Wildside Galleries by Chris Perry

I’m sure everyone who enters Yellowstone from the west gate see’s this nest. It’s a favorite place of mine to go early in the day or late afternoons when the lighting gets a bit more dramatic.

The spot never seems to fail and it’s as if these Bald Eagles just pose for anyone willing to slow down long enough to look up..

White Pelicans
Henry's Lake, Idaho

Place of Refuge, (Pu’uhonua o Honaunau) Big Island Hawaii is one of the truly magical places on this island and in this World for that matter. It’s a place to go really experience the essence of Hawaii and just unwind from whatever needs unwinding.

The bay reaches out far and is deep in parts but mostly protected from the open oceans waves and currents and offers a spectacular setting for viewing Green Turtles, fish of all kinds and Dolphins. It’s also a free divers paradise as there are plenty of deeper dives to really feel the pressure of the ocean surround you with decent visibility. On one such decent between 50 and 60 feet, I was able to hear the chattering of dolphins. I was planning on going down as far as I could to see where the bottom was, but their song stopped me in my tracks. I just hovered there still staring into the darkened blue and the last rays of sun-light streaming beams above me. Although they were laud I had no way of knowing which direction or really how close they actually were, so I just remained in suspended animation with my Nikonos V hoping to catch a glimpse for as long as my lungs would allow me.

After 30 or 40 more seconds a pod of more than fifty came up from behind me and soared by me in all directions. I vividly remember a mother and her baby swimming belly to belly as the just about hit my flippers underneath me. I almost forgot to swim back to the surface for air as I was so mesmerized by the event. The shot attached is one I took as I was reaching the surface. It was as if two of them lagged back and made sure I made it back safely. At least that is the story I like to believe.

Never the less, I had enough air and composure left to shoot this one last shot before giving shallow water blackout a chance to get me. I was alone out there and I at least had to make it back to develop this roll.

Spring cubs from unrelated sows came together to play each day. The cubs burned excess energy while the mothers watched with a careful eye.

Osa Penninsula, Costa Rica

Spring Cub makes a meal of termites in an old rotten log

My absolute favorite time in Yellowstone ins in the moments just before the sun cracks the dawn. The thermal vents and the cold night air often make for really amazing smokey images.

Here, a simple pond creates such a powerful and almost primal feeling as the heavy air above mixes with the lighter warmer convection bellow. The lighting this time of day is worth the early wake up alarm.

A grizzly bear (out of range of camera) scares out a Great Blue Heron who makes flight towards me through the pass of Conifers and swooped right above me. Every sound seems so amplified this time of the am as the air is clear, so other people around and my senses are more acute in the morning.

Although I tried, the bear took off in the opposite direction and I never did get a clear shot of it..:(

Yellowstone National Park

Costa Rica

Photo taken in Denali National Park.. Please see related story in the blog section called “Sometimes you just have to ask for it”

Costa Rica Rain Forest

San Simeon, CA

Osa Penninsula

Osa Penninusla, Costa Rica

Costa Rica

Osa Penninsula, Costa Rica

Osa Penninsula, Costa Rica

Elephant Seals, San Simeon CA

This Brown Pelican was in the small fishing bay where the boats come in to unload their catch and process the fish right there..

In the Galapagos, needless to say there are plenty of beggars looking for easy food including every type of sea bird, sea lions and anyone else willing to duke it out for some prime innards.
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Anyway, this unsuspecting pelican was eating his “catch” at the end of the dock and not paying too much attention to anyone else.

It was where I decided to try for a new angle on these peculiar looking birds. The dock was 3 feet off the ground and in about 2 feet more of water..

I slid under the dock and inched my way to the edge. I could hear him or her right above me as the little claws at the end of his webbed feet clicked on the wood above me.

There were 4 or 5 little local kids watching and laughing as I tried to shhhhsh them so they didn’t scare the bird away.. I was suddenly under the little toes as the hung over the edge and slowly raised my camera as I leaned back uncomfortably.

He actually did not notice me there and I needed to make a little noise to get his attention, so I clucked kind of like a wet chicken may do..( I was soaked and a but muddy by now)

He looked down as I peered up through the lens and took this shot..

Now what I probably should have been expecting but simply did not was the surprise waiting for me only a moment later..

As he lifted off the dock in an attempt to remove himself as far and as fast from this ridiculous photographer, he let loose with the warmest, messiest and most disgusting fish laden bird crap all over me, my camera and of course ego..

The little local kids about peed their pants from laughing so hard. What a clean up job…But I got the shot! And the humility to go along with it.

Belize