In early summer, male elk are still in the process of growing their antlers. And those antlers are still covered in velvet. They shed the velvet in the fall and then drop their racks shortly after that. I photographed this elk early evening on a stormy, yet still somewhat sunny day in Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/400th of a second
I usually don’t photograph birds at night (with the exception of owls and other nocturnal species) but while hiking on the island of Nosy Mangabe — which is just off the northeast coast of Madagascar — and searching for lemurs, geckos and chameleons, I came across this pygmy kingfisher that was up after bedtime. As the name would suggest, this is a very small bird. I only took two quick shots as not to disturb its sleep any more than I already had.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 165mm) ISO 320, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units
Male three-toed sloths are easily distinguishable from females because they have an orange patch with a black vertical stripe down the middle of their backs. I photographed this sleepy guy one morning in El Valle, Panama.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/320th of a second
It’s never too soon to post another lemur image. This time it’s the sexually dimorphic crowned lemur. What is sexual dimorphism? The differences in appearance between the male and the female. The male crowned lemur on the right, has almost the exact inverse coloration patterns of the female on the left.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 165mm) ISO 400, f/4.5 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units
Here’s another of the great birds to be found in Lamington National Park in Queensland, Australia. Male bowerbirds, like this regent bowerbird, are known for making elaborate “bowers” to lure in females. They make these shady little structures out of whatever they can find — twigs, rocks, and any brightly colored objects they happen to stumble upon.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 600mm f/5.6 manual focus lens, ISO 100, f/5.6 at 1/80th of a second
In Madagascar, it’s all about the camo. Especially for geckos. This leaf-tailed gecko was up and at it but while at rest, its mossy skin blends in perfectly with the tree bark in Andasibe-Mantadia National Park.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 80mm, with Canon 500D close up filter) ISO 100, f/22 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units
Prairie dogs are very social animals. They live in closely knit family groups called coteries. Several coteries make up a ward. And several wards make up a town. In this shot, members of a coterie were just emerging from their burrow in the morning and checking in all directions for any possible danger in town. Photographed in Badlands National Park in South Dakota.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 600mm f/5.6 manual focus lens (with 1.4 teleconverter for 800mm) ISO 400, f/11 at 1/125th of a second
The emu is the second tallest bird in the world behind the ostrich. Like the ostrich it is flightless. But it can run pretty fast at 31 miles per hour. In this photo (taken in Flinders Ranges National Park in Southern Australia) it almost looks like the emu wants to test that speed in a race against the red kangaroo in the background — as if they’re both waiting for the starting gun before sprinting out of the blocks.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 600mm f/5.6 manual focus lens, ISO 200, f/8 at 1/250th of a second
I’ll admit, I was a bit nervous when this Patagonian hog-nosed skunk got up on its hind legs to sniff the air. It was bothered no doubt, by a particular camera-carrying American. I remained as still as possible (snapping away of course) until the skunk regained its confidence and resumed the serious task of eating grass.
Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 340mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/3200th of a second
Lemur classification can get confusing and there’s no clear cut answer as to just how many species there actually are. Most experts, however, agree that there are roughly 100 recognized species. About half are nocturnal and half diurnal. This is the red-fronted brown lemur. It is both. Mostly diurnal, but increases its nocturnal activity in the dry season.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 200, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-600 flash units