Children’s Pool Beach in La Jolla is one of the best places in California to observe harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) up close in the wild. Originally built as a protected swimming area for children, the beach has become a favorite haul-out and pupping site. Visitors can often see seals lounging on the sand or bobbing just offshore, especially during pupping season from mid-December through May. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/2500th of a second.

This coastal brown bear was grazing in the salt marshes of Lake Clark National Park in Alaska. Eventually she would get her fill of salad and head out to the beach with her cubs in search of salmon. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 340mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/320th of a second.

The American goldfinch (Spinus tristis) is especially bright and colorful in summer when males are wearing their breeding plumage. Unlike many birds, goldfinches breed later in the season, often waiting until mid to late summer so they can take advantage of the abundance of seeds from thistles and other wild plants. They’re strict vegetarians, feeding almost entirely on seeds, and even their chicks are raised on a plant-based diet. I photographed this goldfinch last summer in Rhode Island, going flower to flower eating, and in this case, spreading those seeds. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 800, f/5.6 at 1/2000th of a second.

Grown and shed annually, a bull elk’s antlers can be more than four feet wide and weigh up to 40 pounds, making them one of the fastest-growing bones in the world. Bulls use their “racks” during the fall rut to spar with rivals and impress females, locking antlers in dramatic battles that determine mating rights. Covered in soft, fuzzy velvet during the growth phase, antlers are rich with blood vessels and nerves until they harden and the velvet is shed. Each rack is an indication of age, health, and dominance in the life of an elk. This big boy was photographed in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park back in 2009. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/6.3 at 1/250th of a second.

Here’s another shot from Ripley’s Waterfowl Conservancy here in Connecticut. The duck isn’t from here, it’s from East Asia. The males have a shimmering green head and long, sickle-shaped, or “falcated” feathers that curve over the back. These ducks breed in marshy wetlands and grasslands in Russia and northern China, migrating south to Japan, Korea, and parts of Southeast Asia for winter. They’re strong, fast flyers and can be surprisingly hard to spot outside of migration hotspots. Habitat loss and climate change have put some pressure on their populations, making sightings even more rare in the wild. Nikon Z8 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 1400, f/7.1 at 1/2500th of a second.

Five days ago I posted a black bear in my backyard from 2020 and mentioned that we hadn’t seen any yet this year. Two nights later, this one tripped the camera trap in our back woods. Nikon D810 with Nikkor 17-35mm lens (at 22mm) ISO 500, f/14 at 1/250th of a second, Cognisys camera box, trail monitor and remote flash units.

Last time I was up in northern Minnesota I came across this trumpeter swan out on a frozen lake. The snowy foreground allowed me to isolate the swan’s head surrounded by all that out-of-focus white. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 400, f/5.6 at 1/2000th of a second.

Prairie dogs are highly social and live in large underground colonies (or “towns”) with intricate tunnel systems and designated rooms for sleeping, nursing, and even waste (how about that fact — these guys actually have bathrooms). They also have one of the most sophisticated vocal communication systems in the animal kingdom, using different barks and chirps to warn each other of specific predators, including details like type, size, and direction. Who knows what description this guy was giving the rest of the town about the large man crawling in the bushes, interrupting lunch. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 400mm) ISO 400, f/4 at 1/250th of a second.

So far, we haven’t had any black bear sightings in the yard this spring. This one is from 2020 when we were seeing them every four days or so. Here’s hoping they find their way back. Nikon D500 with Nikkor 500mm PF lens, ISO 800, f/6.3 at 1/400th of a second.

I get so many chipmunks and squirrels at my camera traps but rarely post any. I thought this one had a nice mood with the foggy morning and backlight. Nikon D850 with Nikkor 20mm lens, ISO 500, f/14 at 1/200th of a second, Camtraptions camera housing and triggers, Nikon SB-900 flash units.