Wildlife

Hawaii Humpback Whale Photo of the Day Wildlife

Photo of a Humpback Whale Singing

A humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) singing, Hawaii. This was shot under research permit as part of the research activities of the Hawaii Whale Research Foundation. It is virtually certain that only male humpback whales sing since genetic sampling of singers has never revealed a female. This one was hanging motionless…

adminFebruary 11, 2007

California Ocean Sunfish Photo of the Day San Diego Wildlife

Photo of a Mola Mola and Diver

Here's my friend Mike Johnson photographing a large ocean sunfish (Mola mola) offshore of San Diego. Ocean sunfish and freediving photographer, open ocean.Image ID: 03491Species: Ocean sunfish, Mola molaLocation: San Diego, California, USA More ocean sunfish photos.

adminJanuary 31, 2007

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

Pelican Portrait

See our Guide to Photographing Pelicans in La Jolla. Another stop at the California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) in La Jolla before running an errand in San Diego. This time testing the sharpness of a 500mm f/4 and a 2x teleconverter. Here is a snap. Brown pelican, winter adult breeding…

adminJanuary 19, 2007

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

California Brown Pelican Photo

See our Guide to Photographing Pelicans in La Jolla. I went down to one of my favorite spots in La Jolla yesterday morning, one I have visited each winter since the late '80s, to test out a lens combination on the California brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) that rest along the…

adminJanuary 16, 2007

Aerial Photography Blue Whale Wildlife

Blue Whale Photo in BBC Wildlife

BBC Wildlife is the finest wildlife magazine in the UK and Europe, and one in which I have enjoyed seeing my images occasionally appear. The November 2006 issue has a nice article about blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), authored by Anna McKibbin, leading with a two-page spread of a shot I…

adminNovember 29, 2006

Bahamas Sharks Underwater Photography

Caribbean Reef Shark Photo

This Caribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus perezi) was shot late afternoon on a seamount in the Northern Bahamas. There were so many reef sharks it was crazy. They smelled the small bait box that I was sitting on and were quite bold, bouncing off my shoulders, tank, my head and arms…

adminNovember 14, 2006

Sharks

Blue Shark Photo

In the late 80s and 90s we used to leave the docks really early on summer mornings, motor 10-20 miles offshore in our little boats, far enough to get into really blue and bottemless water, drop a bucket of chum in the water, and make bets on when the blue…

adminNovember 11, 2006

Alaska Brown Bear Katmai National Parks Photo of the Day Wildlife

Brooks Camp, Katmai National Park, Alaska

Some Thoughts on Visiting Brooks Camp, Katmai National Park, Alaska to See Coastal Brown Bears (Ursus arctos) Coastal brown bear (Ursus arctos), near the bridge, Brooks Camp, Katmai National Park, Alaska Brooks Camp is located in the heart of Katmai National Park, Alaska. Long famous for its world-class fishing, spectacular…

adminOctober 10, 2006

Birds California San Diego

Black Skimmer, San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge

The last light of the day caught the underside of this black skimmer (Rynchops niger): Black skimmer forages by flying over shallow water with its lower mandible dipping below the surface for small fish.Image ID: 17420Species: Black skimmer, Rynchops nigerLocation: San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, California, USA

adminSeptember 23, 2006

Galapagos Diaries Sharks Underwater Life

Hammerhead Shark Silhouette

This lone hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) was photographed at Darwin's Arch, Darwin Island, Galapagos Archipelago, Ecuador: Scalloped hammerhead shark, black and white / grainy.Image ID: 16265Species: Scalloped hammerhead shark, Sphyrna lewiniLocation: Darwin Island, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

adminSeptember 22, 2006

Aerial Photography Blue Whale California Wildlife

Blue Whale Aerial Photo

This blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), was photographed offshore of the coast of Baja California, Mexico: Keywords: blue whale photos, Balaenoptera musculus

adminSeptember 20, 2006

Alaska Kenai Fjords Marine Life

Sea Otter Photo

This sea otter (Enhydra lutris), was photographed in Resurrection Bay, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska: Sea otter.Image ID: 16940Species: Sea otter, Enhydra lutrisLocation: Resurrection Bay, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska, USA Keywords: sea otter photos, Enhydra lutris

adminSeptember 19, 2006

Alaska Brown Bear Katmai

Patient Bear, Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska

This brown bear knows why it's called "fishing" and not "catching". On this overcast morning he waited nearly motionless atop the falls for an hour, watching the churning pools below the falls, before a school of salmon came up the river and gave him opportunities to catch a meal. Brooks…

adminSeptember 18, 2006

Birds California San Diego

Photo of a Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger), San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Don Hill recommended a few spots in San Diego for me to see fall seabirds. Inspired by Don's great shots I drove down to take a look and was pleasantly surprised by all the bird life in the bay. This black skimmer (Rynchops niger) was photographed in the San Diego…

adminSeptember 17, 2006

Birds California San Diego

Avian Surfer, Black Skimmer, San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge

This black skimmer (Rynchops niger) was photographed in the San Diego Bay. Black skimmer forages by flying over shallow water with its lower mandible dipping below the surface for small fish.Image ID: 17419Species: Black skimmer, Rynchops nigerLocation: San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, California, USA

adminSeptember 16, 2006

California Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird Wildlife

Brown Pelican Photo

See my Guide to Photographing Pelicans in La Jolla. This brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus) is coming in for a landing on the cliffs of La Jolla, California, just after sunrise: Brown pelican in flight. The wingspan of the brown pelican is over 7 feet wide. The California race of…

adminSeptember 8, 2006

Alaska Brown Bear Katmai

Waiting For Fish, Brown Bears, Brooks Falls, Katmai National Park, Alaska

These two brown bears know why its called "fishing" and not "catching". On this overcast morning they waited nearly motionless atop the falls for an hour, watching the churning pools below the falls, before a school of salmon came up the river and gave them opportunities to catch a meal.…

adminSeptember 6, 2006

Alaska Brown Bear Katmai Wildlife

Kung Fu Bear, Brown Bear Cub, Katmai National Park, Alaska

This spring brown bear cub had major Kung Fu attitude, adopting his best Bruce Lee stance when he stood up to see above the tall grass: Brown bear cub, a few months old.Image ID: 17217Species: Brown bear, Ursus arctosLocation: Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA Keywords: Brown bear photos,…

adminSeptember 5, 2006

Alaska Katmai Kenai Fjords National Parks Wildlife

Alaska Photos (2006)

I have posted 382 photos from my 10-day trip to visit Alaska's Kenai Fjords National Park and Katmai National Park, including sea otters (Enhydra lutris), Stellar sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), and most notably, brown bears (Ursus arctos, also known as grizzly bears). Here are a few: Sea otter.Image ID: 16940Species:…

adminSeptember 3, 2006

Alaska Brown Bear Katmai Wildlife

Whisper Bear

Psst, hey buddy, the salmon fishing sucks here and I'm starving. On three I say we bust a move and take out that white-meat photographer over there... Brown bear (grizzly bear).Image ID: 17158Species: Brown bear, Ursus arctosLocation: Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska, USA See also: Photos of brown bears…

adminAugust 21, 2006

Alaska Brown Bear Katmai

Photo of Grizzly Bears Fighting

The brown bear on the right, which we nicknamed Scarface for his battered head bearing many previous scars, got hammered hard by the boar on the left. Scarface was not having any luck catching salmon and tried to steal a fish from the one on the left. Big mistake. The…

adminAugust 11, 2006

Alaska Brown Bear Katmai National Parks Wildlife

Photo of Brown Bear Catching Salmon

This Alaskan Brown Bear (or grizzly bear, Ursus arctos) was quite skilled at catching salmon jumping up falls. He had honed his technique and was expert at energy conservation, barely moving until the moment he would suddenly snag a salmon in midair, then barely moving again as he ate it.…

adminAugust 10, 2006

Great White Shark Guadalupe Island Mexico Sharks

Guadalupe Island White Shark ID Project

I had an interesting conversation with Nicole Nasby Lucas of the Pfleger Institute of Environmental Research yesterday. Ms. Lucas and PIER co-founder Michael Domeier PhD have been conducting a capture/recapture study on great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) at Guadalupe Island, Mexico, building a database of identification photos and video of…

adminAugust 9, 2006

Channel Islands Fish Underwater Life

Torpedo Ray Photo

In this photo a California torpedo ray (Torpedo californica), or electric ray, is hovering amid the kelp forest while my diving partner Brad Silva is filming it with his bright torchlights and video camera. Santa Rosa Island, Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, California. Pacific torpedo ray in kelp forest, filming…

adminAugust 8, 2006

Galapagos Diaries Sharks Underwater Life

Galapagos Photos

I have posted 575 new images shot on my latest Galapagos Islands diving trip, a 15-day run on the liveaboard M/V Sky Dancer. We had phenomenal encounters with schools of hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini), literally by the hundreds and thousands on nearly all dives at Wolf and Darwin, not to…

adminAugust 7, 2006

Alaska Brown Bear Katmai National Parks Wildlife

Alaskan Brown Bear Learning to Catch Fish in Brooks River

This young Alaskan brown bear (Ursus arctos) waited patiently for the bruisers to get their fill and leave the prime spots above the falls before he was able to go in and have a turn. He had not really figured out how best to catch the fish in mid-air and…

adminJuly 31, 2006

Blue Whale California San Diego Wildlife

Photo of a Blue Whale Fluke

Check out the fluke on this blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) , fringed with barnacles and sporting what is almost certainly an orca bite on the left lobe: See also whale fluke photos.

adminJuly 2, 2006

Blue Whale California Wildlife

Summer Is Here Now

Summer has not officially started until I have seen a blue whale. My first blue whale photo of 2006: I got out recently with Mike Johnson and we saw a few blue whales.

adminJune 22, 2006

Birds California Seabird Wildlife

Western Gull, Larus occidentalis

The Western gull, Larus occidentalis, is a large white-headed gull common along the western coast of North America. The Western gull ranges from British Columbia to Baja California. It is exclusively marine, and nests on offshore rocks and islands. While offshore it feeds on fishes and invertebrates that it can…

adminApril 18, 2006

Invertebrate Marine Life Underwater Life

Photo of a Corynactis Anemone

The Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific recently arranged to use one of our photographs of the tiny Corynactis californica anemone for a huge wall mural, to be hung in the coming month. It reminded me of how cool these small creatures are, and how many times I have hunkered…

adminApril 17, 2006

Ocean Sunfish Wildlife

Sport Diver Cover

My photograph of an ocean sunfish alongside drift kelp appeared on the June 2003 cover of Sport Diver magazine: Ocean sunfish recruiting fish near drift kelp to clean parasites, open ocean, Baja California.Image ID: 03267Species: Ocean sunfish, Mola mola Keywords: Mola mola, ocean sunfish photos.

adminApril 12, 2006

California Elephant Seal Wildlife

Piedras Blancas Elephant Seals

We have been visiting the Piedras Blancas rookery of northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) since early 1991, when it was newly colonized by animals from the San Miguel, San Nicholas and Ano Nuevo rookeries, and have watched it grow to its current size. We have had the good fortune to…

adminMarch 1, 2006

Pelicans of La Jolla Seabird

Pelican Head Throw

See my Guide to Photographing Pelicans in La Jolla. Here are a few photos of California brown pelicans performing the pelican head throw, also known as the pelican bill throw. It looks painful. The brown pelican lifts its large bill up, arches its neck back until the throat gular pouch…

adminFebruary 1, 2006

California Desert Wildlife

Photo of Desert Bighorn Sheep

The Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni) found in southwestern California, is a subspecies of the North American desert bighorn sheep that occupies the rocky and arid Mojave and Senoran deserts of the American southwest and northern Mexico. Desert bighorn sheep, male ram. The desert bighorn sheep occupies dry, rocky…

adminNovember 22, 2005

Hawaii Humpback Whale Underwater Life Wildlife

Photos of Humpback Whale Bubble Displays

Humpback whales are famous for their use of bubbles to "net" prey, especially in Alaska where coordinated bubble netting among groups of humpback whales is often seen. However, humpbacks also commonly use bubble displays and air releases in their social interactions in warm waters. It is thought the these bubble…

adminJune 23, 2005

California Natural World Ocean Sunfish Stories Underwater Life Wildlife

The Kelp Forest :: Part IV

Further to the south, Santa Barbara and Catalina Island kelp forests offer somewhat less profuse animal life but warmer and clearer waters. While I don't dive these two islands often anymore, I do dive kelp originating from these islands throughout the summer: drift kelp. I was introduced to the notion…

adminJune 11, 2005

Bahamas Sharks Underwater Photography Wildlife

Lemon Shark Photo, Northern Bahamas

On our recent trip to the Northern Bahamas in search of sharks, we encountered lots of lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) alongside the tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier). The lemon sharks were comfortable coming in for a close look and afforded literally hundreds of good photo opportunities on a single 90 minute…

adminMarch 21, 2005

Islas Coronado Mexico Sea Lion

California Sea Lions, Baja California

Each winter California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) gather in the hundreds on the rock slopes of North Coronado Island, just south of the US/Mexico border. The bottom diving is unremarkable here the remainder of the year, but when the sea lions are gathered in such numbers it is worth making…

adminMarch 15, 2005

Bahamas Sharks Underwater Photography

Tiger Shark and Keith Grundy, Northern Bahamas

We recently spent 8 days on the MV Shearwater in the Northern Bahamas, in search of various species of sharks to swim with and photograph. The most impressive of the ones we encountered were the tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier). They ranged in size from 9 feet to perhaps 14 feet,…

adminMarch 12, 2005

Environmental Problems Humpback Whale Marine Life Ocean Sunfish

Photos of Boat Strikes of Marine Animals

Boat strikes of marine animals are increasingly common, for obvious reasons. It is disappointing to observe a marine animal severely or mortally wounded by a collision with a boat. We have encountered several marine animals bearing unmistakable boat propeller scars: North Pacific humpback whale showing extensive scarring, almost certainly from…

adminMarch 8, 2005

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