The Katmai Peninsula is wild, still supporting all the animals and fish present when Europeans first came to Alaska. The vastness, the brown bears, the sockeye salmon, and the glaciers leave one in awe. We spent a week in Alaska, where we experienced this landscape. I traveled with Nature Photography Adventures; they organized the trip … Read more
The fluffy flowers were waving in the light breeze when suddenly, a Blue-faced Honeyeater flew into the tree and began to probe the blossoms. The blooms had long, thin, white anthers that ended in pink. Each must have been an inch or more long. The nectar was at their base in what looked like a … Read more
The bird looked over its shoulder and back at me. His black eye sent an arrow right into my chest, and I shivered. It was as if he was checking me out, assessing whether he could take me or how much of a fight I might put up. The wind twisted his tail back and … Read more
Presentations I am preparing to give several book readings, presentations, and discussion sessions over the next four months. More will be added once the book is available. Some will focus on Alaska and what I cover in my book. Others will be versions of my talk titled What is a Raptor Anyway? Both are about … Read more
The Atherton Tablelands is a high flat plateau, 2400 ft elevation, that extends across eastern Queensland near Cairns. A series of volcanos spread basalt lava across this area, and it is now fertile agricultural land. We’d been cruising the back roads looking for birds. Brolga and Saurus Cranes fed in many pastures, and several small … Read more
“Don’t even think about it,” I imagined this dove saying to me as if I might be contemplating stealing his prospective mate. He had leaned forward, puffing out his chest and body feathers to make himself look grand. His bluish-black bill was tucked on his chest, his irises had taken on an intense yellow sheen, … Read more
Turacos live in equatorial Africa, and 23 living species occur in this family. Turacos are the only bird family found in the order Musophagidae. In graduate school, we studied all the orders (41) and many birds’ families, trying to build a broad ornithological knowledge in our education. Turacos are intensely colored, and their feathers contain … Read more
Flashes came from down in the thick brown grass. A blotch of white, then some black, then a little red, one flicker seemed the same color as the grass. Two birds were moving in jumps, dashes, and twists. It had to be two with that much movement, but I could never get more than a … Read more
The Trip The goal was to learn more about the country’s ecology and find birds, crocodiles, reptiles, insects, and plants. We planned stops in tropical forests, dry sclerophyll forests, open plains, and even the Great Barrier Reef. Over the coming months, I will do a series of posts on this trip, visiting key sites and … Read more
Our problem was our fascination with everything from butterflies to elephants. It slowed us down everywhere as one or another of us would spot something to investigate. Our guide, Nelson, was a fantastic person. His knowledge is vast, his patience tremendous, and his ability to show us things impressive. He knew all the places to … Read more