Animals - Photos
Bear enjoying apple orchard
In the late summer and early fall, bears enjoy the apples in local orchards. I could hear this bear actually munching as he enjoyed these treats.
Location: Eastern Oregon
Keywords: Bear_eating, Bears_and_apples, bear_in_tree
Buck
While chewing, this buck looked like he was talking to me
Location: Eastern Oregon
Keywords: buck, buck_by_fall_trees
Dolly Varden
A listed endangered species, this dolly varden was moving upstream in the upper Imnaha river of northeast Oregon.
Location: Eastern Oregon
Keywords: Dolly_Varden, bull_trout, Imnaha_river, fish_jumping_falls
Chipmunk and penstemon
This chipmunk proved to be a great model as he/she posed above the Grande Ronde Valley.
Location: Eastern Oregon
Keywords: Chipmunk, chipmunk_and_flower, chipmunk_and_Grande_Ronde_Valley, Union_County, Indian_Rock
Chipmunk glow
The late afternoon light illuminated this chipmunk, creating a wonderful glowing moment.
Location: Eastern Oregon
Keywords: chipmunk, chipmunk_and_flower, chipmunk_and_Grande_Ronde_Valley, view_from_Indian_Rock, Union_County_Indian_Rock, Union_County
Appaloosa
Bred by the Nez Perce Indians, the appaloosa is a serious symbol of a past way of life, and a current passion for the beauty of this creature.
Location: Eastern Oregon
Keywords: Appaloosa, Appaloosa_oneness_with_nature, appaloosa_harmony, appaloosa_in_light, Zumwalt_appaloosa
Jackrabbit ears
Jackrabbits are not really rabbits, but hares. Hares are the larger cousins of rabbits. They look awkward and silly with their large ears and feet. Yet they can move at speeds up to 40 miles an hour. Their powerful hind feet can propel them up to ten feet "in a single bound." I love this backlit shot of the jackrabbit hiding from me in the sagebrush and Indian paintbrush. Some scientists believe that the blood vessels in the ears help radiate heat while the jackrabbit is resting, those cooling its body temperature.
Location: Eastern Oregon
Keywords: Jackrabbit_ears, Jackrabbit_hiding, Jackrabbit_in_sage_brush
Horned lizard
When I was in the sixth grade, I fell in love with horned lizards (the so-called horned "toads" ) after viewing a movie at the nature center in Death Valley. Shortly after that, my father found a horned lizard and gave it to me; I was awestruck that such a wish had been wonderfully fulfilled. The memory is deeply ingrained in me today at age 67. I have long been fascinated by the horned lizard's dinosaur like appearance.. Its head resembles a miniature triceratops. The fossil record dates this creature back to the mid Miocene, about 15 million years ago.
Location: Eastern Oregon
Keywords: horned_lizard, horned_lizard_dinosaur
Horned lizard petroglyph
Southwest Indian tribes portrayed the horned lizard as a symbol of strength and sang healing songs that referred to its behaviors. As you can see from the petroglyph picture from the Hart Mountain area, it was recognized and honored in the rock inscription.
Location: Eastern Oregon
Keywords: horned_lizard, horned_lizard_petroglyph
Big horn ram and ewes
There is a wonderful herd of big horn sheep just east of the John Day river in eastern Oregon. Cars whizz by at faster than 65 MPH. But if you slow down, and look to cliffs and the ground in front, you will spot these magnificent animals.
Location: Eastern Oregon
Keywords: John_Day_big_horn_sheep, big_horn_sheep_I_84, big_horn_sheep_Oregon
Big horn ram resting
There is a wonderful herd of big horn sheep just east of the John Day river in eastern Oregon. Cars whizz by at faster than 65 MPH. But if you slow down, and look to cliffs and the ground in front, you will spot these magnificent animals.
Location: Eastern Oregon
Keywords: John_Day_big_horn_sheep, big_horn_sheep_I_84, big_horn_sheep_Oregon
Hummingbird in green foliage
Wouldn't it be great, amidst our busyness, to"stand still like a hummingbird?"
Location: Ecuador
Keywords: Hummingbird, Mindo, Mindo_birds, Mindo_hummingbirds, Ecuadorian_hummingbirds
Hummingbird hovering in cloud forest
I photographed this hummingbird and the first one, at Mindo, located in the Ecuadorian cloud forest two hours northwest of Quito
Location: Ecuador
Keywords: Hummingbird, Mindo, Mindo_hummingbird, Ecuadorian_hummingbird, cloud_forest_hummingbird
A sweet sheep
This young sheep, at Inkapirka, Ecuador, was lying comfortably on the ground, as it bleated at me, like it was really trying to communicate.
Location: Ecuador
Keywords: Sheep_bleating, Sheep_portrait
Transparent butterfly in Ecuadorian cloud forest
In the Ecuadorian cloud forest, butterflies like this seem like an impossible, unreal vision
Location: Ecuador
Keywords: transparent_butterfly, cloud_forest_butterflies, Ecudorian_butterflies
Jokotoko
A rare bird, only recently discovered in a nature preserve next to Podocarpus National Park in southern Ecuador. It is definitely worth visiting the Fundacion de conservacion jocotoko.
Location: Ecuador
Keywords: Jokotoko, Fundacion_de_conservacion_jocotoko, Podocarpus, birds_of_Ecuador
Jokotoko shaking wings
Rare, unique, wonderful to see.
Location: Ecuador
Keywords: jokotoko, Fundacion_de_conservacion_jocotoko, Podocarpus, birds_of_Ecuador, cloud_forest_birds
A most gorgeous hummingbird, found at the Fundacion de conservacion Jocotoco. Be sure to take a close look at its tongue
Location: Ecuador
Keywords: long tailed sylph, Fundacion_de_conservacion_jocotoko, Podocarpus, hummingbirds_of_Ecuador, Ecuadorian_hummingbirds
Collared Inca hummingbird
Incredible delicacy and grace.
Location: Ecuador
Keywords: collared inca,Fundacion de conservacion jocotoko,Podocarpus,hummingbirds of Ecuador,Ecuadorian hummingbirds
Flame throated hummingbird portrait
Iridescent colors of incredible variety
Location: Ecuador
Keywords: flame throated hummingbird,Fundacion de conservacion jocotoko,Podocarpus,hummingbirds of Ecuador,Ecuadorian hummingbirds
Porcupine Portrait
What a sweet, inquisitive face. He just looks like he wants to be petted!
Location: General
Keywords: Porcupine.Porcupine face
Bald eagle
Wherever you see, bald eagles evoke incredible emotions
Location: General
Keywords: Bald eagle. bald eagle in flight
Turkey call
Spring brings out the wild turkeys as the males lure potential mates with vivid displays of tail and wing feathers and puffed out breasts. Generally the females seem indifferent. Yet to hear the males gobbling as day dawns, to see their iridescent heads and feathers, is an awesome experience. Unlike domestic turkeys who generally are satirized as being stupid, wild turkeys have acute hearing and vision. They are easily spooked, so positioning oneself for either photography or hunting must be done carefully. They can run up to 25 miles and hour and fly at speeds that approach 45 mph.
Location: General
Keywords: turkey_displaying, turkey_calling, hen_turkeys_by_male, Union_County_turkeys
Male turkeys in full display
You may recall that Benjamin Franklin strongly backed the turkey as the national bird. It was a favorite food of native Americans, as well as the earlier settlers. However, their numbers plummeted over the centuries. They have been reintroduced into areas where their numbers were marginal, and planted in areas where they had not lived earlier. They are quite adaptable and are thriving across the mainland US, as well as Hawaii, and also New Zealand.
Location: General
Keywords: turkey_courtship_display, turkey_courtship, Male_turkeys_in_full_display, turkey_tail, turkeys_full_tail
Marmots_Canyon View
Another great place to hang out if you are a marmot. I would love to live here myself. This is the canyon that the Palouse River flows through after the falls.
Location: General
Keywords: Marmots, scenic_marmots, marmots_enjoying_the_view
Canyon Sheep
Big horn sheep, while common in the Grand Canyon, are not always easy to spot. These three were off the Bright Angel trail as I headed back up to the south rim.
Location: Grand Canyon
Keywords: Grand_Canyon_big_horn_sheep
Doe with twin fawns
It is always awesome to encounter a family like this.
Location: John Muir Trail
Keywords: Doe with twin fawns. fawn.doe fawns.
Hovering Gull
This gull hovered close to me--what a mystery to be this "tight" with one's natural surroundings.
Location: New England
Keywords: Hovering_gull, gull in flight, ocean_gull, New_England_gulls
Tui
New Zealand fantail
This is one amazing bird. It is constantly fanning its tail, whether going after insects, or just hopping around in a tree.
Location: New Zealand, North Island
Keywords: New_Zealand_fantail, fantail
Fantail catching insects
From a distance, I saw this little shimmer of light. The telephoto brought in close this fantail as it flourished in a swarm of insects.
Location: New Zealand, North Island
Keywords: fanail, New_Zealand_fantail, fantail_catching_insects
Regal Frittilary butterflies
Tall Grass Prairie, Kansas
Location: Tall Grass Prairie, Kansas
Keywords: Tall_Grass_Prairie, butterflies_in_air, regal_frittilary, butterflies_in_flight, butterflies_of_the_prairie, butterflies_of_the_tall_grass_prairie
Regal fritillary butterflies
Love among the butterflies
Location: Tall Grass Prairie, Kansas
Keywords: Tall_Grass_Prairie, butterflies_mating, regal_frittilary, butterflies_of_the_prairie, butterflies_of_the_tall_grass_prairie
Orange spotted butterfly on orange flower
Wow-what quiet, incredible beauty.
Location: Tall Grass Prairie, Kansas
Keywords: Tall_Grass_Prairie, Kansas_butterflies, orange_on_orange, color_orange, prairie_butterflies, Tall_Grass_prairie_butterflies
Butterflies in flight
The delicacy of butterflies in flight is a visual treat, to see and to photograph
Location: Tall Grass Prairie, Kansas
Keywords: Tall_Grass_Prairie, butterflies_in_air, regal_frittilary, butterflies_in_flight, butterflies_of_the_prairie, butterflies_of_the_tall_grass_prairie
Marmots and waterfall
This marmots enjoy the view of Palouse Falls in southeastern Washington. They seemed to enjoy their surroundings.
Location: Washington
Keywords: marmots, scenic_marmots, marmots_enjoying_the_view
Buffalo shaking off water
This buffalo had just crossed the Madison River. I love his water dance shimmy to rid himself of the excess water.
Location: Yellowstone National Park
Keywords: Buffalo _shaking_off_water, buffalo, Yellowstone, dancing_buffalo
Buffalo calf nursing
Early June is a great time to see Yellowstone. This cow and calf were just off the road.
Location: Yellowstone National Park
Keywords: Buffalo calf,buffalo baby,buffalo nursing,nursing animals, nursing buffalo
Buffalo calf and cows crossing river
The Madison River in Yellowstone was moving swiftly in early June. This calf buffalo took advantage of the two cows to help it swim across the current.
Location: Yellowstone National Park
Keywords: Buffalo_calf, buffalo_baby, baby_buffalo_swimming, mother_helping_baby
Calf elk nursing
Early June presents sweet scenes of mother animals nursing their young.
Location: Yellowstone National Park
Keywords: calf_elk_nursing, baby_elk_nursing, mothers_and_baby_animals, mother_and_calf_elk, Yellowstone_elk_calf, Yellowstone_elk
Calf elk by Madison River
There is nothing more fun to see than the baby animals of Yellowstone.
Location: Yellowstone National Park
Keywords: Calf elk,baby elk
Buffalo calves
What can we say about young animals enjoying each other's company.
Location: Yellowstone National Park
Keywords: buffalo calves,buffalo baby friends
Bear cubs
Mother was in charge, but this one cub was curious.
Location: Yellowstone National Park
Keywords: bear_cubs, bear_cub_curiousity, curiosity, curious_cub, Yellowstone_bears, Yellowstone_bear_cubs
Buffalo in snow
This lone buffalo moves easily and silently in an early June snowfall.
Location: Yellowstone National Park
Keywords: Buffalo in snow,isolation
Cinnamon bear
A big bear gets his own way.
Location: Yellowstone National Park
Keywords: black_bear, strength, beautiful_bear, Yellowstone_male_black_bear, cinnamon_bear
Great Blue herons are always wary. I was able to pull up in my car close to the Firehole River in the early morning. The car served as a blind, and I used my Canon SX 10 at an app 500 mm telephoto. I took a number of pictures as it moved up and down the river. I like this one the best with tits shadow.
Location: Yellowstone National Park
Keywords: great_blue_heron, Yellowstone_birds, Yellowstone_birds_great_blue_heron, great_blue_heron_by_river
Western merganser
I had stopped by the Firehole River to photograph pine trees reflected in the river in the early morning light. As I started this shoot, I noticed a merganser quietly floating down the river. Surprises like this one are what make photographs so much fun.
Location: Yellowstone National Park
Keywords: western_merganser, Yellowstone_birds, Yellowstone_birds_western_merganser