Reprocessed, selected, and recompiled in September 2008,
this is an extensive portfolio presentation of some of the wildlife
from the Lake Clark National Park area of Cook Inlet, Alaska.

I have used quite a number of images that have never been posted
along with several from the earlier version of this page, and some from
the Raptors and Flight pages, Wildlife Studies Section. Those pages have
images and composites that I have not chosen to place here though,
so you may want to visit those pages later if you are interested.

click an image to open a larger version
Use your back button to return to this page
(Composites will open in a new window)

Images on this page are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Gallery Collections page where a Collection can be selected.

Some of the images can be found in the following Galleries (Direct Links)

Eagles
Puffins
Assorted Shorebirds
Avocets, Stilts and Yellowlegs
Assorted Scenic and Potpourri
 

Air Madura X4221

The only way into the area is by boat or plane,
so we piled our gear and ourselves into this
Air Madura deHavilland bush plane for the
flight, which culminated in a hair-raising
‘short-field’ landing in a tiny lily pond.

Silver Salmon Creek Lodge HS2826

Silver Salmon Creek Lodge was base
of operations while we were visiting in the
Lake Clark National Park area. It operates
from a home, offering meals, guide services,
computers/readers, and rooms for 12 people.

Bald Eagle
 

Bald Eagle Juvenile X2788

A three year old juvenile Bald Eagle surveys his territory from a tree near Silver Salmon Creek.
 

Bald Eagle Juvenile X3051

This is a three or four year-old juvenile. The juveniles retain the white speckling
in their feathers until their fourth or fifth year, when they achieve sexual maturity.
 

Bald Eagle Juvenile X3065

They aren’t actually bald... the name refers
to the piebald appearance of the white head.
This image pair shows the takeoff positions.
 

Bald Eagle Juvenile X3066
 

Bald Eagle X2781

Eagle on a stick...
 

Bald Eagle X2783
 

Bald Eagle X2784
 

Bald Eagle X3629
 

Bald Eagle X3640
 

Bald Eagle X3769

Eagle high in a tree.
 

Bald Eagle X3779

This is where they are most often seen.
 

Bald Eagle X3782
 

Bald Eagle X3784
 

Bald Eagle X3787
 

Bald Eagle X3892

An eagle on a stump, at eye level.
After seeing the other eagles high in
trees, imagine my delight to find this guy.
 

Bald Eagle X3895

He stuck around just long enough to
allow me to get a couple of good portraits,
then proceeded to give me flight opportunities.
 

Bald Eagle SXL

click for 1778 x 1200 version

Available as an SXL Signed Composite (2900 x 1950)
(designated SXL based on content)

Bald Eagle X3897
 

Bald Eagle Flight X3900
 

Bald Eagle Flight X3903

What an accommodating fellow...
 

Bald Eagle Flight X3904
 

Bald Eagle Flight Sequence XXL

click for 1513 x 850 version

Available as an XXL Signed Composite (6050 x 3400)
 

Bald Eagle XL

click for 1549 x 975 version

Available as an XL Signed Composite (3098 x 1950)

Images on this page are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Gallery Collections page where a Collection can be selected.

Some of the images can be found in the following Galleries (Direct Links)

Eagles
Puffins
Assorted Shorebirds
Avocets, Stilts and Yellowlegs
Assorted Scenic and Potpourri
 

Puffins and Murres
 

Horned Puffin HS2447

Puffins, like most Auk species, are at sea
most of their lives, coming to land only to brood
young. They grow the colorful bill during breeding
season. It falls off later, leaving a duller, dark bill.
 

Horned Puffin X3278c
 

Horned Puffins X3304
 

Horned Puffins X3305
 

Horned Puffin bug HS2464

Caught in the act of bug-watching...
 

Horned Puffin X3272
 

Puffin Display X3400c
 

Puffin Display X3323
 

Puffin Display X3372
 

Horned Puffin X3381c
 

Horned Puffin HS2429

Puffins are exceedingly difficult to shoot in flight.
They are very fast, and resemble a flying football.
They approach so quickly you have to shoot hand-
held to react (difficult with a long, heavy lens).
 

Horned Puffin HS2572

I love the look this guy is giving me  :^)
 

Horned Puffin X3470
 

Puffin with Fish HS2613

Puffins are special in that they can carry several small fish held crosswise in their bills.
Giving them a mustachioed appearance, this talent allows the puffin to make fewer trips to sea.
 

Puffin with Fish HS2510

Sometimes, they hold as many as 15-20 fish.
 

Puffin with Fish HS2680
 

Horned Puffin X3464
 

Puffin Commentary HS2538

Probably discussing the landing technique.
 

Horned Puffin Landing HS2381
 

Murres HS2390

Bridled Common Murre,
another species of Auk.
 

Murres X3321

Murres (or Guillemots),
like Puffins, dive for fish.
 

Horned and Tufted Puffins SXL

click for 1223 x 1223 version

Available as an SXL Signed Composite (2900 x 2900)
 

Puffin Landing Sequence XXL

click for 1500 x 995 version

Available as a XXL Signed Composite (4815 x 3194)
 

Horned Puffins SXXL

click for 1619 x 757 version

Available as an SXXL Signed Composite (7432 x 3475)

Assorted Critters
 

Lesser Yellowlegs X2947

A migratory shorebird, similar to the Willet.
 

Lesser Yellowlegs X2953
 

Mergansers X3249

These are fish-eating ducks (note the serrated bill in the cropped image below).

Mergansers X3259
 

Mergansers X3261
 

Merganser Display SXL

click for 1129 x 1207 version
(title block increased in size for legibility)

Available as an SXL Signed Composite (3345 x 3575)
 

Whimbrels X2935
 

Whimbrels X2940
 

Whimbrels X2941
 

Whimbrels X2942

A wading bird in the Curlew family, they
feed on small invertebrates and crabs.
 

Ptarmigan X4281
 

Porcupine HS2814
 

Porcupine HS2818

We nearly ran over this guy while heading to
the Johnson River to shoot the scenic below,
and he dove under the ATV to escape. I took
the first shot (left) while he was under the ATV.
 

Slope Mountain Johnson River X3072

Taken on the infamous porcupine excursion. Some of the beautiful scenery near Lake Clark.

Denali

The Athabaskan name for Mt. McKinley is Denali (Great One).
 

Denali Star X4357

We took the Denali Star from Anchorage to Denali National Park
to try to get a glimpse of Mount McKinley. The mountain is so large it
generates it’s own weather, so it is often hidden from view by clouds...
 

Denali Star X4232
 

Denali Star X4365
 

Denali Alaska Range X4242

The first view of Mt. Hunter, Mt. Foraker and Denali (left to right) from the train.
The closer we got to Denali, the poorer the visibility got. There were two major fires
up in the Fairbanks area that week, and with the Southerly prevailing winds the smoke
blanketed the Denali National Park. Processing images taken in Denali was a challenge.
 

Denali X4245
 

Denali Fireweed X4282
 

Caribou Antlers X4316
 

Denali Prairie Dog X4286

This is a wildlife page, after all...  :^)
 

Denali X4305

Except for the smoke blanket covering the base,
we were lucky to have been able to see Denali.
It’s only visible 20% of the year due to weather.

Denali X4310

You would not believe how difficult it was to
process these images. The smoke reduced
contrast and affected color significantly....

Images on this page are in a number of different Galleries on the Photoshelter website.
The Banner below leads to the Gallery Collections page where a Collection can be selected.

Some of the images can be found in the following Galleries (Direct Links)

Eagles
Puffins
Assorted Shorebirds
Avocets, Stilts and Yellowlegs
Assorted Scenic and Potpourri