The black skimmer is named for its characteristic style of feeding. It glides just above the water line, skimming the surface with the lower part of its beak, or mandible. When the lower mandible senses a fish, the upper mandible snaps down for the catch. This image doesn’t show that behavior, but clearly displays the beak. Photographed on Merritt Island on the east coast of Florida. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 340mm) ISO 400, f/7.1 at 1/1600th of a second.

This anhinga landed on a branch just above me, making for an interesting angle. Almost wide angle looking, but was actually at 360mm. Photographed at the Venice Rookery in Florida. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 360mm) ISO 400, f/8 at 1/250th of a second.

I was out of the office Thursday and Friday but to make up for it, here’s a mother coastal brown bear nursing her two cubs. Photographed at Lake Clark National Park in Alaska. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/500th of a second.

A bighorn sheep blends in with the surroundings at Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 70mm) ISO 200, f/5 at 1/2000th of a second.

The black-necked stilt is a very widespread shorebird throughout a good portion of the Americas. I photographed this one in San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in California while I was searching for bobcats. Always nice to have something to photograph when looking for an elusive something else to photograph. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/1000th of a second.

A brown bear cub shakes off the sea and rain after a morning of fishing with mom. Photographed in Lake Clark National Park in Alaska. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 310mm) ISO 640, f/4 at 1/1250th of a second.

A bison grazes on the prairie in one of the less badlandy areas of Badlands National Park in South Dakota. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/5 at 1/100th of a second.

I came across this pine marten (and a friend) just outside of Yellowstone National Park near the northeastern entrance in the town of Silver Gate, Montana. The two were chasing each other around in the snow by a wood pile and across a few fallen logs. They didn’t last long before scurrying back into the woods. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/800th of a second.

A young mountain goat walks high above the clouds near the top of Mount Evans in Colorado. Sorry that posts have been a bit intermittent as of late (or maybe that’s a good thing). Karen and I have been busy moving into our new house. Once that’s settled I’m looking forward to getting back out into the wild for all new images to share. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 35mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/400th of a second.

A great egret puts a finishing touch on a nest at the Venice Rookery in Florida. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/8 at 1/3200th of a second.