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Big, Loud Californians

February 26, 2021 1 min read

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February 2, 2021 2 min read

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January 31, 2021 1 min read

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January 29, 2021 1 min read

An American Journey

November 21, 2020 7 min read

2021 Nature Calls

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02 Mar 2021

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North Cascades Wilderness: Experience the Awesome
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Giving a Hoot About Owls
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Trailer: An American Ascent
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Trailer: Return of the River
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Trek to the Skagit
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Olympic NP: Life is a Beach
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45 Seconds in Acadia National Park

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No. 4: I accepted a challenge on another social-me

No. 4: I accepted a challenge on another social-media platform to post a daily photo that brings me joy for 10 days. It seems only right to try spreading some joy here during these challenging times.
#wildlife #wildlifephotography #nikon #nikonphotography #nikond850 #grandtetonnationalpark #moose #moosemonday

Day 3: I'm participating in a spread-the-joy chall

Day 3: I'm participating in a spread-the-joy challenge on another platform, posting a photo that brings me joy every day for 10 days. I figure this platform could use some more joy, too.
#bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofinstagram #birdsofprey #wildlife #wildlifephotography #pointreyesnationalseashore #restorepointreyes

Day 2: I'm participating in a spread-the-joy chall

Day 2: I'm participating in a spread-the-joy challenge on another platform, posting a photo that brings me joy every day for 10 days. Like my first pic, this one is mounted on a @kcmetrobus shelter, this one in West Seattle, near SW Alaska St and 35th Ave SW.
#bird #birds #birdphotography #birdsofinstagram #birdsofprey #owl #owlsofinstagram #owls #skagitbirds

I'm participating in a spread-the-joy challenge on

I'm participating in a spread-the-joy challenge on another platform, posting a photo that brings me joy every day for 10 days. I figured we could use some joy around here, too.

This one is installed on a @kcmetrobus bus shelter at 21st Ave SW and SW 344 St in Federal Way, Wash.

Love takes many forms. Happy Valentines, y'all! #n

Love takes many forms. Happy Valentines, y'all!
#nikonphotography #birdphotography #wildlifephoto #nikonz7ii #birdsofinstagram #birds #bird

Just like a Seattleite to have not retrieved my sn

Just like a Seattleite to have not retrieved my snow shovel, which is in a shed I can barely see in the back yard!

WHAT'S GOING ON (Part 2): Upon further review ...

WHAT'S GOING ON (Part 2): Upon further review ... I had time to edit the whole shoot and found the moment when the vole/small mammal was separated from the top juvenile Bald Eagle. I posted the second part of this sequence yesterday. Which do you think is the most impactful image? (Shot with Nikon Z7ii, Nikkor 500mm f/4, Really Right Stuff TVC-33 tripod, Really Right Stuff FG-02 fluid gimbal head at 500mm, 1/4000, f/5.6). #nikonphotography #birdphotography #wildlifephoto #birdsofprey #nikonz7ii #baldeagle #birdsofinstagram #birds #bird #raptors #raptor #skagitbirds

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? This is a pair of juvenile B

WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? This is a pair of juvenile Bald Eagles. If you look below the lower of the two, you'll see an oblong object. That's a vole, or similar small mammal -- that's been saved from being a meal but may be falling to its end anyway. It was ripped from the higher Eagle. I see raptors playing this "game" all the time: If I can't have it, you can't, either. (Shot with Nikon Z7ii, Nikkor 500mm f/4, Really Right Stuff TVC-33 tripod, Really Right Stuff FG-02 fluid gimbal head at 500mm, 1/4000, f/5.6). #nikonphotography #birdphotography #wildlifephoto #birdsofprey #nikonz7ii #baldeagle #birdsofinstagram #birds #bird #raptors #raptor #skagitbirds

This is a day for a SuperbOwl: Short-Eared Owl, wi

This is a day for a SuperbOwl: Short-Eared Owl, with Mount Baker in the background. (Shot with Nikon D750, Nikkor 500mm f/4, Really Right Stuff TVC-33 tripod, Wimberley gimbal head at 500mm, 1/400, f/5.6). #SuperBowlLV #birdphotography #BirdsOfPrey #wildlifephotography #nikon #nikonphotography #skagitbirds #birdsofinstagram #birds #wildlife

Necessity being the mother of invention, I had to

Repost from @braidedriver • Happy first day of B

Repost from @braidedriver
•
Happy first day of Black History Month! Everyone deserves to have equal access to the wilderness and outdoors, and historically communities of color have been excluded from many outdoor spaces and recreation opportunities in the United States. This is changing, but in order for the change to happen, we need to support black-led organizations and communities who are making the change possible.

We encourage you to check out organizations like @outdoorafro @blackgirlstrekkin @blackoutside_inc @outdoors_empowered_network @melaninbasecamp @youthoutside and the many other others black and POC-led groups who are leading the way to making the outdoors a place for all, and which prioritize black lives, safety, and joy.

Photo by @thetrailposse (Glenn Nelson) from Braided River’s 2019 book “We Are Puget Sound” (more about this book and campaign at @iampugetsound )

#blacklivesmatter #outdoorsforeveryone #blackhistorymonth #blackhistorymonth2021 #wilderness #equityandinclusion

Diving into our week: A Belted Kingfisher goes aft

Diving into our week: A Belted Kingfisher goes after a meal in Skagit Valley, Washington. (Shot with Nikon Z7ii, FTZ adapter, Nikkor 500mm f/4, Nikkor TC14eii teleconverter, Really Right Stuff TVC-33 tripod, Really Right Stuff FG-02 fluid gimbal head, at 700mm, 1/3200, f/8).
#birds #birdsofinstagram #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #wildlifephotographer #birdphotographer #birdphoto #nikon #nikonphotography #nikonphotographer #nikonz7ii #skagitbirds

Here's a good look at a Grey Ghost -- aka, male No

Here's a good look at a Grey Ghost -- aka, male Northern Harrier -- so called for, well, being grey, as well as fairly rarely seen in the field. They're always a welcomed sight for me! (Shot with Nikon Z6ii, FTZ converter, Nikkor 500mm f/4, Nikkor TC14eii teleconverter, Really Right Stuff TVC-33 tripod, Really Right Stuff FG-02 fluid gimbal head at 700mm, 1/4000, f/6.3.). #birdphotography #birdsofprey #wildlifephotography #nikonphotography #nikonz6ii #skagitbirds #nikon #birds #birdsofinstagram #skagitbirds

A Great Blue Heron prepares to ingest a frog it ha

A Great Blue Heron prepares to ingest a frog it has hunted down in the Samish Flats. By the way, it very likely is NOT "playing" with its prey (see below).

For some related journalism and bird biology thoughts, please read on.

I was motivated to post this image after seeing the latest "Reader's Lens" in Sunday's @seattletimes. It was a beautiful photo of a Great Blue Heron flipping a fish between its beak, ala the frog in this picture. The text describes the Heron as "playing" with the fish, then releasing it (aka, catch-and-release).

Birds, of course, do not have teeth. So Herons flip their prey sometimes to finish the kill (they will shake fish to break or ease the spine) but mainly to position it to swallow down whole. Because of the time, patience and energy required to hunt, it's extremely unlikely the Heron "released" the fish; it's more likely it lost control in the juggling act.

It appears The Times was following the commentary of the photography. But it didn't check the facts, which would have been easy to do. Heck, it didn't even identify the "heron" as a Great Blue, which would have been super-duper easy since the Great Blue Heron is the official bird of the city of Seattle.

I'm not just being cranky about my craft. We are fighting off the accusations of being "fake news," amplified by Trump and the Right. The best way to combat that is to make as certain as possible that we have our facts straight -- even in times like these when media outlets are resource challenged.

(Shot with Nikon Z6ii, Nikkor 500mm f/4 with FTZ adaptor, Nikkor TC14eii teleconverter, on Really Right Stuff TVC-33 tripod, Really Right Stuff FG-02 fluid gimbal head, at 700mm, 1/4000, f/6.3).

#birdphotography #birdsofprey #wildlifephotography #nikonphotography #nikonz6ii #skagitbirds #nikon #birds #birdsofinstagram

Here we go, y’all!

Here we go, y’all!

Though a weird part of me will miss Trump (I'm a j

Though a weird part of me will miss Trump (I'm a journalist and storyteller, remember), I am cognizant of the massive, unacceptable havoc he wreaked and the need for the earth and its inhabitants to heal. Mostly, this is a day to hope, for Joe and Kamala, and for our country to spread its wings and fly back into the light.

This image: A Short-Eared Owl in the Samish Flats (Shot with Nikon Z7ii, Nikkor 500mm f/4 with FTZ adaptor, Nikkor TC14eii teleconverter, on Really Right Stuff TVC-33 tripod, Really Right Stuff FG-02 fluid gimbal head, at 700mm, 1/4000, f/6.3).

#birdphotography #birdsofprey #wildlifephotography #nikonphotography #nikonz7ii #skagitbirds #owl #owlsofinstagram #owls #nikon #birds #birdsofinstagram

Back to my erstwhile nemesis bird, the Belted King

Back to my erstwhile nemesis bird, the Belted Kingfisher. Here she flies into better light, so the rays catch her wings. Here's hoping some sunshine catches yours this weekend, too! (Shot with Nikon Z7ii, Nikkor 500mm f/4, Nikon FTZ adaptor, Nikkor TC14eii teleconverter, Really Right Stuff TVC-33 tripod, Really Right Stuff FG-02 fluid gimbal head, at 700mm, 1/4000, f/8). #birdphotography #bird #birdsofinstagram #birds #nikon #nikonphotography #nikonphotographer #nikonphoto #nikonz7ii

This is another amazing development on wolverine s

This is another amazing development on wolverine sightings. This time, @yellowstonenps

One of the exciting things about watching Short-Ea

One of the exciting things about watching Short-Eared Owls is the constant turf battles -- with each other and, typically, Northern Harriers. I've been trying forever to get a decent shot like this, and it happened on a day listening to another turf battle -- the House debate on impeachment No. 2 -- while driving around, looking. (Shot with Nikon Z7ii, Nikkor 500mm f/4, FTZ adaptor, TC14eii teleconverter, Really Right Stuff TVC-33 tripod, Really Right Stuff FG-02 fluid gimbal head at 700mm, 1/4000, f/8).
#birdphotography #wildlifephotography #raptors #naturelovers #birdsofprey #birdsofinstagram #birds #birdwatching #raptor #raptors #skagitbirds

Yep, this is a Belted Kingfisher, which I identifi

Yep, this is a Belted Kingfisher, which I identified a while ago as my photography "nemesis bird" -- ie., I've failed to get a decent shot of it, despite many tries. Now said nemesis and I have gotten to know each other a little better, and the other day it treated me to a bit of a show. Evidenced by her extra rust-colored belt, this is a female. (Shot with Nikon Z7ii, Nikkor 500mm f/4, Nikon FTZ, Nikkor TC14eii teleconverter, Really Right Stuff TVC-33 tripod, Really Right Stuff FG-02 fluid gimbal head, at 700mm, 1/4000, f/8).
#birds #birdsofinstagram #birdphotography #wildlifephotography #wildlifephotographer #birdphotographer #birdphoto #nikon #nikonphotography #nikonphotographer #nikonz7ii

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