I'm fortunate to have two trips to Africa lined up later this year (unless the current political crisis interferes with flights), so I guess that means more attempts at capturing Lilac-breasted Rollers in flight!

You guys constantly surprise me. Unlike on other platforms, if I post a creepy crawly photo here, it actually gets a largely positive response. So I'll diverge from the Yellowstone content momentarily and share another close-up subject from the old days. Here is Boana punctata, Ecuador 2006.

Yellowstone doesn't have many snake species, but there are a few around. This is the first one I ever photographed, the wandering garter snake. I've seen them a few times at this location (the edges of a small lake) since then. The park has one venomous snake—a rattler—but I have yet to see it!

Among the four trips I made to Yellowstone in 2007 was a July visit with friends. This allowed us to get out on the trails a bit more, including my then-traditional summer hike up Mt. Washburn. We were entertained by some young yellow-bellied marmots on the way up.

A kinkajou—one of the more elusive mammals we sometimes find during my Costa Rica tours—shows off its nasty, big, pointy teeth. I'm leading my next trip back to Costa Rica just about a year from now if you'd like to join the adventure!

As I continue to relive 2007 Yellowstone memories, I can't ignore this moment. It happened during the best trip ever (May), on the best day ever, and remains my favorite YNP wolf encounter... and probably my favorite photo I've ever taken in the park.

Still revisiting my Yellowstone 2007 photos: You know, I'm glad my 9-year-old is so active... but the rate at which he gets filthy and stinky at his age is a marvel to behold.

Yellowstone 2007: One of the many highlights that occurred during my Best Yellowstone Day Ever back in May of '07 was my first displaying Dusky Grouse.

Yellowstone 2007 Revisited: During my '07 park visits we found some immature Bald Eagles. The first photo shows one in its first year, still unused to flying for long stretches from the nest. The second is much older, perhaps four years or so (it takes 5 years to grow their adult plumage).

Photos Added to Archive: Yellowstone 2007 I have reworked images from one of my most important stretches of photography in Yellowstone. This collection covers 4 trips that year, including my favorite park visit ever. Preview the "new" photos here: www.maxwaugh.com/2026/03/11/p...

Another late request on Sunday evening, this time for wolves. More than happy to oblige with this subject! (Yellowstone 2019)

I also got a request for squirrels today, so why not go with two very different species found in Borneo: the cream-coloured giant squirrel, and the least pygmy squirrel!

By request: a primate for Sarah (but not a langur, for once). Rwanda, 2007

Someone requested wild dogs, which have been a favorite subject in recent years. During my last trip to Zambia, we had them interacting with all sorts of animals.

Taking requests and someone asked about foxes, but didn't specify a color... ("Silver" and "Pearl" morph red foxes, Washington)

I'm taking photo requests today. The first two were for kitties, so here are two very different felines: a puma from Chile, and an African wildcat from Botswana. Feel free to chime in with additional requests!

I usually do this over on FB, but... any photo subject requests?

A domestic dispute broke out while everyone was minding their own business, and these yellow baboons ended up chasing each other through a crowd of confused peers. (Kenya 2024)

Did someone say Butterfriday? No, they didn't, but here are two views of owl butterflies from Costa Rica. Normally when they perch, these large butterflies insist on keeping their wings closed to utilize their camouflage and mimicry, but the one in photo 2 was being lazy, apparently.

It's probably only been, like, 2.7 days since I posted an owl photo, so I'd better make up for lost time.

A classic Anhinga pose, as the bird attempts to dry its feathers due to a lack of waterproof oils. (Brazil 2022)

My weekly reminder to schedule a salad for dinner to make us feel better about our lifestyle choices.

Technically, the holiday season was past, but it was still nice seeing Guyana's Xmas-themed ibises in January. (Green and Scarlet)

Twenty years ago I made my first visit to South America, and to the Galápagos Islands. That trip really seemed to get the ball rolling, as I've returned to the islands twice since then, and South America is now my most visited continent outside of home. So much variety keeps pulling me back!

Keeping an eye on things for Mom. (Yellowstone, 2015)

Happy Friday, everyone. I hope the weekend isn't too fow... er, foul for you.

It's hard to get a sense of scale from this, but the smoky jungle frog is the largest amphibian I've ever seen. We first saw it in Ecuador 20 years ago (my wife still refers to it simply as the "Hypnotoad"), and I had a chance to nab this photo this January in Guyana. (Guinea pig-sized, I'd say.)

As promised, I owe the rhinos a little love. Here's a fun moment from last year, when a young white rhinoceros decided a southern giraffe wasn't welcome at the watering hole.

In my haste to share a photo before running out the door yesterday, I had a brain fart and misidentified my adorable Parakeet Auklets as Rhinoceros Auklets. So now I feel I need to make it up to the auklets, the rhinos, and the parakeets. Here are some Monk Parakeets photographed in Brazil.

Every year I'm fortunate to photograph at least a few new bird species. The Rhinoceros Auklet was definitely a contender for Cutest Newcomer last year.

Happy birthday to Yellowstone National Park. This place basically launched my career as a full time photographer, and will always be close to my heart.

This doesn't happen too often, but I'm doing my best to help my client who was forced to cancel by getting some of their deposit back to them. So some lucky person can replace them on this tour with a huge discount! Learn more here: www.maxwaugh.com/workshops/wi...

A nice surprise came in the mail yesterday. I’ve been contributing images to Ranger Rick for a couple years now, but had forgotten that I just landed my second cover!

Looking like a cross between a monkey and a black panther, the tayra is one of the coolest creatures I've encountered in Costa Rica. Having seen them only a handful of times and photographed them even less, it's always a privilege spotting one. This encounter occurred in Corcovado NP.

Though we have shifted our focus on my Costa Rica tours a bit and no longer visit the overpopulated Resplendent Quetzal hot spot everyone goes to, it's still nice to get the occasional chance to see them once in a while. How can you not be amazed by this bird?!

Sharing more Costa Rica memories in anticipation of next year's photo tour... The first couple eyelash vipers I ever saw in the wild were pretty drab. They come in different colors (including brown, grey, and dull green). So finally seeing the classic bright yellow version was pretty awesome!

I've finalized details for my 2027 Costa Rica tour, so we'll be going down Memory Lane with some highlights from past CR trips this week... starting with an all-timer. My guide stopped us in the forest, and moments later a family of three pumas walked out. This is one of the cubs.

In my mind, the Aplomado Falcon is the prettiest falcon out there. I was fortunate to see my first ones in Brazil nearly a decade ago, and have photographed them a few times since.

I'm excited to be finalizing my 2027 Costa Rica tour details, which will be released shortly. Here's a pair of Boulenger's snouted tree frogs having a good time during my 2023 tour.

Red fox kits are pretty fun to watch a couple months after they first emerge from the den. They’re bolder and incredibly playful and active, so it can make for a delightful photo session even if they no longer look like little cherubs.

This was my first decent photo op with an African civet. It was a youngster, out on its own at dusk. We were following as it discovered a small leopard tortoise. As the civet was trying to solve the puzzle of the shell, a spotted hyena approached. Surprisingly, the hyena eventually moved on.

A red fox photographed in Yellowstone back in 2016. Seemed like foxes were everywhere that winter. Sometimes we'd see 6 or 7 per day...

A romantic evening stroll is just what one needs on Valentine's day.

I definitely missed the best poses from this newly-molted spider as I let my clients take time to photograph it first, but it was nice to document this rarely-seen behavior. The colors are pretty cool too!

We were able to see five primate species in Guyana. Here are a few of them: red-faced spider, tufted capuchin, and Guianan squirrel monkey.

From a big Guyanese bird to a tiny one... This is the American Pygmy Kingfisher. As the name implies, it's the smallest kingfisher in the Americas. I photographed it through a foreground bush to soften the surroundings.

Back to more new photos from Guyana. We were so lucky to arrive at the Harpy Eagle nesting site—perhaps our top goal of the trip—and catch both adults coming and going while they were working on rebuilding the nest. It was my first time seeing adult Harpies... magnificent!

Celebrating blue and green today. Thank you, Seahawks, for a wonderful season we'll never forget!

It's Superb Owl Sunday, so you know what I'm going to do. (Go Hawks, btw.)

Another cancellation means 1 spot has opened up on one of my 2026 tours. Our return to the Great Bear Rainforest brings us to the land of spirit and grizzly bears, humpbacks, and more. It's also one of the most beautiful environments I've ever explored. Learn more: www.maxwaugh.com/workshops/gr...