This leopard was watching an unsuspecting herd of impala as they slowly moved toward the tree. Unlike lions, leopards are solitary cats that hunt on their own. It’s rare to see more than one at a time unless it’s a mother with a cub, or a mating pair. I photographed this one in Botswana. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/250th of a second.
A capybara seems a bit too comfortable along the Yacuma River in the Pampas region of Bolivia. In reality, there’s not a lot of time to relax for capybaras as they are the favorite prey of larger animals in the area like jaguars and caiman. Capybaras are quite robust themselves, and noteworthy for being the largest rodents in the world. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/800th of a second.
I’ve photographed roseate spoonbills in Florida and Texas, but capturing a few images of them in the Pantanal of Brazil is even better. Much like flamingos, roseate spoonbills get their pink coloring from the carotenoids in the foods they eat, including crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/8000th of a second.
I’ve had a few encounters with honey badgers on my travels to Africa. This was the first of those encounters, photographed late afternoon in the Kalahari Desert of Botswana. Honey badgers have a fierce reputation due to their ability to fight back against larger predators. Their main defense is unusually tough, while at the same time loose skin. When a predator like a leopard gets ahold of a honey badger, the honey badger is able to turn around inside its own skin and fight back while the leopard tries to navigate a fatal bite. This toughness allows the smaller animal to make frequent escapes. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 330mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/640th of a second.
A flock (or rafter if you prefer) of wild turkeys passed through the yard on several occasions last week. I was at my desk working when I caught these two hens on the other side of my window. There were about twenty individuals total with quite a few chicks. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 2800, f/6.3 at 1/800th of a second.
I spent a few nights camping in Thailand’s Kaeng Krachan National Park. On one of those nights, a Malayan porcupine stopped by for a visit. This image gives a good look at those quills, which are actually hollow, hardened hairs made of keratin. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 155mm) ISO 500, f/9 at 1/250th of a second, two Nikon SB-900 flash units.
Acorn woodpeckers love their acorns — so much so that they drill special holes in tree bark to store them for later use. In this photo, you can see the perfectly sized hole for each acorn. They are primarily a western and tropical species, ranging from California, down through northern South America. I photographed this one in the Santa Monica Mountains of California. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/250th of a second.
A coastal brown bear races through the water at low tide, hoping to catch a salmon-y breakfast. If was nice to get the camera on the sandbar for a ground level perspective of the action. Photographed at Lake Clark National Park in Alaska. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/1600th of a second.
The red-knobbed hornbill is a big bird. Despite their size, however, they can be hard to spot as they are very secretive. I photographed this one in Tangkoko National Park on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia. They are listed as a “vulnerable” species due to habitat destruction throughout their range. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/1600th of a second.
Also known as the Feischmann’s glass frog, these guys are known for their translucent skin across the torso area. Their natural defense when threatened is to freeze, making them accommodating subjects — if you can find one. I found this one while walking the grounds of my bungalow after dark in the Panamanian town of El Valle. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 105mm macro lens, ISO 250, f/16 at 1/250th of a second, two Nikkor SB-900 flash units.