Exploring Nature by Sheila Newenham
Photographers are often asked what their trip goal or dream image is. I’m not that kind of photographer. I want to be out in the wild, let nature envelop me, and embrace what comes. This trip unexpectedly brought two of my favorite things together—bears and … Continue readingBear Camp – British Columbia
The Fascination Ever since I saw my first one, every time I snorkel, I seek out octopuses. They are night hunters who hole up in dens during the day. These dens are marked by the empty shells of the animals that sustain them. I’ve become … Continue readingOctopus in Culebra
They said to see the sea turtles, get in the water by 9 am. When I went to bed last night, I thought, I’ll go in the morning, but not by 9 am. I’d just arrived in Culebra, Puerto Rico, this morning after traveling fifteen … Continue readingSnorkeling Culebra: Tamarindo Bay
Two miles, two hours. That’s a good wander. It’s hazy, with a strong breeze off the Gulf of Mexico pushing the waves further up on the soft sand of Surfside Beach. Although the thermometer reads 72°, this cool wind necessitates a sweatshirt. I roll up … Continue readingSurfside Beach Wander
The Gulf Coast It’s a place of contrasts. “Is it pretty?” people ask. “It depends where you’re standing and which way you’re looking,” comes the response from a long-time resident. There’s no better summary of the topography. Industrial chemical plants comprised of steel pipes, metal … Continue readingBrazoria, Texas
Serendipity: an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident. accidental discovery Planned In October, I went to Estes Park, Colorado, the hotbed of elk activity, to photograph the rut. There weren’t many elk around, and Moraine Park was empty. Unplanned Later, I was in Northern … Continue readingTule Elk Rut
A Pictorial On the rolling hills of Point Reyes National Seashore, gophers drive the ecosystem. In addition to sustaining coyotes, foxes, weasels, and bobcats, this makes for happy hunting for all manner of raptors: kestrels, red-tail hawks, great horned owls, white-tailed kites, northern harriers, and … Continue readingThe Birds of Point Reyes National Seashore
The stark black and white stands out like a beacon in the amber fall landscape. For a fraction of a second, I thought I’d found a badger. That’s the only striped animal I expect on this landscape. But the color, body shape, and floof of … Continue readingSkunks During the Daytime
It’s my fourth trip to Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), though it’s been nine years since my last visit. Usually, the town of Estes Park is overrun by elk in the fall. They’re on the golf course, at the school, downtown, and, of course, in … Continue readingA Lake of Rocky Mountain Elk
The Flood Spring of 2022 brought a “once in 500 years” flood to Yellowstone National Park, prompting evacuations and an unprecedented full closure of the Park. Flows in the Yellowstone River were recorded at 50,000 cubic feet per second (cf/s) on the morning of June … Continue readingForce of Nature: The 2022 Yellowstone Flood