Lions often get active just as the sun goes down, making for some great photo opportunities. If you want to join us on our next trip to Kenya and Uganda in June of 2025, we still have a few open slots. Reach out if interested in hearing more. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 5600, f/5.6 at 1/500th of a second.
I visited Sulawesi in Indonesia back in September of 2009. One of my main targets was the Celebes crested macaque. They were critically endangered back then, and things haven’t gotten any better since. The bulk of the population lives in one national park on the north coast of Sulawesi and on a few offshore islands. They are very trusting of humans, much to their detriment. They are considered pests because they destroy crops and fields. They are also hunted for bushmeat. It was one of my most rewarding wildlife experiences to be alone with these monkeys as they carried on with their daily activities as if I wasn’t there. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/320th of a second.
A couple of habituated common brown lemurs allowed me to make a close approach on my trip to Madagascar back in 2007. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 35mm) ISO 200, f/5.6 at 1/60th of a second, Nikon SB-600 flash.
Aracaris are medium-sized toucans. This is the chestnut-eared aracari, fairly common throughout the western and southern Amazon basin. It was photographed in Brazil’s Pantanal early morning when it landed near our lodge, looking to feast on the mangoes that were growing nearby. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/1250th of a second.
We had an infrequent visitor to the camera trap the other night — a southern flying squirrel. There are two types of flying squirrels in Connecticut, the southern and the northern. I’m pretty sure I got the identification on this one correct. I’ve seen them a few times gliding through the air while out walking the dog late at night. That will be the next challenge — to catch one mid glide. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 20mm lens, ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second, Camtraptions camera box and trail monitor, Nikon SB-900 flash units.
Here’s another look at the very friendly woolly monkey I met in the rainforest of Peru’s upper Amazon basin. In this image, you can sort of see the leather padding on the underside of tail tip — essentially a third arm as the monkey moves effortlessly through the forest. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/100th of a second.
Years ago I made a trip to southern British Columbia in search of snowy owls. I’ve already posted a lot of the flight shots from that trip. Here’s a simple portrait of one of the owls perched on a post at the end of the day. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 500, f/5 at 1/1000th of a second.
Monotremes are egg-laying mammals. There are only 5 monotremes in the world — the platypus and four species of echidna. This is the short-beaked echidna. I spotted him/her on the side of the road, while driving to Cradle Mountain National Park in Tasmania, Australia. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 270mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/1600th of a second.
Those long necks are used for more than just to reach the top leaves on an acacia tree. Males will often use their powerful necks to battle over territory. Fights can get quite aggressive as giraffes swing their necks violently hoping to land body blows against their opponents. But they also use their necks to show affection. Thus was the case with these two reticulated giraffes in Samburu National Reserve in Kenya. They’re both males, but clearly quite fond of each other as they perform a gentle dance. Nikon Z8 at 4K at 120 fps.
Generally, the more common the animal, the less sought after by safari goers on the trips we lead to Africa. Everyone wants to see the cats and other more difficult to track down species. But there are a few notable exceptions. Zebras being one of them. And they tend to be really common. At least the plains zebras. Enjoy this quick video of some of the zebra action on our trip to Kenya in April. Nikon Z8 at 4K.