Teton Mountain Range – Teton National Park, WY: Driving north out of the Teton National Park I encountered this view of the mountains to our west. The light was in and out as the clouds moved across the sky sometimes illuminating the foreground, mountains or sky. This shot was made as the foreground and mountains were lighted against a dark sky, adding drama to the image.
Nikon D3, Nikkor 24-85mm lens, Digital Capture, ISO 200

On the Road

Great-horned Owl, Owlet – Teton National Park, WY: I spent three nights at the Gros Ventre Campground in Teton National Park. There was lots of wildlife right in the campground that gave me many opportunities to shoot. A Great-horned Owl had built a nest in a dead tree in one of the campsites. Rangers had blocked-off the area but birder’s and photographers had a great view. I shot the nest off and on for 2 days. The nest contained two young birds that had already developed flight and tail feathers. Most of the time the nest was under observation by either a photographer or birder and constantly by the parent owls. Most of the time the owlets would sit at the edge of the nest or back in the cavity and do nothing, but every so often they would preen each other, stretch and look back at the lookers.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, Digital Capture, ISO 200

On the Road

Moose – Teton National Park, WY: I admit I am not a mammal photographer, but I could not resist photographing this bull moose. Fall would be the best time to shoot when the fur is sleek and antlers fully developed, but it was great fun shooting this bull. While photographing Great-horned Owl, owlets I came across this bull in our campground. I quickly grabbed my 300 wand D3, mounted it on a tripod and started shooting. The moose was within camping sites and I was continually moving away from it to keep it in frame. A ranger arrived within minutes of the time I started shooting. He got out of his vehicle with his camera and motioned for me to follow him. Following the ranger he led me to a clear, unobstructed view of the moose. The ranger and I worked together for, maybe thirty-minutes and shot lots and lots of images. We both had a wonderful time before the bull lumbered off into the aspen.
Nikon D3, Nikkor 300mm 2.8, Digital Capture, ISO 200

On the Road

I am still traveling and in NYC for a week before heading on North. the following are some of the images I shot while out west. I have not put them in order of travel but you will be able to see some of the work.




These unusual clouds were photographed from a parking lot in Sterling, Colorado. The clouds are called Mammatus clouds and are associated with BAD weather. I have seen these clouds a number of times during the trip. When I see them, I know that nothing good is in store.




While driving through the Pawnee National Grasslands we were stopped by cowboys herding cattle down the road. National grasslands are like national forest. Where national forest were created to insure the nation with adequate timber, the national grasslands were established to ensure that the nation would always have adequate grazing land for livestock. These forest and grasslands, though used commercial are a haven to native flora and fauna. Portions of the grasslands are leased to ranchers to graze cattle and sheep.

>

Quick Note:

These last 2 post were done quickly while at a Mickey D's in Sioux Falls, SD. I am off now to Iowa where I hopefully will shoot
Bobolink. I will post other photos as soon as I can get another connection. It is about 7 pm and I have another 5 or 6 hours to dirve. I love being on the road and shooting!!!!!
Please excuse any spelling errors you find, simply don't have time to spell check at the moment. Will go back and corret later.

On the Road

Mountain Bluebird (top), Norther (Red-shafted) Flicker, (bottom) - Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming: While photographing the Ruddy Ducks at Floating Pond and gentleman told me that a Norther Flicker (Red-shafted variety) was nesting on the road to Lamar Valley. Giving me the exact location I headed to the spot and just as he described a Flicker was nesting. Watching the Flicker fly to and from the nest I also noticed a Mountain Blue bird going in and out of a cavity in a near by tree. It was mid day and the light was terrible, so I returned later in the evening to shoot. Find a location that put me equal distance between the two nest I was able to shoot both birds. I sat in front of the two nest for more than 3 hours and shoot hundreds of images. Here are just two. It was difficult deciding which two images to post.
Nikon D300, 500mm f4 with 2x converter, Digital Capture ISO 200

On the Road

   It has been sometime since I have posted due to lack of Internet access. I am now in Sioux Falls, South Dakota rushing to put a few images on the blog. Hope you like the following images.

   Ruddy Ducks – Floating Pond, Yellowstone National Park: It is the second week of June in Yellowstone and birds are slow to start nesting this year in the higher elevations. As I drove past Floating Pond in the North East side of the park I saw Ruddy Ducks courting. Stopping in a nearby pull off I dawned my camo and slid down an embankment about 125 feet from the ducks. As the males courted the females, rival males entered the courting males territory. The courting male immediately confronted the rival. This is the first opportunity I have had to photograph Ruddy Ducks and it was exciting!!!
While courting the females the male Ruddy turns its tail feathers vertical and repeatedly taps the waters surface with his bill.
Nikon D300, 500mm f4 with 1.4 converter/ Digital Capture ISO 200

On the Road

         American Avocet – Pawnee National Grasslands, Grover, Colorado: In winter American Avocets gather in the tens of thousands along the gulf coast, but as spring arrives these shorebirds wing north to the central prairies to nest and rear young. This avocet and its mate established a breeding territory on the Pawnee Grasslands just south of Grover, Colorado. I photographed this bird feeding in runoff ponds that straddled a county road. This image was shot as it flew from one side of the road to the other. Typically the avocet wades through water shifting its upturned bill left and right snatching-up insect larva.
Nikon D300, 500mm f4, Digital Capture ISO200

On the Road

Prairie Larkspur,
Deibbiniam airesrenr

Butterfly Milkweed,
Asclepias tuberosa

Black-eyed Susan,
Rudbeckia hirta

      Prairie Wildflowers – Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Pawhuska, Oklahoma: These are additional wildflowers that I recently shot on a trip to the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. Each image was shot with a long lens. The flowers from top to bottom: Prairie Larkspur,  Deibbiniam airesrenr, Butterfly Milkweed, Asclepias tuberosa, and Blackeyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta.

On the Road

     Purple Cone Flower, Echinacea purpurea -- Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Pauhuska, Oklahoma: On most any day of the year the prairie is one of two colors, green or brown, but during late June and early July the prairie comes alive with color. Wildflowers burst onto the scenery turning the prairie blue, yellow, red and white. Purple Cone Flowers open the latter part of June and grow to be almost a foot and a half tall. This cone flower was photographed using a long telephoto lens. The long lens provides a narrow depth-of-field that isolates the flower against an out-of-focus background.
Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, Digital Capture ISO 200

On the Road

     Upland Sandpiper – Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, Pawhuska, Oklahoma: I recently took a short trip to the tallgrass prairie in Oklahoma to photograph birds and wildflowers. The Upland Sandpiper (formely known as Upland Plover) is a breeding bird of the tallgrass prairie. Spending its winter on the Pampas of South America the Upland migrates to the North American prairies in spring to nest. Like many shorebirds the Upland Sandpiper ardently defends its nesting territory and this bird was doing just that. As I was driving along the back roads near Pawhuska, Oklahoma I found this bird perched on a fence post about seventy feet from the road. As I got out of my van, the sandpiper flew from the post and landed on the ground faking a wing injury in an attempt to lure me from its nearby nest. Knowing the ploy, I took a few more steps in the direction from where the sandpiper had flown. As expected, the sandpiper promptly returned to its perch and tried to lure me away a second time, giving me the opportunity to shoot this image.
Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, Digital Capture ISO 200

Pic of the Day

Turkey Vulture – Anhinga Trail, Everglades National Park, Florida: Vultures --- perhaps have the worst rap of all birds. Being scavengers they are certainly not the favorite bird of most birdwatchers, but they play an important roll in nature as they scavenge dead carcasses. This Turkey Vulture was photographed at sunrise on Anhinga Trail in Everglades National Park, Florida, as it and other vultures waited for the air to warm before taking flight. Vultures use thermal uplifts to fly. The warm updrafts allow the birds to soar with little effort. As I approached the trail the sun had just come over the horizon and silhouetted vultures perched on rock wall at the edge of Taylor Slough. As visitors to the trail walked passed the vultures they began to walk to and fro along the wall to keep a safe distance from the passersby. This shot captured one of the vultures in mid stride as it walk away from on of those visitors.
Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm f4, Digital Capture ISO 200

Pic of the Day

Limpkin – Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Florida: Loxahatchee NWR rest on the east side of the Florida, Everglades just west of Delray Beach and is home to many of Florida’s avian specialties. One of these specialties is the Limpkin. Limpkins are found throughout the glades, and are commonly seen in Loxahatchee NWR searching for their favorite food, apple snails. Early morning is an ideal time to see and hear limpkins as they searches for apple snails in the shallow water impoundments within the refuge. The prehistoric wail of the limpkin is perhaps the most ancient of birdcalls and certainly attracts attention when heard. The Limpkin is among the oldest extant species, and the only member of the family Aramidae. It looks something like a cross between a crane and a rail.

This Limpkin’s search for Apple Snails was so intense it appeared to be unaware, or unworried of my presence. Its approached was so close I was able to shoot this close-up portrait. I actually had to move out of its way as bird walked passed be.

Nikon F5, 500mm f4, Ektachrome 100s

Pic of the Day

Great Blue Heron: Venice Bird Rookery; Venice, Florida – The Venice Bird Rookery is a must visit site for the bird photographer (also see post for April 4, 2010). The best time to visit is February when the rookery host breeding species of herons that include: Great Blue, Little Blue, Green, and Yellow-crowned Night Herons, Cattle and Common Egrets, and Anhingas also nest in the rookery. Late winter shows a dramatic increase in breeding behavior at the rookery. These Great Blue Herons in this image are building a nest, and the male had just arrived with a branch as I shot this image. The male (left), is giving the female the branch which she adds to the nest. This ritual behavior, passing the branch from one partner to the other also strengthens the pair bond between the two birds. Also note aigrette plumes on the birds neck and back, the pinkish legs and the blue cere at the base of the bill. These features indicate that the herons are in full breeding plumage.
Nikon F5, 500mm f4, Ektachorme VS

Pic of the Day

Broad-billd Hummingbird

Broad-billd Hummingbird

Arizona Woodpecker

Lesser Goldfinch

   I had a great time at the Santa Rita Lodge in Madera Canyon Arizona last June. The new owners have built an incredible bird feeding station that attracts dozens of species of birds. Here are a few of the other species that I have photographed there.

I love photographing hummingbirds, and as I mentioned in my last post, Madera Canyon is famous for its hummingbirds. For the Broad-billed Hummingbird photos here, I used five Nikon SB24’s about 18 inches from the hummer and background. My camera was a Nikon D3, with a Nikkor 80-200mm zoom at the 200mm end of the zoom. The Arizona Woodpecker and Lesser Goldfinch was photographed using a Nikon D300 and 500mm f4 telephoto lens.

Pic of the Day

     Black-headed Grosbeak – Madera Canyon, Arizona: Madera Canyon is well known for it variety of hummingbirds, but the area is also a wonderful location to see and photograph other species as well. Tucked away in the Santa Rita Mountains of southeast Arizona, Madera Canyon is a true birding hotspot. This Black-headed Grosbeak was photographed at the Santa Rita Lodge bird feeding station. The lodge is a great location to see hummers as well as woodpeckers and Warblers. Lesser Goldfinch, Blue Grosbeak, Mexican Jay, Gould Turkey and other species are among the non-hummer specialties. The lodge is a great place to see birds as well as use as a base of operation for birding in the southeast region of Arizona. I will post additional Madera Canyon species soon.

Nikon D300; Nikkor500mm, f4; Digital Capture 200 ISO

Pic of the Day

     Harbor Seal – Pacific Coast Highway, California: “You must drive the Pacific Coast Highway, it’s the most beautiful stretch of highway in America,” said a friend. I did drive the Pacific Coast Highway, but I cannot vouch that it is the most beautiful stretch of highway in America. The reason, I was there in June when the cold Pacific air blows ashore and mixes with the warm overland air, resulting in fog, lots of dense fog. The locals call it “June Gloom”. I saw very little of the scenery but was surprised as I came out of the hills and found Harbor Seals along the coast. This seal was among a group of about a dozen animals loafing along the shoreline. The seals were spending their time sleeping, and occasionally looking at me as I shot images. As I tripped the shutter this seal looked my way giving me the opportunity for this environmental portrait. The occasion to photograph Harbor Seals made the drive down the highway worth the trip. I plan to return to the Pacific Coast Highway to see, “the most beautiful stretch of highway in America” some day, but not during June Gloom.

Nikon D300, Nikkor 500mm, f4

Pic of the Day

     Snow Geese – Grand Departure at Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico: Bosque del Apache is located 18 miles south of Socorro, New Mexico and is the wintering ground for more than 35,000 Snow Geese and 10,000 Sandhill Cranes. The Grand Departure is a must see event if you visit Bosque. Before sunrise huge flocks of Snow Geese fly to nearby grain fields to feed. Low light requires long exposures, thus the blurred motion of the mass of geese as they rise off the impoundments on which they have spent the night. This impressionistic image is among my favorite bird photographs I have taken.
Nikon F5, Nikkor lens unknown

Pic of the Day

Green Heron – Wakodahatchee, Florida: This is another image shot at the Wakodahatchee wetlands in West Palm Beach, Florida. The Green Heron, formerly known as the Green-backed Heron and the Little Green Heron is one of the smallest of our heron species. The species is common in Wakodahatchee and usually seen from the elevated boardwalk stalking prey. Greenbacks often hang or perch on limbs inches above the water waiting for a small fish to swim by. The Green Heron is also known for using bait to catch fish. They often use bright colored leaf, bread, worms or other objects to place on the water to attract prey fish. When a fish comes to investigate the heron strikes and catches its meal. The Green Heron nest in loose colonies from Texas to Maine and Florida to the Dakotas. It is also found all along the west coast as well.
Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm, f4, Ektachorme 100s

Pic of the Day

Semipalmated Plover: Fort Myers Beach Sandbar, Florida – Florida is one of my favorite locations to shoot. I particularly love southern Florida, the home of the Everglades, Loxahatchee, Sanibel Island and Fort Myers Beach. Fort Myers Beach is well known among bird photographers and birders alike as a birding hotspot. Shore birds can be found there most any time of the year, though April and May will find the resident birds in prime breeding plumage.
I go to Fort Myers Beach almost every trip to Florida, and usually find good subject each time. This Semipalmated Plover was photographed on the Gulf side of the sandbar feeding on the exposed flats at low tide. What I particularly like about the image is the lines of sand that give direction in the image, as well as pointing to the subject. The plover was shot in early morning direct light, providing rich color and greater detail in the subject.
Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm lenses with a 1.4 tele-converter, Ektachorme 100s

Pic of the Day

Pileated Woodpecker: Horse Cove; Gurley, Alabama – One day in March I was driving-up my driveway and notice a hole in a dead loblolly pine that I had never seen before. My first thought, ”a freshly dug pileated woodpecker nest”! As soon as I got in the house I grabbed a video camera and headed for the possible nest. I attached the camera to a nearby tree and pointed it toward the hole and turned the camera on. I left the video running until after sundown, about an hour and half, and then retrieved the camera and tape.
As I reviewed the tape I was hoping to see a pileated woodpecker fly into, or leave the opening. As the tape played, what I hoped I would see, occurred. Just as the sunset, a Pileated Woodpecker flew to the cavity, perched at the opening for less than a minute and went into the cavity.
I could not have been more fortunate! The nest tree grew out of a creek bed at the bottom of a steep slop, allowing me to put a blind close to the nest at almost eye level. Both adults incubated eggs for the first 3 weeks in April. After the eggs hatched a flurry of active began at the nest. I spent many hot, miserable days in a blind from the end of April through May having an incredibly wonderful time photographing these birds.
Nikon D200, Nikkor 500mm f/4 with 1.4 teleconverter

Pic of the Day

     Bonneville Salt Flats – Wendover, Utah: Leaving Utah’s Bear River National Wildlife Refuge I headed west on I-80 toward Reno, where I would turn south for Yosemite National Park. I had driven I-80 many years ago at night, and at that time, did not fully realize the desolation along this stretch of interstate. About 50 miles from the Nevada-Utah line the highway turned due west. I drove straight for forty minutes across what looked like white sand. Near the border I saw a sign for the Bonneville Salt Flats, the location where land speed records were made, broken and remade. I had to stop!
The salt flats are quite amazing, in the direction this photo was taken, the flats runs 40 miles. I was fortunate to be there in the late afternoon hours when storm clouds were moving over the flats. I used a wide angle lens to give the feel of the wide expanse that I was experiencing. I composed the image with a pool of water on the salt pan in the foreground to give a greater feel of depth. Photographing the salt flats was a great experience, and a great opportunity to refill the salt shaker!!!!
Nikon D3, Nikkor 24-85mm zoom @ 24mm, Digital Capture @ ISO-200

Pic of the Day

     Least Bittern – Wakodahatchee, Florida: Another reclusive species that can be seen and photographed at Wakodahatchee is the Least Bittern. Least Bitterns are commonly seen in April and May along the elevated boardwalk. This bittern was photographed in April during the breeding season when bitterns are most active. At wakodahatchee, bitterns build nest in reed beds and clumps of Alligator weeds. This bittern was climbing through reeds when I first noticed it. When I stopped to set-up the camera and tripod the bittern froze in place, a common defensive practice of bitterns. Perching on a reed stalk, the stripped breast and tawny colors of the bittern helps it blend into the background, which makes it more difficult for a predator (the photographer in this case) to see.
Notice how the eyes of the bittern are facing forward. Forward facing eyes gives the Least Bittern binocular vision and exceptional depth perception which is essential for catching fish and frogs.

Nikon F5, 500mm f4, Gitzo Tripod, Monoball head

Pic of the Day

       Sora – Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Florida: The Sora is a member of the rail family and lives in marshes from Florida to Canada across North America. My first encounter with Soras was at Sarett Nature Center in Benton Harbor, Michigan. I was just starting my career in photography and became fascinated with this species when I first saw one weaving its way through the thick cattails. The opportunity did not present itself for a photograph back then, but 27 years later this encounter in the Wakodahatchee Wetlands, near Del-Ray Beach, Florida was the perfect opportunity. A secretive species, the sora is often heard but seldom seen, especially in open areas where it can be seen in full view. Fortunately for me, this Sora slowly emerged from the reeds into an opening at the edge of open water, giving me the opportunity to shoot a roll of film while it fed on duckweed.Nikon F5, 500mm f4, Provia 100

To read more about Wakodahatchee go to http://www.allaboutbirds.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=977 and read my Great Birding Escape in the Autum 2008 issue of Living Bird Magazine

Pic of the Day

     Northern Cardinal – Gurley, Alabama: The Northern Cardinal is perhaps the most well known bird in North America. It was one of the first birds I learned to identify, and most likely the first bird you learned by name as well. While the cardinal is a common bird, it was a common bird, of which a good photo had eluded me. This Cardinal changed that.
This redbird was photographed from my bedroom window on a cloudy autumn day. The fall leaves provided the perfect modulated background, while the soft light saturated the colors. This opportunity occurred when I was photographing birds at a birdbath. In less than a few seconds the cardinal flew to a branch above the birdbath and briefly perched, giving me the opportunity to shoot two frames before flying off. The scenario was over almost as soon as it happened. After years of chasing cardinals I finally had an image that I was pleased with. Sometimes it is the common, everyday birds that present the greatest challenge.

Nikon F4, Nikkor 500mm f4, Kodachrome 64

Pic of the Day

Burrowing Owl -- Cape Coral, Florida: While looking for owls to photograph on a recent trip to Florida, I found this Burrowing Owl in Cape Coral. While driving through the subdivision I found the owl perched above its burrow on a wooden stake. As I shot photos the owl seems to have found me just as interesting, as I found her.

Nikon D3, Nikkor 500mm f4, Digital Capture ISO 200

Recently Published Work

     In the winter issue of Living Bird magazine is a one page article with photos titled, Great Birding Escapes. The GBE is about Pawnee National Grasslands, and is the fourth GBE I have written. Look for a GBE about Sarett Nature Center located in Benton Harbor, Michigan in the spring issue. To read this and other GBEs, join the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, or see Living Bird online, go to (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=1085)

Pic of the Day

     Double Crested Cormorant Eating Mayan Cichlid -- Everglades National Park, Florida: While photographing bird on Anhinga Trail in Everglades National Park my son came running to me, calling to come and photograph a cormorant that had just caught a fish. I picked up camera and tripod and rushed to the site and began to shot as a Double-Crested Cormorant was beating a Mayan Cichlid against a rock. The purpose of beating the fish against the rock was to break the bones so it would be easier to swallow. After a number of attempts to swallow the fish the cormorant finally got the cichlid down. This image was captured just as the fish was headed down the gullet. What I find most intriguing is the connection between the eyes of both predator and prey, and the drama of life and death in the wild.
On another note, the Mayan Cichlid is an exotic fish in the Everglades. Cichlids, Oscars and other exotics are not native to southern Florida and compete with native fish threatening their survival. Cold weather and predation by native birds help hold these exotic fish in check.

Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm f4, Provia 100

Pic of the Day

     Tufted Puffin – Saint Paul Island, Pribilof, Alaska: Discovered in 1788 by Russian navigator, Gavrill Pribilof. The “Pribilof Islands”, Saint Paul and Saint George lay 770 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska. 
Roger Tory Peterson once called them the Galapagos of the North, for they harbor almost half a million fur seals and millions of sea birds. I have traveled to the Pribilofs five times and spent a total of 50 days on Saint Paul Island. It is an incredible place with wonderful photo opportunities. Weather on the islands is unpredictable. I have witnessed heavy overcast, dense fog, 40 mile per-hour wind, rain falling horizontally, and sunshine, all in the same day. Rain gear is essential for both the photographer and camera equipment.
This Tufted Puffin was photographed perched on a rocky projection at Reef Point on the south side of the island. The Tufted Puffins is one of two species of puffins found in the Bering Sea and the only puffin with blonde tuffs of feathers above the eye. Like the Atlantic Puffin the colorful beak is ornamental and looses it bright color after the breeding season.
Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm f4, Provia 100

Today's Update

I am on Bayou Deview today continuing my search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. You can follow the search on my ivorybill blog at ibwfound.blogspot.com. I will post more photos on this blog when I get home. Bobby

Pic of the Day

     Black-throated Green Warbler – Point Pelee, Ontario: In spring, neo-tropical migrants flood across North American in waves as they migrate to northern breeding grounds. There are numerous hotspots where birders and bird photographers gather to see and photograph these amazing birds. Once such place is Point Pelee, Ontario, a triangular strip of land that juts south into Lake Erie.
Migrants crossing Lake Erie find Point Pelee a haven of rest. Some arrive exhausted making them easy to approach and photograph. The second and third week of May is perhaps the best time to see warblers, tanagers and grosbeaks in their breeding plumage.
This Black-throated Green Warbler was photographed near the tip, foraging in the brambles along the lakes edge. Using a long lens and extension tubes, I was able to shoot a frame-filling image.

Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm f4, 25mm extension tube, Provia 100

Pic of the Day

Common Egret – Venice Bird Rookery, Florida: At the turn of the 20th century the Common Egret, along with other aigrette plumed waders were almost hunted to extinction by plume hunters for the millinery trade. Efforts of the newly formed Audubon Society and its wardens of the day final halted the slaughter. Now scenes like this displaying egret are common during the breeding season across the birds range. The heron rookery in Venice, Florida ; where this image was shot, is one of the best locations in the state to photograph nesting herons, egrets and other wading birds. This egret was photographed during a breeding display to its mate. The display involves a sweeping motion of the body of the bird downward, then forward and upward, -- while at the same time tilting the beak toward the sky and lifting the aigrette plumes on its back perpendicular to the body. These displays can last only a minute or for a quarter of an hour or more. They are never boring and always provide great shooting opportunities. For this image I positioned my point of view to include trees at some distance behind the island as the background. The trees were far enough away to render out-of-focus, and dark enough to expose almost black, thus isolating the egret against an undisturbed background.
Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm f4, Provia 100

Pic of the Day

Atlantic Puffin – Machias Seal Island, Maine: Often referred to as avian clowns, Atlantic Puffins have the most colorful beak of any bird in North America. During the breeding season the drab color of the winter beak turns bright. Both male and female sport this multi-colored beak that plays an important roll in breeding rituals.
A colonial nester, puffins congregate on off shore islands and high cliffs along the mainland to breed. They lay a single egg in rock crevices and earthen burrows protecting the egg and young from predators.
Machias Seal Island, where this image was taken is a fifteen acre, treeless island about ten-miles off the coast of Cutler, Maine. The island is claimed by both the United States and Canada. The Canadians have established a wildlife sanctuary on the island and its lighthouse is the only manned lighthouse left in Canada.
Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm f-4, Provia 100

Pic of the Day

Barred Owl – Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Florida: The sentinel of the south, the Barred Owl is perhaps the most common owl found in southern swamps and forest. Its “who – who – who cooks for you” call, heard in the evening twilight is synonymous with southern nights.
I had long sought the opportunity to photograph this iconic bird and got the opportunity in Corkscrew Swamp, an Audubon Society sanctuary east of Naples, Florida. Barred owls are common in the sanctuary and I had seen owls in the swamp for many years, but they were always far from the boardwalk and inaccessible as photo subjects.
On one trip I was fortunate to find a Barred Owl perched on a limb no more than 20 to 25 feet from the boardwalk. It was at the perfect distance from my lens. The owl was patient with me as I hastily set-up my tripod and began to shoot. The owl must have enjoyed the attention, for it perched on the limb for half an hour while I put roll-after-roll of film through the camera.
Nikon F4, 500mm f4 Nikkor, Kodachorme 64

Pic of the Day

     Sandhill Crane – Bosque del Apache NWR, New Mexico: These sandhill cranes silhouetted against the rising sun are bathed in golden light which can only be seen about five minutes after sunrise and five-minutes before sunset. I call these few minutes, “The Golden Five”, the light I most prefer for shooting. While snow geese on the refuge fly to feeding grounds before sunrise, cranes are late risers and linger until the sun crosses the horizon before taking flight to feed in the surrounding grain fields. As the sun peeked over the eastern mountains, the Phragmites grasses on the far shore glowed as the landscape turned gold with reflected light.

Nikon F5; 300mm f2.8 Nikkor lens, Provia 100 film

Pic of the Day

     Lesser Yellowlegs – Homer, Alaska: Lesser Yellowlegs are commonly seen on mudflats here in North Alabama during migration and have long been a target for my camera. They arrive in March for a few weeks then continue north, some wing all the way to Alaska to nest in wetlands that boarder lakes and ponds, as well as the open tundra. I found this bird and its mate at the north end of Beluga Lake in Homer, Alaska. Yellowlegs are extremely wary, and difficult to approach on foot when they are migrating. But, on their nesting grounds they are fierce, and guard their territory with an aggressive tenacity. As I walked into the wetlands of Beluga Lake I was immediately met with this yellowlegs. It flew directly to me and alighted on top of a small tree less than 20 feet away and began scolding me. I quickly position my self so that I would have spruce trees across the lake as my background and hurriedly shot a couple of rolls of film. After about 5 minutes of shooting I retreated........ surrendering to the threats of the Lesser Yellowlegs.

Nikon F5, Nikkor 500mm f4 with 1.4 teleconverter - Kodachrome 64

Pic of the Day

     Sunrise, Goldsmith-Schiffman Nature Sanctuary: So much of my photography takes place hundreds of miles from home, simply because my day-to-day duties at the university keeps me quite busy. But, this sunrise at Goldsmith-Schiffman Nature Sanctuary in Huntsville, Alabama was taken about seven miles from where I live. As I was driving into work one morning before sunrise, I noticed a fog hovering over the low-lying fields and wetlands. Taking advantage of the fog, I drove to the sanctuary and set-up my tripod and pointed my camera in the direction where the sun would rise over the eastern mountains. As the first light of the sun broke over the mountains, the wetlands turned gold as the sunlight illuminated the fog. After shooting a series of photos of the rising sun, I was back on the road heading to school. The important lessons learned – always have your camera with you, and know enough about the home-front to know where to go when opportunities arise. Oh yes, one more – you don’t have to travel hundreds of miles from home to take good photos.
This image is a digital capture on a Nikon D3 camera using a 24-50mm Nikkor zoom lens set to a 45mm focal length.

Pic of the Day

   Lark Bunting – Pawnee National Grasslands, Colorado: A number of years ago I visited Pawnee National Grasslands in July, when the weather was hot and dry, then cold and hailing, then raining, then hot and dry—all in the course of 45 minutes. The ground was parched and birds were sparse. I was not impressed with the landscape or birdlife, but I also knew that I was there at the wrong time. I decided then, that I would return when conditions were more favorable.  

Last spring was that time when everything seemed to come together. I arrived on the grasslands the second week of June, after weeks of rain had brought the land to life. Grasses and wild flower carpeted a landscape filled with birds, rabbits, pronghorns, and coyotes. That parched barren grassland of late July was now a smorgasbord of bounty to the native wildlife and migrants.

I found Lark Buntings plentiful along the county roads that traversed the grasslands. At first, the buntings were wary every time I got out of the vehicle to set-up my tripod. After working with a group of a dozen or so birds for an hour, they became quite accustom to me and allowed me to approach their favorite perches resulting in this shot and many other images. This shot was taken using a Nikon D200 camera, 500mm lens with a 1.4 teleconverter.

Pic of the Day

     American Oystercatcher - Fort Myers Beach, Florida: I cannot count the number of times that I have tried to photograph oystercatchers---and failed. Never happy with the images -- always to small in the frame or shots of their backsides as they flew away. On a trip to Florida one May, I made my usual trip to the Fort Myers Beach sandbar to photograph shorebirds. As I walked out to the waterline an adult oystercatcher ran into a small lagoon into full sunlight, paused and began to preen its feathers, giving me the opportunity I had so long awaited. Sometimes things just come together. Bobby

Pic of the Day

     Bald Eagle - Homer, Alaska: Perhaps the best place I have ever been to photograph bald eagles was Homer, Alaska. I traveled to Homer a number of years ago to meet the late Jean Keene and photograph eagles from her Homer Spit, compound. I arrived late in the day in March. Snow was still on the ground as I drove out the spit to find Jean's campground complex, but tempratures were very mild. When I arrived on the spit I saw half a dozen eagles. It was incredible to see so many eagles in one place, but I had no idea what was in store for me.
Early the next morning I arrived at Jean's, and after a brief introduction she showed me where I could set-up my camera. More importantly, I could not believe the number of eagles before me. As I scanned the area around Jean's trailer at least 300 eagles were soaring in the air above, perched on the ground, and on driftwood in front of me. Jean fed eagles daily during the winter and birds came from miles around to feed on the fish parts that she had strewn around her compound. For the first half hour it was difficult shooting, that is, it was hard deciding which eagle to photograph with so many before me. It was also difficult to isolate a single bird to photograph without getting portions of other birds in the frame. However, after ten days of shooting and 4,800 photographs later, I had all the images I could have wished for. As long as I live, photographing eagles in Homer, Alaska will always be one of my favorite photography adventures, and memories. Bobby

Pic of the Day

     Common Nighthawk - Wichita Falls, Texas: Nighthawks are commonly seen flying around lighted parking lots and street lights feeding on the wing in early spring through late summer across North America. Seeing nighthawks perched is an uncommon sight, but while photographing birds near Wichita Falls, I found this nighthawk resting on a fence adjacent to open pasturelands. Using my van as a blind, I was able to approach the nighthawk without disturbing the bird. The setting sun bathed the bird with golden light as the sun touched the horizon. I used a Nikon D300 camera and a Nikkor 500 f/4 lens to shoot the image.

Pic of the Day

     Half Dome After Dark - Yosemite NP, California: While visiting my daughter and son-in-law in Yosemite National Park I made the trek up Glacier Point to photograph Half Dome. I arrived late in the day to take advantage of the evening light, and shot photographs that I was pleased with, though they were the standard half dome shots. As the sun continued to set and the shadows continued to creep up half dome the spectators began to dwindle. Alone, I lingered in the same spot after the sun had dropped below the horizon hoping the setting sun would illuminate the clouds from beneath. My wait was feudal, as the desired light was not produced. Yet, as the sun sank below the horizon the blue-cast of night revealed a different half dome than I had ever seen before. This 8 second exposure was shot with a Nikon D3 and Nikkor 20mm lens.