This was the best Christmas parade I saw this year. A line of snow geese took over the refuge road and set their own pace. I stayed in the truck, shut things down, and let the moment play out. No rushing. No pushing. Just watching a quiet winter scene unfold.

I watched this Bald Eagle glide low over Charleston Lake just after sunrise.

I photographed this Bald Eagle at Charleston Lake as it moved through the area during the morning hours.

A Great Blue Heron catching a fish at Charleston Lake here in Arkansas.

I photographed this Bonaparte’s Gull as it snatched a fish back from the water after dropping it moments earlier.

I photographed this Bonaparte’s Gull just after it lifted off from the water with a fish. Moments later, the gull lost its grip and the fish fell back into the water.

I photographed this Bonaparte’s Gull mid-air at Robert S. Kerr Lock and Dam in Oklahoma as it repositioned a fish just before swallowing it.

I photographed this Bonaparte’s Gull just after it lifted off from the water with a fish at Robert S. Kerr Lock and Dam in Oklahoma. The gull was still shedding droplets as it gained altitude, wings fully extended and feet tucked back.

I photographed this Bonaparte’s Gull just as it lifted off the water with a small fish at Robert S. Kerr Lock and Dam in Oklahoma.

I photographed this American White Pelican as it touched down on the Arkansas River at the Robert S. Kerr Lock and Dam in Oklahoma.

American White Pelican Coming in for a Landing

Ring-billed Gull Secures a Fish in Flight

I photographed this Ring-billed Gull in flight with a fish just after takeoff at Robert S. Kerr Lock and Dam in Oklahoma.

I caught this Ring-billed Gull lifting off with a fish at Robert S. Kerr Lock and Dam in Oklahoma, water still breaking off its wings as it climbed into flight.

Head-On Flight of a Great Blue Heron

A Double-crested Cormorant descends toward the water with wings raised, slowing itself just before contact with the surface.

Watching this American White Pelican wrestling fish reminded me how much work goes into what looks like a simple meal. The fish kept slipping, the water was choppy, and the pelican just kept adjusting until everything finally lined up. More photos on my blog post.

An American White Pelican glides just above the surface of the Arkansas River, flying toward the Robert S. Kerr Lock and Dam in Oklahoma.

I watched this Ring-billed Gull slip in fast and grab a fish right in front of an American White Pelican on the Arkansas River. The whole thing happened in a split second, and I was lucky to catch it. I shared more about the moment and the behavior on my blog.

Most people never see inside an American White Pelican’s pouch. This one opened it wide just long enough for me to get the shot. I broke down what this behavior means and how I captured it in my latest blog post.

I caught something I don’t see every day on this American White Pelican flyby at Kerr Dam on the Arkansas River near Sallisaw, Oklahoma. Watch the bill open wide and the throat pouch stretch tight in the wind. It’s a quick “gular stretch” (jaw stretch) the bird does for maintenance.

Cold December morning at Charleston City Lake. I watched this adult Bald Eagle sweep across the sky in a steady glide. Wide wings. Clear light. One clean pass overhead.

I watched this juvenile Bald Eagle glide right over me at Charleston City Lake on a cold December morning. Young eagles look rough and dark at this stage, but they fly with the same power as the adults.

I photographed this immature Bald Eagle banking over Charleston City Lake on a cold December morning here in Arkansas.

Not my best video, but I thought it was still good enough to share. (Watch to the end) This was at Charleston City Lake in Charleston, Arkansas.

I watched this American White Pelican lift what looks like a small root ball out of the water. At first I thought it was a crayfish, but the close view on my computer showed a tangle of roots.

I photographed this American White Pelican on November 28, 2023 at Sally Jones Lake (Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge).

I photographed this American White Pelican grooming on Sally Jones Lake at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge (November 2023).

Snow Goose Landing with Wings Fully Extended

Snow Goose Landing in Morning Light -Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma

Blue-morph Snow Goose Landing - Thanksgiving morning at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

A Snow Goose descending for a landing, with its wings fully spread against a warm, autumnal background. I photographed this bird on Thanksgiving Day at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Bald Eagle Calling In Golden Morning Light

Not all antlers are the same. Some bucks carry that rich, dark chocolate look, and this one wore it well. I just posted a blog post on why these deep colors form.

I photographed this Barred Owl early in the morning at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. The soft light filtering through the fall leaves gave the perfect setting as the owl perched quietly, blending beautifully with the golden foliage.

Early November Along the Buffalo National River, Arkansas (Boxley Valley)

A curious Whitetail Doe gave me a quick pause-and-stare moment at the J.T. Nickel Family Nature and Wildlife Preserve.

Carolina Wren perched on my rain gauge.

This Carolina Wren perched on my rain gauge and sang its heart out. These little birds have huge voices for their size. I photographed it in my yard here in Arkansas.

I photographed this Red-bellied Woodpecker in my yard here in Arkansas on an early November morning.

I photographed this quiet stretch of the Buffalo River on November 3rd in Boxley Valley. A calm moment along one of my favorite places in Arkansas.

I photographed this cow elk in Boxley Valley on a foggy November morning. She walked out into the pasture and paused to pee, and both of her ears stayed low the whole time. It made her stand out from the rest of the herd. I wrote more about this encounter on my blog.

This cow elk was holding a steady, watchful posture in the open field. I took this near the Buffalo National River in early November, just after sunrise.

I came across this white-tailed doe in the early light at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge.

I watched this Blue Jay scoop up a leaf and drop it over an acorn it had just buried.

I watched this Blue Jay scoop up an acorn and look around like it had just struck gold. They stash these all over the yard. Half get eaten. The rest turn into surprise oak trees in spring.

A White-tailed Buck with a strange looking antlers. I photographed this buck at the Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma.

This white-tailed buck with one antler was locked onto a doe and never knew I was there. The whole chase unfolded right in front of me.

A short video of a Coyote to go with the photo I shared this morning.