Gloomy Hummingbird
More heavily edited than my usual style, this broad-billed hummingbird makes a fantastic gloomy subject. Often found higher in the mountains amidst deciduous forest, broad bills do sometimes make their rounds through Tucson, especially during wintertime, when the high-elevation cold can be intolerable. Madera Canyon, AZ.
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Green Heron in a Green Swamp
A green heron spearing fish from his shadowy perch. Look closely, and you may notice something grasped in the bill. Green herons are extremely clever.
They have been observed dropping insects into the water, or gently twitching a small stick to entice fish. Photo taken near Harrisburg, PA, USA.
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Grumpy Owl
An Eastern Screech Owl of the rufous (red) color phase, catches some pre-sunset illumination. Wood duck nesting boxes have been a wonderful assist in the recovery of a beautiful species humans nearly eradicated.
These boxes are also perfectly-sized for screech owls, who will readily accept such warm, sturdy homes to start a family.
Photographed near Turbotville, PA.
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Sandhills in the Setting Sun
Bathed in the stunning golden hour sunlight, two sandhill cranes posture at each-other. Sandhill cranes often assemble in huge numbers throughout the winter in specific sites. Around sunset, they will make the most primordial sounds, often rising into the air en-masse. Willcox, AZ.
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Harris Hawk
Harris hawks are quite unusual in being the only North American species known to hunt in groups. These groups are often closely-related, and coordinate their hunting to trap squirrels, rats, and other small creatures amidst the thorny labyrinths of our Sonoran Desert.
Ironwood National Forest, AZ.
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Bridled Titmouse
Gloomy day wildlife photography can be uniquely frustrating. Moving subjects are hard to capture when light is so limited, but in this case, the dreary background created a wonderful effect! This bridled titmouse perched on the most beautiful flowery perch which just happened to be directly in front of me. Madera Canyon, AZ.
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Gloomy Magnificence
Hummingbirds are uniquely tough to photograph on overcast days. Their colors, however, really pop. This Rivoli's (formerly magnificent) hummingbird kept perching on a stick right in front of me. Towering more than a third over other local hummingbirds, the Rivoli's certainly stands out in a crowd!
Considering their size and absolutely breathtaking colors, it's little wonder that "magnificent" was once their common name. Madera Canyon, AZ.
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Red-Faced Warbler
This red-faced warbler perched a mere 10 feet from my post while awaiting a turn in the babbling stream. Spending a number of hours sitting near the only local source of flowing water, I was greeted with many a joyful visitor. Red-faced warblers were on a rotation with tanagers, jays, woodpeckers, thrushes, redstarts, and other warblers.
Madera Canyon, AZ. Prints of this image are not currently available for sale. Please check back for future availability!
Eyes in the Dark
When the light had all but disappeared, this father great-horned owl's eyes continue to glow as he watches over his nearby children. Great horned owls are often referred to as "tigers of the sky" for their ferocious inclination to attack nearly any bird that encroaches in their space. They have been documented attacking eagles and even larger owls.
Tucson, AZ. Prints of this image are not currently available for sale. Please check back for future availability!
The Lost Feather
A stunning male verdin brandishes the feather of a much larger bird, then poses for the camera. I spent the better part of a week watching him delicately place sticks amidst treacherous cholla spines. Mr Verdin would take periodic breaks to hop around the nearby treetops, earnestly singing for a hypothetical lady. On multiple occasions, this feather was carried to the slowly-progressing nest, delicately placed, then shifted a few times before being blown away by the wind. Finally, while Mr Verdin was too far away to notice, the wind blew this prize away to never be retrieved again. Poor fellow! Photo taken in Tucson, AZ.
This is an extreme limited-edition, with only 24 / 25 prints of this image available. For ordering info, please contact me directly.
Sandhill Silhouettes
A few sandhill cranes looking spectacular soon after sunset at Willcox, AZ. Sandhill cranes often assemble in huge numbers throughout the winter in specific sites. Around sunset, they will make the most primordial sounds, often rising into the air en-masse. Prints of this image are not currently available for sale. Please check back for updates!
American Oystercatchers
American Oystercatchers are stunning shorebirds that specialize in extracting oysters, snails, etc from the protective shell. Gulls will sometimes watch these elegant shellfish specialists and dive in to steal their food after it's prepared.
Puerto Penasco, MX.
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Vermilion Flycatcher
Vermilion flycatchers specialize in catching flying insects "on the wing," often returning to the same favored perch sites. Males, cloaked in neon orange, certainly stand out in a crowd.
The golden cottonwood leaves made this scene all the inspiring! Tucson, AZ.
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The Call of a Meadowlark
These beautiful denizens of the grasslands have one of the most beautiful songs as well. Medicine Lake Wildlife Refuge, MT.
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Posing Prothonotary
Named after the golden-yellow robes the early Roman prothonotaries used to wear, these beautiful warblers spend their days foraging and defending brushy territory, often bordered by water.
These were among the birds I most hoped to see while exploring Southern Georgia. After several days of paddling the canal banks with only brief glimpses and songs, I felt pure joy when this fellow burst into the open. He conspicuously showed off gorgeous plumage for several minutes before yet again disappearing. Prothonotary Warbler photographed in Okefenokee NWR, GA, USA.