A white-cheeked pintail duck and Galápagos giant tortoise don’t seem to mind sharing the water in a crater pond high in the Santa Cruz highlands of the Galápagos Islands. It was quite prehistoric to watch these giant reptiles going about their business in their natural habitat. Like most of the wildlife in the Galápagos, species tend to live side by side with little conflict. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/8 at 1/250th of a second.
I think this rockhopper penguin wanted to eat my lens. I had been photographing these very curious penguins at close range when two of them came even closer and started pecking at the front element of my fisheye lens, perhaps seeing their own reflection in the glass. I posted a similar photo a few years back, but this one really got in there for an up close and personal perspective. Nikon D800 with Sigma 15mm fisheye lens, ISO 1600, f/5.6 at 1/2000th of a second.
This baboon has had just about enough of this rain. At least that’s what it looks like he’s thinking. Photographed in the Ol Pajeta Conservancy, Laikipia, Kenya. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/200th of a second.
Some of you might remember when I posted an image of one of these frogs in the past and referred to it as the “chicken eating frog.” It’s true. They have been known to eat chickens. They also eat bats, among other unfortunate creatures. They are very large and bulky. Over seven inches in length. And they are also toxic. They live in tropical regions of Central and South America and are strictly nocturnal. I photographed this one in the El Valle region of Panama. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 310mm) ISO 800, f/6.3 at 1/160th of a second, two Nikon SB-900 flash units.
Here’s one for any entomologists out there. An ebony jewelwing damselfly (also known as the black-winged damselfly). I photographed this guy quite some time ago in Baxter State Park up in Maine. Back in those days, I was using extension tubes with my old 600mm lens to approximate a macro lens. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 600mm manual focus f/5.6 lens, Kenko extension tubes, ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/13th of a second.
A blue-footed booby showing those characteristic blue feet as it struts across the sand. These guys are one of the iconic species of the Galapagos. I photographed them on several of the islands, including this one on Seymour Island. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 220mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/5000th of a second.
Skies like this are one of the reasons I like to go to East Africa during the short rainy season. Male impala grazing on the plains of the Olare Orok Conservancy of the Masai Mara in Kenya. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 1600, f/2.8 at 1/800th of a second.
Lemurs seem to get a lot of variations on their common names. This is the white-fronted brown lemur. But he’ll also answer to the white-headed lemur, the white-headed brown lemur, or the white-fronted lemur. I only saw a few of them while in Madagascar, on the island of Nosy Mangabe. And speaking of names, today’s word of the day is cathemerality. Which of course means active sporadically throughout the 24 hour day/night cycle. These guys are that. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 600mm f/5.6mm manual focus lens, ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/125th of a second.
Wombats can often be photographed at very close range. Thus was obviously the case as this one emerged from its burrow in Cradle Mountain National Park in Tasmania. In fact, I had my fisheye lens mounted to my camera, allowing me to get very up close and personal but still show the environment. Nikon D810 with Sigma 15mm fisheye lens, ISO 800, f/4 at 1/125th of a second.
Black-capped night heron’s often allow a close approach. This one was focused on staring at the water, waiting for just the right moment to strike. I was able to get several nice portraits from ground level, before backing off and allowing the staring contest to continue. Photographed at the Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island in Florida. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 240mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/500th of a second.