I photographed this Bald Eagle perched on a bare limb at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma just after sunrise.

I photographed this Bald Eagle perched high on a weathered branch at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

Snow Goose dropping into a corn field at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge on Feb 9, 2026.

This Tufted Titmouse didn’t care one bit that the yard was covered in snow. It worked the feeder like it was just another day, hopping from branch to branch and keeping a close eye on everything around it.

I explain why I avoid photographing birds on reflective water and wait for shade instead of fighting harsh glare.

This Fox Sparrow showed up and worked the fresh snow slow and steady, picking at anything the wind and the birds dropped.

A male house finch pauses on a bare branch after an Arkansas snow.

This Carolina Chickadee didn’t sit long, but it paused just enough for a clean winter portrait.

This Blue Jay stopped by my yard just after the snowfall.

White-throated Sparrow in fresh snow, photographed in my Arkansas yard.

This female Red-winged Blackbird gave me one of those simple, clean snow scenes I love to photograph. Watching her work the thin spots in the snow for food was just as interesting as getting the photo.

Every February 2, I end up watching a rodent “predict” the weather. I already know the forecast is shaky at best, but I still enjoy the whole thing. It’s one of those traditions that survives because it’s weird, simple, and it gives people something to talk about when winter feels like it’s dragging

Downy Woodpecker snow day in my Arkansas yard. I caught this one working the weathered suet log, with that clean white background making the black-and-white pattern pop.

Snow day visitor. This red-bellied woodpecker hit my suet log right after the storm, and that red crown against fresh snow was hard to beat.

That red against fresh snow never gets old. I photographed this male Northern Cardinal after a winter storm here in Arkansas.

Fresh snow doesn’t last long here, so I take advantage when it shows up. A male Northern Cardinal against clean white snow is hard to beat.

Female Northern Cardinal, fresh snow, and a quiet backyard moment.

After a fresh snowfall, a Harris’s Sparrow showed up in my yard and went straight to work, searching the snow for anything edible.

This little American Goldfinch paused just long enough for me to get the shot.

This American Goldfinch paused just long enough for me to catch this clean, winter look.

This Dark-eyed Junco stopped long enough on a bare limb in my yard for a clean winter portrait. These little birds are constant visitors this time of year, but they rarely sit still out in the open like this.

When the first real snow hits my yard, the dark-eyed juncos show up like they’ve been waiting for it. I photographed this one perched for a moment before it dropped back down to work the snow for seeds. These little birds stay busy, even when it’s 4°F.

This little Dark-eyed Junco looked more like a snowball with eyes than a bird this morning. They always seem to show up on the coldest days, puffed up and perfectly content in the snow while I’m the one freezing behind the camera. Winter yard birds never disappoint.

Looks like the heavy snow has flipped the switch on blackbird season again. Here in Arkansas, my feeders have been completely taken over by Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds. When the ground disappears under snow, they don’t waste any time finding the easiest meal in town.

Three moments from the same Bald Eagle at Charleston Lake. First watching from the highest branch. Then the instant of lift off. And finally flying out over the water. All in just a few seconds.

I photographed this Double-crested Cormorant at Charleston Lake in Charleston, Arkansas as it worked a fish into position to swallow it headfirst.

I just wrapped up a phone interview with "Scholastic Science World" about fecal sacs. If you’ve ever wondered how exciting my wildlife photography life is, this pretty much sums it up.

American White Pelican incoming! That open bill is no joke… imagine trying to swallow a fish and seeing this flying straight at you.

Today is National Squirrel Appreciation Day 🐿️ Love them or tolerate them, squirrels are busy, clever, and a lot more important to our ecosystems than they get credit for.

A Bald Eagle banking over Charleston Lake in Charleston, Arkansas. Broad wings, steady flight, and one of those moments that never gets old.

I caught this young Bald Eagle making a wide pass over Charleston Lake. The light was warm, the sky was clean, and the eagle gave me a full sequence as it glided and started its turn.

A Double-crested Cormorant works its catch down at Charleston Lake in Charleston, Arkansas. The hard part does not end once the fish is caught.

A Double-crested Cormorant surfaces with a fresh catch at Charleston Lake in Charleston, Arkansas.

An American White Pelican makes a move on a Double-crested Cormorant with a fish. The cormorant kept it.

Cold morning at Charleston Lake yesterday, 15 degrees at sunrise. Bald Eagles were already moving before the sun came up, with cormorants and pelicans stirring up fish near the dam. Once the light hit the water, everything came together fast.

Same armadillo. New name. The armadillos we see in Arkansas and Oklahoma are now called the Mexican long-nosed armadillo, not the nine-banded armadillo. I wrote a short post explaining why.

I photographed this Northern Mockingbird standing on the edge of a birdbath in my yard here in Arkansas.

A Snow Goose approaches an ear of corn at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge. Agricultural leftovers become an important winter food source.

This Snow Goose looked a little off at first glance. One leg tucked. One wing hanging down. I watched this bird for a while and ended up writing a short blog post about what was really going on here. It’s a good example of how normal wildlife behavior can look strange in a single photo.

A Snow Goose touching down at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. I’ve watched these birds pour into the refuge by the hundreds, but moments like this still stand out when everything lines up just right.

Great Blue Heron in flight over Charleston City Lake here in Arkansas.

One smooth pass over the water. Great Blue Heron at Charleston City Lake.

Two snow geese drop in low as they prepare to land in a nearby field at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

Four years ago this January (2022), I watched a double-crested cormorant surface with a fresh catch at Charleston Lake here in Arkansas.

Four years ago this January (2022), I photographed this Double-crested Cormorant at Charleston Lake in Arkansas with a fish in its beak.

Snow Geese are everywhere at Sequoyah, which makes clean landings like this hard to catch. Most drop into tight groups. Getting one this low with space around it doesn’t happen often.

Feet down. Wings wide. A Snow Goose lining up its landing in a field at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

A quiet January scene from 2012 here in Arkansas. Two bull elk standing together on a frosty morning, well past the rut and focused on winter survival rather than competition.

Fifteen years ago this January, I photographed this Barred Owl perched at Fort Chaffee here in Arkansas, its feathers edged with frost.

Fifteen years ago this January, I photographed this bull elk here in Arkansas. It’s one of those images that reminds me why I’m grateful for photo memories and the moments that stick with you long after the shutter clicks.