Wildlife Photography

A swan and its shadow

A swan casts a perfect shadow against the wall of the Landwehrkanal in Berlin at golden hour.

Yellow-faced bumblebee gathers pollen on globe thistle

A yellow-faced bumble bee (Bombus vosnesenskii) busy gathering pollen on the underside of a blue globe thistle in Northern California.

Herring Gull With Fish In Its Mouth

A Herring Gull nabs a fish that's a bit too big for it to swallow. Not that it seems to care. Fun fact. There is no such bird as a "seagull". But there are numerous seagull species. Adult Herring Gulls are between 22 to 26 inches in length with a 54 to 57-inch wingspan. Breeding adults are colored with light gray backs, white heads, white undersides, and black wingtips. Look for yellow eyes, pink legs, and yellow bills with an orange to red dot on the end of the lower bill. While often thought of as scavengers, which they do very effectively, Herring Gulls also eat fish, mollusks, insects, and crustaceans. The fish this herring gull is eating is an Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), a member of the herring family. Adult Atlantic menhaden average from 12 to 15 inches in length and 2/3 to one pound in weight.

Male osprey drying out on a mast in Maine

A male osprey perches on the rigging of a wooden ship in Maine to dry out after diving unsuccessfuly for a fish.

Honey bee shadow in sunflower

Honey bee casts a late afternoon shadow in a sunflower while it is busy collecting sunflower pollen at Turkovich Family Wine sunflower fields in Yolo County, California.

A honey bee in a sunflower

A honey bee gathers pollen from a sunflower bloom in the Turkovich Family Wines sunflower fields in Yolo County, California

Honey bees gathering pollen on a sunflower

Honey bees gathering pollen on a sunflower in the Turkovich Family Wines sunflower fields in Yolo County, California.

Honey bee covered in pollen clings to a sunflower petal

A honey bee covered in pollen clings to a sunflower petal in the Turkovich Family Wines sunflower fields in Yolo County, California.

A honey bee on a sunflower petal

A honey bee clings to a sunflower petal in the Turkovich Family Wines sunflower fields in Yolo County, California.

American Rubyspot Damselfly on a Stump

An American Rubyspot Damselfly (Hetaerina americana) perches on a stump in the Kickapoo River in Wisconsin.

Honey Bee Swarm in Petaluma

Honey bee swarm in Petaluma California

A Barrow's Goldeneye swimming on Y Lake in Talkeetna

A beautiful Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) duck swims through still water on Y Lake in Talkeetna, Alaska. Birch and other trees just beginning to green out on the shoreline add a green hue to the water with their reflections. duck swims through still water on Y Lake in Talkeetna, Alaska. Birch and other trees just beginning to green out on the shoreline add a green hue to the water with their reflections. A thin layer of melting ice still rims the lake.

The Audition - Sandhill Cranes Creamer's Field Choir

Two sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis) break into singing in Creamer's Field in Fairbanks, Alaska.

A Bat-Eared Fox in Enonkishu Conservancy

A Bat-Eared Fox (Otocyon megalotis) sits near its den in the Enonkishu Conservancy in Kenya. The Bat-eared Fox is named for its HUGE ears. It is primarily nocturnal (making my sighting quite unusual and especially exciting). They are very social and live in pairs or in family groups. They are also monogamous and mate for life. While Bat-eared foxes can dig dens for themselves as well as dig prey out of holes it seems to prefer using burrows dug by other species. They hunt and locate prey primarily by auditory means, rather than by smell or sight — hence the BIG ears. They are carnivores and insectivores, with the vast majority of their diet consisting of dung beetles and harvester termites (in fact within a territory the fox helps to keep termite populations in check by consuming so many termites). The fox relies on the bodily fluids of the insects to stay hydrated. The Bat-eared fox will also eat bird eggs and chicks, as well as small rodents, lizards, arthropods and even the occasional bits of vegetation. Here, with mouth closed and ears erect as it stares intently at me, this Bat-eared fox is exhibiting behavior of being very interested but not threatened by my presence.

Wildlife and People Coexisting in Enonkishu Conservancy

Not your everyday commute at least in terms of Western imagination. A male cheetah resting on the roadside in Enonkishu Conservancy in Kenya is not unusual. And this is a perfect example of wildlife and people coexisting with a conservancy setting.

Cheetah Stare

A male cheetah engages in a staring contest with my camera lens during a Biosphere Expeditions trip in Enonkishu Conservancy, located in the Mara-Serengeti Ecosystem in Kenya.

A baby Vervet Monkey looking for its mommy

A baby Vervet Monkey stands up looking for his mom after she scampered up into the trees leaving him behind.

Herd of Zebra With Baby Zebra at Waterhole

A herd of Zebra with a foal getting water and nibbling on grasses at a waterhole in Mbokishi Conservancy in Kenya.

Snacktime for a Baglafecht Weaver

A Baglafecht Weaver clings to a reed in a wetland with a beak full of a tasty insect snack in Mbokishi Conservancy in Kenya.

Elephant babies in Ol Chorro

Two female elephants with three baby elephants walk through the savannah in Ol Chorro Conservancy in Kenya.

Hyena with a bone in Olchorro Conservancy Kenya

A hyena with a bone in its mouth in the Olchorro Conservancy in Kenya.

Black-Backed Jackal Resting in Ol Chorro

A Black-Backed Jackal rests in the savannah grass of Ol Chorro Conservancy in Kenya.

Male Impala Turns to Look in Enonkishu Kenya

A male impala turns to look back at the photographer in Enonkishu Conservancy in Kenya.

Kirks Dik-Dik in Olchorro Conservancy

A male and female Kirks Dik-Dik exhibiting mating behavior in the Olchorro Conservancy within the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem in Kenya.

The Secretarybird (Sagittarius serpentarius) is one of only two birds of prey that hunt on the ground instead of from the air -- the other is the caracaras. Secretary birds’ diets consist of small rodents, amphibians, and reptiles which it typically kills by bludgeoning the prey with its feet. It is a huge bird, standing just under 4 feet tall and weighing up to 9 pounds.

Yellow Pansy Butterfly on Zebra Carcass

A Yellow Pansy butterfly (Junonia hierta) adds color and life to the bones of a zebra carcass in the Mbokishi Conservancy in the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem in Kenya.

Wildebeest in a downpour in Enonkishu Conservancy in Kenya

Wildebeest walks along a muddy road in downpour in Enonkishu Conservancy in Kenya

A Mother's Love -- Vervet Monkeys

A baby Vervet Monkee peeks out from his mother's fur while breast feeding in the Enonkishu Conservancy in Kenya.

Baby Vervet Monkey Peeks Out

A baby Vervet Monkey peers out of the leaves and branches to get a better look at the photographer who has been trying to take his photo in the Enonkishu Conservancy in Kenya.

A female giraffe in Enonkishu Conservancy in Kenya

A female giraffe moves through the grasslands and lowland forest of Enonkishu Conservancy in Kenya near Maasai Mara National Park.

Cape Buffalo Kicking Up Some Dust

A large male Cape Buffalo trots in front of our vehicle, giving us the eye and warning us he is not at all happy with our presence.

Black Headed Weaver on an Acacia Tree branch in Enonkishu.

A Black-Headed Weaver finds a place to perch on a thorny acacia tree branch in the Enonkishu Conservancy near Maasai Mara National Park in Kenya.

Golden-Winged Sunbird at Kiambethu Farm

A golden-winged sunbird sits on a branch in the gardens at Kiambethu Farm just outside of Nairobi, Kenya.

A Huge Yawn for a Lioness in Nairobi National Park

A lioness (Panthera leo) shows of her teeth and tongue during a huge yawn in the late afternoon in Nairobi National Park in Kenya.

African Openbill in Nairobi National Park

An African Openbill (Anastomus lamelligerus) looking for food in a waterhole in Nairobi National Park in Kenya. In adults, because the two mandibles of the beak only meet at the tip and not in the middle, the stork received the name "openbill." It uses this unique bill configuration to feed on snails and other mollusks.

Male ostrich feeding in Nairobi National Park

The ostrich (Struthio camelus), or simply ostrich is the largest bird species in the world and native to parts of Africa. Ostriches are herbivores feeing on buds, leaves, seeds and flowers. They will sometimes consume lizards, grasshoppers and even the remains of an animal kill a predator has left. Fun facts: An ostrich can run for a long time at a speed of 55 km/h (34 mph) with short bursts up to about 70 km/h (40 mph). The ostrich is the fastest on land of any bird and it is the largest bird. It is also considered a living dinosaur. And let’s keep going with the fun facts. The ostrich also lays the largest eggs of any bird.

Male ostrich in Nairobi National Park

The ostrich (Struthio camelus), or simply ostrich is the largest bird species in the world and native to parts of Africa. Ostriches are herbivores feeing on buds, leaves, seeds and flowers. They will sometimes consume lizards, grasshoppers and even the remains of an animal kill a predator has left. Fun facts: An ostrich can run for a long time at a speed of 55 km/h (34 mph) with short bursts up to about 70 km/h (40 mph). The ostrich is the fastest on land of any bird and it is the largest bird. It is also considered a living dinosaur. And let’s keep going with the fun facts. The ostrich also lays the largest eggs of any bird.

A Giraffe Eats Acacia Leaves with Nairobi Skyline in the Background

A giraffe eating acacia leaves with the Nairobi skyline in the background at Nairobi National Park. This was in February 2023, during one of the worst droughts to hit Nairobi National Park in 40 years and the wildlife was struggling.

Kori Bustard in Nairobi National Park

A Kori bustard walking over dry rocky terrain in Nairobi National Park. The Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori) is listed as "near threatened" as its population numbers are declining in both East and South Africa. It is the largest flying bird in Africa, and is sometimes thought to be the heaviest living animal capable of flight in the world -- weighing up to 18 kilograms or 39 pounds.

Male Lion Dragging Wildebeest by the Head

On a hot and very dry day in Nairobi National Park, in the middle of a long drought, this male lion struggles to drag the remains of a wildebeest carcass toward distant shade.

Wildebeest Mother Watches Newborn Struggle to Stand

A wildebeest mother watches her newborn wildebeest struggle to stand in the heat of a Nairobi National Park drought, the worst in 40 years.

Circle of Life in Nairobi National Park

A newborn wildebeest struggles to find its legs and stand with the gentle encouragment of its mother and another female wildebeest under the harsh noon sun in Nairobi National Park.

A Wildebeest Mother Tries to Help Her Newborn Stand

A wildebeest mother watches as another female in the herd tries to help the newborn wildebeest stand for the first time.

Wildebeest at a Waterhole in Nairobi National Park

Wildebeest drink deeply at one of few remaining waterholes in Nairobi National Park when I took this photo. The park is in the midst of its worst drought in over 40 years, and most of the watering holes have dried up. Wildlife, predators and prey, are all struggling to survive.

A Young Male Lion Struggles in the Heat

This is Nairobi National Park. It is still in a severe drought, one of the worst dry periods in 40 years. All the wildlife is suffering and struggling. And that includes the predators. This photo was taken in late February. It was hot and this lion was suffering in the heat, panting heavily with saliva foaming around its mouth.

Portrait of a sub-adult male lion in Nairobi National Park

A portrait of a sub-adult male lion (likely just under two-years old) staring off at several nearby tourist vehicles. It has just fed on a wildebeest carcass, that is mostly dried up due to the heat and drought, hence the light staining around the muzzle.

Two Young Male Lions Approach Tourist Vehicle

Two subadult male lions, both suffering in the February heat of Nairobi National Park during one of the worst droughts in 40 years, approach several tourist vehicles, including the vehicle I was in.

American Coot at Cosumnes River Preserve

On my stomach at water level beside a wetland pond to photograph an American Coot as it shakes its vegetation meal at Cosumnes River Preserve in Northern California.

Black-necked Stilt feeding at Cosumnes River Preserve

A black-necked stilt wading through shallow water in the flood ponds at Cosumnes River Preserve.

Northern Pintail Takes Flight at Cosumnes River Preserve

A Northern Pintail takes flight in the early morning sunlight at Cosumnes River Preserve in Northern California.