Kaikoura Sunrise & Northern Royal Albatross

Northern royal albatross, taken last week with Albatross Encounter Kaikoura. The day began with a brilliant sunrise, which made for dramatic skies and backgrounds for our bird photography. We saw 5 different species of albatross and numerous other seabirds, many of them endemic to New Zealand.

We will be leading another New Zealand tour next November with Nat Expo Tours. Please email me if you are interested.

Cheers!

Colin

Sunrise in Kaikoura, New Zealand


Northern royal albatross

Beach Sunset, Nelson, New Zealand

Our New Zealand tour has now concluded and I have arrived in Maui, where I will be spending 5 days before returning home to Alaska. There will be more to share in the coming days from New Zealand and the Southern Africa tour, so please stay tuned for that.

Please email me if you are interested in joining any of our 2025 adventures with Nat Expo Tours, including Cuba, Norway, Nepal, Croatia, Africa, and New Zealand.

Cheers!

Colin

 

Great Horned Owl in Black & White

I've had countless encounters with great horned owls over the past decade, and it never gets old. I so admire these wise, stealthy raptors, and was once a guest on the local NPR program "Hometown Alaska" where I discussed my interactions with owls and how I've captured some of my best images of them.

Taken yesterday in Eagle River Valley, AK.

Colin

 

The Trees Have Eyes

The trees have eyes...

I had countless encounters with great horned owls while residing at the Eagle River Nature Center. Several images from those encounters are in my book (and 2025 calendar), and I was once a guest on the local NPR radio program "Hometown Alaska" where I recounted capturing some of those photos and how I developed an eye for spotting owls despite their capability to camouflage themselves quite well.

A few nights ago I was playing my guitar when I noticed something in a birch tree behind my place that had a distinct and familiar shape. I continued to strum until I saw it move and knew immediately what it was. I grabbed my camera and got quite a few frames as this owl scanned the area and watched me with fixated curiosity.

Colin

 

Arctic Terns in Black & White, Hofsós, Iceland

On the last full day of the Iceland tour, if weather allows, we drive around the Troll Peninsula from Akureyri back to Reykjavik. It adds a few hours to the drive and the road is narrow and winding with tunnels, tour busses, sheep, and cliffs that loom several hundred feet over the Norwegian Sea below. But the north coast is stunning, rugged, and beautiful, and is one of my favorite areas to photograph, so it’s worth the extra hours of (very focused) driving. We always stop in Hofsós to photograph Icelandic horses framed by the ocean and purple lupine flowers.

This year, after photographing horses, I trained my lens on the arctic terns flying overhead. The sky was moody, so I envisioned black & white images that would convey the sharp lines and detail in the terns, as well as the Icelandic weather. I hope you enjoy the images.

As always, thank you for following, and please message me if you are interested in joining one of our adventures. The next Iceland tour will be in June of 2026.

 

Colin

 


Great Horned Owl in Autumn Foliage

A master of camouflage, the great horned owl is easy to miss without closely analyzing the environment for patterns and shapes that begin to stand out. This recent sighting was the first I've had in a while, but something tells me they've been observing me...

I depart on Sunday to begin the long journey to southern Africa, where we will be leading our second tour of Namibia with Nat Expo Tours: https://natexpotours.com. I will fulfill any incoming book, calendar, and print orders when I return in mid-November. Note: I only have 4 calendars left out of 500!

"Seasons of the Nature Center" books & calendars are available here: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store

Thank you for following along and I look forward to sharing new images and experiences from Namibia!

Colin

 

Redwing in Lupine, Iceland

Redwing near Skogafoss, Iceland.

The blooming lupine is abundant in Iceland in early summer. When I saw a redwing land on this fencepost, I decided to go back later to try capture the image I had visualized. I was zoomed out to 400 mm and stopped down to f/16 to get ample detail in the lupine.

We will be back in Iceland next June to lead a tour with Nat Expo Tours. In addition to the wildflowers, the birdlife is prolific this time of year...

Happy Independence Day!

Colin

 

Atlantic Puffins, Iceland

The Westman Islands in southern Iceland are home to the world's largest Atlantic puffin colony. We always ferry out to Vestmannæyjar for a night and visit the cliffs where they burrow and raise their young. This year we moved the tour to June - a great time for wildflowers, which add a splash of color to the landscape...

I just got back from Iceland last week and am finally getting around to posting some images to my news page. I have a lot more to share in the coming days/weeks. We'll be leading another Iceland tour next June, please message me if you are interested.

Cheers!

Colin

 

Saw-whet Owl Banding & Measuring

As promised, here are more photos of the saw-whet owl banding process. I've been able to join a few of these outings to observe and photograph, with both saw-whet and boreal owls. I am always grateful to be a part of the operation and expand my knowledge of these little forest dwelling raptors.

Colin


First time seeing the outside world...


Waiting to be weighed & measured


Juvenile saw-whet owl, close to fledging


Measuring the wings


Taking measurements while the owlet took the opportunity to void its bowels


It's always a good idea to bring a spare sheet for recording measurements

Juvenile Northern Saw-whet Owl

Last summer I had the opportunity to once again observe and assist in the banding of baby saw-whet owls. I've been able to take part in this process a few times now; it's always a joy and an honor to photograph these tiny owls and document the process of helping them to proliferate in Southcentral Alaska.

I'll have more images to share this week, so please stay tuned...

Cheers!

Colin


Atlantic Puffins, Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland

The Westman Islands in Iceland are home to the world's largest Atlantic puffin colony. We were lucky to have great weather on the islands as we observed & photographed the puffins collecting food for their young, which will soon emerge from their burrows and plunge into the ocean below. Take a look at the third image and you'll see what I mean when I say these little sh*ts are challenging to capture in flight...

We have already scheduled next year's Iceland tour with Nat Expo Tours. Dates are June 19-28, 2023. Cost is $4,695. More details on our website: www.natexpotours.com

Please message me if you have any questions. Thank you and feel free to share!

Colin




Boreal Owlets

Hello Everyone,

Here is a bit of extreme cuteness for your day...

These are boreal owlets, a species slightly larger and somewhat similar in appearance to the northern saw-whet owl. Earlier this summer I had the opportunity to join two biologists and photograph the process of banding the little owls before they fledged from the nest. I am always honored and grateful for these opportunities to expand my knowledge of local wildlife and witness first-hand the process of assisting a species to proliferate. Between both biologists, they monitor approximately 100 nesting boxes throughout Alaska, and this was the only box inhabited by boreal owls…

Thank you, as always, for following along, and have a great weekend!

Colin








Northern Saw-whet Owl

This is probably my best image of an adult saw-whet owl to date. They are very small creatures and mostly nocturnal, which makes sightings & photo ops extremely rare. Stay tuned for more owl photos in the coming days, including boreal owlets...

Have a great Monday out there and thank you for following along!

Colin


Minnesota Swan Gallery

I recently created a gallery on my website for the trumpeter swan images I took in Minnesota last month if you'd like to have a look: https://www.colintyler.com/wildlife#/trumpeter-swans-of-lake-george-mn/

I've also been adding the photos to my online store (just in time for Father's Day) and from now through the end of June, I am offering 20% off canvas prints and 15% off metal prints by using the codes: FATHERSDAYCANVAS21 of FATHERSDAYMETAL21 at checkout: https://www.colintyler.com/online-store

Have a great weekend out there and feel free to share!

Thank you for following along,

Colin

Trumpeter swans landing on Lake George near my hometown of Outing, MN on a foggy morning in May, 2021.

Trumpeter swans landing on Lake George near my hometown of Outing, MN on a foggy morning in May, 2021.

More Minnesota Swans

I've been editing through trumpeter swan photos from a few days ago. Here are a few more of my faves. I'm glad I was able to be here in my hometown to witness and capture the swan migration on such a beautiful misty morning. My circadian rhythm seems to have aligned with the light cycle and wakes me every morning before sunrise to check the light...

Colin


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Happy Mother's Day

Hello and Happy Mother's Day from Minnesota! I am grateful to be visiting my mom this year and enjoying the wildlife & scenery in my hometown of Outing. Yesterday I woke to a beautiful foggy morning that is so quintessential to the northern lakes area. Add to that roughly 70 trumpeter swans and it was a serene experience. Here are a few of the images I created.

Have a great day out there and be sure to honor all the moms out there, human and nonhuman, as well as our sacred Mother Earth.

Colin


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Black & White Bald Eagle

I ski past this pair of nesting bald eagles frequently but getting a good perspective & lighting without a distracting background has been challenging. Yesterday, those components came together when one of the eagles was perched in the dead branches of a cottonwood tree. When I saw the symmetry of the stark branches coupled with the direction of the eagle's gaze against an open sky, I knew this would end up being a monochrome image.

Hope you enjoy,

Colin


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Owls of ERNC on Alaska Public Media, Monday, Feb. 1, 2021

Since taking up residence at the Eagle River Nature Center, owls have become one of my favorite subjects. Biology was my best subject in school and even though I am not a biologist by degree, I have accumulated a lot of knowledge regarding owl habits and behavior through observing them and researching online, all while developing a discerning eye for spotting them.

I've had countless encounters with both great horned and saw-whet owls here and on Monday morning, Feb. 1, at 10 am AKST, I will be a guest on Alaska Public Media’s "Hometown Alaska" where I will have the honor of sharing my experiences photographing owls in the ERNC vicinity. You can tune into 91.1 FM if you are in the Anchorage area or stream the program here: https://www.alaskapublic.org/cat.../programs/hometownalaska/. It will be available for streaming after the live program as well.

I hope you are able to listen, I always look forward to sharing my experiences in the field!

Colin

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