Stan Tekiela

Standing in the open high plains of eastern Wyoming where there are few trees to stop the wind, I faced a constant breeze. The vast open area is perfect habitat for a special canid called the swift fox (Vulpes velox), North America’s smallest native member of the dog family. It is a tiny fox, weighing between 3 and 7 pounds.

Every now and then, I see a bird that piques my interest. The other day, I was intently watching a pair of rose-breasted grosbeaks. I saw the male carrying some nesting material high up into an oak tree, but then I lost him in the thick tangle of leaves. Shortly after that, I saw the female grosbeak doing the same thing. Again, I lost sight of her in the leaves. I vowed to find the nest, not just the general location.

There is a group of birds that a lot of people find interesting yet at the same time, frustrating: warblers.
The New World warblers, sometimes called wood warblers, are a fascinating group of small, brightly-colored birds that spend much of their time in tree tops. The bright colors are why many people find them interesting to observe, but their tree-top habitat makes them challenging to see and identify.

I’ve been leading photo tours to capture images of common loons (Gavia immer) for more than 10 years. Each time I take a group of photographers out, it feels like a new, fun adventure.