This Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) could well be the prettiest and most brightly colored of its kind, ever! During this day long audition, “strutting his stuff” in a beautiful Florida holly (Schinus terebinthifolius) bush full of red berries. This prideful strut is another of the behaviors that leads to the paring of males and females.

The colors of fall are reflected in the water where the drake Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos) is seen preening, bobbing up and down making ripples in the vibrant fall colored water. Blackwater Wildlife Refuge, Cambridge, Maryland

This young juvenile Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) testing its wings, looking at its mirror image while wading through brilliant blue sky, water. J.N. Ding Darling Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida

An Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) walking about on a grassy knoll on Gull Island, located in the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve in Newfoundland, Canada. Gull Island is home to the largest breeding colony of Atlantic Puffins in North America.

An Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) with his mouth full of fish pauses momentarily on a grassy knoll to lookout to sea before darting into it’s borrow on Gull Island, located in the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve in Newfoundland, Canada.

This proud Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is seen perched on a cliff, high above the Atlantic ocean on the island of Newfoundland, Canada in search of his next meal.

February in the Florida Everglades and Everglades National Park, the Limpkin (Aramus guarauna) is seen feeding on its favorite food, the Apple Snail (Pomacea paludosa).

A sky pointing Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) is truly one of nature’s marvels. Displaying one of its behavioral attitudes that eventually lead to the pairing of males and females. Venice Rookery, Venice, Florida

Three Wood Storks (Mycteria americana) are standing still in the shallow water like three wise men at Everglades National Park, Florida

During the winter months the White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) is often seen searching for food in the shallow swamp water at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Naples, Florida

Of these three Great Egrets (Ardea alba) we find one of them defending his newly found mate from a would be intruder. He grabs the intruder by the tail feathers and throws him down, successfully defending his mate. Venice Rookery, Venice, Florida

On a bright summer day this Red tailed Hawk (Buteo lineatus) perched low on a branch, with the bright blue sky behind it, muted by trees to a deep blue sky. Blackwater Wildlife Refuge, Cambridge, Maryland

In the heart of Chesapeake County, the eastern flyway is home to innumerable species of waterfowl. Every year the Tundra Swans (Cygnus columbianus) stop in the area resting and building their energy reserve before continuing south for the winter. This Tundra Swan looking very serene in its reflection as it paddles out from the shadows. Blackwater Wildlife Refuge, Cambridge, Maryland

During the sweet light of the late afternoon we find this Pyrrhuloxia or desert cardinal (Cardinalis sinuatus) perched in a thorny mesquite thicket. San Antonio, New Mexico

A Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) perched, searching for its next meal. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Naples, Florida

This Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) in brightly feathered mating plumage, searches passionately in its quest to gather nesting material and return to its mate. Venice Rookery, Venice, Florida

The drake Mallard is one of the ducks, which is readily identified by its metallic green head and yellow bill. This bird, bobbing around in the water preening his feathers, caused the brightly colored water to ripple around him. The colorful autumn leaves reflecting from above, created the vibrant colors in the water. Blackwater Wildlife Refuge, Cambridge, Maryland

Three Atlantic Puffins (Fratercula arctica) standing on a rocky ledge having a meeting of the minds on Gull Island, located in the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve in Newfoundland, Canada. Gull Island is home to the largest breeding colony of Atlantic Puffins in North America.

A Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) taking its fresh catch from the North Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

Two Great Egrets (Ardea alba) perched in a tree on a misty morning at Avery Island, the home of Tabasco Sauce in Louisiana. Established as Bird City, a vast protected rookery for Egrets and other wading birds. The area was developed around 1895 when the birds almost went extinct, after plume hunters had slaughtered egrets by the thousands to provide feathers for ladies' hats.

As this group of brightly colored Rosette Spoonbills (Platalea ajaja) gather together preparing to roost for the night, their pink mirrored reflections shine in contrast with the mossy green water. J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida

This pair of brightly colored Great Blue Herons (Ardea Herodias), in full mating plumage are seen greeting one another, an act of recognition. This is part of the courtship display seen during the winter breeding season. Venice Rookery, Venice, Florida

As the glow of the morning sun rises, it lights up this stunning pair of great blue herons (Ardea herodias) nesting in Florida holly full of red berries. Christmas Eve, Venice Rookery, Venice Florida

During the fall, at days end, we see the colors of the season represented in the foliage, as this single Sandhill Crane (Grus Canadensis) sores above looking for a place to roost. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico

A Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentali) perched atop a dock post stares into the water in anticipation of its next meal. Chokoloskee Island, Florida

Show Geese (Anser caerulescens) flying into roost on a pond with Sandhill Cranes (Grus Canadensis) during the fall at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico

A Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) perched on a windswept tree stump, surrounded by wild purple lupine flowers in search of its next meal. Jackson Lake, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

A flock of Snow Geese (Anser caerulescens) landing on a clear blue pond in Bosque del Apache, National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico

During the winter breeding season the dance of the Wood Storks is often seen at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida.

A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) in its brightly colored mating plumage is seen returning to its nesting site with the needed twigs for nest building. Venice Rookery, Venice, Florida

In late Spring the American Avocet (Recurvirostra Americana) are walking along the frozen edge of Yellowstone Lake in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

Springtime in the backwoods of Florida, the Osceola Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) seen here in the sweet light of the late afternoon strutting his courtship display in an effort to attract more females.

American White Pelicans and other shorebirds are basking in a beautiful sunset on an exposed sandbar in the saltwater marsh. J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge, Sanibel Island, Florida.

After spending several hours with the lens focused on this female Great Egret (Ardea alba) strutting her courtship display, and watching her reject several other males, she finally accepts this one with open wings. Venice Rookery, Venice, Florida

Caught in the act of catching his pray, the American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythorhynchos) is truly a master fisherman. Backwater Wildlife Refuge, Cambridge, Maryland

This pair of Great Egrets (Ardea alba) are greeting each other in a courtship display as part of their courting ritual during the winter breeding season. Venice Rookery, Venice, Florida

A pair of brightly colored Great Blue Herons (Ardea Herodias), in full mating plumage, begin the task of gathering twigs and branches to build their nest. Venice Rookery, Venice, Florida

During the sweet light one late afternoon in fall we watched this stunning pair of Mallard Ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) with their wings set for landing, alight in the russet colored marsh grasses at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico

The Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) a sea duck is seen in flight, skimming the bright blue, water of the North Atlantic Ocean off the coast of St. Anthony, Newfoundland, Canada. This is the signature image used by Ducks Unlimited Canada for the Eider Initiative (A study done to determine the reasons for the rapid decline of this species).

Fall at the National Elk Refuge, during the late afternoon sunset a pair of Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator) are triumphant in defense of their territory over another pair of swans. Jackson Hole, Wyoming