While hiking along the Gave d’Ilhéou, I came across this peaceful scene: a horse drinking from the stream in the foreground, with a herd of cows grazing on the grassy slopes behind. The terrain was rocky and uneven, framed by steep green mountains and a partly cloudy sky. The light was soft, the atmosphere quiet — a raw and authentic moment of pastoral life in the Pyrenees. I paused to take it in, drawn by the natural rhythm of the animals and the landscape.

Beneath the quiet hush of the forest floor, where the light barely filters through the canopy, a moment of life unfolds in secret. With wings like velvet painted in iridescent blue, the Archduke butterfly descends—not to bask in sunlight, but to feast on decay.

A forgotten fruit, shriveled and blackened, becomes a treasure trove of nutrients. The butterfly unrolls its slender proboscis and drinks deeply, drawing sustenance from what the forest leaves behind. There is elegance in this moment—where beauty meets the cycle of life and death, where even rot plays a vital role.

Here, in the silence, the Archduke reigns—not by grandeur or glory, but by the quiet persistence of life in the shadows.

Above Cauterets, on the way to Lake Ilhéou, I photographed this solitary mule grazing peacefully in an open pasture. Its light coat and sturdy build stood out against the green slopes and forested mountains. The cloudy sky gave the scene a muted tone. I was struck by the simplicity and quiet presence of the animal in this natural setting.

I took this photo in the Hautes-Pyrénées, above Cauterets on the way to Lake Ilhéou. Two draft horses graze freely on a grassy slope, surrounded by steep hills and alpine vegetation. The overcast sky casts a bluish tone over the scene, enhancing the quiet and raw atmosphere. I wanted to capture this pastoral moment — simple and alive — in the heart of a natural mountain setting.

In the dense rainforest, a long-tailed macaque sits quietly on a branch, cracking open a coconut.

This behavior is common among wild macaques, who have learned to use their hands skillfully to access food.

Surrounded by damp earth, moss-covered rocks, and filtered light, the monkey takes its time — alert, yet calm.

Moments like this show how deeply adapted these primates are to their forest environment, relying on both instinct and intelligence to survive.

Two zebras peacefully graze in the golden light of the Namibian savanna. The symmetry of their stripes against the dry grassland creates a striking natural contrast, showcasing the quiet rhythm of life in Africa's wilderness.

Greylag Goose Frenzy. Minor tribute to the wonderful BBC nature-documentaries

BIGGER & BETTER IN 1600PX

Can you spot & correctly ID the duck species tagging along?

A Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) captured in perfect stillness, its sharp gaze focused on the water below. This elegant wading bird is a master of patience, waiting motionless for the right moment to strike. Common across wetlands and rivers in Europe, the heron plays a vital role in maintaining ecological balance within its habitat.

This powerful image captures an adult rhinoceros wandering through the red sands of Namibia. A symbol of resilience and quiet strength, the rhino embodies the wild spirit of Africa’s vast and breathtaking landscapes.

A full body portrait of a heron standing on volcanic ground in the Galápagos Islands. The raised leg and relaxed posture convey balance and calm, while the surrounding terrain provides context for the bird’s coastal environment. The image combines presence and place in a quiet, observational approach.

An African elephant drinks gracefully from a serene waterhole in Etosha National Park, Namibia. The splash of water streaming from its curled trunk adds dynamic motion to this tranquil desert scene, showcasing the vital relationship between wildlife and water in Africa’s arid ecosystems.

Two young lions stride side by side across the sunlit plains of Etosha National Park, Namibia. Their synchronized steps and focused gaze capture a moment of unity, power, and emerging maturity in the African wild.

Canon EOS

lens: Canon EF 70-200 L f/4 Is Usm

Iso100 200mm f/4.0 1/320sec.

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Info/contacts/demo:

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Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), Portland, Oregon

Media:

* Prehistoric Planet: Season 2, "Swamps": Tyrannosaurus rex brothers hunting Edmontosaurus

* Anze Rozman: "Tyrannosaurus Brothers"

Nangol, a powerful cheetah of the Maasai Mara, has brought down a Thomson’s gazelle. With her piercing gaze fixed forward, she guards the prize of her speed and patience. It’s a raw reminder of life on the savannah — where every successful hunt is a matter of survival, and every glance into those eyes tells the story of the wild.

In a charming moment reminiscent of nature documentaries from the 2000s, a curious squirrel nibbles on a piece of corn while peeking out from a rustic wooden enclosure, showcasing the whimsical side of wildlife.

Forest Gem

So there I was, barely awake at 4am for my very first bird watching trip. I dragged myself to La Mesa Ecopark before the 5:30am meetup, thinking I must be crazy to wake up this early just to look at birds. After some briefings about the eco park and what to expect, we headed into the nature trail around 6am. Two hours in, when my legs were already getting tired and I was wondering if we'd actually see more, our guide suddenly stopped and pointed up. There it was - a Philippine frogmouth just sitting there on a branch like it was posing for us. The guide mentioned these birds are pretty uncommon to spot, which made me feel like I'd won some kind of birding lottery on my first try. What struck me most was how the bird seemed just as curious about us as we were about it - like we were having this mutual staring contest in the middle of the forest.

The bird looked absolutely incredible perched on the tree there among the green leaves, almost like it was part of the tree itself. Its feathers were this mix of browns and grays that blended so well with the bark, and it had these distinctive tufts of feathers sticking up from its head. I managed to get my camera focused at about 12.75 meters away, and even with all my amateur fumbling with the settings, the shot came out pretty decent. The way it sat so still and alert, with those big dark eyes watching everything - and especially watching us - was both beautiful and slightly mysterious. Its camouflage was so good that I probably would have walked right past it if the guide hadn't spotted it first.

This Sri Lankan elephant, captured in black and white, showcases the power and grace of one of Asia's most revered species.

Known for their gentle nature yet immense strength, Sri Lankan elephants play a vital role in the island’s rich biodiversity.

This image emphasizes the intimate connection between these majestic creatures and their natural habitat, highlighting the importance of conservation efforts to protect them.

Lioness and cub

The travelogue on the left, with the waterfall, shows off sites in South P'yongan province. The unreleased animal "Face off" documentary is the real deal and has that clunky DPRK narration. It was deemed too graphic for Central Television - a.k.a., the Kim Channel - and shelved. There's no "Animal Planet" on DPRK television, so we can guess it went unseen there. In South Korea, the VCD goes for 1,000 won (about 90 cents US) a pop. ;-)

walayar kearala india

If you can guess what these are (and it's not something super obscure), I shall tip my hat to you.

Slow motion of a few of the 100+ flock of wild PINE SISKEN (Spinus pinus) songbirds who visited our garden in south Yukon, Canada. They quickly found the squirrel food depot, which keeps the squirrels from raiding our bird feeders.

Pine Siskens have fast reflexes and can move at blurring speeds. Pine Siskens flock together but have definite boundaries for their individual personal space which they're quick to defend, especially when food is involved. They are a nomadic species of irruptive winter finch and do not follow regular migration patterns. Instead, they select their habitat based on food supply. Pine Siskens have higher metabolic rates than similar song birds and can survive temperatures as low as -70C (-94F) by boosting their metabolism 500% for many hours during intense cold.

Kirk Webster is a master natural Queen Breeder living near Middlebury, VT. He has no online prescence, nor cel phone, but once we get a hold of him and went out to see his hives we were taken by his generosity and charm.

Vanessa Berlowitz, "Frozen Planet" producer

BBC Nature Series on the Discovery Channel

Pencil and graphite by Jack Wolf

The male's risky courtship ritual seen in my last photo has paid off! In my fourth (and all joking aside, my favorite) shot, we see that the female was impressed with the male's light-hearted playing mixed with his come-hither glances in her direction.

Ron poses proudly next to his dodecahedron hives. He designed them himself for maximum comfort and peace for the beehive. You can read about them in detail in an article run by the NY Times here: www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archiv...