When people plan to visit Yellowstone National Park, they generally anticipate seeing wildlife like bears, buffalo, elk, etc. and the natural wonders such as geysers and waterfalls. Often overlooked is the incredible variety of birds. I’ve seen Wilson’s Snipes in the Park several times. I photographed this one from the window of my vehicle not […]
Author: Don Getty
Don Getty has been an avid wildlife photographer for over 20 years. He resides in Wyoming, just 30 miles from Yellowstone Park. He photographs birds, mammals, reptiles and just about any living creature he can get in front of his lens. Wildlife photography has taken him throughout the Rocky Mountain region of the US and Canada, East Africa, South Africa, Costa Rica, Florida and Churchill Manitoba. He has received numerous awards and his images have appeared in many magazines, books and calendars.
The Birds of Yellowstone by Don Getty – Part One
When people plan to visit Yellowstone National Park, they generally anticipate seeing wildlife like bears, buffalo, elk, etc. and the natural wonders such as geysers and waterfalls. Often overlooked is the incredible variety of birds. I drove away from two grizzlies in poor light which were just down the road from a group of American […]
Say’s Phoebes have moved in.
I had been seeing these birds around my house, but didn’t pay much attention to them. After all, I thought they were just little brown birds. My curiosity got the better of me so I grabbed my bird book and determined they are Say’s Phoebes. With some observation, I discovered they have nested above a […]
The Mustangs of Pryor Mountain by Don Getty
In southern Montana, just across the Wyoming border lies the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range. The 38,000 acre range was established in 1968 by the US federal government to provide protection for mustangs – wild horses if you prefer. Free roaming horses have been in this area for over a century, perhaps dating back to […]
Costa Rica, a Holiday with Nature, Part 3 of 3
The Arenal Observatory Lodge has several feeders to attract birds and they did their job. I was able to photograph honeycreepers, tanagers, oropendola, woodpeckers and more. The bird feeders also attracted White-nosed Coatis which fed on the scraps. These bold creatures would walk right into the restaurant if given a chance. There is an extensive […]
Costa Rica, a Holiday with Nature, Part 2 of 3
The feeder where I photographed the most, just happened to be next to the bar. Yes, before dinner, a cold Costa Rican beer goes just fine with bird photography. Over three days, some species were common at the feeders, but each day a species that I hadn’t seen before would also appear. When hiking the […]
Costa Rica, a Holiday with Nature, Part 1 of 3
As we checked into the Lodge, we were asked if we wanted to do a “frog tour” that evening. Not having a clue what to expect, I said: “sure, why not”. Being the only participants, this turned into an hour and a half of me photographing nine different species of frogs. Luckily, we had headlamps […]
Yellowstone’s Harlequin Ducks
Typically Harlequin Ducks are found in coastal waters but in the spring they do migrate inland. Yellowstone National Park is thought of as being the southern most inland area where you can find them. Harlequins prefer fast moving water, which makes LeHardy Rapids an ideal spot to find them. But, timing is everything. This section […]