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National Parks

Cape Lookout National Seashore Portfolio

Cape Lookout National Seashore 2 Portfolio

Great Sand Dunes Portfolio

Yellowstone National Park Grand Prismatic

Great Sand Dunes National Park Colorado Sunset

Great Sand Dunes 2 Portfolio

Blue Ridge Parkway 2 Portfolio

Blue Ridge Parkway 4 Portfolio

Grand Teton National Park Vanlife

Glacier National Park Portfolio

Wildlife

Osprey Grand Teton National Park

Cascade Red Fox Whitefoot Vulpes Vulpes Cascadensis

Yellow Crowned Night Heron Portfolio

Wild Stallion Wyoming

Great Egret in Breeding Plumage

Yellow Headed Blackbird Colorado

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gretchenkaystuart

One of my favorite wildlife encounters to date was

One of my favorite wildlife encounters to date was with this baby Pacific Marten who came down from a tree to inspect me and discover what a human was. I’d never seen such an adorable, tiny, curious critter! The sighting left me with that high which fellow wildlife photographers know and live for. I was laughing, crying, running and jumping all the way back to camp!
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Camera: #Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens: EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6
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#pacificmarten #pinemarten #mountrainier #mountrainiernationalpark #nationalparkgeek #leavenotrace #keepwildlifewild #wildlifeconservation #wildlifephotography #bbcwildlifepotd #earthcapture #naturephotography #shotoncanon #ourfotoworld #natgeowild #nanpapix #yourshotphotographer

THREE YEARS ON THE ROAD (and still counting!) - Ev

THREE YEARS ON THE ROAD (and still counting!)
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Every year around July 13th I like to post a selfie with an update, mostly for future me to look back on like a diary, but since I’m really bad at selfies, here’s a story screenshot of me authentically elated after a momma black bear and tiny cub encounter last week.
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The past three years in my minimal little camper van have really flown by, and I feel incredibly blessed and grateful for the experiences and memories collected. I’ve visited 37 National Parks, but have spent most time in the Park that stole my heart, Mount Rainier, where I’ve been devoted to Cascade red fox conservation research. Those cunning little carnivores have been constantly consuming my mind ever since my first encounter with Whitefoot!
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Plans are always changing, but as of now future goals are: 1) Continue to grow a career in Wildlife Conservation Photography. 2) Take a couple of months to explore Alaska and BC (Canada) hopefully within the next summer or two? 3) Eventually invest in a bigger camper van that I can stand up and cook in.
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Here’s to abnormal lifestyles, sacrificing comfort, and working hard to fulfill your dreams!
🦊🥂🦊
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1 - Me doin’ what I love!
2 - Calendars I use to keep track of where I go and what I do.
3 - Cascade red fox territory! For me, these misty subalpine meadows are just as magical as the majestic mountain views.

A sweet little hoary marmot grabs a snack of Mount

A sweet little hoary marmot grabs a snack of Mount Rainier wildflowers.
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Peak bloom is right around the corner, and Mount Rainier’s meadows are extremely fragile. We can help prevent damage by staying on the trails and not picking the wildflowers. Let’s leave them in the ground where they will seed, spread, and feed the many critters who depend on them for survival.
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*Photo captured last August at 400mm and cropped. Please give wildlife plenty of space.
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#marmot #hoarymarmot #wildflowerseason #mountrainier #mountrainiernationalpark #leavenotrace #leaveitbetter #conservationphotography #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #nanpapix #nationalparkgeek #earthcapture #ourfotoworld #shotoncanon #yourshotphotographer

Pup appreciation post! This cute little mega mutt

Pup appreciation post! This cute little mega mutt has been my constant companion for 7 years now. Cleo is a rescue - most likely a Whippet mix - and the best lil’ smile maker, mind reader and van guard a gal could have. I never really get lonely on the road, and I think Cleo plays a big role in that. Here’s to dog friendly beaches, a life full of adventure, and those puppy eyes that melt your heart and make you share all your food.
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#adoptdontshop #adventurepup #vanlifers #oregoncoast

The Pigeon Guillemot’s Guide to Getting a Girlfr

The Pigeon Guillemot’s Guide to Getting a Girlfriend:
(2) Get out there and catch a fish. Just ignore the floating humans, they’re harmless.
(3) Once you’ve caught a fish, nonchalantly lay around on the rocks with it in your mouth. It might help to take a nap.
(4) If looking as though you can catch fish in your sleep doesn’t work, try flashing a little nictitating membrane.
(5) Beware of that one dude who always shows up and struts around with the biggest, most colorful fish.
(6) He’ll go to the steepest part of the rock and get vertical, looking totally courageous and tough, but also adorable.
(7) Once he shows up, you better take off and find a better fish before Mr. Macho steals your chick.
(8) After returning with a new fish, be sure to sit next to the guy who has a less impressive fish than yours. That way you’ll really turn the ladies heads.
(9) When your dream girl gets chatty, it could mean she’s interested. Be patient and respectful.
(10) Eventually, you’ll find your soulmate and she’ll stay with you for years to come!
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#pigeonguillemot #pigeonguillemots #oregoncoast #pnw #audubonsociety #wildlifephotography #birdphotography #birdwatching #naturephotography #nanpapix #ourfotoworld #shotoncanon #yourshotphotographer

Swipe & volume up to hear the mating call of the m

Swipe & volume up to hear the mating call of the male Sooty Grouse (along with various other birds and waterfalls). This sound is probably my favorite thing about June in Mount Rainier. As low and subtle as his call is, it travels a surprisingly long distance and adds so beautifully to the enchantment of the forest. PS: look at that caboose!
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Camera: #Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens: EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6
Handheld
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#sootygrouse #grouse #mountrainier #mountrainiernationalpark #audubonsociety #conservationphotography #wildlifephotography #birdphotography #birdwatching #naturephotography #nanpapix #nationalparkgeek #ourfotoworld #shotoncanon #yourshotphotographer

Happy Nature Photography Day! To celebrate, here i

Happy Nature Photography Day! To celebrate, here is an adorable little Piping Plover that I photographed last winter on Hilton Head Island.
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The Piping Plover is threatened or endangered (depending on location), and human presence is quickly shrinking their habitat. The colored bands help researchers identify individuals and track their migration patterns. These sweet little birds sometimes travel in non-stop flight from breeding grounds in the Great Lakes to wintering grounds on the Gulf Coast. Pretty impressive!
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If you live near Piping Plover habitat, you can help conservation efforts by reporting sightings and band colors, as well as being cautious and keeping pets away from dunes and nesting areas.
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Image captured at 400mm and cropped. Please always give wildlife plenty of space, thanks!
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#naturephotographyday #NANPApix #NANPAtogether #pipingplover #plover #endangeredspecies #hiltonheadisland #wildlifeconservation #audubonsociety #wildlifephotography #birdphotography #birdwatching #naturephotography #conservationphotography #bbcwildlifepotd #earthcapture #ourfotoworld #shotoncanon #yourshotphotographer

Swipe for a few peaceful seconds of stream-side bi

Swipe for a few peaceful seconds of stream-side birdwatching with a female Sooty Grouse.
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Here in Mount Rainier, the subalpines are still heavily snow covered, but where you can find patches of grass you may also find the female Sooty Grouse foraging for greens and following the low, enchanting courtship calls of a male.
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Camera: #Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens: EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6
Handheld
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#sootygrouse #grouse #mountrainier #mountrainiernationalpark #audubonsociety #conservationphotography #wildlifephotography #birdphotography #birdwatching #naturephotography #nanpapix #nationalparkgeek #ourfotoworld #shotoncanon #yourshotphotographer

I’m so sad to hear that one of the subadult griz

I’m so sad to hear that one of the subadult grizzlies that I photographed last April in the Tetons has been euthanized. After separating from his mother and sibling, this young grizzly ended up foraging for food and birdseed in a nearby neighborhood. Relocation and hazing failed, and ultimately the grizzly was put down as a precaution for human safety.
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This news makes me want to reiterate my feelings expressed in my April 26th post. Perhaps if this bear hadn’t been so used to roads and people, he would have had a healthy fear and instinct to stay away from local homes. I don’t know where the balance of tourism in bear country lies, and not being a resident of Jackson, I don’t feel that it’s my place to have much of a say. But my heart breaks for these grizzlies and the locals who love them, and I deeply hope that some solutions will be enforced, for the sake of the bears.
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The euthanized grizzly was 610’s cub, grandson of the famous grizzly 399.
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*Photo captured from my van window with a long lens and heavily cropped. Please always give wildlife plenty of space.
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#grandtetonnationalpark #grandtetons #jacksonhole #grizzly #grizzly610 #grizzly399 #grizzlybear #conservationphotography #keepwildlifewild #wildlifephotography #wildlifeconservation #399 #610 #nationalparkgeek #nanpapix #ourfotoworld #shotoncanon #yourshotphotographer

The Cascade red fox is extremely rare and elusive,

The Cascade red fox is extremely rare and elusive, so you can imagine my excitement when I found a new individual last week! However, my excitement was mixed with sadness as I watched this skinny little rain-soaked cutie scavenge through trash that had been left behind in a ski resort parking area. This fox should be hunting voles that could put a little meat on the bones rather than chewing plastic baggies and banana peels.
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Please remember to be responsible with your trash when visiting wild places. Even fruit peels that seem natural and biodegradable aren’t safe to be left behind. Thanks for helping to keep wildlife wild!
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#cascademountains #cascades #cascaderedfox #endangeredspecies #conservationphotography #nanpapix #wildlifephotography #wildlifeconservation #naturephotography #keepwildlifewild #dontfeedthefox #leavenotrace #ourfotoworld #bbcwildlifepotd #earthcapture #shotoncanon #natgeowild #yourshotphotographer

Swipe to see the brilliant red eye of the Eared Gr

Swipe to see the brilliant red eye of the Eared Grebe. (Don’t these little guys just look so punk rock? 😎)
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Overcast weather with rain or snow are always my favorite conditions for photographing wildlife. I just love how colors pop against those gray skies!
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Camera: #Canon EOS 5D Mark IV
Lens: EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6
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#earedgrebe #grebe #yellowstone #yellowstonenationalpark #audubonsociety #wildlifephotography #birdphotography #birdwatching #naturephotography #nanpapix #nationalparkgeek #ourfotoworld #shotoncanon #yourshotphotographer

The Cascade red fox is a threatened subspecies end

The Cascade red fox is a threatened subspecies endemic to Washington State, and the most genetically unique red fox species in the world.
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This fox is known by biologists as Whitefoot, and due to their small numbers, she is likely the only Cascade red fox most people will ever catch a glimpse of. With all the beautiful subalpine meadows Whitefoot has to roam in Mount Rainier, she instead spends her time next to the roads where she has learned that she can manipulate an easy meal from Park visitors. She has become very street smart over the years, but her kits have not been so lucky.
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Please remember to never feed wildlife. It contributes to their deaths by causing health issues, luring them to the road to be hit by cars, and puts them at risk of being euthanized due to approaching humans for food. Even just one feeding of a wild animal may result in their habituation. Thanks for helping to keep wildlife wild!
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#mountrainier #mountrainiernationalpark #cascaderedfox #conservationphotography #nanpapix #wildlifephotography #wildlifeconservation #naturephotography #keepwildlifewild #dontfeedthefox #leavenotrace #ourfotoworld #bbcwildlifepotd #earthcapture #nationalparkgeek #shotoncanon #natgeowild #yourshotphotographer

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