Sleepy Otter
Sea otters spend the vast majority of their time at sea. That said, they often sleep on land. I arrived at this location well before the sun came up and caught this guy just as he was waking up. I used a slow shutter and high ISO to capture what little available light there was. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/20th of a second.
Patagonian Fox Shake Off
This Patagonian fox was feasting on a guanaco carcass during a soft rain. After getting her fill, she gave a good shake of the fur and continued on her way. Photographed in Torres Del Paine National Park in Patagonian Chile. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 280mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/500th of a second.
Red Fox Pup
I met this young red fox years ago in Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware. There were was a sibling as well and they were both waiting for mom to return with breakfast — which she eventually did — free-range grackle. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/6.3 at 1/320th of a second.
Red-Necked Francolin
Francolin, or spurfowl, are a common sight while on safari in Africa. There are several different species and they are often referred to as African chickens or safari chickens for their tendency to scurry out of the way of vehicles. This red-necked francolin was photographed in Uganda, sitting atop a termite mound. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/500th of a second.
Many-Scaled Anole Lizard
There are many species of anole lizard that live in the southern US on down through South America. This is the many-scaled anole. I can’t be certain, but perhaps there a not-too-many-scaled anole out there somewhere too. Photographed in Drake Bay on the southwest coast of Costa Rica. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/20th of a second.
Cheetah in Grass
Cheetahs, or any big cats for that matter, can suddenly get very intense when they spot potential prey. In this case, the cheetah spotted a group (or dazzle) of zebras and started concentrating with a laser focus. Photographed in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/1600th of a second.