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Getting the chance to watch a young Wedge Tail Eagle transform from a fluff ball into a fledgling was rather special. This picture was taken the week she left the nest, I was balance on a narrow ridge overlooking the valley. Image taken with Nikon D500, Sigma 150-600 sport & 1.4 TC & 850mm.

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This was a hard pick. I'm just now going through 2020 photos culling out the "why did I shoot that" and duplicates. At this moment, my favorite from 2020 is this spicebush swallowtail butterfly caterpillar on a spicebush plant. Even though it looks like a cartoon character, I can attest to the fact it is quite real and very much alive.
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Thanks Ira. Just happen to be sitting in my backyard in July shooting with my new 500 PF and the first hawk landed. As I started shooting the second one landed along side the first. Good way to start the morning. If I remember correctly, the crop setting was on as well on my D500.
I thought that they were smiling at you, they most likely just wanted to get a look at that new 500pf.
 
Nice photos everyone, that caterpillar looks like you took a sharpie to it....lol very cool (y)

As usual for me this is one of my least liked or commented on photos and it happens to be my personal favorite from 2020.
I haven't wandered out much this year for various reasons(lockdown, dog rescue, work...)

This Juvenile Great Horned Owl spent much of summer screeching outside our place learning to hunt rabbits with mama. This shot was well after dark behind our house during the peak of the horrible wildfire smoke on September 11th. The composition was just random in the dark, if I had to frame it I would have done differently but he is looking away and I like it.
I shot it with my D500/200-500mm off a tripod. Manually focused using live view zoomed in. I was just able to make out the eyes and took a few shots, this being the most in focus.

Nikon D500, 200-500mm
f/5.6, 2.5 seconds, ISO 4000 at 500mm
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This is tough! I had a lot that I liked from 2020, although if I have to pick just one, I think this is the winner. The fortuitous flower right under the little lamb isn't something that happens every day! Especially since it was captured as he was running at full-tilt towards mom. I didn't even know I had captured that flower until I was reviewing the images - it was a nice surprise :)


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Great photo, kind of amazing what that one thistle flower adds to it. It would be nice either way but it really does add something special. (y)
 
I spent an afternoon in a public garden not far from my home near Quebec city to take this picture; many times the bird attracted by the flowers was coming back; I took many many photos and selected this one because of the position of the wings.

D500 + 500 PF @ 1/2000, f/5.6, ISO 2000

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This is tough! I had a lot that I liked from 2020, although if I have to pick just one, I think this is the winner. The fortuitous flower right under the little lamb isn't something that happens every day! Especially since it was captured as he was running at full-tilt towards mom. I didn't even know I had captured that flower until I was reviewing the images - it was a nice surprise :)


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I guess if there's a flower you should go over and not through it would be a thistle :) A wonderfully whimsical shot, this. Happy Holidays, Steve.
 
Great idea for a thread. Way harder than I thought when I attempted to pick a favorite. Even though I have had a recent addiction with a few owls in my area, I find myself gravitating back to this simple squirrel portrait. As far as critter photos go I think this guy wins. I am probably too hard on myself, butI just can't seem to nail the background to my liking with more interesting subjects like the bison and owls of late 😪
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Great idea for a thread. Way harder than I thought when I attempted to pick a favorite. Even though I have had a recent addiction with a few owls in my area, I find myself gravitating back to this simple squirrel portrait. As far as critter photos go I think this guy wins. I am probably too hard on myself, butI just can't seem to nail the background to my liking with more interesting subjects like the bison and owls of late 😪View attachment 12079
Simply wonderful!
 
Great idea for a thread. Way harder than I thought when I attempted to pick a favorite. Even though I have had a recent addiction with a few owls in my area, I find myself gravitating back to this simple squirrel portrait. As far as critter photos go I think this guy wins. I am probably too hard on myself, butI just can't seem to nail the background to my liking with more interesting subjects like the bison and owls of late 😪/QUOTE]

And there it is... Way harder than one thinks... As soon as I chose the mouthful squirrel, I remembered this guy...
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Nice photos everyone, that caterpillar looks like you took a sharpie to it....lol very cool (y)

As usual for me this is one of my least liked or commented on photos and it happens to be my personal favorite from 2020.
I haven't wandered out much this year for various reasons(lockdown, dog rescue, work...)

This Juvenile Great Horned Owl spent much of summer screeching outside our place learning to hunt rabbits with mama. This shot was well after dark behind our house during the peak of the horrible wildfire smoke on September 11th. The composition was just random in the dark, if I had to frame it I would have done differently but he is looking away and I like it.
I shot it with my D500/200-500mm off a tripod. Manually focused using live view zoomed in. I was just able to make out the eyes and took a few shots this being the most in focus.

Nikon D500, 200-500mm
f/5.6, 2.5 seconds, ISO 4000 at 500mm
View attachment 12041
That is a shot to be proud of.
 
Summer in the Rocky Mountains, no better place to be. I really had trouble narrowing it down but I like this little guy more & more each time I look over my short list! D500, 400 f2.8, 1/2500, f2.8 ISO 360, and a trip thru Topaz denoise to clean up a bit.
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