I had been photographing snowy owls for a few days at Boundary Bay in British Columbia and wasn’t having much luck with flight shots. The owls wouldn’t fly often, but when they did they would take off in the opposite direction from where I was situated. Finally, at the very end of day two, one flew directly over my head. It got so close that I couldn’t keep it all in frame. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 330mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/400th of a second.
This black-crested macaque (also known as the Celebes crested macaque) seemed to be telling me what she thought of me taking her picture. Actually, these monkeys were one of my favorite primate encounters in the wild and they were quite accepting of my presence. Photographed in Tangkoko National Park in Sulawesi, Indonesia, where one of the only populations still remains. They are considered critically endangered and without drastic measures their future is very uncertain. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 135mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/160th of a second.
I’m surprised I don’t get more wild turkeys walking through my camera trap. I see them in the yard quite often but they always seem to sidestep the camera. A few days ago, however, this mother and one of her poults (the name for a baby turkey) obliged. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 500, f/14 at 1/160th of a second, Cognisys camera box, trail monitor and remote flashes.
There is a healthy population of wild burros that roam Box Springs Mountain Park in Moreno Valley, California. I was there some years back and caught these two chasing each other through the wildflower-covered hills. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 200, f/13 at 1/80th of a second.
Depending on how you look at it, this is either a zebra walking past a bustard, or a bustard walking past a zebra. Either way, it was taken early morning in Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya. Kori bustards are known for being the largest flying birds in Africa. Burchell’s zebras are known for being known by many names: Bontequagga, Zululand Zebra, Idube, Bontsebra, Mangwa, and Damaraland Zebra. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/7.1 at 1/400th of a second.
This wasn’t exactly a friendly greeting. The two male elephants were sizing each other up, which led to a brief fight before the larger of the two maintained his superiority. Photographed in the Masai Mara of Kenya. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/2000th of a second.
This is the same bear that I posted on Friday. Friday’s shot was with my camera trap. Here are three shots with my long lens, handheld, when he came to visit in the middle of the day to check on the apple tree.
First Shot: Nikon D500 with Nikkor 70-200mm (at 200mm) ISO 500, f/2.8 at 1/250th of a second.
Second Shot: Nikon D500 with Nikkor 70-200mm (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/400th of a second.
Third Shot: Nikon D500 with Nikkor 70-200mm (at 200mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/320th of a second.
Marine iguanas are the only lizards on earth that swim in the ocean. They are herbivores and as you can see from the lava-rock landscape they inhabit in the Galapagos Islands, there isn’t much foliage to feed on. They’ve adapted to a life in the water where there is a far greater abundance of plant life. I was really hoping for an underwater shot while snorkeling, but they move much more quickly in water than out. No problem getting all sorts of shots as they rested for the good part of the day on the black rock of La Fe Island. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 400, f/10 at 1/800th of a second.
It’s been about a month since we’ve seen any bears in the yard, but on Tuesday my wife my father (who had stopped by for a visit) and I watched as a young male approached the apple tree in our backyard and stood up to examine the branches for any fruit. I grabbed my camera a bit too late for the standing shot, but was able to snap quite a few other images of the bear. He then proceeded to head toward the back of the yard and right past my camera trap, setting it off. Unfortunately, he was moving in the wrong direction and I only captured butt shots. This was around 3 in the afternoon. Tonight I decided to check the trap to see if any other visitors had come by and was pleased to see that the same bear returned from the other direction four hours later at 7:30 PM. I suppose he’s determined to be the first one to the apples should they fruit this year. Next week I’ll post some of the shots I got from my normal camera and lens setup. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 500, f/14 at 1/160th of a second, Cognisys camera box, trail monitor and remote flashes.
A sea otter grabs a quick snack. Photographed in Morro Bay, California. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/640th of a second.
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