Didn’t even realize they’d be this far south! Feel so lucky to have taken this mid-day yesterday.

Mountain Tanagers are, in my opinion, more striking than their lowland relatives. They tend to be larger and less skittish than their lowland cousins, which often prefer to stay high up in the canopy—not exactly ideal for photography. Of all the Mountain Tanagers, my favorite is the Hooded Mountain Tanager, thanks to its impressive size and vibrant colors. It can be found at elevations of up to 3,500 meters, from Venezuela all the way to Bolivia.

🇬🇧 Hooded Mountain Tanager
🔬 Buthraupis montana
🇪🇸 Tangara de Montaña Encapuchada
🗺️ Wayqecha, Manu Road, Cusco, Peru
🗓️ August 2026

A little context, I'm new to wildlife photography, I've started this whole thing this year. Since I've discovered the existance of Kingfishers I always wanted to photograph one. I found a couple but they were always smarter than me.

But finally, took this today. Super happy. Definitely more to come.

Life's been hitting hard lately. Had a nasty accident at work recently that put me out of commission for a while. My wife also recently left a badly managed corporate job (finally.) So I've been feeling the pressure to try and make some extra cash on the side.

I used to make dice trays, but being down a hand makes that impossible atm. I figured I should go through my photo library again and see what might be worth getting some prints of. Problem is, my brains telling me none of it's worth a damn. I know that it's imposture syndrome mixed with stress and perfectionism, so I'm just trying to remind myself that I do okay work.

Speaking of perfectionism, I've not been out with my camera for a long time as I struggle immensely with getting sharp images. I have a canon r6 with the sigma 150-600 contemporary, and there's some kind of miscommunication with the focusing system. I know I've seen others talk about pulsing with this lens, but what I'm experiencing is that no matter what I do, I only get one *kinda* sharp image out of HUNDREDS of shots.

The shot of the snowy owl on top of a power pole was taken with my parents 7d mkii and it worked perfectly. I'm considering taking some money I got from selling some tools recently and buying a used 7d mkii to solve my sharpness issues for now. Get myself out again and try to enjoy it. Then hopefully save enough to switch systems. I'm so sick of Canons locked down lens lineup.

If anyone's got suggestions on systems throw them out there for me. Also I know this is a ramble and is probably scattered. I'm in a lot of pain right now and meds have been rough, so I'm really trying to distract myself. Anyway, if you read all that thank you. Stay safe out there y'all.

I dropped my shutter speed a bit because of the early morning light and the elk being very calm and relaxed... then all of a sudden they were on the move.

Very much not what I was going for, but I think this is by far my favorite blurry photo I've gotten! To me it feels almost like elk meets Formula 1 vibe

Heron taking off from perch at the Great Salt Lake in Utah

Photo shot on Sony A7R V and 200-600 lens

Take with canon r7 rf100-400

Better than any helicopter: The hummingbird moth doesn’t even land while drinking nectar, as it simply hovers perfectly in the air! 🌸✨
Capturing the hummingbird moth sharply in mid-hover is no easy task when it darts so swiftly from flower to flower. Even with an extreme shutter speed of 1/5000s, the wings are still motion-blurred due to the rapid movement. But at up to 80 wingbeats per second, that is hardly surprising! This fascinating spectacle of nature is a true challenge for any camera. 📸🔥
📷 Canon EOS R5 Mark II · RF 200–800mm

Captured these shots of this little fella enjoying an apple tree at Discovery Park in Seattle, Washington!

A juvenile Red-tailed Hawk feeds on a ground squirrel under the watchful eye of another ground squirrel.

Typically, whenever I see raptors near ground squirrels, the squirrels are quick to chirp and scatter into their burrows. Interestingly, many squirrels outside the frame were casually foraging not too far from the hawk. Perhaps they were aware that the threat was temporarily nonexistent since the hawk was feeding.

Species: Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) & California Ground Squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi)
Location: California, USA
Equipment: Sony A9 III + 200-600mm
Settings: 1/400s, ISO: 1250, f/10, 200mm, Handheld

My first time ever seeing a sloth in the wild and I got it mid yawn