Welcome to my blog.
I document my adventures in travel and birding. My thoughts and experiences are illustrated with captivating photography. My photos are the characters of my stories.
Hope you enjoy your visit!
How a photographer discovered several fascinating aspects of Western Bluebird nesting behaviors rarely seen.
Where can I see California Condors in the wild? You can see them at Pinnacles National Park. Follow this suspenseful, but often humorous story about the writer’s efforts to photograph one of the rarest birds on earth. Learn about the condor’s fascinating life history, efforts to save the species from extinction, and the best time to go looking for them.
He had a challenger: another male kinglet intruding upon his fiefdom, and that individual was hiding in, or around, of all places, my wife’s pickup truck that was parked alongside the driveway.
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet would descend from the adjacent trees and, with relentless tenacity, make rounds of the various reflective surfaces of the truck, with particular attention focused upon the front bumper. Then, most likely exhausted after several minutes of extreme exertion, he would disappear into the surrounding foliage, only to remount his siege of the truck five or ten minutes later. His dazzling display of dominion was exhausting to watch, and I was just sitting on the ground. My prince valiant hopped onto every reflective surface of the truck …. onto the front bumper, then the rear bumper, onto the windshield, then the side mirrors, even the passenger side window, fluttering its wings feverishly, pecking and scratching at his rival. Again and again. Photos and video
All you need to know about when baby bluebirds leave the nest , and how they become fledglings. What bluebird parents feed the chicks and how often. Eye-witness observations of a Western Bluebird nest box, illustrated with photos and video of all the activity that goes on in a nest.
The “dawn chorus” of birds occurs in the spring, in the early morning hours. From the darkness of night, until past sunrise, various bird species make their presence known, but not at the same time. The amount of available light will trigger vocalizations differently, earlier or later, depending upon the species. Listen to vocalizations of keystone species, and review a catalogue of the birds that appear in the oak woodlands of California.
Cedar Waxwings forage for fruit throughout their North American range. Learn how to identify these frugivorous birds by their behaviors and field marks in this photo / video illustrated account of personal sightings by photographer Robert Groos,
An adult California Thrasher leaves its offspring momentarily while it goes to look for more food to share. In the interim, an adult female California Quail passes nearby. The thrasher chick crouches and begs for food from the quail. Surprisingly, the adult quail responds to the begging and puts something into the thrasher’s mouth. This most improbable interaction between two different species is clearly captured in the photos that illustrate the drama of this true story.
Photographing small birds like Bushtits is always a challenge because they move quickly from branch to branch. Bushtit nests are shaped like tube socks and very fragile. I photographed Bushtit nestlings in a nest that was depredated by neighboring scrub jays before the chicks were old enough to leave the nest.
Mergansers are as difficult to photograph as they are stunningly gorgeous. To capture some portraits of these beautiful ducks, I went to great lengths, on land and on the water, to to find a way to get close without spooking them. This article explains how my photos of Hooded and Common Mergansers came about. The story is illustrated by still and video photography.
Hundreds of thousands of Sandhill Cranes converge on the Platte River in March each year. The Crane Trust in Grand Island, Nebraska offers the opportunity to experience the world’s largest concentration of cranes in close proximity. It is truly a magical experience, as described in this article.
Fear and fascination were my companions one eventful October night. When darkness falls, the mystery of the unknown is most certain to stir human imagination. If you’ve ever heard the call of an owl in the dead of night, you know how fully it grabs your attention. Learn about the eyes of the Great Horned Owl, how it is able to rotate its head in a 270° arc, and its daylight activity in this photo illustrated story about an owl that hooted atop of my chimney.
A true, photo illustrated life and death story about California Thrashers. When a California Thrasher pair began courtship displays on my property, I set out to document their behavior in hope of eventually photographing their offspring. Tragically, a neighbor’s cat ate one of the thrashers before breeding season began. The remaining bird later paired with a new mate nearby. They brought their fledglings to my property to forage, and gave me the birding surprise of my life.
The California Scrub-Jay can remember the past, and plan for the future. They have the ability to understand and predict the behavior of other birds, a mental process called “theory of mind.” In this photo-illustrated article, you will learn about the fascinating behavior of these intelligent birds, and their vital role in the disbursement of acorns across the oak woodlands.
Seeing an ecosystem at work was an enlightening part of my safari experience in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. From the trees, bushes, and grasses that provide cover for prey and predator alike, as well as food for a variety of species foraging at different heights, to animals, their remains, and insects whose livelihood support each other, I witnessed so many interactions it is difficult to harness it all in a short article. I’ll give it a whirl, though. Fully illustrated with stunning still and video photography.
An eventful safari experience in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. Photos and video illustrate leopard hunting behavior and a battle with hyena for prey.
A lion with a fresh zebra kill. Right before our very eyes, less than 40 feet away. Something we were hoping to see on our safari in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. And that was just the beginning of our safari adventure which brought us up close to lions, leopards, hippos, elephants, giraffes, and birds, so many birds, and so much more. Story illustrated by graphic photos and videos.
The Acorn Woodpecker is the voice of the oak woodland foothills of California where I live. Their riotous laughter, immortalized by cartoon animator Walter Lantz, is the signature sound of this woodpecker species that forages in the air and the oak canopy for insects and acorns. Utility poles are a favorite site for their communal granaries. This humorous, photo-illustrated article explains the endearing, gregarious behavior I am fortunate to observe every day.
A flock of Wild Turkeys forage daily on my property in the spring. One decides this is a good place to nest and lay twelve eggs. On a moonlit light, she is attacked by coyotes and raccoons. Video and still photography record the harrowing experience. I named this turkey Matilda for the way she waltzed into my life, and profoundly changed my understanding of what it is like to be a wild bird. A true story abut birds in the oak woodland foothills of California.
Stepping out of my garage one morning, I came face to face with an egg bandit. Before me stood a Wild Turkey with an egg in its bill. In the following days, two more turkeys appeared in my yard carrying eggs in their bill. Where were these turkeys finding the eggs? In this photo-illustrated article, you will learn about nest predation by Wild Turkeys.
Two Western Bluebirds launched themselves up into the open sky over my property one spring morning. They raced in circles above the tree canopy, one chasing the other. Their routine culminated with a vertical ascent, wings flapping in tandem while they touched toe to toe. They repeated this spectacle several times, accompanied all the while by a sublime iteration of their jubilant vocalizations. In this photo and video illustrated story, you will read about their successful fledging of two chicks.
