Time for a Drink

This Crow appeared on a fountain at the Tulsa Garden Center one January morning. I loved the texture and symmetry of the moment. Like many magical moments, it was short-lived, and the Crow set out for other pursuits. Tulsa Oklahoma USA. Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 300 mm f/2.8L and 1.4x teleconverter, 420 mm, 1/400th of a second, f/5.6, ISO 800.

Eyes on You!

This Bison glanced my way as he dined upon the grasses of the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in northeastern Oklahoma one January afternoon. Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, north of Pawhuska, Oklahoma USA. The Preserve consists of 39,650 acres (16046 hectares), the largest remaining protected remnant of tallgrass prairie on earth. Bison are free roaming throughout the preserve. Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 500 mm f/4L, 1/640th of a second at f/5.6, ISO 400.

Party on the Rock!

I observed this collection of turtles perched on a small rock in the Arkansas River while taking a walk in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. I was impressed by the numbers gathered there, and their willingness to accomodate each other as they shared this valuable little piece of real estate. Sometimes a short walk in a familiar place mixed with a little appreciation of the simple things is all it takes to spark a sense of wonder. Canon 7D Mark II, Canon 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L lens at 400 mm, 1/1250th of a second, f/8, ISO 800.

The Prize

I noticed this Cooper's Hawk sitting with its prize in a tree in my backyard. There were several squirrels scolding it, and encouraging it to leave the premises. She seemed undeterred, and, I was able to capture a few images before she departed to eat her meal in a quieter setting, away from the squirrel chatter. Canon 7D Mark II, Canon 500 mm f/4L, 1/1000th of a second, f/4.5, ISO 800.

Rookery Dance

Two Great Egret arrive at their rookery in Port Aransas National Wildlife Refuge simultaneously, and appear to be very excited to see each other! The rookery is on a small island a reasonable boat ride ESE of Rockport, Texas, United States. Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 300 mm f/2.8L with Canon 2X teleconverter (600 mm), 1/1600th of a second at f/8, ISO 200.

Golden Morning

The morning light and unusual sky color were the perfect backdrop for this silhouette of two bison grazing on a distant hilltop in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, United States. I loved the delicate detail in the natural grasses and of the bison as they went about their business atop the hill. Canon 7D Mark II, Canon 500 mm f/4L with Canon 1.4X teleconverter, 700 mm, 1/800th of a second, f/7.1, ISO 400.

Arctic Dreamer

loved the juxtaposition of the dancing Aurora Borealis adjacent to the Big Dipper (Ursa Major), with a polar bear (Ursa Maritimus) peacefully sleeping beneath the marvelous celestial show. East of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Sony A7RII, Zeiss Batis 18 mm, 15 seconds at f/2.8, ISO 3200.

Biding Time

This lovely polar bear strolled along the shoreline as he awaited the hard freeze that would facilitate the freezing over of Hudson Bay. East of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Canon 5D Mark III, 300 mm f/2.8L with 2X Canon Teleconverter, 600 mm, 1/2000th of a second, f/7.1, ISO 800.

Wanna Play

I'm always awestruck by the gentle, peaceful, beautiful demeanor of the predator at the top of the food chain in the far north. This gentle (appearing) giant, biding time while awaiting the freeze-up of Hudson Bay, came lumbering toward my position aboard a "Polar Rover," and seemed to be inviting me to come down to play. I declined. East of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Canon 5D Mark III, 300 mm f/2.8L with 2X Canon Teleconverter, 600 mm, 1/2000th of a second, f/7.1, ISO 800.

Sovereign of the Chilkat

Warmer groundwater emerges from the Tsirku Alluvial Fan and mingles with the waters of the Chilkat River along a five mile stretch about 20 miles north of Haines, Alaska, United States. Each winter thousands of American Bald Eagles gather along the banks of this stretch of the Chilkat, which remains unfrozen. The Eagles feast upon the last salmon run of the year, gaining strength for the leaner months that will follow. This individual looked appropriately regal, perched on this snow-covered log with frost-painted wood providing balance as he sat for his portrait before returning to the salmon feast. Canon 5D Mark III, Canon 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L at 400 ,, 1/500th of a second at f/5.6, ISO 5000.

Chilkat Landing Zone

Two adult American Bald Eagles arrive at the eastern shoreline of the Chilkat River. Picked over carcasses of salmon litter the shoreline, as a weakened salmon emerges in the background. Each winter thousands of American Bald Eagles congregate along a 5 mile stretch of the Chilkat River that remains unfrozen due to the influx of warmer groundwater from the Tsirku Alluvial Fan. There they feast on salmon during the last salmon run of the year. The Eagles prefer to let a colleague expend the energy to get the salmon into shallow water or ashore, then feast on the easier pickings as they work on building the energy reserves necessary to survive the remainder of the winter. Chilkat River, north of Haines, Alaska, United States. Canon 7D Mark II, Canon 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L at 200 mm, 1/1000th of a second, f/7.1, ISO 3200.

Final Instructions

These two Hawks occasionally show up on the Celtic cross of a local Presbyterian Church, where they can rest and survey the goings on of the surrounding area. This image was taken one morning in July, 2018, and captures the moment just before one of the Hawks would take off. Its mate appeared to be issuing final instructions for the current mission. John Knox Presbyterian Church, 2929 E 31st St, Tulsa Oklahoma USA. Sony A7RII, Sony 100-400 mm f4.5-5.6 GM with a Sony 1.4X teleconverter, 560 mm, 1/1250 of a second, f/8. ISO 1000.

Anna in the Garden

An adult female Anna's Hummingbird gracefully feeds and pollenates on the grounds of the Philbrook Museum, Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. Photographed with ambient light only, I have settled on 1/1600th of a second as a pleasing shutter speed to freeze the body but have a little bit wing blur to convey the rapid, intricate wing movement of the bird world's amazing hovering family. Sony A7III, Sony 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 GM at 400 mm, 1/1600th of a second, f/6.3, ISO 1600.

Refueling

An adult female Anna's Hummingbird feeding on the grounds of the Philbrook Museum in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. This image reminds me of a fighter jet being re-fueled in mid-air. I choose to photograph birds using only ambient light, to minimize any disturbance as they go about their business. Sun at my back, mid-morning. Recently I've begun shooting at 1/1600th of a second to get a slight bit of wing blur. Given the focal length, f/8 aperture, and proximity of this plant, I was particularly pleased to have planned adequately to get the plant and bird in perfect focus. Sony A7III, Sony 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 GM at 400 mm, 1/1600th of a second, f/8, ISO 1000.

Sharing

A female Anna's Hummingbird and a Gulf Fritillary Butterfly share a meal at the Tulsa Zoo. The Zoo has added plenty of new butterfly friendly plants. During the summer months, butterfly and Hummingbirds share the bounty in a wonderful dance of life. As Autumn approaches and colder temperatures settle in, butterflies and Hummingbirds set forth for warmer conditions further south. Tulsa Zoo, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. Sony A7III, Sony 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 GM at 400 mm, 1/1600th of a second, f/7.1, ISO 800.

Dream Windows

Hurricane Rosa made landfall in Baja, Mexico in late September, 2018. The associated moisture made its way northeastward over the days that followed, resulting in significant rainfall in the Arches/Canyonlands area during early October. The abundant moisture resulted in this foggy, mystical landscape in the Windows Area of Arches National Park, north of Moab, Utah. Sony A7III, Sony 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 GM at 400 mm, 1/100th of a second, f/10, ISO 200.

Morning Glory

Monument Valley sits astride the Utah-Arizona border within the Navajo Nation in the United States. It is a spiritual, inspirational location at all times, and was especially so on this particular October morning as sunbeams radiated from behind the clouds, highlighting West Mitten, East Mitten, and Merrick Butte. Taken from the cabin area associated with the View Motel. Sony A7III, Sony 24-105 mm F4 G at 44 mm, 1/1600th of a second at f/9, ISO 400.

Windblown

This "cross fox" scampered gallantly over the windblown, glacially-scoured bedrock. Once in awhile he'd pause as the windblown snow whipped past him, but he was well-outfitted for the challenge, and quickly scurried off again. East of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada.This polar bear pauses briefly during his reconnaissance mission out onto the frozen surface of Hudson Bay. The ice had been developing rapidly over the course of several frigid days, and the bears of western Hudson Bay were beginning to test its status amid the pressure ridges caused by tidal forces and the continued onslaught of waves disrupting the ice a bit further out. Despite the disruptive forces, the ice front was advancing bayward at an impressive rate. East of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Sony A7III, Canon 300 mm f2.8L with 2X Canon Tele-converter, Sigma MC-11 adapter at 600 mm, 1/800th of a second, f/6.3, ISO 800.

Naptime

Time for a nap! With freeze-over of Hudson Bay well underway, this beautiful polar bear scrunched up on the ice as the sun prepared to set on the western shore of Hudson Bay, east of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Sony A7RII, Sony 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 GM at 400 mm, 1/800th of a second, f/6.3, ISO 1000.

Landscaping

This gorgeous bear decided to do a bit of modification of the terrain before lying back down in his newly modified bed during one of the final days before the freeze-over of Hudson Bay, east of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Sony A7III, Canon 300 mm f2.8L with 2X Canon Tele-converter, Sigma MC-11 adapter at 600 mm, 1/800th of a second, f/6.3, ISO 2500.

Almost Time!

This polar bear pauses briefly during his reconnaissance mission out onto the frozen surface of Hudson Bay. The ice had been developing rapidly over the course of several frigid days, and the bears of western Hudson Bay were beginning to test its status amid the pressure ridges caused by tidal forces and the continued onslaught of waves disrupting the ice a bit further out. Despite the disruptive forces, the ice front was advancing bayward at an impressive rate. East of Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. Sony A7III, Sony 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 GM with 1.4X tele-extender at 560 mm, 1/800th of a second, f/8, ISO 250.