Puffins

One of the many amazing sights in Iceland are the adorable puffins. They can, however, but utterly frightening to photograph since they typically roost on cliff sides. In many of these spots there are no rails and drops hundreds of feet straight down for those who miscalculate. The experience can be hair raising and one must constantly be aware of one's position while clamoring for the perfect shot of these very cute birds.

He's...Safe!

Two eagles on the Nooksack River. To this day I can't quite remember what the eagles were doing here, but I like to imagine that they're playing a form of "eagle baseball" and one is sliding into base while the other is trying to get him out. Hundreds of eagles migrate to this river every December due to the salmon runs. Almost as many photographers show up to capture them.

Red-billed Streamertail

This amazing hummingbird was photographed in Jamaica. While we of course didn't go for the wildlife, we still found the time to visit some. This is the red-billed streamertail, also called the doctor bird and is the national bird of Jamaica. One interesting fact about hummingbirds - they're endemic to North and South America. Africa has sunbirds, which looks somewhat similar but aren't hummingbirds, and Europe probably has a few that were accidentally released.Photo Project #1213.

Heron with Frog

There's a photography spot where occasionally I can get very close to wildlife, as long as I move very cautiously and silently. While I've seen many different critters from green heron to beavers there, on this day I was pleased to find a heron with reflection. That joy turned to elation when I realized it had caught a frog, and was batting it against the log before eating it. Though the heron certainly knew I was there, it stayed since I kept still, since it was very happy to find this prey. Note that many of our frogs here are invasive.

A Very Good Day

I love photographing hummingbirds at Marymoor Park. The key is to find a flower they like and then have patience. While the hummingbird closes and opens its eyes naturally while feeding, I like this shot because it implies how happy the little bird is to do so. Its ultimate joy is feeding on these flowers, and right now it's in complete bliss. Photo Project #1367.

Feed the Birds

There are some gordes at Marymoor Park that are initially inhabited by tree swallows. A few of them, however, are soon taken over by purple martins. When they later feed their chicks, it can be a comical sight. On each trip the mother feeds only one chick, but that doesn't prevent the others from trying to get something, even if that happens to be their mother. It must be extremely tiring for the mother, as she has to hunt nearly nonstop. She starts off with smaller bugs, then moves up to entire dragonflies at the end. Photo Project #1368.

Chestnut-eared aracari

The aracari is perhaps the most colorful bird in the Pantanal, and that says a lot. Related to toucans, they can be difficult to find in good light. I was lucky enough to find this one near our lodge on a palm tree. The Pantanal is truly a birder's paradise. There are some vantage points where one can count dozens of species in a mere few minutes.

Toco toucan

A toco toucan taking a break on a limb in the Pantanal. The toco toucan has an interesting relationship with the endangered hyacinth macaw. While for the most part the toucan is an enemy since it eats the eggs of the macaw, it's also the primary propagator of the seeds for the only tree that hyacinth macaw nests in. So, even though they're serious predators of their young, without the toco toucan, hyacinth macaws would cease to exist.

Hyacinth Macaws

Once quite common, hyacinth macaws are now nearly exctinct in the wild due to the captive bird trade. In the 1980s alone approximately 10,000 of them were collected. The worldwide population is now estimated at around 5,000. Most of these live in the Pantanal, where they're protected. They're beautiful and very curious birds, not afraid to come closer for a look at you. I found these two in a tree that they liked to visit. Similar to most parrots, hyacinth macaws mate for life.

Nanday Parakeets

A Nanday Parakeet couple in the Brazilian Pantanal. Though these are wild birds, many keep them as pets due to their high intelligence and strong bonding. Feral populations also exist in parts of the United States and Europe. Like all parakeets, Nandays are very social and owners should spend a significant time socializing with them, or at least give them a companion.

Beachcombin'

A black oystercatcher on the Puget Sound shore. On a rather dreary morning I didn't know whether I would find anything interesting at a new location. Then I caught sight of a group of oystercatchers. Slowly I made my way over to them, being careful not to frighten them away. When I was finally close enough, this one caught a fish. Not all dreary days end with bad shots.

Tree Swallows

I've always felt this shot of tree swallows is of that really annoying guy, who just stands right there and makes you want to scream. Alternatively, this could be me on any Monday. I love taking wildlife portraits that mimic our daily lives in some ways, even though the animals themselves are doing something completely different than what our minds imagine.

Photo Bomb

For me, what really makes this shot is the parakeet photo bombing the couple below the branch. This was taken in Guanacaste, Costa Rica on a tree full of parakeets. I love the snuggling couple above the branch, but the parakeet below makes it funny. Of course, when I took this shot I was only aware of the top two, only noticing the bottom one after the trip.

The Gardener

A hummingbird feeds on a firecracker flower in Marymoor Park. Hummingbirds are only recent immigrants to Washington State. First noticed here in 1964, they've become commonplace mostly due to our gardens. So successful have they been that one can now find them even far from gardens. This particular one has a prime territory, with numerous flowers nearby. I like the loop created by the flowers here, with the hummingbird inside. Photo Project #1711.

Australian Pelican

It's funny how a single water drop can make or break a shot. This white pelican was photographed in Moreton Island, which was a horrible place to vacation but a fantastic location for wildlife. The pelicans hung out close to the docks, though it was often tricky to get the perfect light. On this occasion, I was happy just to get a good exposure, but when I got home I noticed the drop on its beak. My wife absolutely loved the beak with drop, and this is one of the very few wildlife shots approved to hang in our home. I find it rather amusing that, at the worst hotel we stayed at in Australia, I managed to get one of the few shots to hang in our home. Photo Project #1752.

Pelicans at Sunset

I love getting silhouettes of almost anything with the sun setting. Most often there's something about them on reviewing that I just don't like. However, this one came out as planned. These are two white pelicans, photographed at Moreton Island in Queensland. They're amazing birds, and I spent a fair amount of time there watching them. Photo Project #1754.

Passerby

The short-eared owl, photographed at Eide Road in Skagit County, Washington. Shorties, as they're often called, are perhaps the most photogenic owl because, unlike almost every other owl, they hunt often during the day. They're also not terribly scared of photographers. This particular one was keeping an eye on me as it flew by. Eide Road used to be perhaps the best place in the country to see and photograph them, though it's not what it used to be. At some point the area will be flooded for salmon habitat, but that work has paused due to funding. As a result, there's now no salmon and less area for birds. This place is also commonly hunted, which spooks the birds a lot. Photo Project #1932.

Pileated Woodpecker

I photographed this pileated woodpecker at Lake Sammamish State Park. Pileateds are easily my favorite woodpecker due to their large size and beautiful colors. This one was kind enough to perch on a log, so I could crawl along the ground to get closer. It didn't mind me, and was in fact kind enough to give me several poses before taking off. These are my favorite types of wildlife experiences, where I get the shots I want without the subject animal caring. Though I of course don't try to scare wildlife, the very presence of a human often causes panic.

Soarin'

A blue heron flies above me with a stick at Marymoor Park. This is a common sight in spring, when the herons work on their nests in the cottonwoods right in the middle of the dog park. The sticks are part of an elaborate mating ritual, where the male will search for the perfect stick, rejecting many in the process, then present it to the female. If she approves, it goes into the nest. One can find a good location and photograph them as they come in, though the trickiest part is finding good light. Photo Project #2017.

Turtle Jump

A blue heron flies over turtles at Juanita Bay Park. The turtles are very common at the park, and can be seen on any warm day. At times they take over every inch of this particular log. The heron's name is Bob, and he loves to hunt in this area. A number of things had to come together to get this shot. First, this is the only time I've seen Bob fly over the turtles. Second, he typically doesn't hunt in this area at the time many turtles are out. Third, this actually requires a rather cloudy day, since the sun rises right behind this location - making shots like this impossible. I'm happy that everything came together for this shot.

Fishing Expedition

Bob the heron catches a fish at Juanita Bay Park. Bob is my favorite heron, since he's so accustomed to humans watching him from the viewing platform that he doesn't mind getting close. I've spent so much time photographing blue herons that I understand most of their poses now. I have a good idea whether they're actively hunting, or just perching. In this case I knew a hunt was on, and getting the shot required only patience and the light to cooperate.

Taking Flight

A blue heron flies over the lily pads at Juanita Bay Park. This again is Bob the heron, one of the most photographed in the Pacific Northwest. He not only chooses a very picturesque spot to hunt, but is also quite tolerant of human spectators. In this case he's just taken off and flying over the many lily pads on this part of Lake Washington.