David Inman Photography

Sleepy little potato.

It wasn’t until 2004 that the cackling goose was classified as a distinct species apart from the Canada Goose. Along with its smaller size, it has a higher pitched call and is a common visitor to western Washington during migration.

Last of the crow series.

Crows have smaller, more densely packed neurons than their mammalian counterparts and show dazzling intelligence, which in turn shows that their brains have evolved to be efficient with their small size. A fun example of crows and other corvids (ravens, rooks, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs and nutcrackers) displaying intelligence is a 2014 study done to see whether or not they could pass the “Aesop’s Fable” challenge. In this challenge they drop stones into a water filled tube in order to bring a floating bit of food with one reach. The ravens, crows and jays tasked with performing this task passed, demonstrating an understanding of causality typically reserved for humans. Super cool!

Crows have smaller, more densely packed neurons than their mammalian counterparts and show dazzling intelligence, which in turn shows that their brains have evolved to be efficient with their small size. A fun example of crows and other corvids (ravens, rooks, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs and nutcrackers) displaying intelligence is a 2014 study done to see whether or not they could pass the “Aesop’s Fable” challenge. In this challenge they drop stones into a water filled tube in order to bring a floating bit of food with one reach. The ravens, crows and jays tasked with performing this task passed, demonstrating an understanding of causality typically reserved for humans. Super cool!

I had originally popped the 2x tele onto my 500mm to capture finch and sparrows that were difficult to approach. Once the rain kicked in I knew I’d have to keep the tele on, feeling a bit frustrated by the extreme reach it forced for the rest of the walk. Now I’m thankful I did! The close up portraits of this crow I captured are some of my favorite to date, and I suspect it was as curious about my lens as I was about its features.
1dx III & 500mm f4 IS II and the 2x telecon III

Nature’s natural models.

Eagles hunt using excellent eyesight and will glide with a gradual decent before snapping up their prey with their talons. This time of year in Washington bald eagles are a frequent sight, and their strength never fails to inspire awe.
1dx III and 500 f4 IS II

So stern! The semblance of today’s “bird” began evolving from its reptile lineage around 150 million years ago, slowly, slowly whittling via natural selection into the myriad of birds we see today. Realizing that so much time went into these incredible beings, it makes the reality of their high death rate in the past 100 years all the more tragic. We can still help stop the falling populations! Vote with ecology, preservation, fact and science in mind this election cycle and let’s fight to keep our planet diverse and wondrous
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You can tell by the coloration of this Bald Eagle’s head that it’s around 2 1/2 years old. It takes them around 5 years to develop the definitive, stark white plumage we so commonly associate with the bird, providing the photographer with a fun means of identifying the age range before that time. A young eagle will be fed for around 12 weeks before it leaves the nest, and then they spend the next 4-5 years on their own.
1DX III and the 500 f4 IS II + 1.4 III
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There is no shortage of life to wonder at in the world, but all too often it can be overlooked in response to our tumultuous times. As we pay attention to what’s happening on a macro level, let’s gift ourselves moments, days even where we can simply explore. If we forget what we fight for, we only focus on the struggle and that in turn becomes crushing. Let’s celebrate the goodness in one another and hold each other up. Promote curiosity, promote questions and bravery in response to false answers. We only have each other. We’ve got this.
R6 II and the 500 f4 IS II

The arbitrary finality that goes into a statement like “the last post of 2023” definitely inflates it with an unearned sense of grandeur. I’m thankful for the chance to share photos with you and to have exchanged many great words in conversation through DM’s and in person meet ups. I’ve met some of the most talented photographers I know through Instagram and have been continually surprised by what a great platform it’s been to connect and converse. I sincerely hope the new year brings new friends, new wildlife encounters and an election that doesn’t doom the country. This will be a year that tries us all, but together with compassion, kindness and an intolerant stance against bigotry, we’ll make it through. So buckle up friends and escape to the outdoors when you can. We’re in it together. Goodbye 2023.
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