In honor of the World Champion Red Sox from Boston — a couple of red-footed boobies from Ecuador. This mated pair were building their nest on Genovesa Island in the Galapagos. You can just see a bit of those characteristic bright red feet. Way to go Bosox.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/500th of a second
The American Marten, also known as the American Pine Marten, ranges throughout most of northern North America. They are in the weasel family of mustelids and about the same size as a mink. I photographed this one just outside of the northeast entrance to Yellowstone. I wish the background wasn’t a cut pile of wood, but I’ll take it as martens can be elusive and hard to spot despite their healthy numbers.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/250th of a second
This is an old one from my film days. This dalmatian-coated harbor seal was enjoying the weather atop a rock just south of Monterey. I’m not sure of the camera settings as it was pre-digital for me, but most likely I was using my old 600mm manual focus f/5.6 lens and my Nikon F100 camera.
The black rhinoceros is classified as Critically Endangered. Several localized sub-species of the black rhino have already gone extinct. Thankfully, places like Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya are doing a great job to save both the black and the slightly less endangered white rhino. I look forward to getting back and photographing them again some day soon.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 340mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/125th of a second
I’ve seen a lot more red foxes in my travels throughout the United States than I have gray foxes — not that the latter are particularly rare. I did have a nice little encounter in Zion National Park in Utah one morning. This gray fox was moving quickly, but staying in one general area, allowing me to grab several shots. In this particular image, you can see the legs of a grazing elk that was suddenly in the background when the fox climbed on top of that fallen tree trunk. Too bad I didn’t have a wider lens to capture both animals. By the time I zoomed out to the wide end of my 200-400mm and backed up, the fox had moved on.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 3200, f/4 at 1/160th of a second
A Brandt’s cormorant stretches its wings as the sun sets on El Matador State Beach in Malibu, California. These shorebirds are fairly common up and down the Pacific coast.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 160mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/40th of a second
There are four monkey species that live in Costa Rica — the squirrel (which I posted the other day), the white-faced capuchin, the spider and this guy, the howler. I didn’t see as many howlers as the other species on my first visit to the Osa Peninsula in the southern part of Costa Rica, but two rather bold howlers made a brief appearance before moving on deeper in the forest.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 500, f/5.6 at 1/15th of a second
Just a simple portrait of a white Bennett’s wallaby (with a bit of a ripped ear). This was taken on Bruny Island, which is just off the southeast coast of Tasmania.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/500th of a second
Something a bit more abstract today. In Lamington National Park in Queensland, Australia, you can get so close to the birds that I was able to get a few macro shots of the crimson rosella’s feathers. I used my close up filter to really get tight and magnify the bird’s back.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm with Canon 500D close up filter) ISO 160, f/16 at 1/60th of a second, Nikon SB-600 flash
These little squirrel monkeys paid a visit to our lodge one afternoon while at Tiskita in Pavones, Costa Rica. Unfortunately, their engaging nature and attractive appearance have made them the target of the illegal pet trade. The good news is that recent efforts at conservation have been responsible for elevating their status from Endangered to the less critical, Vulnerable. Here’s hoping the trend continues.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 180mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/160th of a second