Caught this trio of Western Kingbirds (Tyrannus verticalis) perched together on a bare branch, and one of them is absolutely belting it out — head thrown back, beak wide open, giving the performance of a lifetime while the other two just... sit there. Unbothered. Practically asleep.
Nature's got comedians everywhere if you're patient enough to wait for the moment.
This was a recent capture from a hike near Hagerman Wildlife Management Area in Idaho. Idaho is facing a severe drought and many of the ponds in this area are lower than in past years. We were thrilled to get this Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) capture given the scarcity of good fishing areas for these birds.
So much about wildlife photography is about patience and learning to stay invisible long enough to let the story unfold. These two moose were together in a meadow, and I was lucky enough to be witness to this show of (what appears to be) "affection." Moose are some of my favorite subjects and I was able to observe these for some 30 minutes before they trotted off.
This male Ruddy Duck came close in during a visit to the Camas Centennial Marsh Wildlife Area in Central Idaho. It has been SO DRY this year that the water levels are low - initially I was looking for Camas Lillies which begin to bloom this time of year, but I was lucky to see and capture a picture of this guy. My photo. Love the blue bills!
An American Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) lifts off from a bare winter tree in Idaho. I was so lucky to be in the right place, with the right early-morning light. Captured with an 800 mm lens from a significant distance.
One of the best parts of photographing birds is that they never perform for the camera - they just keep being fully themselves.
My original photo...A Sandhill Crane in Idaho, showing off to potential mates in the spring...nothing staged, just a Crane making his presence known.
There are places where nature composes the frame for you — and all a photographer can do is be there, fully ready, at exactly the right moment. This is Shoshone Falls, the Niagara of the West, on a perfect spring afternoon in Southern Idaho. The observers on the right provide scale for this ginormous waterfall - taller than Niagara Falls in the east.