Western grey kangaroos are one of the most common species of kangaroo in Australia. They are also the second largest of all the kangaroos. And from what I could tell, they are one of the most personable. This guy seemed genuinely pleased to make my acquaintance late one morning in Flinders Ranges National Park in South Australia.
Nikon D200 with Nikkor 600mm f/5.6 manual focus lens, ISO 100, f/8 at 1/90th of a second
We ran into this leopard several times during our six days in Botswana. On this encounter, she was sitting in a sausage tree waiting for impala to walk beneath to eat the flowers that had fallen on the ground. From the reports we heard back at the camp, we just missed the action. She sat patiently for hours until a small herd, noses to the ground, came foraging for the flowers. Then she dropped from the tree and killed one of the unsuspecting impala. We would later catch up with her again with the fresh kill.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 300mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/500th of a second
2013 was a decent year for me and wildlife spotting, especially considering all the other things I had going on this year (getting married and all does take a bit of one’s time and I didn’t get out there quite as much as in past years). That being said, below are a few of the highlights from throughout the year.
The year started out great with a trip to Boundary Bay, near Vancouver, for snowy owls
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm), ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/400th of a second
Springtime brought me to northern Minnesota and close encounters with black bears.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/640th of a second
In July we took a weekend trip down to Key Biscayne in Florida where I ran into a few scavenging raccoons at Bill Baggs State Park.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/160th of a second
The wedding was in August, and what would the honeymoon be without a little time set aside for wildlife. In Botswana, spotting a rarity like a pangolin was certainly a highlight. The fact that that pangolin was being stalked by a leopard definitely made it a highlight of not only 2013, but of my wildlife photography career.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/5 at 1/100th of a second
And in November, a work trip took me out to Zion National Park in Utah for the weekend, where I ran into this fine looking grey fox late one afternoon. Here’s hoping that 2014 brings many more great encounters from around the US and the world.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 3200, f/4 at 1/160th of a second
This will be the last post before the holiday break. Seemed appropriate — a couple of polar bears playing in the snow and ice. Hope everyone has a great break. Stay tuned for all new photos in 2014.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/500th of a second
You can never be too careful walking along a waterway while in Florida. This alligator was hunkered down in the grass, silently watching when I hiked past. After my initial surprise, I got down on the grass too — a safe distance away, of course — and let my telephoto lens do the work.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/500th of a second
The mouse opossum is, in fact, the size of a mouse. But it isn’t a rodent at all. It’s a marsupial, and more closely related to a kangaroo than a rat. There are 55 different species of mouse opossum in Central and South America and they are all nocturnal. I came across this one well after dark while camping in the Pampas region of Bolivia.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 260mm) ISO 200, f/6.3 at 1/60th of a second, two Nikon SB-800 flash units
There are many pockets of the United States where you can still see wild horses, mustangs, whatever you want to call them, roaming free — both in the east and out west. This guy was grazing near Monument Valley National Tribal Park in southern Utah.
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 190mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/320th of a second, graduated neutral density filter
This California ground squirrel seems quite pleased with how its day is going. Perhaps because it found a spot devoid of any rattlesnakes, eagles, foxes, badgers, weasels, and raccoons — all of which, consider ground squirrel’s quite delicious for dinner. These squirrels are common (as the name would suggest) in California and in Oregon, and have been pushing their range even further north into Washington state.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/320th of a second
Short-eared owls are fun to watch hunt. They fly close to the ground before making a quick dive at their prey. This guy was scanning the marshland along Boundary Bay in Western Canada for any tasty rodents.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1250, f/5 at 1/1000th of a second
A bat-eared fox licking its chops late one afternoon on the plains of the Masai Mara in Kenya.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 360mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/250th of a second