Japanese macaques, or snow monkeys as they are more commonly called, are the second most northerly living primates. Only humans live in colder climates. I photographed this one years ago when in Japan for a wedding. Nikon D200 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 190mm) ISO 400, f/3.2 at 1/50th of a second.
Always exciting to spot a leopard. On our trip in June, this was the first one we saw. It was deep in a bush, but very close. We thought it might be our only sighting, but later that afternoon we caught up with the same leopard when he was out hunting. And the next morning we saw three more. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 7200, f/5.6 at 1/2000th of a second.
Once nearly wiped out in Indiana due to habitat loss and unregulated trapping, North American river otters were reintroduced to the state in the 1990s through a successful restoration program. Thanks to protected wetlands and careful management, their population has rebounded, and otters are now found in over 80 Indiana counties. These two were captured in the southern part of the state where they are a symbol of conservation success, thriving again in rivers and marshes where they hadn’t been seen for decades. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (with 1.4 teleconverter for 550mm) ISO 1600, f/8 at 1/500th of a second.
We always see a few grey crowned cranes on our trips to East Africa. It’s actually the national bird of Uganda and they are common throughout many areas of sub-Sahara Africa — usually around wetland habitat. This one was photographed on our first day of safari this past June in Kenya’s Nairobi National Park. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 80, f/5.6 at 1/125th of a second.
The green rosella is Tasmania’s largest parrot. It is often seen foraging on the ground for seeds, berries, and flowers, including the prickly blooms of thistles and other spiny plants. I photographed this guy on Maria Island, off the east coast of Tasmania. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/1600th of a second.
Common snapping turtles are a prehistoric-looking reptiles known for powerful jaws, a spiked tail, and a tough, ridged shell. They live in freshwater habitats across most of North America, and spend most of their time buried in mud or lurking just beneath the surface with only eyes and nostrils exposed. They can live for decades and they play an important role in their ecosystem by scavenging and keeping aquatic environments clean. I photographed this one in Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/5 at 1/500th of a second.
One of my favorite primate species of all time. It was called the black-crested macaque when I photographed it back in 2009. It’s now called the Celebes crested macaque. What hasn’t changed is its status of Critically Endangered. These rare primates live only in a small area of the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. This one had no issues with me getting a few wide angle portraits while taking a break in the forest of Tangkoko National Park. Nikon D700 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 26mm) ISO 800, f/2.8 at 1/40th of a second.
Karen and I are currently booking for open spots on a June safari this year to Kenya and then Uganda for gorillas. This is our classic, signature trip. For more info, you can visit cranewildlifetours.com and please reach out if interested. Lions are very common on our trips, especially in the Masai Mara where we always spend three nights. We spotted this one early morning on a game drive in June of ’23. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1600, f/5.6 at 1/125th of a second.
This is an old one that goes out to a longtime subscriber to my daily photo blog. I learned just before Christmas that Rachel Bellenoit (rachelbellenoit.com) had passed away. She was a big fan of owls and birds in general, spending a lot of time chasing the elusive snowy owls when they made irregular visits to Parker River National Wildlife Refuge in Newbury, Massachusetts. Here’s hoping there are plenty of them up there in the sky. This particular snowy owl was captured on the other coast, about halfway between Seattle and Vancouver back in January of 2013. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 340mm) ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/1000th of a second.
Last week I posted a coyote walking perpendicular to my camera trap. That’s what they usually do and I get the same side profile. But the other night I had one coming toward camera for a better angle. The coyotes found in Connecticut belong to the Eastern coyote subspecies. They are larger than their western cousins. Genetic studies show they’re a hybrid mix of western coyote, eastern wolf, and domestic dog, which explains their larger size, broader skulls, and more varied behavior. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 24mm) ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second, Cognisys camera box, trail monitor and two remote flash units.