In June 2008 I was in a wood-framed blind photographing Northern Gannets as hundreds of them flew to and from their nests on the ground. On several occasions I spotted one bird that flew up over my end of the blind but did not show up on the other side. I went out to investigate, climbed a tree next to the blind, and found this pair building a nest on the blind’s slate roof. Although my position was very awkward for holding my camera, I got several nice shots, including this one of the pair working together to build their nest.

Tri-colored heron juvenile staring down the camera looking like he has had too much coffee

My 11 year old son, Arrow, aspires to be an ornithologist; I’m a park ranger at nearby Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (Southern Colorado). We love birding together. This summer we’ve had the privilege of watching a family of avocets successfully nest in a wetland on our property. From the time the light green speckled eggs were laid on the open shore, the parents have loudly and aggressively defended their young. We quietly keep our distance behind some shrubs to capture scenes of their family life, including this image of the four young learning to feed as they follow their mother. The father was just outside this image, chasing away a killdeer from his family.

The nest site was on the ground within a hollow at the base of a large (living) red oak tree. This oak was located in deep mature woods at the edge of a sharp drop/cliff along a small river. The ‘nest’ contained no nesting material. This photo,taken on April 15, 2015, shows the first of two eggs (approximately 3.5-4 inches long; note the size of oak leaves in the photo). I carefully revisited the nest on June 29, 2015 and there were two chicken-sized black vulture chicks with dirty white down feathers. I could smell the stench of the nest site about 75 feet away from the nest. The adults were not present during either visit.

While visiting the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum and their amazing Hummingbird House, I had a great time watch the various hummers buzz around. But it’s always fascinating to see these active birds when they stop. So glad for the Museum; so grateful for this shot.

While visiting Nickerson Beach along the south west coast of Long Island, I was amazed at the number and types of breeding shorebirds …. common terns, oystercatachers, skimmer terns, piping plovers … all of which were there in great numbers tending to their nests and young in the dune and sandy areas. This photo is one of thousands I took of common terns on their eggs and with their chicks … where this chick seems actions speak louder than words about how much it loves it’s mommy.

Tree swallows begging for a meal

Nest is about 10 feet above ground in a 35′ Blue Spruce in Evergreen CO at 7500′ in elevation. Babies were about 7-10 days old at this point in time. Canon 6D at 400mm.

Taken at Kensington Metropark in May 2015. This sandhill crane chick looks like he is checking out his reflection, just like the ugly duckling. In fact, his mother had just dropped a seed kernel in the water for him. How can you not love this sandy colored ball of fuzz with those amazingly flexible legs!

Amazing that they are so capable within days of hatching.

Mourning Doves nesting in my backyard

A clutch of 8 Mountain Bluebird eggs in one of 49 nest boxes along Rocky Mtn. Road in SW Montana.

This beauty tended her nest faithfully. Two weeks after I found her, and she posed, an unknown marauder toppled her nest. There was nothing left.

Baby Great Horned Owl watching as mom catches a few rays on this sunny day.

After swimming in the pond and grubbing in the grass, the goose parents took their brood to the edge of the pond for a snooze. The cute little goslings were all piled together into one big ball of fluff, while out of camera range their ever vigilant parents kept watch for intruders.

Baby loon on mum’s back

I have heard about the artificial burrow that US Fish and Wildlife and Cornell Labs are installing at Salton Sea to help protect the Burrowing Owls, but this was the first time I saw one that was being used. I had arrived at the burrow before sunrise under the cover of darkness and lied flat on the ground with my long telephoto lens. This nest location is very close to the road and the parents are fairly tolerant, but I wanted to impose minimum stress on them. I did not know that they had chicks, so when this chick emerged from the burrow right after sunrise, both the chick and I were surprised to see one another eye to eye.

A Rufous Hummingbird renovated and re-used last years nest in a fir tree. It was right off the gable end of a house so I was able to sit on the peak of the roof and get this shot. I sent up a webcam and lots of people watched as the chick, “Rusty”, developed and eventually fledged. Rusty was the sole hatchling from a pair of eggs which were laid and he thrived.

An American Redstart working on her silky nest

A Wood Duck duckling runs across the surface of Sequoia Park’s duck pond in order to catch up with its mother and siblings.