Wildlife

Barrow's Goldeneye
A male Barrow's Goldeneye flying through a snow storm at the Lake of the Woods in Colorado's Flat Tops Wilderness.
ducks wildlife snow goldeneye
Deer in Motion
Long exposure of deer feeding at Ridgway State Park, Colorado
wildlife animal deer mule deer long exposure sunset ridgway colorado state park cimarron ridge motion
Dreaming of Deer
A young buck black-tailed deer surrounded by aspens in the Flat Tops Wilderness, Colorado
wildlife deer flat tops wilderness aspens fall colors
Great Blue Heron I
Rain falling on a great blue heron in Netarts Bay, Oregon
great blue heron bird minimalism
Red Fox
An American Kestel Perched
Finally after 2 years of birding, I had my first American Kestrel sighting in Jan 2018 in Nehalem, Oregon. I went to this spot of settling ponds off the Nehalem River, courtesy of the Oregon Coast Birding Trail Guide. Unfortunately the gate was locked when it shouldn't be so I couldn't walk around the ponds and get better compositions of the ducks. I thought it was bust but then saw a tiny bird on a telephone wire about 100 feet away. The only reason I did a double take is because the back tail feathers happened to be spread out further than I'm accustomed to seeing and that wasn't typical of a perching bird. At best I thought it was some perching bird I hadn't seen before, but as I inched a little closer, the head colors became more distinct, and there was no doubt in my mind what I just stubbled upon! After an hour it made 2 dives down to the ground and on one occasion caught a huge caterpillar.
nature wildlife bird birding photography birdwatching bird photography oregon coast oregon pnw pacific northwest birds of prey nehalem bird of prey raptor falcon american kestrel kestrel small but fierce bird background colorful birds falco
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Wild Horse
I came across a group of wild horses roaming the Sagehen Meadows just outside the Sierra Nevada Mountains near Mono Lake, California
wildlife animal wild horse sierra nevadas mountains horse
American Pelicans
4 pelicans flying in perfect synchronization on a dreary day at the Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon
pelicans fog bird
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Motherly Love
Affection between a moose and her calf. Taken in Island Park, Idaho along the Henrys Fork of the Snake River
wildlife animal moose calf idaho island park henrys fork river affection love kiss parent
Canadian Geese
Canadian Geese flying through fog Nehalem Bay, Oregon
Wildlife Geese Goose Canadian Waterfowl Bird Oregon Nehalem Bay Fog Flying Dreary
Coyote
A coyote at Death Valley National Park
wildlife animal coyote death valley national park california
A Red-Tailed Hawk Eating a Rodent
I can't tell you how many hours were spent over 2 years photographing hawks and never once saw one eating prey until this day in Jan 2018 on a back country road in Nehalem, Oregon! I spent every day for a week watching its behavior and hoping to get lucky with a kill. I parked along the road and waited several hours as it moved along the telephone wire searching for prey below in the thick grass. I don't know if it was sheer luck or just the hours and hours of patience each day on my part, but it finally dove down into the thick grass full of thorns and barb wire not too far from where I was and finally made a kill that resulted in this image.
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Great Blue Heron II
A rainbow forms in the distance as a reflected great blue heron feeds in Netarts Bay, Oregon
great blue heron heron bird reflection rainbow sunrise oregon pacific northwest netarts bay
A Great Blue Heron Sunset at Cape Cove Beach Cape Perpetua, Oregon
I discovered this great blue heron out on Cape Perpetua when I was out shooting the sunset on Cape Cove Beach in December 2017. I'm glad I brought my waders with me because I was having to lie down on the wet sand in order to frame this shot with the background colors. It all worked out and I got another session in the following day when it made a return to hunt for dinner in the tide pools.
reflection nature wildlife bird birding photography travel birdwatching wild seascape cape perpetua oregon coast coastline tide pool tide cape cove beach sunset water beauty calm wanderlust great blue heron heron pnw pacific northwest animal background wave pacific northwest ocean
Yellowstone Elk
nature photography travel wildlife animals elk bull antlers yellowstone national park hayden valley
Cooper's Hawk In Flight
Taken at the Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge
photography nature wildlife wild birds of prey prey flight raptor hawk coopers hawk coopers flying bandon wildlife refuge bandon marsh
Bald Eagle I
Taken while kayaking the Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge in southern Oregon.
Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk
Taken at the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge in northern California
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Tern with Fish
tern bird fish
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Great Blue Heron Catching a Fish
great blue heron fish bird
Elk Crossing
Caspian Tern
Great Blue Heron
Upper Klamath National Wildlife Refuge
great blue heron bird kayak dock
Great Blue Heron
great blue heron bird close up
Bald Eagle Taking Flight
I spent 2 awesome weeks camping at the state parks around Dillon Reservoir in Silverthorne, CO. Most of that time was spent shooting Osprey, but on the last day I finally spotted a Bald Eagle out on an island and was able to row my kayak close enough for this shot.
photography nature wildlife wild birds of prey prey eagle bald eagle flight raptor
Bison and Pollen Fill The Air in Yellowstone
Pollen fills the air as a bison passes through the tall grass in Yellowstone
nature photography travel wildlife animals buffalo bison bull horns yellowstone national park pollen allergies
Seagulls Fly into the Sunset in Yachats, Oregon
Taken one drizzly night at low tide in Yachats, Oregon. This is at the mouth of the Yachats River and the ocean. Hundreds of gulls hang out in the river and bath during low tide and made for some cool shots when they all take off and fly. It also opens up a huge swath of beach to walk on, which is how I managed to get close enough here on this shot.
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Osprey Eating a Fish
Taken in the summer of 2017 in Grand Lake, Colorado while kayaking between the islands at Shadow Mountain Lake. This osprey sits perched eating what I believe is a Brook Trout.
nature wildlife wild bird birding photography birdwatching colorado grand lake shadow mountain lake birds of prey raptor osprey predator prey brook trout patience gruesome fierce wanderlust
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A Peregrine Falcon Eats a Bird for Dinner During Sunset
Well this bird has seen better days, but it made a worthy sacrifice because it's actually my first pictures of a peregrine eating something. This day on a backcountry road in Nehalem, Oregon saw me get an american kestrel eating a worm as long as it's body, then getting my first red-tailed hawk catching and eating prey, and then later on in the day I went back during sunset and saw this scene. What a great birding day to say the least!!
nature wildlife birding photography travel birdwatching bird photography oregon pnw pacific northwest nehalem birds of prey raptor falcon falco peregrine falcon small but fierce bird background hawk eating prey predator natural pest control bird killer falcon killing bird sunset
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River Otter Meets Crab
I stumbled upon this scene while walking the beach at Tillicum Beach Campground near Yachats, Oregon in October 2017. I was minding my own business when all the sudden this river otter comes out of the ocean with a huge crab in hand and proceeds to devour every piece right in front of me.
ocean beach oregon coast photography nature sea life marine life crab food predator prey otter river otter blue background animal wildlife wild dinner hungry meal yachats tillicum beach
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A Bull Bison Heads Towards Thermal Activity in the Hayden Valley of Yellowstone National Park
I took this in Hayden Valley in Yellowstone National Park while hiking Mary Mountain Trail. You've got to get away from the roads to really experience what the park has to offer and really feel alive with these majestic animals! I had to do some major sidetracking off the trail in order to avoid him and give him space. He came down off a hill behind me and ended up intersecting right in front of where I was walking, so I backed up and gave him some space to pass by and gladly shot this as he looked back to say goodbye.
yellowstone bison geyser park national wildlife buffalo wyoming animal hot wild nature thermal wilderness geothermal american bison grass photography travel animals bull horns national park valley hayden valley predator hot spring midwest green
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Great Blue Heron With Rainbow Trout
I got really lucky with this shot. I pulled up to the dock at Garrison Lake in Port Orford, Oregon, and saw the great blue heron standing on the dock. When I parked it flew off and actually went closer to the viewing platform, where I could sneak up closer without it seeing me. Once I reached the platform and peaked around the trees, there it was about 20ft and not a moment later it made this kill. Oddly enough it probably wouldn't have feasted if I didn't spook it with my arrival to begin with. Your welcome and thank you for the sweet shot!
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A Great Blue Heron Ocean Sunset at Cape Perpetua, Oregon
I never expected to see a great blue heron out on Cape Cove Beach in Cape Perpetua, Oregon, so it was a nice change of pace from shooting Thor's Well. I first spotted this heron the previous day and after a successful shoot, I absolutely had to go back for a second round this day. I only had one chance at this particular shot before the heron moved on and away from the waves and the sunset backdrop, and me getting even more soaked from lying down
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A Muskrat Feeding
Taken during the Summer of 2017 at Dillon Reservoir in Dillon/Frisco, Colorado. Towards the end of my 2 week stay, I finally kayaked out to a nearby island on the lake and came across this muskrat swimming in a small inlet.
nature wildlife photography wild dillon reservoir frisco colorado rocky mountains muskrat rodent closeup animal food feeding grass
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A Weasel Scans its Surroundings
I captured this weasel while kayaking the Henry's Fork River in Island Park, Idaho back in August 2017. I was drifting by this platform when it all the sudden it popped its little head up through the planks to say hello.
nature wildlife wild photography island park idaho henrys fork river midwest weasel predator mammal animal
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Bald Eagle Soaring
I captured this bald eagle while birding out on the Nehalem River, Oregon in January 2018.
nature wildlife wild bird birding photography travel birdwatching oregon coast oregon pnw pacific northwest birds of prey nehalem raptor eagle bald eagle adult mature national icon national bird blue flying flight soaring wanderlust
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An Immature Bald Eagle Gets Hit by Wind at the Nehalem Bay State Park Boat Launch
Work those head feathers! Wind gusts give this immature bald eagle an interesting look. I was leaving Nehalem Bay State Park in January 2018 to shoot the sunset at Hug Point, when at the last second I turned right towards the docks instead of getting on the 101. I figured I'd scan the bay real quick and be on my way and low and behold wouldn't you know a bald eagle was perched on these old rusted columns at the boat launch.
bird of prey raptor boat dock nature wildlife bird birding photography birdwatching bird photography oregon coast oregon pnw pacific northwest birds of prey immature bald eagle immature bald eagle hair style nehalem nehalem bay state park nehalem bay state park oregon state park national icon national bird
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A Harbor Seal Waves Hello
I actually expected to see a lot more seals out at a place called Seal Rock, in between Yachats and Newport Oregon, but these were all that were there at low tide. While I may not of had a ton of seals to watch, these sleeping beauties were fun to watch as sometimes a bigger wave would come and splash the group.
blue ocean ocean rocks ocean seascape seascape oregon coast oregon coastline ocean waves harbor seal seal sealife pnw pacific northwest pacific northwest oregon animals sleeping seal rock seal rock oregon animal greetings hello greeting sleeping animals sea life marine life greeting
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American White Pelican Catching Fish
I spent 5 days in Grand Lake, Colorado kayaking and birding on Shadow Mountain Lake in 2017. That wasn't the original plan though, as I was planning on spending most my time exploring the western side of Rocky Mountain National Park. After discovering the lake and seeing 50-100 pelicans on any given day, along with a dozen or so osprey and moose, my plans changed and instead kayaked the waters for hours each day!
nature colorado grand lake pelican fish wildlife bird birding photography travel rmnp american white pelican
Red-shouldered Hawk Perched
Red-shouldered Hawk at Garrison Lake in Port Orford, Oregon, My first encounter with one after 2 years on the road. The only way the get close enough was with a kayak so many hours were spent chasing them around the lake. So much fun!
photography nature wildlife wild birds of prey prey raptor hawk redshouldered hawk redshouldered port orford garrison lake
American White Pelican Flying
I was kayaking out on Shadow Mountain Lake in Grand Lake, CO when a loud sound of wings flapping startled me and all the sudden this pelican flies right beside me.
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Peregrine Falcon Eyeing Prey
A peregrine falcon eyes its territory looking for prey at Cape Arago, Oregon. I was fortunate to find a pair of peregrine falcons at the end of the road at Cape Arago on one of my first days out of a 2 week stay. My 2nd sighting ever.
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Harlequin Ducks in flight at Cape Arago, Oregon
Taken Nov 15, 2017, I decided to hike the north shore beach to try and get closer to the harbor seals that were a couple hundred yards out on Simpson Reef, but instead my attention immediately went to these lovely Harlequin Ducks that were swimming along the shore.
sea water nature duck blue wildlife bird beautiful flight histrionicus white harlequin fly female black natural colorful male animal avian birdwatching birding wings feather photography wild waterfowl ducks harlequin ducks cape arago ocean pnw
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Osprey Christmas Tree Ornament or Count Osprey?
An osprey shakes off the water from a missed opportunity at Garrison Lake in Port Orford, Oregon.
nature wildlife wild bird birding photography birdwatching port orford garrison lake pnw pacific northwest osprey birds of prey raptor wet oregon
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An American Kestrel Flying
This day on a backcountry road in Nehalem, Oregon allowed me to have my first american kestrel sighting, then getting my first red-tailed hawk catching and eating prey, and then later on in the day I went back during sunset came within feet of a peregrine falcon eating a bird. What a great birding day to say the least!!
grace nature wildlife bird birding photography travel birdwatching bird photography oregon coast oregon pnw pacific northwest birds of prey nehalem bird of prey raptor falcon american kestrel kestrel small but fierce bird background colorful birds falco falcon flying american kestrel flying suspended in midair blue background birds in motion
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A Flock of Western Sandpipers Flying in Perfect Synchroneous FormationA Flock of Western Sandpipers Flying in Perfect Synchronous Formation
Taken at Tillicum Beach near Yachats, Oregon. This campground is probably the closest from site to beach access, with it literally just being feet away and full ocean views for like 30 bucks a night for electric and water. Can't beat that that's for sure!
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Michael Schober

Photography

Wildlife