Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Spring flows in Tenaya Creek, Yosemite National Park

Spring flows in Tenaya Creek in Yosemite National Park
Tenaya Creek, laden with heavy spring rain and snow melt, rushes over a cascade near Mirror Lake

I recently spent some time digging through my archives from a May 2011 trip to Yosemite National Park. I had processed some of my favorites right after the trip, but it was fun to delve a little deeper for images I had initially overlooked. It's so easy to get caught up in the dramatic rock faces, that I had passed over some of the more intimate scenes I stopped to photograph along the way. I found a few "new" images that I'm excited about, including this one, but what stood out to me the most during this exercise was the incredible beauty of Yosemite National Park. We only spent a couple of days in the valley on that trip, but there are so many stunning scenes. It is a photographic regret of mine that we didn't spend more time in that incredible place while living in California -- but it's nice to have a list of good reasons to go back and visit!

View more landscape photography from Yosemite National Park


Friday, November 14, 2014

Sanderling splash, Parker River National Wildlife Refuge

Sanderling splashing as it takes a bath at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge
A sanderling ruffles its feathers and splashes water as it bathes in the shallows at Parker River NWR

When I photographed this flock of sanderlings at the Lot 6 Beach in Parker River National Wildlife Refuge last month, I set up in my ground level position fairly near to the edge of the receding tide. I barely had to move over the next 45 minutes as the flock surrounded me and the birds went about their collective evening routines. It was a delight to share space with them in the fading light, but especially to watch the birds wade and bathe in the shallow water of the ebbing tide. I had never been quite this close to a splashing shorebird before, but I'd love to have the chance to repeat the experience again!

View more photographs of sanderlings


Monday, November 10, 2014

Quail portrait on a fencepost, Point Reyes National Seashore

Quail portrait on a fencepost in Point Reyes National Seashore
A California quail posing on a fencepost near Abbott's Lagoon in Point Reyes National Seashore

I've been posting a lot of shorebirds lately since I've had some great recent outings in the area, but I still have a backlog of images from my five day trip to Point Reyes National Seashore over the summer. As I always do while in the park, I was constantly scanning for opportunities to photograph California quail. This particular male perched himself on a relatively plain fencepost, but in front of a nicely colored hillside for a backdrop.

View more of my photographs of California quail.