Yesterday I posted a shot from the La Jolla cliffs in southern California. At the other end of town in La Jolla is a spot called Hospitals Reef, also known simply as the Potholes. Many craters in the rock provide great opportunities for beachscape compositions. I was so excited to shoot in this location that I forgot my tripod back in the hotel and had to improvise by placing my backpack on the ground and nestling my camera on top of it. There was a high surf advisory in effect and even though it was only an hour until dead low tide, a few huge waves caught me off guard, including on this exposure. Luckily, I was able to get the backpack and camera off the ground before finding myself up to my knees in surf. Due to the less that stable conditions, I was shooting at a higher shutter speed than I normally would have in such a situation. It ended up helping on this shot as I was able to somewhat freeze the crashing surf.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 400, f/11 at 1/100th of a second

Just back from a work trip to San Diego followed by a few days of rest and relaxation (which, of course, at least partly included a long lens and a bit of wildlife). I returned to one of my reliable hotspots in La Jolla, about 25 minutes north of San Diego. It’s a great area for seals, sea lions, and pelicans. There are also quite a few other shorebirds, including Brandt’s cormorants that nest on the steep cliffs on the north end of La Jolla’s waterfront. In this image, I was also able to catch a Western gull as it flew in front of the backlit cliffs in early morning light.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 220mm) ISO 400, f/8 at 1/500th of a second

This mountain goat looks a bit spent after climbing to the top of the mountain. All I had to do was drive. Mount Evans in Colorado is the highest paved road in North America, and also happens to be one of the best places in the country to reliably see mountain goats.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 17mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/2500th of a second

Here’s another kind-of-Christmass-y shot. When you enter the town of Olney, Illinois, you’re greeted by a sign that says welcome to the home of the white squirrels. The little guy above is one of those famous locals. I actually saw quite a few of them running around Olney’s suburban streets. This guy was munching on some twigs and berries in a park in the town center. You can see that he has blue eyes and isn’t a true albino, but rather a color variant of the grey squirrel.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/400th of a second

Here’s another one with a bit of a nod to Halloween. This is a least chipmunk. Very common, but can be difficult to photograph because they rarely stop moving. I caught this little guy enjoying a nut — and looking a bit evil — at a campground parking lot in Yellowstone.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/320th of a second

Seemed an appropriate time of year to post this Halloween pennant dragonfly. In Florida, these guys can be found year round. This one was photographed in Everglades National Park a few years back.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/800th of a second

This pronghorn was quite relaxed as the sun was setting behind him. He allowed me a fairly close approach and I was able to get down on the ground for this photo. Always nice to capture the rim light on larger, iconic mammals.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 350mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/8000th of a second

There are three scrub jays in the United States, the Western scrub jay, the Florida scrub jay and the island scrub jay. Both the Florida and the Island inhabit a very small region of the country (especially the island scrub jay which exists only on the island of Santa Cruz in the Channel Islands — the smallest range of any bird in the US). I’ve yet to be to Santa Cruz Island so that scrub jay will have to wait for another day. The Western scrub jay above was photographed in the Santa Monica Mountains last year, while the Florida scrub jay (which also has a very small range limited to central Florida) was photographed on Merritt Island. The Florida scrub jay is a threatened species due to loss of its scrub habitat and they are closely monitored, as evidenced by the band on the bird’s lower leg.
Top Photo — Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/320th of a second
Bottom Photo — Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/1600th of a second

I took this one a few years back at the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary in Orr, Minnesota. A cinnamon colored black bear cub calling to mom while climbing down from a tree. As always, click for a larger view.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 310mm) ISO 500, f/4 at 1/500th of a second

Just a simple shot of a simple bird. This is a willet, a large-ish shorebird in the sandpiper family. This particular willet was patrolling the incoming surf at Saint Andrews State Park in Panama City Beach, Florida — foraging for crustaceans, insects and marine worms. I was on my stomach with my 200-400mm lens, trying to avoid that incoming surf.
Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 300mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/3200th of a second