With this momentary window of warm weather, I suspect the bears will be out and about tonight. Here’s one I took back in early October. Or should I say she took the photo of herself when walking through my camera trap. Most of my bear camera trap photos over the past year have been at night. This was a rare instance of daytime action. I actually watched as she and her two cubs came through the back woods, tripped the shutter, and then continued on through my side yard. On this particular pass through, the cubs stayed out of frame and to their mother’s left. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 400, f/14 at 1/80th of a second, Cognisys camera box, trail monitors and remote flashes.

The town of Olney, Illinois is known for its population of white eastern gray squirrels. A few years back I happened to be in town and photographed a few of the locals. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/320th of a second.

It was late in the day and the colors of the swamp were intensifying as the trees were reflecting off the surface of the water. The perfect time to photograph half-submerged alligators in the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/100th of a second.

It’s that time of year again when deserts start to bloom. Now if only I could get to a desert. This photo was from years ago in Joshua Tree National Park. Not sure of the exact species of cactus — claret cup or kingcup or something like that, with Joshua trees in the background. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 400, f/16 at 1/125th of a second.

Last week I posted an older opossum. Here’s a youngster. This was the first opossum my camera trap captured back in early October. Joeys stay with their Moms for about 100 days. They become sexually mature in six to eight months. And they typically only live for about two years. Here’s hoping I can capture babies with a mother in the same frame come spring. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 400, f/10 at 1/100th of a second, Cognisys camera box, triggering system and remote flashes.

I do love the jackrabbits. This black-tailed jackrabbit gave me a quick glance over the shoulder while in a bit of a clearing among all that desert scrub brush. You can also see the namesake black tail in this one. Photographed on a scorching hot day in the California desert about three hours southeast of Los Angeles. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/2000th of a second.

I was all set up for raccoons and opossums to climb up and down this tree, but got a tufted titmouse instead. The batteries on my fill flash went out, leaving only the main flash and a hidden flash behind the tree. In this photo it worked to my advantage, resulting in the hard shadow of the bird against the trunk. Always a nice surprise to capture the passing birds in the forest. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 500, f/11 at 1/160th of a second, Cognisys camera box, trail monitor and remote flashes.

Just a squirrel checking out my camera trap set up. By getting the camera box right on the ground — partially buried in the leaves — allowed this shot of a very common subject to be a bit more interesting than if taken at a higher angle. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second.

Most of the opossums that I photographed with the camera trap toward the end of the summer and throughout fall were younger. I moved the trap to another location in December and caught this old timer a few times. Also known by their proper name of Virginia opossums, they are the only marsupials found north of Mexico. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second, Cognisis camera box, trail monitor and remote flashes.

Pika are most closely related to rabbits, although they look more rodent like. They live in mountainous regions of North America, Asia and parts of Eastern Europe. This species is the American pika, photographed at Mount Evans in Colorado. As you can see, they are quite round, and look like little furry softballs. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/200th of a second.