Leighton Photography & Imaging

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  • An American snout moth resting on a fern on West Tiger Mountain in Washington. These common moths are found across much of North America, but when they are found in more northern mountainous regions, the bold patterns tend to have less contrast and blend together rather than show distinct bands.
    American Snout
  • American lotus flower and pads on Lake Jackson in Tallahassee, Florida.
    American Lotus
  • The American strawberry bush - also known by many other names such as the "hearts-a-bustin" and "hearts-bustin'-with-love", this member of the bittersweet family is one of those oddly beautiful plants you find sometimes in autumn while out in some of the more remote places in the Untied States. Found in all of the eastern states (excluding New England), most of the lower Midwest states, and as far west as Texas and Oklahoma, it literally looks like a strawberry growing on a shrub that is bursting with bright red seeds exposed within. As with many red-colored fruits in nature, this is best not to be eaten, as it has been reported to induce severe diarrhea in humans. The leaves, bark and stems are enjoyed by deer and other native wildlife who spread the seeds after consumption. This was found in Florida's Ocala National Forest near Juniper Springs.
    American Strawberry Bush
  • The American strawberry bush - also known by many other names such as the "hearts-a-bustin" and "hearts-bustin'-with-love", this member of the bittersweet family is one of those oddly beautiful plants you find sometimes in autumn while out in some of the more remote places in the Untied States. Found in all of the eastern states (excluding New England), most of the lower Midwest states, and as far west as Texas and Oklahoma, it literally looks like a strawberry growing on a shrub that is bursting with bright red seeds exposed within. As with many red-colored fruits in nature, this is best not to be eaten, as it has been reported to induce severe diarrhea in humans. The leaves, bark and stems are enjoyed by deer and other native wildlife who spread the seeds after consumption. This was found in Florida's Ocala National Forest near Juniper Springs.
    American Strawberry Bush
  • The American strawberry bush - also known by many other names such as the "hearts-a-bustin" and "hearts-bustin'-with-love", this member of the bittersweet family is one of those oddly beautiful plants you find sometimes in autumn while out in some of the more remote places in the Untied States. Found in all of the eastern states (excluding New England), most of the lower Midwest states, and as far west as Texas and Oklahoma, it literally looks like a strawberry growing on a shrub that is bursting with bright red seeds exposed within. As with many red-colored fruits in nature, this is best not to be eaten, as it has been reported to induce severe diarrhea in humans. The leaves, bark and stems are enjoyed by deer and other native wildlife who spread the seeds after consumption. This was found in Florida's Ocala National Forest near Juniper Springs.
    American Strawberry Bush
  • The American strawberry bush - also known by many other names such as the "hearts-a-bustin" and "hearts-bustin'-with-love", this member of the bittersweet family is one of those oddly beautiful plants you find sometimes in autumn while out in some of the more remote places in the Untied States. Found in all of the eastern states (excluding New England), most of the lower Midwest states, and as far west as Texas and Oklahoma, it literally looks like a strawberry growing on a shrub that is bursting with bright red seeds exposed within. As with many red-colored fruits in nature, this is best not to be eaten, as it has been reported to induce severe diarrhea in humans. The leaves, bark and stems are enjoyed by deer and other native wildlife who spread the seeds after consumption. This was found in Florida's Ocala National Forest near Juniper Springs.
    American Strawberry Bush
  • Mouse-like in appearance, the American pika is a relative of rabbits and hares and is not a rodent. This one on Mount Rainier remained alert with the occasional surprisingly loud bark that is meant as an "intruder alert" alarm for other members of the colony. At least two different individuals were taking turns as I wound my way through the rocky trail across their home territory.
    American Pika
  • An American pika stands guard over its rocky scree near Lake Mowich on Mount Rainier. Like most of these rabbit-relatives, pikas send out a loud, barking warning to let others know that a potential threat has wandered into their territory.
    American Pika
  • American germander, also known as Canadian germander or wood sage, is a native member of the mint family. It is found growing wild in moist or wet habitats in every American continental state and every Canadian  province except for Newfoundland, Alberta and Alaska. Pollinated by long-tongued species of the bee family, it also attracts many types of butterflies and hummingbirds. This freshly blooming germander was photographed on the Arkansas/Missouri border next to a lake in early summer.
    American Germander
  • An American pika stands its post on a rock-covered hillside near Cascade Pass in Northern Washington's North Cascades National Park at about 4000 feet in elevation.
    American Pika
  • One of the most common birds found across North America, this American robin perches in a tree on a cold winter morning in Western Washington at the base of the Nisqually River.
    American Robin
  • This member of the Amanita mushroom family was found growing in the Fakahatchee Strand of Southwest Florida's Western Everglades. This emerging American Caesar's mushroom is a rare exception to a family of lethally poisonous mushrooms that are responsible for 90% of mushroom-related deaths around the world. This one is known to be be both edible and tasty.
    American Caesar's Mushroom
  • This member of the Amanita mushroom family was found growing in the Fakahatchee Strand of Southwest Florida's Western Everglades. This emerging American Caesar's mushroom is a rare exception to a family of lethally poisonous mushrooms that are responsible for 90% of mushroom-related deaths around the world. This one is known to be be both edible and tasty.
    American Caesar's Mushroom
  • A wild and free American buffalo (or bison) posed beautifully for me in the Grand Teton National Park in Northwestern Wyoming.
    American Buffalo
  • American lotus seedpod growing in a lake in Tallahassee in Leon County, Florida. These are often found in dried floral arrangements.
    American Lotus Seedpod
  • American lotus growing in a lake in North Florida. In mid-summer, these very large flowers can be found in the hundreds on Lake Jackson in  Tallahassee, Florida.
    American Lotus with Bee
  • This very wary 7-8-foot adult American alligator is poised to launch itself out from under the cocoplum bushes if I wade any closer deep in the wilderness of the Big Cypress National Preserve in Southwest Florida. As part of the Northern Everglades watershed, this area is very rural, there is often no dry land for miles. No help either in case of an emergency.
    American Alligator in the Big Cypress
  • A bull American bison at dusk grazes on Antelope Island with Great Salt Lake getting darker by the minute in the background.
    American Bison on Antelope Island
  • The American bison (Bison bison) is the only surviving species of bison in North America today.
    American Bison
  • A female American bullfrog cools off in a pool of water on the edge of the Middle Saluda River just outside of Cleveland, South Carolina on a hot spring day.
    American Bullfrog
  • The American coot is a very common water bird found throught North America. Often found among ducks, it is actually not a duck at all, but a member of the rail family. This one was photographed near the base of the Nisqually River as it joins Washington's Puget Sound.
    American Coot
  • A wild American lotus blooming on a Tallahassee, Fl lake.
    American Lotus
  • Near the Montana/Wyoming border, I found a small herd of bison resting along the Madison River. This very young calf was fighting sleep, much the same as most babies do.
    American Buffalo Calf
  • These bison are a part of a free-ranging, currently publicly-owned herd of wild bison (commonly and incorrectly called buffalo) on Antelope Island, Utah that number upwards of 700 or more individuals. The habitat is perfect, as there are no wolves, bears or other apex predators, and the only limit to population is the amount of land that can support them.
    Utah's American Bison - The Purest i..ica?
  • Digital illustration for web design and print. Contact me for pricing of vector (AI) files.
    American Flag Frame with Background
  • Digital illustration for web design and print. Contact me for pricing of vector (AI) files.
    American Flag Frame
  • A crocodile on a canal bank in Flamingo on the southern tip of peninsular Florida on the edge of the Keys and the Everglades. Note the flat and long head - much different than an alligator.
    American Crocodile
  • A single lotus flower on a hot summer morning.  Most interesting about these flowers are the leaves, which will not get wet, but instead repel waterdrops in such a way that they just form "beads" on top of the pad-like structure. Lots of fun to play with when the fish aren't biting!
    American Lotus
  • This secretive member of the heron family blends in with its environment so well that it is usually overlooked.
    American Bittern
  • These Antelope Island bison have a distinct genetic heritage from all other bison in North America. They are potentially the most pure, in regards to the ancient populations that lived here up until Europeans first encountered them.
    American Bison Close-up
  • Fossil records show that these bison have evolved and expanded across the north hemisphere in North America , Europe and Asia since the last ice age. In North America, several species of bison are thought to have thrived after the arrival of the first humans and the extinction of most of the ancient megafauna and other predators, such as the saber-toothed cat and dire wolf. The lack of competition for grazing across the vast prairies meant virtually no limit to population growth, considering the continent's vast size and recently extinct herds of other large herbivores.
    American Bison on Antelope Island
  • One of the most common wetland treefrogs of the American Southeast, these brilliantly green predators are found (and most often heard) among the aquatic plant such as cat-tails and arrowheads on the edges of swamps, lakes, creeks and ponds.
    Green Treefrog
  • The Utah serviceberry is a tightly-branched shrub found in scattered locations across the American Southwest and is a very important food source for birds, deer, elk and bighorn sheep. Traditionally Native Americans used the often very straight and long stems to make arrow shafts.
    Utah Serviceberry
  • From personal experience, the teddybear cholla (named for the thick, bristling spines that almost look like soft fur) are a real eye-opener when one first makes physical contact with this native of the American Southwest. Casual passing contact will not only cause immense sharp pain, but the piece of the cactus touched will detach from the main part of the plant and tag along for the ride. This evolutionary and reproductive tactic is why this cholla is often called the "jumping cholla" - it will hop a ride with anything that touches it, eventually fall to the ground and once it roots, grow a whole new cactus. These were found and photographed<br />
growing (without touching) in the open Sonoran Desert in the Picacho Peak Wilderness Area in Southern California's rural Imperial County.
    Teddybear Chollas
  • From personal experience, the teddybear cholla (named for the thick, bristling spines that almost look like soft fur) are a real eye-opener when one first makes physical contact with this native of the American Southwest. Casual passing contact will not only cause immense sharp pain, but the piece of the cactus touched will detach from the main part of the plant and tag along for the ride. This evolutionary and reproductive tactic is why this cholla is often called the "jumping cholla" - it will hop a ride with anything that touches it, eventually fall to the ground and once it roots, grow a whole new cactus. This one was found growing (without touching) along the side of a dried-out arroyo in a nameless canyon in Southern California's Anza-Borrego Desert in San Diego County.
    Teddybear Cholla
  • From personal experience, the teddybear cholla (named for the thick, bristling spines that almost look like soft fur) are a real eye-opener when one first makes physical contact with this native of the American Southwest. Casual passing contact will not only cause immense sharp pain, but the piece of the cactus touched will detach from the main part of the plant and tag along for the ride. This evolutionary and reproductive tactic is why this cholla is often called the "jumping cholla" - it will hop a ride with anything that touches it, eventually fall to the ground and once it roots, grow a whole new cactus. This one was found growing (without touching) along the side of a dried-out arroyo in a nameless canyon in Southern California's Anza-Borrego Desert in San Diego County.
    Teddybear Cholla
  • From personal experience, the teddybear cholla (named for the thick, bristling spines that almost look like soft fur) are a real eye-opener when one first makes physical contact with this native of the American Southwest. Casual passing contact will not only cause immense sharp pain, but the piece of the cactus touched will detach from the main part of the plant and tag along for the ride. This evolutionary and reproductive tactic is why this cholla is often called the "jumping cholla" - it will hop a ride with anything that touches it, eventually fall to the ground and once it roots, grow a whole new cactus. This one was found growing (without touching) along the side of a dried-out arroyo in a nameless canyon in Southern California's Anza-Borrego Desert in San Diego County.
    Teddybear Cholla
  • From personal experience, the teddybear cholla (named for the thick, bristling spines that almost look like soft fur) are a real eye-opener when one first makes physical contact with this native of the American Southwest. Casual passing contact will not only cause immense sharp pain, but the piece of the cactus touched will detach from the main part of the plant and tag along for the ride. This evolutionary and reproductive tactic is why this cholla is often called the "jumping cholla" - it will hop a ride with anything that touches it, eventually fall to the ground and once it roots, grow a whole new cactus. These were found and photographed<br />
growing (without touching) in the open Sonoran Desert in the Picacho Peak Wilderness Area in Southern California's rural Imperial County.
    Teddybear Chollas
  • From personal experience, the teddybear cholla (named for the thick, bristling spines that almost look like soft fur) are a real eye-opener when one first makes physical contact with this native of the American Southwest. Casual passing contact will not only cause immense sharp pain, but the piece of the cactus touched will detach from the main part of the plant and tag along for the ride. This evolutionary and reproductive tactic is why this cholla is often called the "jumping cholla" - it will hop a ride with anything that touches it, eventually fall to the ground and once it roots, grow a whole new cactus. This one was found growing (without touching) along the side of a dried-out arroyo in a nameless canyon in Southern California's Anza-Borrego Desert in San Diego County.
    Teddybear Cholla
  • From personal experience, the teddybear cholla (named for the thick, bristling spines that almost look like soft fur) are a real eye-opener when one first makes physical contact with this native of the American Southwest. Casual passing contact will not only cause immense sharp pain, but the piece of the cactus touched will detach from the main part of the plant and tag along for the ride. This evolutionary and reproductive tactic is why this cholla is often called the "jumping cholla" - it will hop a ride with anything that touches it, eventually fall to the ground and once it roots, grow a whole new cactus. This one was found growing (without touching) along the side of a dried-out arroyo in a nameless canyon in Southern California's Anza-Borrego Desert in San Diego County.
    Teddybear Cholla
  • Close-up view of the teddybear cholla in flower. This common and impressive native cactus of the American Southwest is found Southern California, Nevada and Arizona, as well as most of Northern Mexico. Casual passing contact will not only cause immense sharp pain, but the piece of the cactus touched will detach from the main part of the plant and tag along for the ride. This evolutionary and reproductive tactic is why this cholla is often called the "jumping cholla" - it will hop a ride with anything that touches it, eventually fall to the ground and once it roots, grow a whole new cactus. This one was found growing (without touching) along the side of a dried-out arroyo in a nameless canyon in Southern California's Anza-Borrego Desert in San Diego County.
    Teddybear Cholla
  • Close-up view of the teddybear cholla in flower. This common and impressive native cactus of the American Southwest is found Southern California, Nevada and Arizona, as well as most of Northern Mexico. Casual passing contact will not only cause immense sharp pain, but the piece of the cactus touched will detach from the main part of the plant and tag along for the ride. This evolutionary and reproductive tactic is why this cholla is often called the "jumping cholla" - it will hop a ride with anything that touches it, eventually fall to the ground and once it roots, grow a whole new cactus. This one was found growing (without touching) along the side of a dried-out arroyo in a nameless canyon in Southern California's Anza-Borrego Desert in San Diego County.
    Teddybear Cholla
  • The Great Basin whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris tigris) is a subspecies of the common western whiptail found in Southeastern California. Found throughout most of the American Southwest, whole populations of western whiptails tend to stay in the same region resulting in great variety of patterns, stripes, and spots based on geographic location across their range. This one was photographed in the Mojave Desert in Joshua Tree National Park.
    Great Basin Western Whiptail
  • The western side-blotched lizard is a subspecies of the common side-blotched lizard found over most the the American Southwest. This one photographed in Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California's Mojave Desert was the most numerous of lizard species I'd found.
    Western Side-blotched Lizard
  • One of the most frustrating of all birds to get on camera, the violet-green swallow is an extremely fast, small swallow found in all western American states, most of Mexico, and British Columbia and the Yukon in Canada. This one paused for a lucky second halfway up a rocky cliff wall in a canyon west of Yakima, Washington.
    Violet-Green Swallow
  • Chia is a common member if the mint family found throughout much of its native range in the Southwestern United States. Very popular in today's health food trends, it has a long history of use among American Indian tribes, and was often planted alongside corn. The tiny nut-like seeds were mixed with water and herbs to make a minty beverage, they were ground and mixed with water to make a sticky poultice for wounds, and today it is often used as a treatment from diabetes. This particular plant was photographed in a washed-out arroyo in Southern California's Joshua Tree National Park.
    Chia
  • The pencil cholla is easily distinguished from other cholla cacti in the American Southwest by the scale-like arrangement on the stems that is often referred to as a diamond pattern. I thought the yellow coloration on the spines were beautiful, especially backlit like this here in the Mojave Desert in Southern California.
    Pencil Cholla
  • The pencil cholla is easily distinguished from other cholla cacti in the American Southwest by the scale-like arrangement on the stems that is often referred to as a diamond pattern. I thought the yellow coloration on the spines were beautiful, especially backlit lit this here in the Mojave Desert in Southern California.
    Pencil Cholla
  • The Mojave mound cactus is one of those many types of barrel cacti found throughout the American Southwest. The main key to identification (besides geographic location) are the reddish/rosy, somewhat flattened spines that are a brighter red at the tips. This trio was photographed in the Cottonwood Mountains of the Mojave Desert in Southern California.
    Mojave Mound Cactus
  • The Joshua tree, symbol of the Mojave desert, reaches out into the blue early April sky. One reason it is believed that this iconic yucca is losing habitat, and declining in numbers is in the fossil record of the recent extinction (in geological years) of the Shasta ground sloth, one of the giant sloths that went the way of the mammoths and other American megafauna. Fossilized scat shows the remains of the seeds, leaves and pulp of joshua trees... and was possibly in a loose symbiotic relationship with it as to provide food in return for seed propagation.
    Joshua Tree
  • There are a couple places in the American Southwest where you can see the Joshua tree in large numbers. This one was photographed in Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California.
    Joshua Tree
  • This tiny daisy grows in many of the hottest, most arid deserts of the American Southwest in sand, gravel and scattered rocks. Easily identified by both it's dimunitative size and choice of habitat, close inspection of the foliage reveals a very wooly, hairy hovering of silvery hairs on the leaves and stem. This was one of many found in an open area in the Mojave Desert in Southern California.
    Wallace's Woolly Daisy
  • Like many cacti of the American Southwest, cacti are often found around piles of rocks, perhaps they once sheltered the tiny seedling from wind and rain. This beavertail cactus in the Mojave Desert is off to a good start. Many of this species reach a height of six feet and a base of about twelve feet across.
    Beavertail Cactus
  • Closeup detail of a blooming strawberry hedgehog cactus in the early morning golden light in the Mojave Desert. Early April is one of the best times to see blooming cacti throughout the American Southwest.
    Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus
  • Found throughout much of the American Southwest, rattlesnake weed is a member of the spurge family. Like all species of the Euphorbia genus, oozes a milky white sticky sap when damaged, and be careful because the sap of this particular species is poisonous. It gets its name from the erroneous fact that it was once believed that mashing this plant into a poultice would cure a rattlesnake bite. This one was photographed in Southern California's Mojave Desert.
    Rattlesnake Weed
  • The desert Indian paintbrush is a common springtime bloomer throughout much of the American Southwest. This bright scarlet specimen was found growing in the dry sand on a canyon in Utah's Zion National Park.
    Desert Indian Paintbrush
  • The common Raven is found all throughout Canada and across North and Central America's West Coast. This one was following me around the Mojave Desert as I was photographing lizards, wildflowers and cacti in Southern California.
    Common Raven
  • Close-up of one of the world's most intelligent birds photographed here in the Mojave Desert in Southern California.
    Common Raven
  • The American Southwest is well-known for its incredible rock formations that come in ever size, shape and color. Elephant Rock is one of these rock formations that is found in Nevada's oldest state park - Valley of Fire State Park.
    Elephant Rock
  • Often mistaken as a chipmunk, the white-tailed antelope squirrel is a common desert ground squirrel found acrosss most of the American Southwest including Baja California. They are diurinal, but escape the heat of the day in their burrows.
    White-tailed Antelope Squirrel
  • Probably the most famous Southwest American yucca, the Joshua tree has been a symbol of various religions and cultures for thousands of years. This one was photographed inside of Joshua Tree National Park in southern California, although I've seen them growing in great abundance in both Southern Nevada and Northwestern Arizona.
    Joshua Tree
  • American beautyberry is a very common and beautiful shrub in the verbena family found all over the Southeastern United States. It has been used extensively for making medicine, tea, wine, dye, fish poison and the crushed berries can be used to relieve mosquito bites. It has also been known to be a great repellant of flies and fire ants. This super-hardy plant can tolerate drought, heat, floods and can be found growing in many different environments, and is an important food source for wildlife.
    Beautyberry
  • American lotus opening at first sunlight.
    Enchanting Lotus
  • Photographed slightly from above, this Mojave yucca in the Mojave desert was historically a very important resource for the Native Americans who lived here. The tough yet pliable fibers in the leaves (needles) after beating them to break them apart were braided together to make rope, sandals, and woven together to make cloth.
    Mojave Yucca
  • A mug of dark ale with bread and pretzels.
    Mug of Ale
  • A glass of dark ale with bread and pretzels.
    Weizen Glass of Ale
  • A mug of dark ale with bread and pretzels.
    Mug of Ale
  • Massive panoramic view of Southern Utah's Bryce Canyon with its hundreds upon hundreds of hoodoos and other wild sandstone rock formations. In fact - while every continent on Earth has these hoodoos, nowhere in the world has as many as there are right here, in Bryce Canyon National Park! This massive print is at full natural size a whopping 9.75 feet x 3.6 feet (3m x 1.1m) and was created from twelve images. So large in fact that you can see the individual branches on every tree!
    Bryce Canyon Panorama
  • This stocky female black bear was photographed above Spray Falls above Mount Rainier's Lake Mowich on one of the final days of summer. Although she had two large cubs with her, she was so preoccupied with the wild blueberries she was gorging on that she didn't seem to mind me nearby. I had a hard time figuring out if she was a grizzly, mainly because of the large shoulder hump, but the size of the ears and flat facial profile prove that she is the common black bear (yes - they are often brown!) and is probably better described as the subspecies known as a cinnamon bear (Ursus americanus cinnamomum) found in the Pacific Northwest.
    Black Bear
  • The mourning dove is probably the most common bird in the United States and North America. A prolific breeder, it is one of the most hunted birds too, yet its population never seems to decrease. Unlike other doves and their pigeon relatives, this species is a survivor! This one was photographed near the shore of the Salton Sea in Southern California.
    Mourning Dove
  • The Valley of Fire in Southern Nevada is home to some of the most spectacular rock formations in the United States.
    Valley of Fire
  • One of my favorite places to photograph landscapes - Valley of Fire, Nevada.
    Valley of Fire
  • A photograph from within a cave in Southern Nevada while hunting unsuccessfully for vinegaroons while climbing the cliffs in the area. I just arrived in time for perfect light!
    Inside the Cave...
  • A mug of lager with bread and pistachios.
    Mug of Lager
  • A mug of lager with bread and pistachios.
    Mug of Lager
  • A glass of pilsner with bread and pistachios.
    Pilsner
  • Bluehearts are a very common wildflower in Florida and are always a welcome sight!
    Bluehearts
  • Related to pelicans and cormorants, this male anhinga is in full breeding plumage in a freshwater lake in Fort Myers, Florida. Common along the wetlands of the Gulf Coast on the United States, this fish-specialist is widely scattered across Central America and can be found throughout the whole of the Amazon River Basin in South America.
    Male Anhinga
  • Close-up of an adult female anhinga in the Florida Everglades, near Homestead. There is very clear sexual dimorphisnm in the anhinga: males have a mostly uniform black head and next (besides breeding plumage) while the female had a very pale brown to beige neck and head.
    Female Anhinga
  • Also known as the snakebird, the anhinga is a common fish-eating bird found along the coasts and interior of Florida. This female was perched at the base of an old bald cypress in the heart of the Sweetwater Strand of the Florida Everglades.
    Female Anhinga
  • Because anhingas don't have the oil glands found in other aquatic birds like ducks, gulls, swans, etc, when they come out of the water, they will need to dry their wings in order to fly. The advantage of not having this seeming important oil so essential to buoyancy is that when underwater, the anhinga becomes an extremely fast and agile swimmer and a very efficient fish hunter. Throughout the Gulf Coast, this is a very typical sight: an anhinga perched above water,  wings spread drying in the wind and heat. This one was photographed in the middle of Fort Myers, Florida.
    Anhinga
  • Because anhingas don't have the oil glands found in other aquatic birds like ducks, gulls, swans, etc, when they come out of the water, they will need to dry their wings in order to fly. The advantage of not having this seeming important oil so essential to buoyancy is that when underwater, the anhinga becomes an extremely fast and agile swimmer and a very efficient fish hunter. Throughout the Gulf Coast, this is a very typical sight: an anhinga perched above water,  wings spread drying in the wind and heat. This one was photographed in the middle of Fort Myers, Florida.
    Anhinga
  • Related to pelican and cormorants, this adult male anhinga in non-breeding plumage perches above a lake in Fort Myers, Florida. Common along the wetlands of the Gulf Coast on the United States, this fish-specialist is widely scattered across Central America and can be found throughout the whole of the Amazon River Basin in South America.
    Male Anhinga
  • Headshot of the anhinga, also known as the snakebird. The anhinga is a common and very effective fish-hunter found along the coasts and interior of Florida. This male is was spotted perched in a cocoplum in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Southwest Florida.
    Anhinga Close-up
  • Also known as the snakebird, the anhinga is a common fish-eating bird found along the coasts and interior of Florida and as far south as the Southern Amazon in Brazil. This female is in full breeding plumage on a warm spring day in Fort Myers, Florida. Note that beautiful blue eye-ring!
    Female Anhinga
  • Also known as the snakebird, the anhinga is a common fish-eating bird found along the coasts and interior of Florida and as far south as the Southern Amazon in Brazil. This female is in full breeding plumage on a warm spring day in Fort Myers, Florida. Note that beautiful blue eye-ring!
    Female Anhinga
  • Related to pelican and cormorants, this male anhinga is in breeding full plumage in the Florida Everglades. Common along the wetlands of the Gulf Coast on the United States, this fish-specialist is widely scattered across Central America and can be found throughout the whole of the Amazon River Basin in South America.
    Male Anhinga
  • Related to pelican and cormorants, this male anhinga is in breeding full plumage in the Florida Everglades. Common along the wetlands of the Gulf Coast on the United States, this fish-specialist is widely scattered across Central America and can be found throughout the whole of the Amazon River Basin in South America.
    Male Anhinga
  • Also known as the snakebird, the anhinga is a common and very effective fish-hunter found along the coasts and interior of Florida and as far south as the Southern Amazon in Brazil. This male was spotted perched in a bald cypress tree in the Big Cypress National Preserve in Southwest Florida.
    Male Anhinga
  • Because anhingas don't have the oil glands found in other aquatic birds like ducks, gulls, swans, etc, when they come out of the water, they will need to dry their wings in order to fly. The advantage of not having this seemingly important oil so essential to buoyancy is that when underwater, the anhinga becomes an extremely fast and agile swimmer and a very efficient fish hunter. Throughout the Gulf Coast, this is a very typical sight: an anhinga perched above water,  wings spread drying in the wind and heat. This adult male was photographed in the Six-mile Cypress Slough in Fort Myers, Florida.
    Male Anhinga
  • A close-up of a desert bighorn ewe in Zion National Park in Southern Utah. I was hiking through the hills when in the early evening I came upon a large group of about thirty individuals, including other rams, ewes, and lambs. It took me an hour to get this close for this shot.
    Desert Bighorn Ram
  • A close-up of a desert bighorn lamb in Zion National Park in Southern Utah. I was hiking through the hills when in the early evening I came upon a large group of about thirty individuals, including other rams, ewes, and lambs. It took me an hour to get this close for this shot.
    Desert Bighorn Lamb
  • A close-up of a desert bighorn ewe with nursing lamb in Zion National Park in Southern Utah. I was hiking through the hills when in the early evening I came upon a large group of about thirty individuals, including other rams, ewes, and lambs. It took me an hour to get this close for this shot.
    Desert Bighorn Ewe with Nursing Lamb
  • A close-up of a desert bighorn sheep in Zion National Park in Southern Utah. I was hiking through the hills when in the early evening I came upon a large group of about thirty individuals, including other rams, ewes, and lambs. It took me an hour to get this close for this shot.
    Mother Desert Bighorn Ewe with Lamb
  • A close-up of a desert bighorn sheep in Zion National Park in Southern Utah. I was hiking through the hills when in the early evening I came upon a large group of about thirty individuals, including other rams, ewes, and lambs. It took me an hour to get this close for this shot.
    Mother Desert Bighorn Ewe with Lamb
  • A close-up of a desert bighorn sheep in Zion National Park in Southern Utah. I was hiking through the hills when in the early evening I came upon a large group of about thirty individuals, including other rams, ewes, and lambs. It took me an hour to get this close for this shot.
    Desert Bighorn Family in Southern Utah
  • A close-up of a desert bighorn ram in Zion National Park in Southern Utah. I was hiking through the hills when in the early evening I came upon a large group of about thirty individuals, including other rams, ewes, and lambs. It took me an hour to get this close for this shot.
    Desert Bighorn Ram
  • A close-up of a desert bighorn ewe in Zion National Park in Southern Utah. I was hiking through the hills when in the early evening I came upon a large group of about thirty individuals, including other rams, ewes, and lambs. It took me an hour to get this close for this shot.
    Desert Bighorn Ewe
  • A close-up of a desert bighorn ewe in Zion National Park in Southern Utah. I was hiking through the hills when in the early evening I came upon a large group of about thirty individuals, including other rams, ewes, and lambs. It took me an hour to get this close for this shot.
    Desert Bighorn Ewe
  • A close-up of a desert bighorn ewe in Zion National Park in Southern Utah. I was hiking through the hills when in the early evening I came upon a large group of about thirty individuals, including other rams, ewes, and lambs. It took me an hour to get this close for this shot.
    Desert Bighorn Ewe
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