We were heading to dinner while in the Ol Pajeta Conservancy of Kenya when we spotted this African savanna hare behind our tent. It was well past sunset, but the lights from the nearby pathway and dining area were enough to illuminate the scene. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 12800, f/5.6 at 1/30th of a second.
Always fun when an elephant suddenly appears out of the bushes. This was a relatively young elephant, intent on crossing the road just as we were driving past, but allowing me to use a wide angle lens to grab a few photos. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 24-70mm lens (at 30.5mm) ISO 360, f/4 at 1/640th of a second.
Black-backed jackals are the most common canid we see on our Africa trips. That said, it’s not as if they’re all over the place — always nice to get a few sightings. They are often encountered in pairs. These two were getting a good look at us before getting back to their search for food. They are hunters as well as scavengers and will often try to boldly annoy a lion off a kill. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/1000th of a second.
This little snapping turtle couldn’t have been more than a couple of inches in length. It was crossing the trail I was hiking on this past week in Westerly, Rhode Island. I dropped down to the ground for a few shots before it disappeared into the bushes, presumably on its way to a water source. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1100, f/5.6 at 1/2000th of a second.
Just back from a week in Rhode Island that was more about visiting family and friends (and attending my niece’s wedding) than anything else, but I did manage to squeeze in some wildlife time too. Goldfinches seemed to be everywhere on a few short hikes I took in the Avondale section of Westerly. The wildflowers were in full bloom providing a nice setting for all the activity. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 720, f/5.6 at 1/2000th of a second.
This will be the only post this week as Karen and I will be off to my niece’s wedding for a few days. Always nice when the animals move to the ridge line, especially with dramatic sunrise clouds. Topi are a common antelope on the plains of the Masai Mara in Kenya. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 90mm) ISO 110, f/2.8 at 1/500th of a second.
It’s been a while since I posted an orangutan. So… here’s an orangutan. This little guy was having good time swinging from that vine and performing for the camera. Photographed back in 2009 in Indonesian Borneo. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 280mm) ISO 800, f/4.5 at 1/160th of a second.
We see two types of gazelle on our Africa trips — the Thomson’s and the Grant’s. The Grant’s are much larger and have a few more physical characteristics that distinguish them, such as a white patch on their rump that extends above the tail (just in case you were wondering). This Grant’s was photographed in the early morning in the Ol Pajeta Conservancy of Laikipia, Kenya. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 250, f/2.8 at 1/1600th of a second.
This was the beginning of a beautiful morning in Laikipia, Kenya in the Ol Pajeta Conservancy. There’s only a single elephant in the photo, but moments later we were surrounded by the rest of the rather large herd. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 70-200mm lens (at 200mm) ISO 180, f/2.8 at 1/125th of a second.
There are many species of anole lizard. I think this is the many scaled anole. I was deep in the rainforest of Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica when this guy popped his head into a shaft of light that made its way through the thick foliage. Nikon D800 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 1600, f/4 at 1/320th of a second.