Not a very original subject, but expected on this day. I'm thankful for shared experiences - like seeing this wild turkey - with lifelong friends. They made my life richer. Utah, 4.25.19

Hard to believe something so small can grow into something so big. #alligator #fieldherping #insituherps

Peeking into the bird blind from the roof, he was trying to tell me something.

Treefrog tubes! Treefrogs shelter in PVC tubes on cold nights because they hold moisture. The frogs emerge to bask as temps rise in the morning. First a Green Treefrog, then a Squirrel Treefrog. Little St. Simons, GA, 11.09.25 #treefrog #greentreefrog #squirreltreefrog #fieldherping #insituherps

Eastern Phoebe reflecting on reflections. Little St. Simons, GA 11.10.25 #easternphoebe #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

I don't generally take scenery shots, but sometimes you're just compelled to take a stab at it. Sunset at Little St. Siimons, GA 11.09.25

Anna's Hummingbird Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, CA 10.22.25 #annashummingbird #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

Sitting in the bird blind, waiting for cool birds to show up, I decided to try my hand at photographing dragonflies in flight. It's harder than it looks because they're tiny and fast. Here's one that turned out better than I was hoping for: a Common Green Darner. Little St. Simons, GA, 11.09.25

Bald Eagle on a snag, photographed from a moving boat. Original image follows to show the benefit of a little editing. Hampton River, Georgia, 11.09.25 #baldeagle #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

A very aerodynamic Royal Tern in early morning light. Little St. Simons, GA, 11.09.25 #royaltern #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

Piping Plovers in Chicago are a big deal. The Atlantic population, while in decline, is not as critically endangered as the midwest popluation. Little St. Simons, GA 11.10.25 #pipingplover #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

When you visit Norm's Pond on Little St. Simons, you might be lucky enough to see Norm himself, the big male Alligator who rules the pond and protects the rookery. Glynn County GA 11.10.25

Great Blue Heron in flight Little St. Simons, GA, 11.12.25 #greatblueheron #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

Looks like Mr. Red Fox came to visit while I was out of town. (The date accidentally got nudged when I changed the trailcam batteries; it's really 11.9.25, not 2.9.25)

Looking for shorebirds but there was something in the water.

Sometimes when I’m birding I look down instead of up and I get distracted. 59 F but sunny after 2 frigid days; best find so far.

Belted Kingfisher, my nemesis bird. Up until this afternoon I struggled to get within 100 yards of one of these shy birds. #beltedkingfisher #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography

A tale of two Northern Harriers I took the first shot this evening on the East Coast in golden light. I took the second one 2 1/2 weeks go on the West Coast. #northernharrier #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

SO close!

My afternoon commute IYKYK

Into the deep. Humpback, Monterey Bay, CA, 10.23.25 #humpbackwhale #whalewatching

Bending over backwards Elephant Seal, Piedras Blancas Rookery, San Simeon, CA 10.21.25 #elephantseal #wildlifephotography

For such a big guy, he's kind of a scaredy cat. I think the trailcam in a new spot last night spooked him.

Brewer's Blackbird San Simeon, CA, 10.21.25 #brewersblackbird #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

American White Pelican, with a wingspan of 8 to 9.5 feet, second only to the California Condor in North America. Baylands Nature Preserve, Palo Alto, CA, 10.24.25 #americanwhitepelican #Birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

Humpback Whale doing a chin slap. Monterey Bay, CA 10.23.25 #humpbackwhale #montereybay

Elephant Seal with a Great White Shark bite scar. These seals have a layer of blubber that is many inches thick. If the bite doesn't go deeper than the blubber, they can heal nicely with the aid of the salty seawater in which they live. Piedras Blancas Rookery, San Simeon, CA, 10.21.25 #elephantseal

Long-billed Curlew found a Pacific Mole Crab in the sand. Moss Landing, CA 10.24.25 #longbilledcurlew #birding #birdingphotography #birdphotography

Elephant Seals are built to stay warm in cold water. They flip sand over their backs to keep themselves cool and prevent sunburn. Piedras Blancas Rookery, San Simeon, CA, 10.21.25 #elephantseals

Marbled Salamander Johnson County, IL 9.28.25 #marbledsalamander #fieldherping

An actor is never so great as when he reminds you of an animal - falling like a cat, lying like a dog, moving like a fox. Francois Truffaut Lake County, IL 10.18.25 #backyardwildlife #redfox #trailcam #trailcamera

Cooper's Hawk vs. Eastern Gray Squirrel Spoiler: Squirrel gets away. Lake County, IL 10.20.25 #coopershawk #graysquirrel #backyardwildlife #trailcam #trailcamera

Mole Salamanders Johnson County IL 9.27.25 #molesalamander #fieldherping #insituherps

Juvenile (first year) Cooper's Hawk patrolling the bird feeders yesterday evening. Lake County, IL 10.14.25 #coopershawk #backyardbirding #birdphotography #birdingphotography

Plain-bellied Watersnake Those vertical bars on the lips are one characteristic that differentiates harmless common water snakes from venomous Cottonmouths. Jackson County, IL 9.26.25 #plainbelliedwatersnake #watersnake #fieldherping #insituherps

Flying Squirrel antics early this morning. #flyingsquirrel #backyardwildlife #trailcam #trailcamera

Peek a boo! Timber Rattlesnake looking out from his den, high in the bluff some 10 to 12 feet above the ground. Jackson County, IL 2.26.25 #timberrattlesnake #fieldherping #insituherps

Two cooperative Northern Cottonmouths on the trail. Which one of these is the cell phone shot? Jackson County, IL 9.26.25 #cottonmouth #fieldherping #insituherps

Portraits of two Eastern Copperheads: an adult and a neonate. They tend to raise their heads when approached, but don't open their mouths like closely related Cottonmouths do. Jackson County, IL 9.26.25 #copperhead #fieldherping #insituherps

Green Treefrog Union County, IL, 9.25.25 #greentreefrog #fieldherping #insituherps

Red-headed Woodpecker Cook County, IL 10.05.25 #redheadedwoodpecker #birding #birdphotography #birdingphotography

Neonate Eastern Copperhead Both Copperheads and closely related Cottonmouths have neon-yellow tails when they are first born, which they wiggle to lure small frogs and lizards to within striking range. The bright yellow color fades as they grow. #copperhead #fieldherping #insituherps

How not to be seen. Plain-bellied Watersnake, Jackson County, IL 9.26.25 #plainbelliedwatersnake #fieldherping #insituherps

Here's a habitat shot of yesterday's Rough Greensnake. Union County, IL, 9.25.25. #roughgreensnake #fieldherping #insituherps

Rough Greensnake, Union County, IL 9.25.25 "Rough" because each scale has a longitudinal keel or ridge, unlike the Smooth Greensnakes found in Lake County, IL. Rough Greensnakes also are far more arboreal than Smooth Greensnakes. #roughgreensnake #fieldherping #insituherps

The only NATIVE mantis in Illinois: Carolina Mantid (Stagmomantis carolina, first image). Found in the southern 2/3 of IL. The mantids we see in northern IL are not native: Chinese Mantid (Tendodera sinensis, second image)and European Mantis (Mantis religiosa, third image). #prayingmantis

Neonate Cottonmouth (left) and neonate Copperhead (right). Compared to adults, juvenile Cottonmouths are brightly colored and people sometimes confuse them for Copperheads. When you see them side by side the differences are dramatic. Jackson County, IL 9.26.25 #fieldherping #insituherps

Snakes in unlikely places. Here's an Eastern Copperhead on a narrow ledge above a deep pool of water in a cave-like indent in a tall, vertical limestone bluff. Jackson County, IL 9.26.25 #easterncopperhead #fieldherping #insituherps

In the first 10 minutes of our arrival in southern IL, we hiked up this large Timber Rattlesnake with a squirrel-sized lump mid-body. What a beauty! The rest of the weekend only got better. 9.25.25 #timberrattlesnake #fieldherping #insituherps

Did you have a nice weekend, Steve? Why, yes. Yes I did. Timber Rattlesnake #4, Jackson County, IL 9.26.25 #timberrattlesnake #fieldherping #insituherps