“There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot.”
- Aldo Leopold
A female Great Horned Owl named Athena has been nesting at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas since 2010. This is her baby from 2019 next to the sotol where Athena raises her young.
Three subadult Whooping Cranes fly over Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the Texas Gulf Coast. Standing nearly five feet tall, Whooping Cranes are the tallest birds in North America and one of the rarest. Their numbers were reduced to as few as 15 in 1941, but now number 500-strong on the Texas Gulf Coast due in part to federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. These Whooping Cranes winter in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge area and travel 2,500 miles by mid-April to nest in Wood Buffalo National Park in the Northwest Territories of Canada.
Selected as one of the Top 100 photos in the 2020 Audubon Photography Awards.
Three subadult Whooping Cranes fly over Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the Texas Gulf Coast. Standing nearly five feet tall, Whooping Cranes are the tallest birds in North America and one of the rarest. Their numbers were reduced to as few as 15 in 1941, but now number 500-strong on the Texas Gulf Coast due in part to federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. These Whooping Cranes winter in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge area and travel 2,500 miles by mid-April to nest in Wood Buffalo National Park in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Whooping Cranes are very territorial, so if one sees more than two together in adult plumage, they're usually subadults.
This photo was selected as the grand prize winner in BirdNote’s 18th Birthday Photo Contest in 2023.
A young Eastern Screech-Owlet peers through the branches of a live oak in Austin, Texas after the sun goes down. I don't use flash, so the ISO is high on this photo.
The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher is a beautiful bird found only in the south-central United States, Mexico, and Central America. I photographed this one on the Vernal Equinox in Austin, Texas next to a brick wall that seems very Austin-looking, invoking a mid-century modern look.
This bird is a hybrid found only in Central Texas - the Black-Crested x Tufted Titmouse Hybrid (a terribly long name for a small bird!) I found him foraging for insects and/or seeds among the ball moss tillandsia on a live oak tree in Austin, Texas. I think this bird qualifies as a "birb" and perhaps even a "borb."
The salmon-pink shoulders of a Scissor-tailed Flycatcher are evident in flight. This beautiful bird is also called the Texas bird-of-paradise.
He isn't dancing, of course, but the rolling gate of the Nine-banded Armadillo as he runs across the path in this photo makes me think he is. I also observed that they make a pivoting action when foraging for insects, grubs, and worms in the leaf litter. The Nine-banded Armadillo is the only species of armadillo found in the United States, and it's the official small mammal of Texas. They aren't usually seen during the daytime because they are primarily nocturnal, but I found that on winter days with frigid evenings, they are more likely to forage during the day.
I had never seen a Javelina, so when I visited West Texas, this animal was high on my target list. I saw this large male in Gage Gardens in Marathon, Texas not too long after I arrived. (I was thrilled.) They are found usually in small family groups in the deserts of southwest Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, southward through Mexico and Central America and into northern Argentina. Although they look like pigs, they are not related.
Driving along Pinto Canyon Road, I noticed this lone male Prongorn. He was as curious about me as I was about him. The Pronghorn is the second fastest land mammal in the world after cheetahs and is found only in North America. They are declining in population due to habitat loss, human-wildlife conflicts, and overexploitation due to historic hunting.
Some of my favorite moments are when an animal feels comfortable with my presence and walks towards me. What an honor. This curious young male Pronghorn and I stared at each other, the only large creatures around.
A portrait of the beautiful Carmen White-tailed Deer in Big Bend National Park.
The Carmen White-tailed Deer is a species of deer found only in the Sky Island of the Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park.
The Mexican Black Bear found in Big Bend National Park is essentially a story of The Comeback Bear. Extirpated in Texas due to overzealous hunting, at least one mother bear from Mexico is thought to have crossed the Rio Grande and made her way to the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park in the 1980s, repopulating this sky island portion of Texas. Thanks goodness for the protection of the National Park. I had hoped to see one and ended up seeing four - this one at a close distance. (Please note: one should be at least 100 yards from a bear.)
A small, lean bear with long legs and ears, the Mexican Black Bear is well suited to the high elevation desert vegetation and forests of Big Bend National Park.
When visiting Rio Grande Village Campground in Big Bend National Park, I immediately noticed two young Desert Cottontail rabbits that seemed very close. I assumed they were siblings. I was able to photograph them together here in alert attention to something nearby.
Luckily not too many vehicles travel on Pinto Canyon Road near Marfa, Texas. This Bullsnake safely made it across, although it isn't always the case for this slow-moving snake. Bullsnakes are non-venomous snakes, averaging three to five feet in length, valued for keeping the rodent population in check.
I watched a Zone-tailed Hawk in Marathon, Texas dive into a field. The beautiful dark hawk then flew to a nearby tree with his prize - a Mexican Spotted Ground Squirrel.
This photo shows the beautiful pattern of the Zone-tailed Hawk's wings.
A Red-tailed Hawk takes flight to survey the Marfa Plain for prey with the Davis Mountains as a backdrop.
The high sotol prevalent in Big Bend National Park provides a perfect perch for raptors such as this Red-tailed Hawk. The Chisos Mountains frame the sotol.
A Red-tailed Hawk descends from his sotol perch with the Chisos Mountains in the background.
The Scaled Quail is the most common quail found in West Texas. I would often see a male like this one perched on a fence and realize he was serving as a sentry looking out for a covey of quail hidden on the ground below - probably a common behavior among all quail. The subtly colored feathers have a scale-like appearance.
Although in decline in most of North America, Loggerhead Shrikes seem to be plentiful in Far West Texas. They are known for pinning their larger prey - including lizards and snakes - on sharp points such as barbed wire fences and thorns. This shrike is perched on a native Texas plant with sharp holly-like leaves called agarita. Agarita has red pea-sized berries that feed birds and can be used to make jelly and wine.
Another "bird on barbed wire." Many Loggerhead Shrikes can be found on the Marfa Plain. They use barbed wire as a perch as well as a place to pin their larger prey for easier or later consumption.
I was delighted to identify the Cassin's Kingbird in Far West Texas, which is less common than its close cousin the Western Kingbird but seems to be prevalent in this area of Texas. The Davis Mountains are in the background of this scene photographed on Pinto Canyon Road near Marfa.
This Cassin's Kingbrid caught a flying grasshopper with bright orange wings. They stood out against the monochromatic colors of the Marfa Plain and the bleached yucca.
I’ve learned to love Turkey Vultures, as they seemed to be everywhere I went in West Texas. Indeed, they're very common throughout the American Southwest. They are social creatures and are not early risers in general - something they have in common with many people. I've often reluctly disturbed a roosting flock as late as 9:30am while birding. They have an extremely good sense of smell and are nature's clean-up crew.
This young Greater Roadrunner at the Chisos Mountains Lodge had no fear of people. Just before I took his photo, he had dug up a worm but decided it wasn't to his taste. A snake would have been more like it although perhaps not within his capability yet to subdue.
This was another bold Greater Roadrunner who didn't mind a human watching him as he warmed his back in the morning sun. I had seen roadrunners do this from behind, but not from the front. The splayed wings are beautiful.
This White-lined Sphinx Moth is visiting garden phlox at dusk in Alpine, Texas. They look like hummingbirds at first glance given their size and their hovering and swift flight patterns. Because of this, they are also called hummingbird moths and hawk moths. Sphinx moths have the world’s longest tongues of any moth or butterfly (some up to 14 inches long).
A bright yellow and black Sonoran Bumble Bee visits a patch of Mexican Blue Sage in Alpine, Texas.
Texas is very different from my home state of Washington, but no less beautiful. I’m drawn to Far West Texas in particular, home to Big Bend National Park. Expansive landscape and a limitless horizon are punctuated by sculptural rock and magnificent adaptive plants such as agave, ocotillo, yucca, and sotol. Clouds are voluminous and breathtaking, making the sky equal to the land in beauty. Endless sky, endless land, space to breathe – this is how it feels. It’s the embodiment of the mythical American West. Just as a part of my soul lives on the Pacific Northwest Coast near the ocean, I’m inspired by this land that is actually the remnant of an ancient sea.
Miles of sotol amidst the Chisos Mountains provide an other-worldly appearance to the scenery in Big Bend National Park in Texas.
Chisos Mountains in Big Bend National Park, Texas
I could see the towering limestone rock wall and Santa Elena Canyon from miles away. The Rio Grande River runs through the canyon separating Mexico on the left from the United States on the right. Amidst this grandeur, I was delighted by the distant sound of bells worn by Mexican goats at stops near here and at other places where Mexico is just across the Rio Grande. This photo makes me think of the principles of yin and yang, and how Mexico and the United States reflect these forces whose interaction influences the destinies of creatures and things.
A view of Sierra del Carmen mountains in Mexico from Big Bend National Park in Texas.
A view of Mule Ears Peaks in Big Bend National Park, Texas.
With plentiful summer rains, ocotillos retain leaves and cenizos bloom in Big Bend National Park in Texas.
Water pump windmill and cistern near Marathon in Far West Texas.
A curious young black cow and a Mesquite tree in Fort Davis, Texas
Light breaking through dark storm clouds illuminates a farm in Far West Texas near Alpine.
A lone tree and a view of Cathedral Mountain across the Marfa Plain near Marfa, Texas
Ocotillos and mountains along the scenic River Road Loop in Far West Texas near the Rio Grande River.
White rock, ocotillos, and cacti along River Road Loop, Far West Texas.
The dead might outnumber the living in Terlingua Ghost Town. Many of the graves in the cemetery are those of miners - primarily Mexican - who died mining cinnabar ore to make mercury in the early 1900s up until the 1940s. Victims of the 1918-1919 flu pandemic are also laid to rest here. During the Mexican celebration of the Day of the Dead in early November, colorful candles, flowers, and streamers decorate the cemetery. The cemetery is still in use today.
A mix of male and female, young and old curious cattle near Marfa, Texas.
Road to Terlingua and Study Butte from the Chisos Mountains Basin in Big Bend National Park, Texas.
A butte rises from the plain between Terlingua and Alpine in Far West, Texas.
Elephant Mountain stands out on the flat landscape near Alpine, Texas. A Wildlife Management Area, it's home to animals such as Pronghorn and Desert Bighorn Sheep.
A lone pinto horse strides across a hillside in Far West Texas. Seeing this sight along the historic Comanche trail made me think of the horses that were so important to the Comanche and Apache Indians. Colorful horses such as this one were highly prized among the Plains tribes.
As storm clouds gather, a lone horse wanders through the landscape of grasses, yucca, and sotol in Far West Texas.
Cacti and other plants of the desert Southwest are sculptural, beautiful, and supremely adaptive. Many birds make their homes in them and derive sustenance from them – especially the tall saguaro cactus that seems almost human-like in appearance.
The saguaro cactus is native to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, the Mexican state of Sonora, and the Whipple Mountains and Imperial County areas of California. The average life span is 150-175 years of age. They don't start producing arms like this one until 90-100 years old. I met Mr. Saguaro in Arizona's Saguaro National Park.
A Cactus Wren perches on top of a saguaro cactus. The Cactus Wren is a species of wren that is endemic to the deserts of the southwestern United States and northern and central Mexico. It is the state bird of Arizona.
A Verdin drinks nectar from a blossom of a saguaro cactus. Verdins are small songbirds of the desert region of the American Southwest.
Gilded Flickers are found in the desert region of the American Southwest. They often make their homes in saguaro cacti.
A male Pyrrhuloxia with two of the most notable plants of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona - ocotillo and the saguaro cactus.
The Curve-billed Thrasher is so typical of the deserts of the American Southwest and northern Mexico that its whistled whit-wheet call is often the first vocalization that visiting bird watchers learn.
Gila Woodpeckers are found in the desert region of the American Southwest. In the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, they often make their homes in saguaro cacti.
Two saguaro cacti reaching for the blue sky of Tucson, Arizona. The saguaro blossom is the state wildflower of Arizona and attracts many pollinators - bees, bats, beetles, and birds.
A Pyrrhuloxia - also known as the desert cardinal - enjoys an ocotillo blossom.
A Pyrrhuloxia displays his crimson tail while perching on a branch of ocotillo blossoms in Saguaro National Park.
Deep fuchsia pink is one of several flower colors of the staghorn cholla cactus. I found this cholla in Saguaro National Park in Arizona.
The Broad-billed Hummingbird is one of the iridescent flying jewels found in Southeast Arizona - a mecca for hummingbird enthusiasts. I spotted this beautiful male in Patagonia, Arizona.
The Verdin is a beautiful little songbird of the desert Southwest. I found this Verdin in the trees at Cottonwood Springs in Joshua Tree National Park. Although the species is able to adapt to urban areas, the Verdin is in decline - especially in southern California - because of habitat loss due to development.
A Black-tailed Gnatcatcher mimics the look of the silver-furred round fruit of the creosote bush in Joshua Tree National Park. The drought and heat-tolerant creosote is native to the American Southwest and features beautiful yellow flowers in spring.
Visiting the sea and walking the beach are known for bestowing therapeutic benefits. So much awaits one there - pelicans flying in unison, shorebirds feeding where waves meet the shoreline, gulls floating gracefully on an ocean breeze.
Four Brown Pelicans fly in perfect formation over Carmel Beach in California.
Three Pigeon Guillemots rest on a rock covered with sea stars and other ocean creatures at Cannon Beach, Oregon.
A Common Murre flies upwards to his nest on a cliff after diving into the ocean below.
A Semipalmated Plover poses on the beach at Ocean Shores, Washington.
A Semipalmated Plover casts a shadow on a sunny beach at Ocean Shores, Washington.
These three Semipalmated Plovers appear as mirror image sentinels on the beach.
A Western Sandpiper runs on the beach at Ocean Shores, Washington.
The Dunlin is a cute shorebird usually found in flocks feeding or flying swiftly in unison. This one is running along the beach to be with companions and search for tasty sand worms.
A Ring-billed Gull hovers over an outgoing tide looking for fish.
The long yellow legs of this shorebird are perfect for traversing shallow water.
Greater Yellowlegs are often seen where water meets shore, hunting for invertebrates.
A Greater Yellowlegs wades among raindrops creating beautiful patterns on the water.
The flight of a Caspian Tern is captured in four shots. Photo 1. Photographed at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR.
The flight of a Caspian Tern is captured in four shots. Photo 2. Photographed at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR.
The flight of a Caspian Tern is captured in four shots. Photo 3. Photographed at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR.
The flight of a Caspian Tern is captured in four shots. Photo 4. Photographed at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually NWR.
"A wise old owl sat on an oak. The more he saw the less he spoke. The less he spoke the more he heard. Why aren't we like that wise old bird?"
- Edward Hersey Richards
What a joy to see this fearless little owl perched in a field of red-hued blueberry bushes in British Columbia, Canada. It was my first time viewing the Northern Hawk Owl. Three subspecies exist worldwide but only one, Surnia ulula caparoch, resides in North America. These owls live and breed in the northern boreal forests of Alaska, Canada, and Newfoundland.
The expressive face of a Northern Hawk Owl.
A Long-eared Owl perches on a Curly Willow tree at twilight.
A Long-eared Owl listens for voles and mice as she surveys the surrounding wetlands.
If God took the form of a bird, I think he would look like the Great Gray Owl, complete with white whiskers as depicted by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.
If I'm lucky, I see this female Barred Owl when I visit West Hylebos Wetlands in Federal Way, Washington. She's the Queen of the 120-acre Wood.
The yellow eyes of a Short-eared Owl shine brightly as she flies towards me on a sunny winter day.
This image captures both the curve of wetland streams and ponds and the details of a flying Short-eared Owl.
In the lingering twilight of a winter evening, a Long-eared Owl flies quietly over a meadow.
In winter, Short-eared Owls can sometimes be seen perched on posts in the farmlands of the Skagit Valley of Washington State.
A slightly different view of this beautiful owl with a fallow farm field providing a subtle backdrop.
A Short-eared Owl sits beneath the silvery moon.
A Long-eared Owl searches for voles and mice at dusk.
In the final golden hour of a winter's day, a Short-eared Owl lifts off.
A Short-eared Owl, to be precise.
A Short-eared Owl flies high amidst billowy clouds.
With Mount Baker as a backdrop, a Short-eared Owl surveys the land below for prey.
A Short-eared Owl gazes back in this monochromatic portrait. Visible are his short "horns" - which are simply tufts of feathers.
A Short-eared Owl flies over wetlands in the last rays of sunlight.
A harmonious picture in the darkness of dusk as a Short-eared Owl sits among stark branches. Note the short "horns" of this type of owl that are simply tufts of feathers.
As sensitive indicators of the health of aquatic ecosystems, waterbirds are important bellwethers of our environment. Many birds are in this category, including shorebirds and ospreys, which I've placed in separate galleries. This gallery will show ducks, loons, grebes, cranes, herons, egrets, rails, and bitterns.
Three subadult Whooping Cranes fly over Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the Texas Gulf Coast. Standing nearly five feet tall, Whooping Cranes are the tallest birds in North America and one of the rarest. Their numbers were reduced to as few as 15 in 1941, but now number 500-strong on the Texas Gulf Coast due in part to federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. These Whooping Cranes winter in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge area and travel 2,500 miles by mid-April to nest in Wood Buffalo National Park in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Whooping Cranes are very territorial, so if one sees more than two together in adult plumage, they're usually subadults.
Selected as one of the Top 100 photos in the 2020 Audubon Photography Awards.
Three subadult Whooping Cranes fly over Aransas National Wildlife Refuge on the Texas Gulf Coast. Standing nearly five feet tall, Whooping Cranes are the tallest birds in North America and one of the rarest. Their numbers were reduced to as few as 15 in 1941, but now number 500-strong on the Texas Gulf Coast due in part to federal protection under the Endangered Species Act. These Whooping Cranes winter in the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge area and travel 2,500 miles by mid-April to nest in Wood Buffalo National Park in the Northwest Territories of Canada. Whooping Cranes are very territorial, so if one sees more than two together in adult plumage, they're usually subadults.
This photo was selected as the grand prize winner in BirdNote’s 18th Birthday Photo Contest in 2023.
The beautiful blue-grays of a Great Blue Heron's downswept wings are displayed in this monochromatic portrait. A hint of pink accents the coloration.
A Great Blue Heron gazes upon a watery expanse.
A Great Blue Heron is reflected in the still water of a receding tide.
A Great Blue Heron is reflected in the still water of a receding tide.
This image shows the beautiful neck feathers of a Great Blue Heron standing in still water.
En route to its breeding grounds in Canada, a Common Loon floats in the reflected light of basaltic cliffs that rise above the Columbia River.
A Horned Grebe swims in reflected waters near an old ferry in the Salish Sea.
A Horned Grebe is reflected in the deep blue of the Salish Sea in winter.
Three green-winged teal ducks fly swiftly across the sky.
A pair of Green-winged Teal ducks fly across the Nisqually Delta in Washington State.
A beautiful pair of Redhead ducks.
A male Redhead duck swims through reflected waters.
A group of male Harlequin Ducks swim in tidal waters on the Oregon Coast.
This photo has a cool feel to it, showing off the striking coloration of the male Ring-necked Duck.
Ring-necked Duck male and female. I like the way the texture of the water and feathers look like brush strokes in a painting.
The color of the water complements the subtly beautiful tans and browns of the male Gadwall duck.
A flock of American Wigeons fly over high tidal water at Nisqually.
Canada Goose parents with four young goslings make their way across wetlands at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.
Images in black and white and sepia tone are pared down to their essence and rendered classic at the same time. Legendary photographers Ansel Adams and Edward Curtis were masters at using these tones in their portrayals of the American West and Native Americans.
A Short-eared Owl sits beneath the silvery moon.
A Common Raven calls from basaltic cliffs high above the Columbia River in Washington State.
Mountain Goats traverse the steep terrain of Burroughs Mountain on Mount Rainier.
A female Sooty Grouse gazes from an alpine perch on Mount Rainier. Photo coloration is reminiscent of old English Ironstone game bird patterns.
A female Black Bear known as Cinnamon Bear walks the Wonderland Trail on Mount Rainier.
A Bald Eagle strikes a classic pose near the Nooksack River in the Pacific Northwest.
Given the probable extinction of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, the magnificent Pileated Woodpecker is the largest woodpecker in North America.
A Ring-billed Gull hovers over an outgoing tide looking for fish.
A harmonious picture in the darkness of dusk as a Short-eared Owl sits among stark branches. Note the short "horns" of this type of owl that are simply tufts of feathers.
With Mount Baker as a backdrop, a short-eared owl surveys the land below for prey.
A juvenile Cooper's Hawk scans for prey from a Willow Tree.
A vertical portrait of the juvenile Cooper's Hawk showing its beautiful head profile.
Canada Goose parents with four young goslings make their way across wetlands at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.
Known as the most intelligent of birds, the corvid family includes crows, ravens, jays, and magpies.
This Common Raven talked to me for a long time on Mount Rainier. I wish I could have understood his corvid language.
Another portrait of this loquacious Common Raven on Mount Rainier. Neck and throat feathers often extend as they talk.
A Common Raven calls from cliffs high above the Columbia River in Washington State.
Raptors are birds of prey and include eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls. They are magnificent, although many people squirm at their choices of food - other birds, rodents, and fish. It is much harder to "make a living" than it is for birds that eat seeds and insects, and as a consequence, many young hawks and falcons don't make it past their first year. They deserve our respect and admiration.
A young Bald Eagle focuses on potential prey in the water below.
An Osprey in a stoop over the sea at Carmel Beach. Wings are pulled in while it descends at a 45 degree angle.
Tacoma's female Peregrine Falcon, Harriet, in downward flight. Harriet and Murray have their nest on a historic building in Tacoma, Washington - the tallest building west of the Mississippi from 1911 to 1914.
Tacoma's male Peregrine Falcon, Murray, sits on a pyramid at the top of a historic building in Tacoma, Washington - evoking for me the Egyptian falcon god, Horus. This 16-story building - the tallest West of the Mississippi between 1911 and 1914 - is the site of Murray and Harriet's nest box.
I don't see eagles looking up very often. They're usually looking down at prey because they don't have enemies that can attack from above. So this one seems to have a contemplative appearance.
My Bald Eagle is now contemplating a tasty salmon that might swim by in the Nooksack River.
A Bald Eagle strikes a classic pose near the Nooksack River in Washington State.
A juvenile Cooper's Hawk scans for prey from a willow tree.
Vertical portrait of the juvenile Cooper's Hawk showing its beautiful head profile.
The common name of the Ferruginous Hawk means "rusty color" and refers to the coloration of the bird's wing and legging feathers.
This beautiful hawk flies in for a closer look, making direct eye contact.
Another image of this Ferruginous Hawk flying towards me with a fearless yet inquisitive expression.
Slowing down flight to land on a power pole.
A male Northern Harrier talks to a female as he circles over the same territory in sagebrush country.
Another view of this beautiful male as he flies over the grass and sagebrush.
A female Northern Harrier talks to a male who is circling the same area in sagebrush country.
Another view of this female as she flies down the slope of grass and sagebrush.
Game birds include quail, grouse, partridge, and pheasant. They are chicken-like, ground-dwelling birds that are usually secretive and are found in small flocks called coveys. They've also traditionally been hunted.
A male California Quail calls to his mate on a hot, summer's day.
A female Sooty Grouse gazes from an alpine perch on Mount Rainier. Photo coloration is reminiscent of old English Ironstone game bird patterns.
Songbirds - also known as passerines - provide the soundtrack to spring with their beautiful songs.
"Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come."
- Chinese proverb
A Varied Thrush poses in one of its favorite winter trees - the mountain ash. This variety with white berries is called Sorbus forrestii.
A Pacific Wren sings its heart out on a warm spring day.
Four Purple Martins display their acrobatic style.
An American Goldfinch and honeybee are attracted to the same plant - one for thistle seeds and the other for pollen.
A male Yellow Warbler glows in the spring sun at Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. I can still feel the sun's warmth when I look at this picture.
A beautiful Scissor-tailed Flycatcher perches near sunflowers in a Texan field. Ladybugs dot the grasses in the foreground.
Matching its cattail perch, a Marsh Wren sings on a beautiful spring day. The grasses appear to form a green plaid backdrop.
I love the expanse of sagebrush country and the muted colors of sage and its bird inhabitants. The Sagebrush Sparrow is dependent on mature Big Sagebrush - Artemisia tridentata - which is becoming increasingly rare in the American West.
The song of the Sage Thrasher can be heard throughout sagebrush country in early spring.
The buzzing trills of the Brewer's Sparrow can be heard throughout sagebrush country in spring time.
A Black-capped Chickadee forages among spring-time lupines in Riverside State Park in Spokane, Washington.
A female Lark Sparrow poses against a background of purple lupine at Riverside State Park in Spokane, Washington.
From his perch on an old wooden post, a male Horned Lark surveys a farmer's field.
Who is not delighted by a hummingbird?
A male Anna's Hummingbird flies across the blue summer sky.
These pink salvia are a favorite flower of the Rufous Hummingbird.
A female Rufous Hummingbird with Black and Blue Salvia against a background of orange crocosmia.
By creating homes for other birds and mammals, woodpeckers are so important in the grand scheme of nature that they are called a "keystone species." Their long bills and head structure are perfectly suited to this work, just as the long bills of kingfishers enable them to catch fish.
Given the probable extinction of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, the magnificent Pileated Woodpecker is the largest woodpecker in North America.
The Red-breasted Sapsucker is a West Coast woodpecker found in Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. I love the iconic Pacific Northwest feel of this photo, showing our northern subspecies among western hemlocks.
Woodpeckers seem to be in constant motion, but this male Downy stopped momentarily at the top of a small snag. Photo taken at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.
This might be one of the few photos of a Downy Woodpecker and a Dragonfly Nymph together in the same image. Photo taken at Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.
Nepenthe is a magical place on the Big Sur Coast with Acorn Woodpeckers busily caching acorns next to the restaurant. If lucky, you might even see a California Condor fly over the high cliffs.
While enjoying a gourmet burger at Nepenthe, one can watch busy Acorn Woodpeckers stuff acorns into the crevices of oak tree snags next to the deck.
I love the plumage of the male red-shafted Northern Flicker with his black spots, black crescent on breast, and a red mustache stripe (malar).
Against a backdrop of the Salish Sea and Mount Baker, a female Belted Kingfisher perches on the tail of a salmon sculpture in Edmonds, Washington.
The kingfisher changes her perch on the salmon tail, displaying the rufous belly band that sets her apart from the male.
Although I'm primarily a bird photographer, I love to see wild mammals and present them in ways that are different from traditional wildlife images.
A close-up of a beautiful Black Bear standing among blueberry bushes near Reflection Lakes in Mount Rainier NP.
A Black Bear forages for food among red-tinged blueberry bushes on the lower slopes of Mount Rainier.
A female Black Bear known as Cinnamon Bear walks the Wonderland Trail at Mount Rainier.
What big ears you have. 'All the better to hear you on my hunting ground.'
Harbor Seals remind me of dogs who look like mermaids. This was especially true as I gazed from cliffs high above the Salish Sea and spied a group swimming below.
Mountain Goats traverse the steep terrain of Burroughs Mountain on Mount Rainier.
"Hurt no living thing:
Ladybird, nor butterfly,
Nor moth with dusty wing."
- Christina Georgina Rossetti
An Eastern Black Swallowtail butterfly sips nectar from one of its favorite flowers in a Texan field.
An Eastern Black Swallowtail alights on a thistle against a backdrop of delicate white flowers.
The ladybug - known as the ladybird beetle in Europe - is traditionally a symbol of good luck. If a ladybug lands on you, the deeper the red, the luckier you will be.
The mass of purple-blue camas is something to behold in early spring. This flower once covered the South Sound prairies of Washington State but is now found in rare, remnant patches.
A beautiful Monarch Butterfly sips nectar from one of its favorite flowers - the Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea).
Darkness sets off the beautiful orange color of the Monarch Butterfly and Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea).
A bright yellow bumble bee flies between stems of lavender.
Against a rainbow backdrop of flowers, a bumble bee visits a lavender plant.
In a bright summer garden, a Yellow-faced Bumble Bee visits beautiful orange crocosmia.
Portrait of a Yellow-faced Bumble Bee and a stem of Spanish Lavender.
Honey Bee with a stem of English Lavender.
The flower-laden path of a Yellow-faced Bumble Bee.
The flower-laden path of a Yellow-faced Bumble Bee.
The flower-laden path of a Yellow-faced Bumble Bee.
Watching bees visit a panoply of colorful flowers is one of the highlights of summer.
Watching bees visit a panoply of colorful flowers is one of the highlights of summer.