We only had one morning with this kind of light — made possible by that narrow seam that opened up in the clouds. This lone bear cooperated by taking a sunrise stroll across the wet sand at low tide.
Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 240mm) ISO 2500, f/4 at 1/80th of a second
I also saw quite a few moose on this recent trip to Alaska. It was the beginning of the rut, so bulls were plentiful and in search of willing cows. This bull was one of three that were after a single cow in Chugach State Park just outside of Anchorage. It actually got a bit scary as I didn’t know where the bulls were hiding in the bushes and when they would suddenly appear. They can be quite aggressive if anything or anyone gets between them and what they’re after. Amazing how such a large animal can seem to vanish in an instant and then emerge again.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 98mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/800th of a second
Yesterday I posted mama bear catching a fish. Here’s what her cubs do while she’s hunting. Well, not all the time, but on this occasion, I did catch this young cub doing a bit of a dance back on shore, no doubt excited for a delicious meal to come.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/5 at 1/2000th of a second
Just back from a week in Alaska. Despite the fact that it rained almost the entire time, it was still a great trip and it was awesome to get out there and photograph the coastal brown bears in Lake Clark National Park, as well as a few other creatures like moose, fox and dall sheep. I have many photos to go through. I took quite a few of the bears racing through the water at low tide, pouncing (or at least trying to pounce) on silver salmon. This is just one of those shots. More to come, some with the great mountain scenery in the background — for this shot I was shooting almost directly out to the open waters of Cook Inlet. There are some mountains back there, but the overcast conditions were keeping them from being visible.
Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 360mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/1250th of a second
This brushtail possum looked like he was having trouble finding a bathroom. We were deep in the woods of Tasmania in Australia. This will be my last post for a week or so as I fly to Alaska tomorrow in search of bears and moose and all manner of other creatures. Be back soon.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 380mm) ISO 500, f/8 at 1/200th of a second
It’s been a while since I posted a dancing lemur. This is the Verreaux’s sifaka lemur, best known for the way they move on the ground — a frantic shuffle that could best be described as balletic. The truth is, they hate being on the ground and this is fastest way for them to get from one tree to another. Photographed at Berenty Private Reserve in southern Madagascar.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 100mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/500th of a second
This genet interrupted our dinner one night while on safari in Botswana. I always bring my gear with me to meals just in case of such an occurrence. Usually, nothing, but this time I was able to get a series of shots, a few of which I’ve posted in the past. Genets are strictly nocturnal and a somewhat common sight around camps after dark in eastern and southern Africa.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 270mm) ISO 640, f/4 at 1/60th of a second
This tiny little guy is called a Fitzinger’s Rain Frog (I’m going to go out on a limb here and say he was discovered by Fitzinger). He was probably no more than an inch in length, but I somehow spotted him while on a hike in El Valle, Panama.Nikon D800 with Nikkor 105mm macro lens, ISO 200, f/25 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-900 flash units
Just a simple shot of a simple bird doing its thing. This is a rufous-chested dotterel, also known as the rufous-chested plover. It is a South American bird that breeds in Chile, Argentina and the Falkland Islands. In winter it can be found as far north as Peru. I photographed this one on Sea Lion Island in the Falklands.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4.5 at 1/1250th of a second
Pikas are closely related to rabbits, although smaller than the average rabbit and with shorter ears. There are several species living in mountainous regions of Asia and North America. This is the American pika. It lives in boulder fields at or above the tree line. Spotted at Mount Evans in Colorado.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/250th of a second