Harbor seals can be very curious creatures. I was kayaking late one afternoon in Elkhorn Slough — about a fifteen minute drive north of Monterey — and it seemed that every time I turned around, I’d catch a harbor seal following closely behind. Sometimes the seals would act as if caught and quickly dive under, while other times they would just sit there staring back at me while I aimed the camera and clicked the shutter. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/6.3 at 1/640th of a second
This cheetah had been sitting on a fallen tree for a while, scanning the horizon for prey. He jumped down just before I took this shot and headed off with his two brothers to stalk, and then chase, a dazzle of zebras (yes, a group of zebras is, in fact, called a dazzle). If you’re a zebra fan, you’ll be happy to know that the chase was unsuccessful. If you’re a cheetah fan, well, there’s always another day. Cheetah, in fact, have a pretty high success rate, catching their prey about 50% of the time. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/500th of a second
This fine looking duck is an American wigeon. The males, or drakes, have a large green patch on the side of the face. The females, or hens, are much less conspicuous and more uniformly brown in color. These guys are also sometimes called baldpates because of the whitish strip across the top of the head. This photo was taken on my recent owl outing at Reifel Bird Sanctuary in British Columbia, Canada. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/1000th of a second
Prickly pear cactus is a non-native plant introduced to southern Madagascar by the French in the 18th century. These days, the ring-tailed lemurs have become dependent upon it as a source water and food. This guy was munching away before taking a quick break to pose for a few shots. Nikon D40x with Nikkor 18-55mm lens (at 20mm) ISO 100, f/4 at 1/50th of a second (-1/3 stop ev)
No owl to post today, but this lovely little bird sure does sound like one. This is the rufous motmot and we had the pleasure of meeting one another in the cloud forest of Ecuador. Take a listen to the call below. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/100th of a second (-1/3 stop ev) 13 Rufous Capped Motmot
Devil’s Tower was declared the first national monument in the United States by president Teddy Roosevelt back in 1906. It is comprised of igneous rock in an area which is otherwise sedimentary rock. There are several theories as to how the tower was formed, many believing that it is all that remains of an ancient volcano. You might remember it for its role in the 1977 movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind. I’ve been to the monument several times — this photo being taken on my most recent visit, late in the day, as the last rays of the sun illuminated the western face of the rock. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 200, f/18 at several shutter speeds (HDR image)
When it’s getting late and I just want to go to bed but haven’t posted a photo yet, it’s always a good bet to go with a lion cub. Enjoy and goodnight. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 220mm) ISO 800, f/6.3 at 1/320th of a second (plus 1/3 ev)
This isn’t a great shot technically, but it was one of the most satisfying images I have ever captured. While in Australia back in 2006, I had been waking every morning at 4 AM and searching for hours for the elusive platypus. The search took me from Daintree National Park in the northeast corner of the country, to the Atherton Tablelands further inland and down to Kangaroo Island off the south central coast. Each morning I was sacrificing the best light of the day while trying to find this strange creature. I finally decided to give up and concentrate on getting shots of the animals that were easier to find, like kangaroos. I packed up my gear and was heading back to my car when I decided to check one last water hole. It was there that I spotted this guy. Experience had taught me, however, that spotting a platypus was only half the battle. I still had to get a shot before it sensed my presence and dove under never to return. I knew I might only get one shot, and this was it. I was eventually able to habituate a second platypus but the thrill of the first shot is what I remembered most. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 80-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 200, f/5 at 1/60th of a second, SB-800 flash
You don’t get to see the characteristic red feet of these two boobies, but you can see their very colorful faces. This nesting pair was in the midst of a mating display when we walked past. It was the first full day of our Galapagos trip and we were on the island of Genovesa. Top photo — Nikon D700 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 380mm) ISO 400, f/7.1 at 1/250th of a second
Bottom photo — Nikon D700 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 380mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/500th of a second
I came across this little guy late one afternoon in Hyacinth Valley in Piaui State, Brazil. We get the same species here in the States and I’ve photographed them in Florida, South Dakota and California. Even so, there’s something a little more exotic about them when you see them in Brazil. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/3200th of a second
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