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10/14/2026

Someone's tail is about to get chomped! Or snuggled? Hey, I pass no judgement. 🤣

Alligators doing alligator things. Really.

Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, from my dusty archives.

10/14/2026

Dashing Dinosaur. 🦖❤️

Yep, we often say gators and crocs look like dinosaurs, but these guys? Technically, birds are our modern-day dinosaurs.

When you look at a beauty like this wood stork, you can see it.

The fossil record tells an incredible story. As BirdLife International explains:

“Evidence doesn’t just come from fossilised bones and similarities found across the skeleton, but from fossilised soft tissue, especially feathers.”

Cool! Many dinosaurs had feathers and other bird-like features. And the really amazing part?

Birds belong to the theropod group of dinosaurs, the same group that included T. rex.

I always looked at birds like great blue herons and thought of Velociraptor. But T. rex works, too. The way many birds move has a definite primal vibe and give a sense of something that connects us to a world millions of years gone.

That’s one of the things that stops me in my tracks.

Looking at a bird, a gator, a person... how many millions of years of survival, adaptation, and sheer improbability had to happen for this life to be here?

It took a heck of a lot of awesome for every single thing to be exactly where it is.

Let’s cherish it. ❤️

10/14/2026

What's better than an elk bugle? THREE bugles and some awesome cold foggy morning breath!

This guy was chased off the field by a couple of tanks...I mean HUGE bulls. He sought refuge in a nearby field shielded by vegetation. But he kept on "trash talking" when the massive bulls bugled. Maybe next year, spunky.

What a year! From CO to PA, life was really treating me good for this year's elk rut. Stay tuned, there's sooooo much more to come. ❤️

Pennsylvania, October.

10/13/2026

Your Majesty! 👑

This guy was just magnificent! If I was forced to pick a favorite elk bull from my Colorado trip, he might be it.

When I shared another picture of this beauty, a few people asked if this was Split 5, a/k/a Atlas. Sadly, Split 5 was taken last year and I never had the chance to see him. It was also suggested that this guy could be an offspring. No idea about that, but if he is, then I definitely was in the presence of royalty. 😁

Estes Park.

10/13/2026

If this girl can shred a log with one swipe... imagine what she could do to a person.

Stoking fear? Nope. Instilling respect for the power of black bears? You bet!

Why some people gamble with their lives utterly amazes me.

This beauty right here, with all her power, just wanted to eat. And she wanted to be left alone. Most of the time, that's what wildlife wants. But all too often, there are those who feel the need to push their luck by approaching wild animals.

I've seen it countless times with rutting elk bulls, alligators, bears, and even smaller animals like anhingas with dagger-like bills. Folks mistake an animal tolerating human presence for an invitation to move closer. That's when the power shifts.

Let's be clear... this girl can shred a person if she wants to. If you've ever been way too close to a powerful wild animal and walked away safely, it wasn't because you were in control. It was because the animal chose not to harm you. Period.

You left your safety entirely up to a wild animal.

It's actually remarkable how much restraint wildlife shows when tourists go tourony.

Yep, it's easy to get caught up trying to capture a magical moment. I've watched people ignore that little voice telling them they're too close because they want just one more photo or video. That internal alarm is there for a reason.

So if you're a "must get closer" peep, or you see someone crowding wildlife, ask one simple question:

Who has control of your safety right now?

Keep the power with you. Don't hand it over to a wild animal. ❤️

Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park

10/12/2026

Poor ol' Stumpster.

Actually, maybe not so "poor". Take a closer look.

His overall body condition is surprisingly good considering the obvious injuries.

So what happened?

The likely culprit is another gator.

Fights between these prehistoric reptiles can be incredibly intense. Territorial battles can leave them with mangled and missing limbs or even parts of their face and jaw torn away.

Yet somehow, many survive.

Alligators have an incredible immune system, and wild animals are masters of adaptation. They don't have a safety net. Their options are pretty clear. Survive or not.

So here's to a true survivor, Stumpster! Or maybe he should be called...

Stump the Magic Dragon. 🐉❤️

Circle B Bar Reserve, FL

10/12/2026

Baby Bison!

These cuties are often called "red dogs" before their coats begin to turn brown. I call them adorable. 😍 I had a hard time picking which pic to lead with. I love the ones with hints of yellow blossoms but I chose the image where the resting calf just looks so vulnerable all curled up. Mom was nearby so this sweetie didn't have a worry in the world other than getting some rest ❤️

September, South Dakota.

10/12/2026

There's just something so stinkin cute about a massive elk bull and a calf! ❤️

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

10/11/2026

The smallest things can brighten our lives. Tiny yet undeniable. A gorgeous prothonotary warbler not hidden in lush greens.

Does he look nice and bright to you? Well, "for Prothonotary Warblers it pays to be bright. Males that are brighter yellow gain access to better nest sites than less colorful males, according to a study conducted in Louisiana." ~Cornell All About Birds

Go get 'em, Romeo 😘

Spotted while kayaking at Silver Springs State Park, FL

10/11/2026

Judgement Day!

People often accuse wildlife lovers of anthropomorphizing animals—assigning human traits to them. I’ve certainly been “judged” for that more than once. 😊

But science has long shown that animals feel emotion and pain, and many species possess remarkable intelligence & problem-solving skills.

So when we witness behavior that clearly reads as curiosity, suspicion, or even judgment, why assume only humans have ownership of those experiences?

It makes far more sense that we share common emotions to help us navigate the same world—the same home.

Shared home, shared emotions.

If anything leans unscientific, it’s dismissing animal emotion altogether.

Was this guy judging me?
Absolutely.

Anhinga at Sweetwater Wetlands Park. FL

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