Loggerhead Shrike – IUCN Conservation Status: Near Threatened A tomial tooth is not actually a tooth, but a sharp tooth-like projection located on the end of the bill You would never guess that this bird is nicknamed the “butcherbird”. Looks can be deceiving. The loggerhead shrike is a small bird measuring between eight and nine inches long […]
Zion National Park This short but beautiful trail is located in the middle of Zion National Park in Utah I love National Parks, but I hate the crowds. I’m sure you can relate. There is a reason why these places are popular, they are our nation’s natural treasures. However, enjoying the quiet beauty of these natural places can […]
Common Eider – IUCN Conservation Status: Near Threatened Mature male common eiders have an orangish-yellow wedge-shaped bill The common eider is not as common as the name suggests. Common eider are considered a large sea duck, occupying Arctic coastline in North America, Greenland, Northern Europe, and parts of Russia. Their breeding areas are farther north than their […]
Olympic National Park This is the only temperate rainforest in the northern hemisphere This is the only temperate rainforest in the northern hemisphere. Olympic National Park sits within the Olympic Peninsula, which is in the northwest corner of Washington. The area this photograph was taken is called Quinault. Check out our gallery this month to […]
Olympic National Park This is the only temperate rainforest in the northern hemisphere Lake Quinault sits at the southern perimeter of Olympic National Park in Washington. This lake sits adjacent to a temperate rain forest. This is the only temperate rainforest in the northern hemisphere. In fact, Lake Quinault gets an average of 131 inches […]
White Sands National Park The White Sands dune field is made up of 4.5 billion tons of gypsum White Sands National Park was one of the weirdest places I’ve ever seen. The White Sands dune field is made up of 4.5 billion tons of gypsum. Yes, that’s gypsum like the sheetrock in your walls. That […]
Mackinac Island It can be a cold endeavor standing still in the dark Mackinac Island is a small island near the bridge that takes you from Northern Michigan to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This is a very dark place, especially in the winter when I took this photograph. There are challenges with shooting photos at night […]
Adirondack State Park The few faint lights on the bottom are campsite lights along the water’s edge When you think of New York you don’t think of a dark place good for shooting astrophotography. However, Adirondack State Park in remote northern New York is an excellent place for shooting the stars. I took this photograph along […]
Acadia National Park You can see a shooting star in the top center When you live up north, summer is the best time of year to shoot the stars. The nighttime temperatures are bearable, and your camera batteries don’t cold-crash. I took this photo in Acadia National Park in Maine last summer while camping. If you look closely, […]
Spotted Scorpionfish – IUCN Conservation Status: Least Concern You can generally get very close because this fish trusts its camouflage Scorpionfish are masters of camouflage. They have numerous cirri covering their body (mainly head). Cirri are the fleshy appendages that are used for sensing and camouflage. This scorpionfish is facing to the right. The red eye in the top […]