An open grassy meadow, with white daisies dotting the perimeter serves as a good spot for this brown bear to scratch its back by rolling around on the surface. I liked the display of both the pads of the bear’s feet, and its long, distinctive claws. Those claws can do some serious dirt removal, in…
Coastal Katmai is famous for its large brown bear population. They forage voraciously during the rich and productive summer season, enjoying clams, fish, berries, and other plants, as they pack on the fat for a winter hibernation. This bear had walked through camp early one morning, so we grabbed our camera gear and followed it…
During the summer months, the Savannah sparrow is commonly seen and heard in the meadows around much of Alaska. They like to perch on the tall plants which, if your timings is right, can be fireweed or lupine. While photographing brown bears in a meadow along the Katmai coast (bears that were so busy feeding…
A big thank you to all who have contributed your thoughts on which picture I should use on the cover of my 2014 Profiles in Nature Calendar. I have capitulated extensively in the process, but in the end have chosen the sleeping polar bear. The Muskox was a personal favorite, but I think it has…
Thanks to all of you who responded last year in my calendar cover selection process. It is that time again, and I’ve thrown together a few mock ups for a possible cover for my 2014 Alaska Profiles in Nature Calendar. The design will see some tweaks for sure, but what I’m looking for is the…
If you have watched bears along the coast of Alaska in the summer, it is clear that they have busy days filled with eating. This is particularly true when salmon are not available and their intake consists of the ubiquitous flora that fills the lush meadows. While photographing this particular bear for hours, or rather…
After a rainy night along the Katmai National Park coast, I was startled by a brown bear when walking from my sleep tent to the cook tent. Both tents were encircled with a portable, battery powered electric fence. The bear curiously walked around the cook tent and I took this shot after quickly grabbing the…
During a rare moment of sunshine, at 5:59 AM along Alaska’s Katmai Coast, a rainbow arced over the Aleutian mountains as the narrow band of clear sky let the sun peak through for a short while. The clouds obscured the sun soon following, and dominated the sky during my stay along the coast. There was…
The coastal landscapes along Katmai National Park look out towards the Shelikof Strait, a tumultuous body of water that passes between the Island of Kodiak and the mainland Alaska Peninsula. While camped along this beach, above the storm berm, the rare sight of blue sky during my trip inspired me to run to the shore…
Describing the infusion of color found in Alaska’s summer fields of wildflowers requires a word not found in the English dictionary. There is a powerful feeling that emanate from these intense swaths of color, and I’ve often sensed that it is something more than just observation. The coast of Katmai National Park in July is…