Birds

Western Screech-Owl, Another Birding First!

Western Screech-Owl, Another Birding First!

We had heard that there was a Western Screech-Owl (Megascops kennicottii) at San Pedro House in Arizona. So as we had never seen this Screech Owl, we headed to the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area near Sierra Vista in Southern Arizona. Our friends Michelle and Dennis had shown us a phone picture of the […]


Mountain Bluebirds – Adult Female and 3 Fledgelings

Mountain Bluebirds - Adult Female and 3 Fledgelings

Visiting Custer State Park in South Dakota. One of the best wildlife parks to visit. It has everything from the great old male Buffalo to some of the tiniest birds. A good place for birds is in the airport area. The fenceposts are very popular. Traveling around the Wildlife Loop Road this family of Mountain […]


Puffins – Aren’t They Just Gorgeous?

Puffins - Aren't They Just Gorgeous?

One of the great opportunities when visiting Newfoundland in Canada is to go to Elliston on the east coast and see the nesting Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) colony. We were there very early in the Season and these cute little birds were just arriving for their 3 months of the year on land to breed. […]


Friday the 13th

Friday the 13th

Are you superstitious? Frankly I am not, but when it comes to Wildlife Photography, we had been skunked a lot lately. We had a whale watching tour from Forillon National Park and saw no whales. The operator had the policy that if you don’t see any whales and you are still in the area you […]


Birds Seen for the First Time

Birds Seen for the First Time

Here are some photographs of new birds for my list so far this year. They have been shot exclusively in Texas and Southern Arizona. There are many beautiful areas and wildlife preserves down here and it is my delight to make the most of them when I can. These images were shot in the following […]


Eared Grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) and their Young

Eared Grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) and their Young

Earlier this year was my first encounter with Eared Grebes (Podiceps nigricollis) at Mono Lake in the Californian Eastern Sierras.  They were just arriving and the guide books said that there would be so many that you could walk on them to the other side of the lake! However, when visiting Saskatoon Lake Provincial Park […]


This Makes a Great Day of Wildlife Photography!

This Makes a Great Day of Wildlife Photography!

…..for me. What makes “Great” day in your wildlife photography?  Do tell me. I really enjoy photographing wildlife.  Moving to Nikon cameras from my old Hasselblad “V” System camera enabled me to get some long glass.  I started with the Nikkor 200.0-400.0mm f/4 lens primarily for birds and warbirds (i.e. anything that flies!), largely inspired […]


A Shore Birder’s paradise

A Shore Birder's paradise

I just love watching and shooting shorebirds.  As regular readers know I even travel to Churchill, Manitoba to shoot the shorebirds in their striking breeding plumage. I have had great fun at Fort DeSoto County Park in Florida – working a Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) when my spotter (Louise) points out a Long-billed Curlew (Numinous […]


The non-Shorebirds that go to Churchill

The non-Shorebirds that go to Churchill

My previous blog was about the shorebirds in their gorgeous breeding plumage that make their way to Churchill, Manitoba.  But there are plenty of other types of birds and species that travel all the way to Churchill in order to breed. Many of these birds also “dress up” in order to attract a mate!  Here […]


Why Go to Churchill, Manitoba, to Photograph Birds?

Why Go to Churchill, Manitoba, to Photograph Birds?

Story with photographs showing the breeding plumage of several species of shorebirds as they migrate to the sub-arctic North to breed in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada


I’ve Got Lunch Honey – Well Almost!

I've Got Lunch Honey - Well Almost!

Photographs of Arctic Terns on an iceberg in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada


Witnessing a Natural Phenomenon

Witnessing a Natural Phenomenon

As the blog from our full-time RVing in North Americas says – serendipity strikes again.  We visited Haines in Alaska for images of Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) but instead discovered all three species of Scoters (Surf Scoter, Black Scoter and White-winged Scoter) in this feeding frenzy. Oh how I love wildlife photography! Mother Nature is […]


Why do they call Haliaeetus leucocephalus “Snow Pigeons” ?

Why do they call Haliaeetus leucocephalus “Snow Pigeons” ?

This is a recent blog from our full-time RVing travels about Wildlife Photography of Bald Eagles in Alaska. Click on the image to go to the blog entry.


Things To Do On The Beach – 05

Things To Do On The Beach - 05

Plan A Royal Wedding …. These two love birds were parading around completely oblivious to what was going on around them.  However, it was “Not tonight Josephine”! Gear: Nikon D4S, Nikkor 600mm f/4 VRII, Nikkor TC-17 EII, RRS Tripod, RRS Gimbal Head, Lexar Digital Film


Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) dines on Frogs Legs

We are at the Dealership for “Tigger”, our 40′ diesel pusher motor home and one of the managers tells me that they had just finished clearing the pond and there is a couple of “nice ducks” on the water.  So I head round there with my gear, but they are a pair of standard Mallards.  However […]


Things To Do On The Beach – 04

Things To Do On The Beach - 04

When you wake up…… Preen A Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) preening


Things To Do On The Beach – 03

Things To Do On The Beach - 03

Have a Snooze Gear: Nikon D4s, Nikkor 600mm f/4 VRII, Nikkor TC-17 EII, Lexar Digital Film.  For the close-ups mounted on Skimmer Ground Pod II with RRS Ball-head, for the others mounted on RRS Tripod and RRS Gimbal Head


Things To Do On The Beach – 02

Things To Do On The Beach - 02

Take A Bath Gear: Nikon D4s, Nikkor 600mm f/4 VRII, Nikkor TC-17 EII, Lexar Digital Film.  For the close-ups mounted on Skimmer Ground Pod II with RRS Ball-head, for the others mounted on RRS Tripod and RRS Gimbal Head


Things To Do On The Beach – 01

Things To Do On The Beach - 01

If you have an itch scratch it!! Gear: Nikon D4s, Nikkor 600mm f/4 VRII, Nikkor TC-17 EII, Lexar Digital Film.  For the close-ups mounted on Skimmer Ground Pod II with RRS Ball-head, for the others mounted on RRS Tripod and RRS Gimbal Head


The Whimbrel’s Cousin – (Numenicus americanus)

The Whimbrel's Cousin - (Numenicus americanus)

Last year Louise & I spent many hours “stalking” Whimbrels (Numenius phaseopus) while we were in Churchill, Manitoba and had a fantastic adventure. One of my Whimbrel images from that adventure is below…. Now, in Florida, shooting shorebirds, wading birds and the occasional diurnal raptor we come face to face with one of Whimbrel’s cousins. […]


Why Did I Go to the Tundra to Shoot Shorebirds?

Why Did I Go to the Tundra to Shoot Shorebirds?

As you may recall from earlier posts, it was quite a journey to get to Churchill, Manitoba,  just below the Arctic Circle.  It took two days to fly there, one day to Winnipeg (Manitoba’s Capital) and another day to Churchill (the train from Winnipeg takes 2 days!) and the same to return.  When I got […]


What causes the Flush?

What causes the Flush?

A group of Stilt Sandpipers at dusk in the Tundra Marshes of Churchill, Manitoba on the Hudson Bay.  They are happily milling around, preening but not looking for food – it is the end of the day, time for bed … I am stealthily taking their photographs, because as a photographer while I am edging […]


Follow The Herd?

Follow The Herd?

An image of a group of birds all heading in the same direction – hunting for sustenance in the Far North during their breeding season.  But, can you spot the “odd man out”?  I am not sure why, but I am always thrilled when I can get a shot with more than one species together […]


A Way to Attract the Girls

A Way to Attract the Girls

The Short-billed Dowitcher (Linodromus griseus) has a way with the girls during breeding season.  He flies thousands of miles north, to the Tundra and puts on his breeding plumage.  The plumage is highlighted by a bright orange (rufous) foreneck and breast.  This is irresistible to the females – the purpose of the exercise. Then after […]


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