The PhotoNaturalist

Sparky shares his favorite photos from 2024. Images from Minnesota, Wisconsin, California, Texas, North Dakota. Moose, Bobcat, Spruce Grouse, Great Gray Owl and more.

Here are my favorite WILDLIFE ENCOUNTERS from 2024. All happened when out photographing birds and mammals in California, Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota. This is an annual video and really brings me back to all the good times (and unexpected encounters) from the past year. Though these TOP TEN are the ones selected for the video, I had many other amazing encounters that were maybe more brief, or I didn’t get any video of.

My TOP TEN PHOTOS of 2024 video will be coming out soon!

Thanks for watching!

Sparky shares photos and thoughts of the 2024 Bird Photographer of the Year competition …and the story behind his winning photos.

And it turns out that, YES!, you can take awesome photos through your living room window in your pajamas 🙂

Bird photography is one of Sparky’s hobbies, but creative bird photography is what really interests him. And this competition celebrates those type of images. Sparky shares several dozen winners from this year’s BPOTY book.

Sparky takes an early December spin around the Sax-Zim Bog to see what he can find. Redpolls and White-winged Crossbills seem to be everywhere! But he has to bushwhack in to the bog to find a very trusting Black-backed Woodpecker. Canada Jays are curious and give Sparky a close up look. A lingering American Tree Sparrow is also encountered.

Sparky updates all on Tiny Bird Art 2025, BRRRRdathon 2025, the new LIVE Bird Feeder Cam at the Welcome Center and much more.

Sparky went down to the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival to represent Friends of Sax-Zim Bog…but of course he couldn’t go to one of the best birding spots in the country and just sit behind a table! 

He had to get out birding and photographing some of the “Valley specialists” such as the parrots and parakeets.

He went on the Festival’s “Parrot Palooza” and connected with Green Parakeet (photo lifer), Red-crowned Amazon (Parrot), Yellow-headed Amazon, and Red-lored Amazon.

A few days later he discovered that Old Hidalgo, TX has a breeding population of Monk Parakeet. Sparky survived a Chihuahua-pack attack, and soon after discovered a flock of 43 “Monks.” 

Sparky shares some photography tips for shooting busy birds in low-light conditions.

Teddy Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

In Part Two of Sparky and Ryan’s wildlife photography trip to North Dakota’s Theodore Roosevelt National Park, they use the “ol’ bandana trick” to bring a herd of Pronghorn closer and closer. Also, two more evenings in “Badgote Valley” produce encounters with multiple Coyotes, a couple buck Mule Deer and Pronghorns. They spend time with a “late bloomer” herd of Bison who still have a fairly small “red dog” calf, a band of Wild Horses, Prairie Dogs and several Sharp-tailed Grouse.

Sparky also shares his TOP TEN favorite photos from the trip.

Sparky and Ryan head west on their annual camping and wildlife photography trip to Teddy Roosevelt National Park in western North Dakota. In this Part 1 we find amazing aurora borealis displays, Elk, Mule Deer bucks, ornery Bison, cute and pudgy Prairie Dogs, Wild Horses and Larry the Lazy Coyote! Maybe even a Bigfoot sighting at a gas station?? Can you have fun AND adventure AND take good photos in one trip? Ryan and Sparky can!

October 8, 2024—Sparky takes his camera and $1 Cheerleader megaphone to northern Minnesota’s Superior National Forest to see if he can call in a Moose. But he gets distracted by TWO Spruce Grouse!; a gorgeous female and a stunning male. He finally finds a good looking spot to start calling for Moose. And Sparky’s imitation of a cow Moose must be spot on as a big bull comes in looking for love.

Bird photography, Wildlife Photography, Wildlife video

Warbler-Palooza II starts strong with Sparky finding one of the rarest breeding warblers in North America….the Connecticut. But technical difficulties hamper the warbler count. Fortunately he is able to share video of some beautiful warblers including Northern Parula, Golden-winged Warblers. And there are many other highlights to be seen in northern Minnesota’s Sax-Zim Bog in summer…Great Gray Owl, Sedge Wrens, LeConte’s Sparrow, Snowshoe Hares and much more. Sparky also shows us highlights from May’s Warbler Wednesdays and the bi-annual “garbage clean-up best find contest.” Oh yeah, it’s also time for Tiny Bird Art!

After dropping my youngest son off at his aunt & uncles in Madison, WI in early June, I spend two partial days at Necedah NWR,  one of my favorite National Wildlife Refuges. And it does not disappoint!

I capture the mechanism for Common Nighthawk booming in slow motion video. Crazy stuff!

A pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers entertain me with their bold antics. I share my early memories of this species at my grandparents farm in South Dakota (including the world’s best photo of this species that I took at age 14:)

I stumble across a couple species that I never see in the North Woods including a Willow Flycatcher (“FITZ-bew”) and a cooperative and beautiful Blue-winged Warbler.

And I can’t forget the rare butterfly that makes Necedah its home….the “Karner” Melissa Blue butterfly. I spend some quality time with this beauty amongst the native Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis).

An evening atop the Observation Tower is always peaceful, and this time I spot a pair of Whooping Cranes feeding on the far side.

Finally, I stop in to the very well done Nature Center. A great place in a great refuge!