Mountain goat kids always look like they have a bit of a smile on their faces. These two were taking a quick break from their mountaintop frolicking, allowing me a quick photo or two.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/6400th of a second
I saw lots of these raptors in Chile. This is the southern crested caracara, formerly thought to be the same species as the northern crested caracara. The northern species ranges as far north as the extreme southern portions of the US, whereas this guy can be found from mid Brazil on down to the tip of South America. For this image, I was able to capture a bit of the fall colors — in the top third of the frame — that defined much of the landscape en route to Torres Del Paine.
Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 350mm) ISO 800, f/5 at 1/1250th of a second
As I mentioned previously, the guanacos on my Chilean trip were great subjects due to their iconic shape and the fact that they were so ubiquitous throughout Torres Del Paine National Park. I photographed this one late in the day while waiting for the puma that I posted on Monday to get back to her kill.
Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/4000th of a second
This Florida box turtle was eyeing me cautiously as I got down on the ground for a quick portrait. I was in Big Cypress National Preserve in Florida, on my never ending — and most likely never-to-be-realized — search for a Florida panther. We all have our dreams. In the meantime, enjoy the turtle.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 300mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/1000th of a second
We tracked this puma for about half a mile as she slowly made her way back to a kill that she had hidden in the grass earlier in the day, or perhaps the night before. She got a bit ahead of me, but I was still able to get a few of Torres Del Paine’s majestic peaks in the background.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 120mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/1000th of a second
It’s not entirely rare to see a hippo out of water, but not exactly common either. They do spend the majority of their waking hours in rivers, lakes and ponds, seeking relief from the heat and much needed protection for their sensitive skin. But they will sometimes seek dry land at night to sleep, and they can occasionally be spotted eating grass in the early morning hours before the sun rises. The one thing that is for sure is that they are not to be messed with. This big guy we encountered one morning in the Masai Mara of Kenya was eyeing us cautiously as I snapped a few pictures. We quickly moved on, making sure that he didn’t feel threatened and that he had a clear path back to the water.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/320th of a second
Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island in Florida is one of the top birding spots in the country. You’re never quite sure what might show up. On this particular evening, it was white pelicans. They were picturesquely resting on a sandbar as the sun set. I took a lot of close ups, but liked this image at a bit of a wider focal length, allowing the birds to be just part of the composition.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 70mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/160th of a second
This image is from a series of bobcat photos I took a few years back in Irvine, California. I was able to get down on the ground, enabling me to blur out the background and isolate the bobcat against the colorful, early morning foliage.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/640th of a second
My wife likes the deer. It’s her birthday today so… she gets a deer. Better yet, a baby deer. I was photographing a moose in Baxter State Park in Maine when I looked to my right and saw this little white-tailed fawn curled up in the bushes. I’m sure the mother must have been nearby but wary of my presence, so I took a few quick pictures and moved on in the other direction.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 30mm) ISO 800, f/5 at 1/320th of a second
I photographed a few of these guys in the Falklands and then saw them again on this most recent trip to Patagonia. This one was spotted just north of Punta Arenas, Chile on our way to Torres Del Paine. A bit of a rear view here, but the entire breast is that red color that you see on the face.
Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/1000th of a second