Blue-Footed Booby
One of the more fun names to say in the animal kingdom — the blue-footed booby. I’ve posted a few of these guys in the past. This one was about to make a landing on an offshore rock in the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. His/Her blue feet on full display, but almost blending in with the blue sky in the background.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 300mm) ISO 400, f/8 at 1/2500th of a second
Indri
The indri, also called the babakoto, is the largest living lemur and can grow to about three feet tall and weigh more than twenty pounds. It can also turn that head around 180 degrees. It was a bit unnerving to see them in the trees and on the forest floor with their backs to me, but staring directly at camera. I photographed this one in the wilds of Andasibe-Mantadia National Park, which of course, is in Madagascar.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second
Rockhopper Preening
I like when I can get a dark background in a scene that has plenty of light on the subject. Here a rockhopper penguin takes a moment to preen while standing in front of a shadowy cliff on Saunders Island in the Falklands.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 170mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/8000th of as second
Green Rosella Eating Thistle Weed
This green rosella was enjoying a snack of purple thistle weed just outside the room I was staying at on Maria Island, which itself is just off the coast of Tasmania. The green rosella is one of the twelve endemic bird species that call Tasmania home.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/1250th of a second
Forester Kangaroo with Joey
This is an eastern grey kangaroo mom with her joey, locally known as foresters in Tasmania. Sometimes it seems that joeys just can’t fit in the pouch anymore and random arms, legs and tails start to poke out. This photo was taken at the end of a great day in Narawantapu National Park on the northern coast of Tasmania.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/50th of a second
Welcome Swallow
The welcome swallow is a bird native to Australia and a few of the nearby islands. I had seen a few of them in flight while in Tasmania, but failed to get a good action shot due to their small size and rapid movement while in the air. I was happy (or at least pacified) when I finally saw one perched and was able to grab a quick take-what-I-can-get photo.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/800th of a second
Guanacos and Mountain
As I mentioned recently, guanacos can be great subjects, especially when framed within the landscape of Torres Del Paine in Patagonian Chile. The early morning light was hitting these two with direct light while the massive face of that mountain in the background was in shadow, and partially obscured by fog and clouds.
Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/1600th of a second