Screaming Swallow
These common, yet beautiful birds are the bane of many a barn or shed owner, owing to their unusual habit gluing mud nests to the sides of support beams. Photo taken at John Heinz National Widlife Refuge, PA, USA.
Sea Otter
While watching a group of sea otters just offshore, an elderly woman informed me it was the best show this location had seen in years! What a wonderful experience! Morro Bay, CA.
Sharp-Tailed Grouse
A sharp-tailed grouse briefly poses before bursting toward cover. Medicine Lake, MT.
Sheep Tongue
Have you ever had a sheep stick her tongue out at you? This was a first for me! Mt Evans, CO.
Short-Horned Lizard
A greater short-horned lizard “basking” on a chilly day at a very high elevation. Mt. Lemmon, AZ.
Simplicity
Goldfinch on a millet stalk. They love to forage the seeds. I’m quite taken by the simplistic appearance of this shot. Photographed in Michaux State Forest, PA, USA.
Simplicity
Goldfinch on a millet stalk. They love to forage the seeds. I’m quite taken by the simplistic appearance of this shot. Photographed in Michaux State Forest, PA, USA.
Sleepy Otter
While watching a group of sea otters just offshore, an elderly woman informed me it was the best show this location had seen in years! What a wonderful experience! Morro Bay, CA.
Snapping Turtle
Common snapping turtles rarely venture far from water. Unfortunately, however, when the time of year comes for laying eggs, females don’t have much choice but to venture onto dry land. This girl was seeking a cozy place to lay her eggs. Photographed at John Heintz NWR, PA, USA.
Snapping Turtle, Snapping
While snapping pictures of this Common Snapping Turtle, I may have been at risk of getting snapped, myself. John Heintz NWR, PA, USA.
Snowy Egret
The easiest way to distinguish snowy from great egrets is to look at their feet! Great egrets have black feet. Tucson, AZ.
Solfugid Profile
The Solfugid is an arachnid, but is neither scorpion or spider. These terrestrial hunters prowl the desert floor in search of pretty much anything they can overpower and eat. They are non-venomous and, therefore, entirely harmless, but pack a pretty painful bite! The largest species, affectionately known as camel spiders, are well-known by soldiers stationed in the Middle East, as they have a tendency to chase shadows in search of a shady refuge. This behavior is often mistaken for aggression. Saguaro NP West, AZ.
Sonoran Spring
When certain conditions are met, the desert will briefly become engulfed by poppy flowers. This scene offers a nice look at the poppies, cloaked in the golden hour’s spectacular light! Saguaro National Park West.
Sora
One of the strangest birds you may encounter, meet the Sora. This unusual water bird looks like a cross between a duck and a chicken, and will readily masquerade as either. Photo taken in Tucson, AZ, USA.
Sphinx Cat
This fat, juicy caterpillar is the larval stage of the gregarious white-lined sphinx moth. Catalina Mountains, AZ.
Spicebush Swallowtail
The lovely spicebush swallowtail butterfly sips the nectar from an equally lovely pasture thistle flower. Photo taken in Bald Eagle State Forest, PA, USA.
Spicebush Swallowtail
The lovely spicebush swallowtail butterfly sips the nectar from an equally lovely thistle flower. Photo taken in Bald Eagle State Forest, PA, USA.
Spotted Sandpiper
While observing the eared grebes from my rocky outpost and between visits from the marbled godwit, I had the pleasure to this sandpiper picking off insects from the rocks. Medicine Lake Wildlife Refuge, MT.
Stallion and the Saguaro
This is one of the healthiest-looking saguaros I’ve seen! One of the wild stallions was kind enough to walk in front of it soon before daylight had vanished.
Stargazer Lily
The stargazer lily is a lovely oriental hybrid, quite popular among gardeners in the Eastern US. Photographed in Winfield, PA, USA.
Summer Saguaro
Following the 3rd wettest monsoon season in human records, this mighty saguaro looks rather foreign amidst the lush vegetation. Saguaro NP East, AZ.
Sundews – Up Close and Personal
Laying down in the marshy ground allowed for a better perspective on these tiny, carnivorous plants. Photographed in Loyalsock State Forest, PA, USA.
Sunlit Iridescence
When bathed in bright sunlight, a broad-billed hummingbird’s beautiful spectrum of colors are hard to overlook. Madera Canyon, AZ.