Saw-whet Owl Box Monitoring

Happy Wednesday out there, everyone! This is the first of two posts from a pair of unique experiences I had earlier this season. First, I joined local owl enthusiast Andrew Fisher as he checked nesting boxes in the Anchorage area. Using an endoscope that broadcasts a live image onto his phone, he was able to peer into the boxes to see whether they were occupied and had clutches of eggs. Andrew builds and maintains these boxes on a volunteer basis to support the growing population of northern saw-whet owls in Southcentral Alaska. After determining which boxes were occupied, I later joined Andrew and a biologist with the State of Alaska to observe and photograph the banding of several fledglings. I will share those photos in the coming days, so please stay tuned.

Have a great day and thank you for following along!

Colin

Adult northern saw-whet owl.

Adult northern saw-whet owl.

_CTB3202.jpg
_CTB3185.jpg


August 2020 Iceland Tour Postponed

Well, last week we got word that Iceland will not be allowing visitors from the US at this time. Prior to then it seemed they were going to add us to the list of countries who are welcome but their government ultimately decided to follow the same plan for reopening as the EU and with the number of rising Covid-19 cases here, we do not meet the criteria. Michael L Haring and I had not choice but to postpone the August tour until 2021, which is disappointing but also completely understandable. The good news is that all of our guests are on board for next year and once things look more promising, we will nail down the dates for August of 2021 so please stay tuned for that!

All the best,

Colin

Seljalondsfoss, Iceland

Seljalondsfoss, Iceland


Mealtime

A female great horned owl shares a snowshoe hare with her offspring. This was taken shortly before the juvenile began flying. I observed them sharing a red squirrel high in a cottonwood tree a few days later but since junior is airborne they seem to have moved to new hunting grounds.

Have a great Monday out there and thank you for following along!

Colin

Great Horned Owls, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Great Horned Owls, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

July Photo Class

Hey everyone, I am going to be offering an introductory photo class next month at the Eagle River Nature Center! I will hold a Zoom presentation for all of the attendees on Friday, July 24 at 6 pm and schedule individual two-hour outdoor sessions with everyone on Saturday, July 25. Cost is $75 and there are only 6 spots so if you or someone you know is interested, please follow the link below to register and feel free to share!

https://www.ernc.org/courses/nature-photography-workshop

PS - I am looking into offering a more advanced photography class later in the summer for those who have attended one my intro classes, so stay tuned for that...

Thank you,

Colin

Summer Wildflowers, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Summer Wildflowers, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska


Hiding Among the Grasses

With the wild grasses and flowers reaching their peak seasonal growth, it's easy for large mammals to remain hidden from sight at close proximity. I took this yesterday morning as the sow black bear was grazing next to the trail. The cubs aren't yet tall enough to spot when they're on the ground so I watch for moving vegetation to monitor their whereabouts.

Colin

Black Bear, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Black Bear, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Masters of Disguise

The great horned owl is a master of disguise. I wonder how many times I've walked right past one of these large birds, completely unaware that I was being watched. I believe I've developed a discerning eye for particular shapes and textures that has led to more owl sightings. It's like the four-leafed clover in that once you believe they are omnipresent they begin to reveal themselves, but believing is half of the battle.

Have a great Wednesday - keep your eyes and your mind open to what might be lurking nearby!

Colin

Great Horned Owl, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Great Horned Owl, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Great Horned Owl, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Great Horned Owl, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Great Horned Owl, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Great Horned Owl, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska


Nature Photography Day 2020

Happy Nature Photography Day 2020! In addition to recognizing the art of nature and wildlife photography today, I am also happy to announce that my Facebook page surpassed 5,000 followers this past weekend! I could not have reached this milestone without all of your likes, comments, shares, and of course, sales & tour bookings. Facebook has been integral to growing my business and your steadfast support has allowed me to continue to do what I do best. Here is a great horned owl image that I captured recently, the first of several that I will be sharing in the coming days.

Thanks again and have a great week!

Colin

Great Horned Owl, Chugach State Park, Alaska

Great Horned Owl, Chugach State Park, Alaska

World Oceans Day 2020

Three bodies of water representing two different continents and hemispheres - The Tasman Sea from the south island of New Zealand, a humpback whale in Alaska's Prince William Sound, a sunset splash in Puget Sound, Washington - Happy World Oceans Day 2020! May we be better stewards of our precious oceans going forward and fully appreciate the vital role they play to all species. We can all do our part by first reducing and ultimately eliminating plastic waste.

Have a great Monday out there and remember that as a consumer, you have the power to effect real change by choosing which products you purchase and taking simple steps like using reusable shopping bags.

Colin

#saveouroceans #worldoceansday2020

Sunset from Haast, New Zealand’s South Island

Sunset from Haast, New Zealand’s South Island

Humpback Whale Breaching in Prince William Sound, Alaska

Humpback Whale Breaching in Prince William Sound, Alaska

Sunset plash in Puget Sound, Whidbey Island, Washington

Sunset plash in Puget Sound, Whidbey Island, Washington

The Day the Branches Won

May 28, 2020, the day the branches won. As Homer Simpson would say: “D’oh!” There’s nothing like having a great photo line up for you, only to have a stray piece of vegetation get in your way at the perfect moment. These photos were taken within minutes of each other – a great horned owl perched almost eye-level with a branch directly across its face and a black bear cub riding on mom’s back just as they stepped behind a wild rose plant. It wasn’t the first time, nor will it be the last, and it makes those long-sought “perfect moments” that much more rewarding.

Have a great day out there thank you for following along!

Colin

Great Horned Owl, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Great Horned Owl, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Black Bear Sow and Cubs, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska

Black Bear Sow and Cubs, Eagle River Nature Center, Alaska