Bighorn lambs can be very fun to watch. This little guy had a friend and the two of them would run up and down the steep cliffs before returning to their mothers. As for the moms, they seemed more interested in chewing grass than in looking after the babies.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/200th of a second
As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, I was down in Vicksburg, Mississippi for a few days on business. As most of you know, I very rarely post non-animal photos, but… when in Vicksburg. This was taken from a place called Battery DeGolyer (named after a Union captain) and that monument in the background is the Louisiana Memorial. The park contains over 1300 monuments, plaques, statues and other works of art commemorating what many consider the most important battle of the Civil War. The cannons at Battery DeGolyer are lined up much as they were back in the spring of 1863.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 17-35mm (at 19mm) ISO 200, f/22, various shutter speeds (HDR image combining five exposures)
I had to be in Vicksburg, Mississippi for a few days for work. I was able to get out and explore on my own on Sunday and made it out to the Tensas River National Wildlife Refuge in Louisiana. I didn’t see much — other than a bunch of hummingbirds. The ruby throated hummingbird is the smallest species of hummingbird and the only in the United States that regularly nests east of the Mississippi.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 210mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/2500th of a second, Nikon SB-900 flash
November is the time of year for baby zebras on the Laikipia Plains of Kenya. It’s also the time of year for the short rains. In this photo I got both.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/500th of a second
This blue footed booby chick kept trying to get its mother to regurgitate dinner. The chick was relentless, constantly pecking at the mother’s throat. The mom kept trying to walk away, but the chick would just follow wherever she went.
Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 400, f/8 at 1/2000th of a second
Grand Teton National Park is a great place to view American bison. This cow was nursing her calf beneath the majestic Teton range. Also of note here is her exceptional beard.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/800th of a second
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 105 macro lens, ISO 1600, f/13 at 1/125th of a second
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 105mm macro lens, ISO 800, f/8 at 1/160th of a second (- 1/3 stop ev)
Nikon D700 with Nikkor 105mm macro lens, ISO 1600, f/13 at 1/200th of a second
I thought that this rather interesting insect warranted three angles. It’s called a dead leaf mantis. There are many species of dead leaf mantises and as the name suggests, they mimic dead leaves. Like yesterday’s bird, this guy was also photographed in the cloud forest of Ecuador. Unlike the bird, I don’t have a dead leaf mantis call to share.
This colorful little tanager, the moss-beaked tanager, was just one of the many beautiful birds that we saw in the cloud forest of Ecuador. Click below to hear its call.
Moss-beaked Tanager
This white rhino calf was making all sorts of crazy faces at us. Young rhinos are very playful and act almost like energetic golden retriever pups as they bounce around in the grass. This one was photographed in Lewa, Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/250th of a second
Okay, I realize that I just posted a Brazilian burrowing owl a few weeks ago, but this is a completely different owl. And c’mon, who couldn’t use another burrowing owl to start the morning? Enjoy.
Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 380mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/1250th of a second (-1/3 stop ev)