- 2026 Calendar
- Profile
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Rock Ptarmigan Surprise
A Rock Ptarmigan pops out of its bokeh-filled alpine habitat.
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Castle in the Clouds
A Collared Pika watches as clouds roll into its alpine home. A free pro tip for anyone getting into alpine photograph: check the cloud ceiling height before setting out. On this day, I had 30 minutes of dramatic fog rolling in, followed by hours of dense enveloping whiteout fog. If I’d checked the forecast, I…
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Bobcat Scene
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Marmot Scene
I’m at a bit of a loss to caption this one. The best I came up with was “honey, come quick; the marmots are being weird again!” What’s your caption?
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Family Portrait
A family of Red-Necked Grebes gliding around their marshy summer home. I don’t think I’ve seen a more adorable family dynamic than with these grebes. The way the male and the females greet each other with open beaks whenever they see each other. The little ones joining in everything the adults do. It’s just the…
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Snowy Pika
A Collared Pika stands guard in front of a late season patch of snow. Very important note: this is an elusive “pika in front of snow” shot and not a hackish “pika in front of boring sky” shot. Careful fieldcraft and discerning composition were required to achieve this particular white background!
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Ptarmigan Scene
A Willow Ptarmigan surveys her summer home. I didn’t believe the hype about ptarmigans, so when this ptarmigan bum-rushed me as I walked by on the trail, I only had myself to blame. We eventually made a compromise where I took glamor shots and she briefly stopped trying to knock me over.
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Marmot Scene
A fun fact about Yellow-Bellied Marmots: They’re so chonky, that if you listen carefully you can hear loose talus rocks go “clunk” as the marmots walk by. Fortunately, the marmots aren’t ambush predators, so this doesn’t hold them back very much.
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The Chonkiest Marmot
Miles Chonkington, the world’s widest Yellow-Bellied Marmot, briefly started at right guard for the San Francisco 49ers. He was released after he hibernated through most of the regular season.
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Thick and Fluffy
I have returned from a four day expedition to the Desolation Wilderness in the northern Sierra, where I discovered Miles Chonkington, a truly thick Yellow-Bellied Marmot. Miles enjoys long strolls on the talus, snacking on wildflowers, and long cozy naps.