah Sparrows, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Utah|Tags: accipiter, Accipiter striatus, Accipiters, adult, Agelaius phoeniceus, American Robin, Aythya americana, basketball backstop, blackbird, blackbirds, branches, cattail, close up, cormorant, cormorants, curb, Double-crested Cormorant, drake, duck, ducks, edge, habitat, hawks, immature, landing, male, Nannopterum auritus, neighborhood, park, Passerculus sandwichensis, perched, pond, portrait, raptors, Red-winged Blackbird, Redhead, redheads, robin, robins, Savannah Sparrow, Sharp-shinned Hawk, sky, small in frame, snow, sparrow, sparrows, splash, splashy, spring, stinkeye, thrush, thrushes, tree, Turdus migratorius, urban, water, waterbirds, waterfowl, young|

This mix of urban birds were taken over a two day period close to home. Birds, no matter where they are, bring me joy, happiness, and even laughter.

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Learning More About Collared Tundra Swans

By Mia McPherson|April 3rd, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, banded, collar, collared, Cygnus columbianus, flight, flock, flying, grasses, ice, inset, male, marsh, mountains, neck markers, snow, snow covered, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, U915, U961, U974, USGS, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter|

As the Tundra Swans in Utah begin to make their long journeys to their breeding grounds, I wanted to do one more post about the collared Tundra Swans I've found.

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Ticked Off Canada Goose Gander

By Mia McPherson|March 28th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Canada Geese, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: Canada Goose, gander, geese, goose, grass, grasses, male, park, snow, spring, ticked off, urban, waterfowl|

Two days ago, after a spring snowstorm, I treated myself to a few minutes of local bird photography, which included this ticked-off Canada Goose gander.

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American Wigeon On The Last Day Of Winter

By Mia McPherson|March 23rd, 2023|Categories: American Wigeons, Birds, Salt Lake Valley, Utah|Tags: adult, American Wigeon, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, male, Mareca americana, morning light, pareidolia, park, pond, urban, water, waterfowl, wigeon, wigeons, winter|

I photographed an American Wigeon drake on the last day of winter at my local pond. The light was nice and lovely but my view of the wigeon was even nicer.

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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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Tracking Tundra Swan U915: A Story of Survival

By Mia McPherson|March 5th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, banded, collared, Cygnus columbianus, flock, grasses, ice, inset, male, marsh, mountains, Promontory Mountains, sky, snow, snow covered, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, U915, USGS, water, waterfowl, wetlands, Whistling Swan, winter|

Three days ago I found a collared Tundra Swan in a flock of swans at Bear River MBR. The blue collar caught my eye and I took photos of the swan.

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Big & Beautiful: Tundra Swans of Bear River MBR

By Mia McPherson|March 3rd, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, alert, bath, bathing, bill, close, Cygnus columbianus, droplets, flight, flock, flying, goofy, ice shelf, immature, marsh, nips, Promontory Mountains, relaxing, resting, sky, snow, spot, swans, Tundra Swan, walking, water, waterfowl, wetlands, winter, young|

Yesterday morning I spent time with a flock of big, beautiful Tundra Swans at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. I loved every moment that I had with the swans.

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Canada Geese Courtship: A Prelude To Spring

By Mia McPherson|February 18th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Canada Geese, Utah|Tags: adult, Bear River, Branta canadensis, Canada Geese, Canada Goose, frozen, geese, goose, grass, grasses, guard, ice, ranchlands, resting, river, river bottom, riverbank, snow, standing, waterfowl, winter|

February might seem early but I'm already noticing that Canada Geese are pairing up at Bear River MBR which is a prelude to the arrival of spring.

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Calling Mallard Drake In The City

By Mia McPherson|February 9th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Mallards, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: Anas platyrhynchos, bill, calling, city, dabbling ducks, drake, duck, ducks, male, Mallard, mallards, open, pond, urban, water, waterfowl, winter|

I enjoy photographing even the most abundant ducks at my local city ponds. I simply couldn't resist taking images of this calling Mallard drake two days ago.

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Bear River MBR: Winter Haven For Tundra Swans

By Mia McPherson|February 7th, 2023|Categories: Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Birds, Box Elder County, Tundra Swans, Utah|Tags: adult, azure, Cygnus columbianus, flight, flying, immature, marsh, sky, swan, swans, Tundra Swan, Tundra Swans, waterfowl, wetlands, winter, young|

I had hoped that this morning would be sunny so I could head to Bear River MBR to see, listen to, and photograph Tundra Swans on the marshes.

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Urban Ring-necked Duck Hen

By Mia McPherson|February 5th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Ring-necked Ducks, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: Aythya collaris, diving ducks, duck, ducks, female, hen, pond, Ring-necked Duck, urban, water, waterfowl, winter|

Just a simple urban Ring-necked Duck hen photo this morning. I photographed this female diving duck at my local pond exactly five years ago today.

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Urban Drake Common Merganser Photos

By Mia McPherson|January 20th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Common Mergansers, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: breeding plumage, Common Merganser, dive, diving ducks, drake, duck, ducks, male, merganser, mergansers, Mergus merganser, neighborhood, pond, Salt Lake County, urban, Utah, water, waterfowl, winter|

I can be way too picky when it comes to sharing my images. Today I'll explain why with these urban drake Common Merganser photos taken at my local pond.

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First Winter Hooded Merganser At An Urban Pond

By Mia McPherson|January 8th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Hooded Mergansers, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: dive, diving ducks, duck, ducks, first winter, Hooded Merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus, merganser, mergansers, pond, urban, water, waterfowl, winter|

A few days ago I had the opportunity to photograph this first winter Hooded Merganser at an urban pond that isn't far from where I live after a heavy snow.

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Dapper Mallard Drake In Snow

By Mia McPherson|January 5th, 2023|Categories: Birds, Mallards, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: Anas platyrhynchos, dabbling ducks, dapper, drake, duck, ducks, male, Mallard, mallards, snow, snowy, urban, waterfowl, winter|

After I photographed the handsome Gadwall drake that I shared yesterday I couldn't resist taking images of this alert and dapper Mallard drake in the snow.

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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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Made It Through Christmas And I Am Just Ducky

By Mia McPherson|December 26th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Mallards, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: Anas platyrhynchos, bill, dabbling ducks, duck, ducks, ducky, feather, female, hen, ice, Mallard, mallards, pond, urban, waterfowl, winter|

Well, I made it through the Christmas part of the holidays this year in one piece and I am feeling just ducky.

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Mallard Hen On Silky Water

By Mia McPherson|December 20th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Mallards, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, Anas platyrhynchos, autumn, dabbling ducks, duck, ducks, fall, female, hen, Mallard, pond, reflection, silky water, tones, urban, water, waterfowl|

While at one of my local ponds two days ago, the only birds I photographed were ducks. This Mallard hen floating on silky water caught my eyes.

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First Winter Hooded Merganser

By Mia McPherson|December 19th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Davis County, Farmington Bay Waterfowl Management Area, Hooded Mergansers, Salt Lake County, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, diving ducks, duck, ducks, fall, female, first winter, Glover Pond, hen, Hooded Merganser, ice, Lophodytes cucullatus, marsh, merganser, pond, preening, reflection, urban, Utah, water, waterfowl, wetlands|

Two days ago at one of my local ponds I was able to take only a few photos of a Hooded Merganser before it disappeared from my line of sight.

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Immature Male Common Goldeneye And Catfish

By Mia McPherson|December 16th, 2022|Categories: Birds, Common Goldeneyes, San Juan County, Utah|Tags: adult, autumn, Bucephala clangula, catfish, Common Goldeneye, diving ducks, drake, duck, ducks, fall, first winter, fish, food, immature, look, male, over the shoulder, pond, prey, urban, water, waterfowl, young|

On this day two years ago, I photographed this immature male Common Goldeneye with a catfish at the pond in my neighborhood. It was a chilly, wintry afternoon.

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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.

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