From late October through February, tens of thousands of monarch butterflies can be found overwintering at the Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove in central California. They are part of one of nature’s great migrations as they make their way down from Canada. Butterflies west of the Rocky Mountains spend their winters at many locations along the California coast, while those east of the Rockies migrate all the way down to Mexico. At night, the butterflies cluster on tree branches and look like leaves. It’s only when the sun starts to warm up that they open their wings and begin to fly around. The first time I visited the grove I didn’t notice the butterflies at first, mistaking them for bunches of leaves. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/10 at 1/800th of a second
Like other species of basalisk lizard, the plumed basalisk has the ability to run across the water, earning it the nickname, the Jesus Christ lizard. For good measure, it is also called the green basalisk and the double crested basalisk. Never can have enough names. I photographed this one a few years back in Tortuguero National Park in Costa Rica. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/2.8 at 1/100th of a second
It was early in the morning down at Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware when I saw this red fox trotting along the side of the road with what appears to be a female red-winged blackbird in its mouth. She was heading back to her den where two pups were waiting for their breakfast. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/640th of a second
This was the last morning of our trip to Botswana. Much like the first five mornings, a big orange sun rose at six a.m. into a cloudless sky. The sun was still low enough for some decent shots when we came across a solitary giraffe. I was hoping the big guy would entertain us with a drink at the water hole, but he seemed a bit timid, perhaps because he was on his own in an open area and sensed danger. Giraffes put themselves in a vulnerable position when they splay their legs and take the considerable effort to quench their thirst. Instead, I took a few portraits and we moved on. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 130mm) ISO 560, f/22 at 1/20th of a second
When I went trecking for chimpanzees in Uganda, getting good photos proved more difficult than I had thought. More often than not, the chimps were high in the canopy of very large trees, with a bright white sky as a backdrop. That being said, I was able to get a few decent shots. I kind of liked the way that in this particular shot, the fig eating chimpanzee is emerging out of that field of black that dissects the composition. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/250th of a second
Time to show the invertebrates a little love. I spotted this cool little weevil beetle while hiking in the cloud forest of Ecuador. Not sure of the exact species, but always nice to be able to use natural light in combination with my macro lens (more often than not, I’m using the macro to photograph frogs and other small creatures at night). Nikon D700 with Nikkor 105mm macro lens, ISO 1600, f/4.5 at 1/50th of a second
I feel for animals whose official name starts with the word “common.” As if they’re not as worthy of our attention. Thus is the case with Australia’s common brushtail possum. I guess it’s appropriate, however, as this is the most widely seen possum species not only in wild, forested environments of the country, but it is also seen quite regularly in urban areas. I much prefer the Latin name Trichosurus vulpecula, from the Greek for “furry tailed” and the Latin for “little fox.” As for the above furry-tailed-little-fox, he was spotted while creeping around in a tree outside of the lodge I was staying at on Kangaroo Island in South Australia. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 155mm) ISO 200, f/5 at 1/60th of a second, Nikon SB-800 flash
There are about ninety different species of kingfisher distributed throughout the world. They occur on every continent except for Antarctica. It’s always a pleasure to spot one, usually perched above a body of water, intensely watching for fish below. Here are just two of the brightly colored kingfishers that I’ve seen. The top image, a green-backed kingfisher, was photographed in Indonesia and the bottom, an Amazon kingfisher, was photographed in Brazil. Top: Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/40th of a second
Bottom: Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm), plus Nikkor 1.4x teleconverter (total of 550mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/500th of a second
When people ask me about the best time to visit Africa, I always recommend the short rainy season in November — because you get skies like this. Most tour companies recommend visiting in the dry season because animals become more visible as they congregate around water holes. This is true to a certain extent, but you also have to deal with dry, dusty conditions, and a less than ideal landscape. In November the hills are lush and green and the true beauty of Africa is revealed. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 140mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/2000th of a second
Must be tough being a penguin and getting an itch on the side of your face. This little guy was doing his best to take care of the situation when we floated by. The location was Tagas Cove, on Isabella Island. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 240mm) ISO 400, f/9 at 1/1250th of a second
We use cookies to enhance your experience while using our website. If you are using our Services via a browser you can restrict, block or remove cookies through your web browser settings. We also use content and scripts from third parties that may use tracking technologies. You can selectively provide your consent below to allow such third party embeds. For complete information about the cookies we use, data we collect and how we process them, please check our Privacy Policy
