Fly-By Feeding: Breakfast In Nest
July 22, 2025
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This is a western bluebird bringing breakfast to two chicks shortly after sunrise. These birds nest from February to late July and may have multiple broods per season. They are cooperative breeders, meaning that sometimes older siblings or unrelated birds help feed and protect the chicks. They can’t dig their own nest holes, so they rely on abandon...
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Wild Still Exists: Capturing the beauty of horses
July 17, 2025
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Wild Still Exists: Capturing the beauty of horses
Text and photos by Heather Cline
Stallions 'boxing' - attributed to dominance displays, territorial defense, mating competition, and social sparring
Photographing wild horses involves more than documenting a subject — it includes the landscape they call home and stories they convey. Whether y...
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Sculpted in Sunshine
July 15, 2025
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Early morning and late afternoon light doesn’t just illuminate—it sculpts the subjects photographers live to capture in a fleeting moment. In midday light, this jackrabbit might go unnoticed but in this hour of rim light, he became outlined in gold! Jackrabbits don't make a habit of sitting still so having one stay motionless long enough in this li...
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Of Pikas and Polars
July 10, 2025
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Of Pikas and Polars: The Ties Between These Two Species
Text and photos by Heather Cline
At first glance, it might seem that two species highlighted here couldn't possibly have anything in common.
Starting with size, the difference between a pika and a polar bear is startling. Pikas are tiny mammals, just slightly larger than a hamster. Polar...
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Motherhood in the meadow
July 08, 2025
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Summer can be a challenging time for photography in the hot Sacramento valley, but one of the highlights are the Black Tail fawns that start to emerge. I look for them every morning and have seen them on almost every walk. Spotting them and getting a clear view for a photo is an entirely different story though. Their moms are pretty smart and keep...
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Tips for Stunning Butterfly Shots
July 03, 2025
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Through the Lens: Tips for Stunning Butterfly Shots
Text and photos by Heather Cline
Delicate, elusive, and brilliant — photographing butterflies is one of nature photography’s most rewarding challenges. Their vivid colors and ever-fluttering wings demand patience, quick reflexes, and a keen eye for light and detail. Whether you're aiming to capt...
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It's Sunflower Season!
July 01, 2025
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Each summer, in the Central Valley of California, particularly in Yolo County, a transformation takes place. The otherwise nondescript farm fields become a golden sea of sunflowers. From mid-June to mid-July, over 50,000 acres over covered with these blooms, creating a spectacular sight of tall, sun-facing flowers. Most are accessible via rural roa...
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Wildlife Environmental Portraits
June 26, 2025
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Wildlife Environmental Portraits: Featuring wildlife in their environment
Text and photos by Heather Cline
Common Merganser with chicks
When most people think of wildlife photography, they picture tight, zoomed-in shots that highlight every feather or whisker. While those frame-filling portraits can be stunning, there’s more to telling a great...
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I'll grow into these ears
June 24, 2025
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I have been extremely fortunate this spring to observe a family of coyotes with 4 pups in the preserve near my home. It's striking to me how much they are like puppies, jumping, playing and chewing on everything in sight. The one stark difference is their natural fear of humans. I've been watching them for several weeks, so they seem to recognize m...
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Nature Photographer’s Guide to Focal Length
June 19, 2025
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Choosing the Right Lens: A Nature Photographer’s Guide to Focal Length
Text and photos by Heather Cline
Fireweed, Glacier National Park | 180 mm
If you've ever found yourself staring at your camera bag wondering which lens to use, you’re not alone. Picking the right focal length is like choosing the right tool for the job—each has its streng...
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A lovely evening for a row
June 17, 2025
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This group of kayakers is enjoying an evening row across Yellowstone Lake in the same national park. This Lake is a hub of geothermal activity, featuring numerous hot springs, geysers, and mud pots both on its shores and beneath the surface. Despite all these water heating features, the overall temperature of the lake is quite cold, averaging 41deg...
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River Life
June 12, 2025
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River Life: The Wildlife That Calls These Flowing Waters Home
Text and photos by Heather Cline
American River sunset
Rivers are the heart of numerous ecosystems, serving as critical habitats for a large variety of wildlife. Whether its winding through mountain terrain or meandering across a tropical landscape, rivers provide food, shelter, and...
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A rare sight
June 10, 2025
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The Black-necked stilt is not a rare bird - but is not a common visitor to the section of river that I frequently visit. In fact, in the past five years, this was my first sighting of them. This pair glided in early one recent morning, and I wondered if they knew that the river levels had been lowered, creating many shallow pools in the area, perfe...
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Location profile: Redwoods National and State Parks
June 05, 2025
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Text and photos by Heather Cline
The Redwood National and State Parks form a network of protected lands, encompassing one national park alongside three state parks—Del Norte Coast Redwoods, Jedediah Smith Redwoods, and Prairie Creek Redwoods. The parks are located on the northernmost coast of California, spanning approximately 50 miles along the c...
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Do I have Anything in My Teeth?
June 03, 2025
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How can something so ferocious also be so darn cute? Those whiskers aren't just for looks, they are used to detect prey under water, and based on this river otter's morning take, they are a very handy tool. I watched him demolish this fish and go right back under the water for more. Otters are a member of the Mustelidae or weasel family and like al...
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