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rp-photographic.bsky.social
@rp-photographic.bsky.social
1.4K followers 170 following 240 posts
Middle school science teacher and photographer based in Reno, NV.
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rp-photographic.bsky.social
Belted Kingfisher, #alansnemesis , likely cackling at the target of his torment. I think. Lake Tahoe, California. #birdoftheday #kingfisher
The bird, head unusually large for its body, beak even more so, sits astride a small branch. Blue back and breast with a white belly. Mohawk lifted to the sky it turns towards the camera, beak open.
December 11, 2025 at 5:00 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
It was a miserable season for bears at Tahoe this year, so I’m really looking forward to the weather showing up and pushing the local #Bighorn Sheep down to their winter range. Few things I enjoy more than being out in tough conditions with these ridiculously hardy animals. #wildlifephotography
A rocky snow-covered ledge and cliff rise to the right against a snow-white oblivion on the left. One sheep stares at the camera, while the larger looks down the line between earth and sky.
December 8, 2025 at 6:43 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
Today’s #BirdoftheDay theme is #BirdsOnTwigs so here’s one of my favorite twig-sitters, a sparrow that comes to the Great Basin to breed: the Black-throated Sparrow. Northern Nevada
Perched atop a twig rising out of a central mass of twigs in the center bottom, the bird stares to the right. Tan and grey with a deep black beard.
December 7, 2025 at 9:39 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
Well shoot, sounds like the #birdoftheday theme is actually #borbs. This Song Sparrow was just about as round as I’ve seen one…it was a bit cold!
A sparrow sits atop a branch, feathers puffed out into a nearly perfect circle, its head barely protruding from the round mass of feathers.
December 6, 2025 at 7:41 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
Today’s #BirdOfTheDay theme is #movement. This Prairie Falcon caught the setting sun as it flared in for a landing, and it was too perfect an opportunity to make a composite showing the mechanics behind landing. Northern Nevada
Dark volcanic boulders hidden in shadow but a lone Prairie Falcon, white with black markings is caught in 7 frames placed into one image showing it approaching the boulder, flaring its wings and tail while arching upwards increasing the angle of attack, resulting in a delicate stall dropping the bird perfectly atop the boulder on the left. The whole sequence the feathers are lit up brilliant golden white by the setting sun.
December 6, 2025 at 7:32 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
#birdoftheday is #songbird so why not actual song? I’ve only ever seen photos, but why not, here’s a Canyon Wren doing its thing in Northern Nevada!
December 5, 2025 at 8:32 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
The #birdoftheday theme is #lookingatyou and I don’t think I have a better example than my profile pic! A Northern Pygmy-Owl peeking out of its nest cavity at me. Next time I’ll make sure I’m NOT running mechanical shutter, sheesh!
A black and white image dominated by the intense stare of a tiny owl peeking out of a hole in a tree trunk. Beak glows threateningly white while white eyebrows accent the ferocious gaze. The tree trunk itself is dead, deep cracks in the bark spread like dark canyons across the surface of the tree. A lone dead branch extends over the hole.
December 4, 2025 at 12:41 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
“Too close for tele, switching to macro…”
#BirdOfTheDay is #stripes! While lying in wait for some Bighorn Sheep an entire covey of chukar walked thru my position. I unfortunately missed a lot of shots when they were too close. Minimum focus on the lens was just less than a meter. From the sensor.
Two stubby partridge-type birds stand on a rocky ridgeline, both bodies are facing away from the camera showing their brown and grey backs, but their fronts are still visible showing their stripes running vertically down their chests. The bird furthest away stares at the bird behind it waiting for it to catch up.
December 3, 2025 at 12:29 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
For the #MorningLight theme for #BirdoftheDay I share a fun one: “Get your butt downstairs, breakfast is ready!” A 48hr fledged Northern Pygmy-Owl climbing thru the first light beams of the day to reach a waiting parent with a dragonfly. Near Lake Tahoe, California
The left side of the picture is blurred background. The right tree bark. In a bright patch of light in the center a tiny owl with comically large talons climbs down the trunk. Hidden below in shadow but barely visible is another owl, mouth holding a dragonfly.
November 29, 2025 at 7:55 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
One of my favorites from the 11/11 storm. This small cloud lined up perfectly with the peak below it right as the salmon flash was at its most ominous. 😄 Northern Nevada.
A foreground, dark with barely legible brush and rocks that lead to a small rocky peak. The skies behind it are brilliant salmon, floating above the peak is a circular cloud, like an upside down jellyfish descending down from the glowing skies to touch or perhaps split apart on the peak…it’s an ominous scene. Birth? Destruction? Planetary shields defending our atmosphere from being stripped away by our raging star.
November 27, 2025 at 6:11 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
For the #OnTheEdge prompt for #Birdoftheday I immediately thought of American Dipper as they spend so much time staring into the water, and I quickly came down to this as my favorite. This one was watching for Salmon eggs floating down Taylor Creek into Lake Tahoe.
A reddish-brown branch stretches across the top of a small waterfall in a creek, underneath the waves can be seen fall foliage and green algae. The dipper is a dark and non-descript bird sans for its practically missing tail. Don’t need it where it’s going, no sir. It’s a diver and the cold waters of the creek are its playground and its buffet all rolled into one. I digress. It stands perched on the left edge of the branch staring into the water.
November 26, 2025 at 8:11 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
For the #birdoftheday prompt I had to go with the alternate of yellow-eyes over warbler. This Northern Pygmy-Owl fledged then within 5 minutes was hunting caterpillars. Lake Tahoe basin. #birds
A diminutive owl hidden behind smooth branches of red manzanita brush, stares into the camera. Dangling next to its head is a caterpillar, like a child standing next to a piñata.
November 24, 2025 at 7:48 PM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
One for Rob’s #birdoftheday theme of #Mr&Mrs: wild Turkey from near Yosemite. The timing of the heads lining up into that heart shape like that was pretty awesome…
The male turkey walks thru the farm from left to right, further back from the camera than a female turkey strutting thru from right to left. His tail feathers are up, his wings down and spread to the ground in a showy display. Their heads intersect lining up like two perfect puzzle pieces forming a red and blue heart in the center of the frame.
November 24, 2025 at 7:11 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
Green-tailed Towhee singing the dawn atop a throne of dead sagebrush. Outside of Reno, NV

#BirdOfTheDay
#singing
A twisted and split branch of grey rises against a blurred background of desaturated earth tones. The bird sings with a red Mohawk punctuating its open-mouthed call. Bright yellow tail feathers stretch downward.
November 21, 2025 at 8:26 PM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
Romantic sunrise walk for these Desert Bighorn Sheep. I had hoped to catch sheep against the backdrop of Walker Lake, but catching them in the sunrise off the water was something I didn’t dare dream of pulling off!
Two desert bighorn stand on a rocky ridge, backlit by sunlight reflecting off a lake. The ram stands above the ewe, they both look towards each other almost touching noses.
November 16, 2025 at 5:38 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
So totally not ominous or anything, but northwest Nevada looked like the edges of Mordor tonight…. This is fine. Everything is fine. Just a blood red sky on bloody Veteran’s day is all.
Rugged mountains fill the foreground, sharp spires of stone in the distance. The sky is a wine-red bloody wash of aurora glow. The glow shines off hillsides.
November 12, 2025 at 7:17 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
The cliffside from yesterday’s Canyon Wren post. Morning rays catching a Bighorn Sheep ewe keeping a close eye on me. Western Nevada for the win 🤘
Ribbons of morning light dapple a gigantic cliffside, towards the top left is a bighorn sheep standing against a dark background of shadowed stone.
October 1, 2025 at 7:23 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
I’m most at home exploring rocky crags in Northwest Nevada, and Canyon Wren are a favorite bird to find. They live their lives hanging off the sides of cliffs…and this one’s prized slot canyon territory has the most incredible lichen. #birds
Purple volcanic rock on the left covered in lichen of green, orange, and sage. A hazy blur of tans and olive background behind a white throated bird, dappled white patterns atop a brown head. Long slender beak perfect for pulling insects out of the tiniest crack in the stone. Belly of golden fire matching the oranges of the lichen. It stares to the right intently, perched moments from flying yet again.
September 30, 2025 at 6:11 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
I’m not sure just what these raven were tormenting the black bear over, but it sure was a sight to see as the first light crept into the valley. The wildfire smoke was unfortunate but it definitely added depth to the composition.
Golden grasses glow in the sunrise, a black bear runs from our right to left. Ravens swirl above it, in the distant background tall pine trees barely visible in the smoke.
September 23, 2025 at 7:53 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
California Bighorn Sheep running over a rocky ridge line. No dodging or burning, just perfect timing from the sun. The shadow from the ridge I was on lined up with the outcrop of rock, providing a bizarre sense of depth for what moments later would be a fairly flat scene.
The upper two thirds of the black and white photo is well lit, sagebrush and a lonely juniper tree. The bottom third is a rocky outcrop in shadow with the south end of a northbound bighorn sheep running towards the light.
September 21, 2025 at 4:35 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
A combination of Great and Snowy Egret gathered in a desert pond in western Nevada. #birds
Black and white image, extremely high contrast. A shadow in reeds creates a circle of dark water that perfectly fills the square image. Cutting horizontally thru the middle is a group of white birds and their reflections glowing against the dark water.
September 8, 2025 at 6:56 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
Sometimes things don’t go to plan and your massive lens ends up being way too much. It does provide the chance to almost treat the form of the bear as a landscape. Small features take on new dimensions when you are too close to see the whole.
Black and white image. An arc of light fur on the bear’s neck wraps around the top half of the photo, a dark ear anchoring the top right of the image. Bottom left a foot is on a barely visible rock, light claws glistening. Water drips off the fur of the neck into the stream below.
September 8, 2025 at 6:43 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
I was sitting trying to spot at least one of a couple of Pygmy Owl hooting above me in the trees. I heard a ‘chuff’ behind me and turned to find a first time mom and her two cubs closer than I would have liked. They backed off for a berry feast, giving me plenty of editing material to keep me busy!
In the foreground and left side of the frame is a black bear (species) with brown fur, a white stripe on the center of her chest, and a small white patch on her nose. In the background the blurred face of one cub peeks out from behind.
September 5, 2025 at 7:04 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
One of my favorite times of year is back! Black Bear cub of the year.
Pine tree trunk rises along the left side of the frame, a brown cub faces the camera with a shy look. The background is green and yellow mottled bokeh.
September 3, 2025 at 5:45 AM
rp-photographic.bsky.social
Sandhill Crane, Lake Tahoe
Yellowed grasses fill the foreground, transitioning to blurred green halfway up the frame then finally vague shadow at the top. Out of the yellow band a curved neck rises, holding the impressive bill, red forehead punctuated with a golden eye.
August 14, 2025 at 6:01 AM