The circle of life
May is the time for bison babies in Yellowstone. But the circle of life can be short for many newborns.
Lunchtime at the top of the food chain
Yellowstone spring: Part One On my recent trip to Yellowstone, I came across a newly deceased bison not far from the road in Lamar Valley. It was free of any visible wounds and appeared to have died from natural causes. Not interesting you say? Well, a dead bison may not be exciting to watch — until [...]
Clutch time in the trees
Springtime gives nature photographers the opportunity to photograph a variety of birds building nests and raising their young. The big cottonwood trees here in Colorado are still a few weeks away from fully leafing out, making it easier to spot birds and photograph them. Last year’s empty nests are a hub of activity. Hawks, owls [...]
The call of the lek
Recently, I had the pleasure of spending a few days with photographer friend Rick Rasmussen in Grand Island, Nebraska photographing sandhill cranes and prairie chickens. Prairie chickens? Yes, indeed. Greater Prairie Chickens, (latin name Tympanuchus cupido), are members of the grouse family and are fascinating to watch and listen to. Prairie chickens are found in [...]
Winter wildlife photography
Winter in Colorado is a study in extremes. One day it’s minus 7 degrees with blowing snow. Two days later it’s 50 degrees and sunny. Coloradans — and local wildlife — seem to be used to this and take the crazy weather swings in stride. Despite the cold, winter is a great time to photograph [...]
Taking wing
I’m happy to share the news that my photo “Mouthful of Feathers” recently won honorable mentions in a couple of annual nature photography contests. First is the North American Nature Photographers Association 2011 Showcase competition. The other is the National Wildlife Refuge Association. There were more than 3800 entries combined in these two contests. Being [...]
More wildlife photos from my own backyard
In my last blog, I talked about the importance of exploring areas close to home for wildlife photo opportunities. I took my own advice and made a point of working the small pond near my neighborhood. The pond is about one acre or less in size, yet still attracts pelicans, great blue herons, egrets and [...]
A little bird told me to get out and make pictures
Running a photography business by myself, I end up spending a lot of time indoors, away from the wild things I love to photograph. There’s a lot to do: accounting; photos to edit, tone, print, and frame; magazine submissions to send off; art shows to apply to; marketing — and so much more. With so [...]
A paradise for bird photography at the Bosque
Anyone who enjoys photographing birds should have Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico on their list of must-see sites. It’s been one of my favorite places to photograph for many years. The Bosque, located about 90 miles south of Albuquerque, N.M., near Socorro, offers year-round wildlife viewing opportunities for a $5 entrance [...]
Haines, Alaska offers an experience of a liftetime
The largest gathering of bald eagles in the world takes place every November in Haines, Alaska. This year, I was there.
