First osprey of the year! #birds #nature #wildlife 📷🐡

I might not have spotted this Cooper's hawk if it hadn't been so incredibly noisy! I think it's building a nest nearby. #birds #nature #wildlife🐡📷

First pelican of the year! #birds #nature #wildlife 🐡

American kestrels work hard to look this good. #birds #nature #wildlife 📷🐡

Another sign of spring - the turkey vultures are back! I spotted five yesterday, including this beauty. #birds #nature #wildlife 🐡

I returned to the spot where I saw the beavers. There were no beavers in sight, but I did spot this handsome fellow looking down at me from the hills. #nature #wildlife 📷

#birds #wildlife #nature

This is my favorite Canada goose photo. I'd been trying to get a close-up of a goose drinking for many months, but I was never happy with the angle/lighting/water until I got this capture. laurel-gale.pixels.com/featured/can... #birds #nature #wildlife 📷

Canada geese really are quite lovely. #birds #nature #wildlife

Just a reminder that I offer my wildlife photography as wall art, cards, totes, mugs, puzzles, and more! You can see my photos here: laurel-gale.pixels.com #birds #nature #wildlife 📷🐡

I was walking along the river, scanning the rocks for mink. A ripple where the water meets the riverbank caught my eye. I stopped and watched. After a minute or two, this cute mink appeared. laurel-gale.pixels.com/featured/min... #wildlife #nature 📷

A downy woodpecker looking for breakfast. #birds #nature #wildlife 📷

A lovely song (sparrow) to brighten the morning! #birds #nature #wildlife

Thank you so much to everyone who helped me decide what to submit! I'm very happy because the magazine accepted one of my photographs for publication. 😁 I'm also very sad because the issue I'm in will be the magazine's final issue.😞

Sometimes it's hard to tell if you've spotted a muskrat or a beaver swimming in the distance. But sometimes they make it easy. #wildlife #nature 🐡

Looks like the nest needs more cushion! #birds #nature #wildlife

This is horrible for so many reasons. Grammarly allegedly presented AI-generated advice as if it came from real authors, without their consent. That's bad enough, but it sounds like some of the advice was not at all what the author would actually advise. www.wired.com/story/gramma...

I haven't seen any snow this winter, but I've have seen lots of these snowbirds. (dark-eyed junco) #birds #nature #wildlife

I took this photo in October. It appears to be the same mink, based on the distinctive white markings on its throat. laurel-gale.pixels.com/featured/a-m... #nature #wildlife 📷🐡

I was walking along the river, scanning the rocks for mink. A ripple where the water meets the riverbank caught my eye. I stopped and watched. After a minute or two, this cute mink appeared. laurel-gale.pixels.com/featured/min... #wildlife #nature 📷

I was about to get in my car and drive home when I noticed some cedar waxwings in the nearby trees, so of course I had to get a capture. #birds #nature #wildlife

This mink's right ear looks like it got injured long ago, and there's a scar on the nose on the same side. The fur doesn't lie flat, which makes me think there's more scar tissue beneath. Tussled with another mink? Escaped a raptor? Fought an otter over a fish? #wildlife #nature 🐡

I don't mean to brag, but I saw three minks this morning. Here's one of them. #nature #wildlife

I wanted to try some close-up captures with my new Canon R7, and this canyon wren was happy to oblige. #birds #nature #wildlife 📷

This red-tailed hawk was carrying sticks to a rocky ledge. I suspect a nest is in the works! #birds #nature #wildlife

Listen, I'm going to turn my back for minute. If whoever took my hour returns it, I won't ask any questions, and we can just pretend this never happened.

This squirrel kept coming up to me. It was clearly used to being fed and disappointed that I didn't have any snacks for it. #squirrel #nature

I'm testing out my new setup (Canon R7 w/ 100-500mm lens!!!) and there's not a single bird in sight, but this neighborhood kitty was nice enough to pose. 1/400 sec, f/7.1, 3200 ISO Looks pretty good for a quick test shot it low light. Can't wait to take it out in the field.

Who else loves canyon wrens? #birds #wildlife #nature

Any fishies down there? #birds #nature #wildlife

I just went outside to bring the bins to the curb for trash day, and there was a huge flock of tundra swans flying overhead. They were flying high up, and it was raining and already getting kind of dark, so I might have missed them if they weren't so incredibly noisy.

I'm not sure I could pull off such a flashy look, but the northern flicker looks great. #birds #nature #wildlife

A juvenile great horned owl from the summer. In the very early morning, the owls were sometimes hanging out on the ground before retiring to the trees to sleep for the day. (taken with Sigma 600mm lens and cropped) #birds #owls #nature #wildlife

I've been working on big new creative project (not books or photography) and I think I'm getting close to being ready to announce it. 👀

Me: (looking up at the sky) Friend: What are you doing? Me: Oh, just looking for fish. #birds #nature #wildlife

It's March, which means the osprey should be showing up soon. They usually arrive late March/early April. Here's one of my favorite captures from last year. laurel-gale.pixels.com/featured/com... #birds #nature #wildlife 📷🐡

A canyon wren singing its sweet song. #birds #nature #wildlife

A great blue heron out looking for breakfast. #birds #nature #wildlife

This American robin would blend into the gray rocks pretty well if not for that bright orange bill. #birds #nature #wildlife

Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy camera gear, and that's pretty close.

This yellow-bellied marmot just woke up from hibernation, but it's still ready for a close-up. #nature #wildlife 📷

There are still a few berries if you know where to look! (cedar waxwing, photo taken on Sunday) #birds #nature #wildlife 🐡

Canyon wrens are so photogenic! While the ruby crowned kinglets and cedar waxwings hid behind twigs, this cutie was out posing for my camera. #birds #nature #wildlife 📷

A downy woodpecker I spotted yesterday. #birds #nature #wildlife

I love spotting less common species (bobcat!) but I also love studying common wildlife and planning photos. I watched some turkey for a week or so this autumn, waiting for the perfect capture of a tom surrounded by leaf litter. laurel-gale.pixels.com/featured/wil... #birds #wildlife 🐡 📷

A juvenile great horned owl from the summer. In the very early morning, the owls were sometimes hanging out on the ground before retiring to the trees to sleep for the day. (taken with Sigma 600mm lens and cropped) #birds #owls #nature #wildlife

A lesser (but still pretty great IMHO) goldfinch. #birds #nature #wildlife

And sometimes the common wildlife surprises you - like when I saw these two turkeys fighting each other. I didn't know turkeys fought like this until I watched them go at it. laurel-gale.pixels.com/featured/wil... #birds #wildlife 🐡 📷

I love spotting less common species (bobcat!) but I also love studying common wildlife and planning photos. I watched some turkey for a week or so this autumn, waiting for the perfect capture of a tom surrounded by leaf litter. laurel-gale.pixels.com/featured/wil... #birds #wildlife 🐡 📷

A red-tailed hawk showing off its pantaloons. #birds #wildlife 🐡