Karen and I head to Costa Rica in the morning, so this will be the last post for a week or so. Last time I was in Costa Rica, down on the Osa Peninsula, I had great encounters with Baird’s tapirs, the largest land animals in Central America, weighing between 500 and 800 pounds and standing about 4 feet tall. But despite their bulky size, tapirs are excellent swimmers and divers. They use water to cool off, escape predators, and they feed on aquatic plants. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 86mm) ISO 3200, f/2.8 at 1/60th of a second.
Agile gibbons are known for their incredible speed and grace, using a form of movement called brachiation, where they swing hand-over-hand through the trees at speeds up to 35 mph. They are so acrobatic and well-adapted to their life in the trees that they rarely come down to the ground. This agile gibbon, however, was fairly well habituated to the crowds that come to view orangutans and he came down for a close encounter with my wide angle zoom lens. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/500th of a second.
Karen and I are currently planning a trip for a private group to visit Botswana in December of 2026. One of the species that’s always possible is the African wild dog. I’ve had luck with at least one sighting on each of my previous trips to Botswana. Here’s hoping the streak continues. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 340mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/500th of a second.
May can be a great time to visit Yellowstone National Park because you never know what kind of weather you’re going to get and it can change drastically from one moment to the next. Back in 2011, I visited later in the month and at times it felt like summer, at times winter, and on this morning, somewhere in-between. Frost and light snow was covering the landscape as the day began but by mid-day the sun was bright and the hills were green with new growth. And, of course, the great thing about Yellowstone is, when the conditions are right, there are always a few bison around willing and able to walk into the middle of the scene. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 70mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/320th of a second.
The brown capuchin, also known as the tufted capuchin, is found throughout the upper half of South America. I’ve photographed them in Brazil, Guyana, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia where I took this shot. I always thought it looked like this guy was checking the produce before making a commitment. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 380mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/320th of a second.
Karen and I will be heading back to Costa Rica at the end of next week for a quick 4-day visit. This will be my fourth time to the country. On my second trip, I was very lucky with the red-eyed tree frogs that were living behind the lodge I was staying at. Here’s hoping for some more luck. And more frogs. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 150mm with Canon 500D close-up filter) ISO 200, f/8 at 160th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units.
I met this young orangutan in Indonesian Borneo back in September of 2009. They are the most arboreal of the great apes, spending most of their time in trees. It was fascinating to watch them move effortlessly through the forest, occasionally stopping to pose for a few photos. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 170mm) ISO 800, f/5 at 1/640th of a second.
As Karen and I ramp up planning for the trips we’ll be leading to Africa later this year and into 2026, I’ve been thinking about the golden monkeys we visit while in Uganda and Rwanda. We go to those countries primarily for the mountain gorillas, but on our off day, we have the option to trek to the bamboo forest where the endangered golden monkeys live. There’s something about all that green bamboo that can be very photogenic. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 300mm) ISO 3200, f/4 at 1/250th of a second.
This one goes out to Chappy, the gray seal pup found mysteriously wandering around the city streets of New Haven a few weeks ago. He was exhausted and dehydrated when Mystic Aquarium took him in and did their best to nurse him back to health. He was showing signs of improvement but sadly took a turn for the worse and it was announced today that he didn’t make it. Gray seals are natives of the New England coastline. I photographed this one off the shores of Cape Cod. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 380mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/2500th of a second.
Another one from back in the day. I captured this image of Atlantic puffins on my first visit to Machias Seal Island off the coast of Maine. It’s an interesting place, and a disputed territory between the United States and Canada. We say it’s part of Maine. They say it’s part of New Brunswick. Canada owns the lighthouse on the island. Maine runs birdwatching tours and maintains a series of hides that allow for close encounters with nesting puffins, razorbills and other sea birds. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 160mm) ISO 100, f/4 at 1/2000th of a second.
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Karen and I head to Costa Rica in the morning, so this will be the last post for a week or so. Last time I was in Costa Rica, down on the Osa Peninsula, I had great encounters with Baird’s tapirs, the largest land animals in Central America, weighing between 500 and 800 pounds and standing about 4 feet tall. But despite their bulky size, tapirs are excellent swimmers and divers. They use water to cool off, escape predators, and they feed on aquatic plants. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 86mm) ISO 3200, f/2.8 at 1/60th of a second.
