Gallery

Wildlife

A loon at dawn on a northern lake, a bald eagle at the top of a white pine, a black oystercatcher working the tideflat at low tide. These photographs come from patient hours outdoors, from Wisconsin woods and gardens to the Oregon coast: animals seen on their own terms, in the light they live in.

11 photographs

Common loon on lake water with both wings spread wide, black head and white-checkered back — Common Loon at DawnA common loon rises and spreads both wings on a gray northern lake, the early light catching the white checkering on its back. Summer morning, water barely moving.

Orange and pale sea stars on a barnacle-crusted tidal rock beside brown kelp and rockweed in shallow water — Sea Stars at Low TideOchre sea stars press against a barnacled shelf on the Oregon coast, uncovered by a morning low tide with bull kelp and rockweed draped over the rock.

Dark shorebird with orange-red bill and pink legs standing on wet rocks among mussel beds and eelgrass — Black Oystercatcher on the TideflatA black oystercatcher works the exposed rock and eelgrass at low tide on the Oregon coast, its red bill the only bright note under flat July overcast.

Bald eagle perched atop a pine tree against an overcast gray sky — Bald Eagle in the PineA bald eagle sits at the top of a white pine under flat gray cloud, feathers ruffled by the damp air.

Monarch butterfly with folded wings perched on orange zinnia flowers above green leaves and wood mulch — Monarch on Late-Summer ZinniasA monarch feeds on orange zinnias in a mulched garden bed, wings folded against the flat light of midday in late August.

Webbed bird tracks crossing rippled dry sand, each print edged with shadow in low sunlight — Gull Tracks in Morning SandA line of webbed bird tracks crosses rippled dry sand on the Oregon coast, low summer sun raking across each print and dune crest.

Ring-billed gull perched on a wooden dock piling with a white cabin cruiser blurred behind it — Gull on a Dock PilingA ring-billed gull holds a weathered piling at the edge of a marina while a moored cabin cruiser blurs into the midday haze behind it. Late-summer light flattens the water and the far shoreline of trees.

Eastern chipmunk sitting on a gray stone beside brown mulch, with green iris leaves above — Chipmunk on a Garden StoneAn eastern chipmunk pauses on a lichen-flecked stone at the edge of a mulched bed, iris leaves arching overhead in the flat light of a July morning.

Brown walkingstick insect on a white birch trunk, legs splayed, green leaves blurred behind — Walkingstick on Birch BarkA northern walkingstick clings head-down to a white birch trunk in late August, its dark body and thread-thin legs set against the pale, lenticel-streaked bark. Evening light filters through the leaves behind it.

Black cat with pale eyes sitting beside a wooden fence post and woven wire fence near hay — Barn Cat By FenceA black cat settles against a hay pile beside a weathered fence post, holding still and watching the camera. Faint flecks of falling snow drift across the November light.

Tan goat standing on a grass-covered sloped roof, trees behind, sunlight through its ears — Goat on the Sod RoofA tan goat stands along the ridge of a grass-covered roof, ears catching the midday sun with conifers filling the background.