A pair of ground hornbills were having a conversation — perhaps about whether frog or bugs were on the menu for dinner. I loved the faces on these large birds as they carried on as if we weren’t there. Photographed in the Masai Mara of Kenya. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 330mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/320th of a second.
Just a simple portrait of a young lion we met on safari back in 2012. Photographed on a rainy day in Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Laikipia, Kenya. Nikon 300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/160th of a second.
I went all the way to Thailand to photograph squirrels. Well, actually I was there to photograph all sorts of amazing creatures, but didn’t expect to get as excited about these giant black squirrels as I did. It’s tough to get a sense of scale from a picture like this but they are much larger than the grey and red squirrels we have here in the US. That two-tone coloring is also pretty cool. I only had a few sightings, including this one in Kaeng Krachan National Park. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/320th of a second.
Unlike most owls, burrowing owls are active during the day. They also are unique in that they live in burrows in the ground. They can be found in a variety of habitats including open grasslands, deserts, agricultural areas and any other wide open spaces. This little guy was photographed down on the west coast of Florida. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 380mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/160th of a second.
Technically not my best photographic effort, but this one has amusement value. On certain of the Falkland Islands, the domestic sheep seemed to be as common as the penguins. This Magellanic penguin appeared to have something to get off his chest and was bending the ear of whoever would listen. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 360mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/2000th of a second.
When trekking for mountain gorillas on my most recent trip to Uganda, this youngster was the first of the troop to come tumbling out of the thick vegetation. He/she (too early tell gender) appeared as surprised to see us as we were to see him/her. Photographed in Mgahinga National Park. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 98mm) ISO 1600, f/2.8 at 1/1250th of a second.
It’s that time of year when male bullfrogs are singing their nightly solos in the hopes of acquiring new admirers. I captured this image years ago in Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge in southern Indiana. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 600mm f/5.6 manual focus lens, ISO 100, f/11 at 1/125th of a second.
Deer are fairly regular visitors to my backyard camera traps at night. Usually it’s a single deer tripping the shutter, so it was nice to capture this image of a fawn following Mom through the woods. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 20mm lens, ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second, Cognisys camera box, trail monitor and remote flash units.
My top target species to photograph this summer is the beaver. I saw one tonight while visiting some friends in Warren, Connecticut. The light was less than favorable and my goal is to get the beaver out of water so that the tail is visible. That said, it was fun to watch this guy feasting on lily pads for half an hour or so before disappearing back into the lodge. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1100, f/5.6 at 1/800th of a second.
It continues to be a slow year for bear sightings in my yard, so here’s one from 2020. This guy and his sibling were regular visitors along with their Mom. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1600, f/5.6 at 1/100th of a second.