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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 18h

Sea lions on high alert! Moments before I shot this photo, a pod of orca whales passed close by, and there was a huge splash. Many of us watching from a boat thought we had witnessed an orca taking a sea lion. Our guide, however, proclaimed that . . . (Tap ALT for full text.) #photography #nature

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 23h

Marty’s photo of the day #5178: A whole mess of sea lions. Well, technically, a colony. (Photographed on Vancouver Island.) #photography #nature

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5177: I watched this great blue heron for parts of three days. She was the only great blue heron hanging out on the gravel beach in front of Deb’s and my Johnstone Strait campsite. The heron was particularly interesting . . . (Tap ALT for full text.) #birds #photography

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

These may look like golden eagles, but they are actually immature bald eagles. Earlier today, I featured an action shot of these two squabbling over a perching spot on the intertidal zone. Here’s another shot from that sequence of photos. (Photographed on Vancouver Island.) #birds #photography

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5176: I saw more bald eagles earlier this month on Vancouver Island than I have seen collectively in my entire life. I enjoyed shooting action photos as they interacted among themselves and other bird species. Here’s one . . . (Tap ALT for full text.) #birds #photography

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

It’s going to take a while for me to get an accurate count of the bird species I photographed earlier this month on Vancouver Island. There were so many! This is a harlequin duck. #birds #photogarphy

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5175: It’s going to take a while for me to get an accurate count of the bird species I photographed earlier this month on Vancouver Island. There were so many! This is a female Barrow’s Goldeneye. #birds #photography

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5174: On my second morning of photographing orca whales from the beach in front of Deb’s and my Johnstone Strait campsite, I noticed two smaller marine mammals between me and the big orcas. I initially thought they were . . . (Tap ALT for full text.) #photography #nature

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Sunrise on the Johnstone Strait. Waiting for the whales come. #photography #nature #Canada

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5173: “Hey! Chickie, chickie! Shake a tail feather!” A short-billed gull and a greater yellowlegs, photographed earlier this month on Vancouver Island. #birds #photography

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5172: When I walked the remote gravel roads on Vancouver Island, I frequently found banana slugs and bear poop near to each other. Since the slugs didn’t eat the poop, I reasoned that the bears must gorge themselves on . . . (Tap ALT for full text.) #photography #nature

Marty’s photo of the day #5172: When Deb and I walked the remote gravel roads on Vancouver Island, we frequently found banana slugs and bear poop near to each other. Since the slugs didn’t eat the poop, I reasoned that the bears must gorge themselves on the slugs. When I researched later, I learned that the slugs secrete a thick numbing layer of mucus that protects them from bears and other mammals. So the proximity of the world’s second largest slugs to bear poop was because of other factors.

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5171: I enjoy photographing birds in flight. So many things have to go right to have a satisfactory image. When they are moving fast, like these glaucous-winged gulls, just getting them in frame is a challenge. (Photographed on Vancouver Island.) #photography #birds

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5170: I watched this great blue heron for parts of three days. She was the only great blue heron hanging out on the gravel beach in front of Deb’s and my Johnstone Strait campsite. The heron was particularly . . . (Tap ALT for full text.) #birds #photography #nature

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5169: It took some work to convince the birds to line up in the yellow stripe, but they eventually complied. (Photographed earlier this month on Vancouver Island.) #birds #nature #photography

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Deb and I thought we had our “secret spot” Vancouver Island campsite all to ourselves. Then we noticed these moss creatures, watching our every move.

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5168: Of the many highlights of my Vancouver Island visit, the moments around the time I shot this photo were my favorite. We had pitched our tent at a remote campsite on the Johnstone Strait, and, like . . . (Tap ALT for full text.) #photography #sealife #orcas #nature

Marty’s photo of the day #5168: Of all the many highlights of Deb’s and my Vancouver Island visit, the moments around the time I shot this photo were my favorite. We had pitched our tent at a remote campsite on the Johnstone Strait, and, like the two previous mornings, I got up before sunrise hoping to photograph whales. On this final morning, I could hear orca whales breathing on the opposite side of the strait but couldn’t spot them. A half-hour later, the whales swam into view. They were heading for my side of the strait!

I was kneeling at the edge of a spit of rocky beach that the incoming tide was about to submerge. While orcas grabbing seals off Vancouver Island’s shores are extremely rare, when an orca headed directly toward me, I instinctively moved several steps back. That also helped my aim, as I was using an 800mm telephoto lens (which unlike a zoom lens, has a fixed focal length), and the whales were often too close to get into frame.

Because of the orca’s closeness, their brief time on the surface, and my telephoto lens, none of my really close shots turned out. Those views will remain in my head as wonderful memories. Today’s photo is one of my favorites, taken after I moved back from the edge of the water.

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Salmon Day concludes with this short video of the fish waiting for the right moment to make the rapid, strenuous swim upstream to spawn. Shot last week on Vancouver Island. #salmon #nature

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Salmon Day continues with a photo I shot last week near the mouth of a river on Vancouver Island. This is a small part of a large school that was waiting for the right moment to make the rapid, strenuous swim upstream to spawn. #photography #nature #salmon

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5167: The salmon were running in a river near one of Deb’s and my campsites on Vancouver Island. Most of the time I carried two cameras: my Canon R7 with a telephoto lens for distant shots, and my . . . (Tap ALT for full text.) #photography #nature #salmon

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5166: Deb and I have traveled all seven continents looking for rare and interesting wildlife and have seen creatures that look like they should be from another planet. These pelagic gooseneck barnacles, which . . . (Tap ALT for full text.) #photography #sealife #nature

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5166: Humpback at sunrise! Deb, Nellie, and I have returned to Montana after two wonderful weeks on Vancouver Island. Other than the usual unpacking ritual, today I will begin sorting through the many photos I . . . (Tap ALT for full text.) #photography #sealife #whales

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5165: Deb, Nellie, and I just completed three nights at what may be the most awesome campsite in North America. We found a private, one-tent-campsite right on the Johnstone Strait in the northern region of . . . (Tap ALT for full text.) #photography #nature #orcawhales

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5164: I just love the far northern, Port Hardy, region of Vancouver Island! I’ve explored all 7 continents, and this is the best area for birds I’ve seen. One reason is because the tides here are so extreme. Some bays . . . (Tap ALT for full text.) #birds #photography

Marty’s photo of the day #5164: I just love the far northern, Port Hardy, region of Vancouver Island! I’ve explored all seven continents, and this is the best area for birds I’ve seen. One reason is because the tides here are so extreme. Some bays go from ten feet deep to hundreds of acres of dry land in a matter of hours—leaving a smorgasbord of crustaceans and other creatures for the birds to gorge on. But alas, after five days, it’s time to move on. Deb, Nellie, and I are hoping we’ve outlasted the summer tourists and that our favorite tent camping spot on the Johnstone Strait has opened up. If not, we’ll look for an alternative campsite.

I photographed this bald eagle at low tide yesterday evening.

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5163: Two days ago, I watched ten humpback whales in the Johnstone Strait (Vancouver Island). Not all humpback whales flash their tails, so when they do, it’s exciting. Look closely under the tail on the left. You’ll see a black turnstone flying. #photography #sealife

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5162: It was a stunning day on Vancouver Island! I spent the afternoon watching and photographing dozens of orca whales, at least ten humpback whales, plus sea lions, sea otters, eagles, and a variety of other animals. This photo shows an orca spyhopping. #photography

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5161: The last time I visited the top of Vancouver Island, the raptors cruising the tidal plain were the highlight of my stay. This time they're even better. Yesterday, I photographed this golden eagle holding onto a fish while escaping harassing ravens. #birds #photography

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5160” Vancouver Island has one of the highest concentrations of black bears in the world. The remote gravel roads have bear poop everywhere. Here’s our first bear. He’s a big boy! #photography #nature #wildlife

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5159: Deb, Nellie, and I have reached the top of Vancouver Island (286 miles long by 62 miles wide). We just finished two nights of wilderness camping at our “secret spot” that we discovered during our previous . . . (Tap ALT for full text.) #photography #nature

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5158: Hello from Vancouver Island! Deb, Nellie, and I watched a spectacular sunset last night. As we stood on the shore of the Johnstone Strait, watching the water and sky turn orange, this harbor seal kept popping up. . . . (Tap ALT for full text.) #photography #wildlife

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5157: Zebras at sunset in Zimbabwe. #photography #wildlife

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5156: Today, I give you two animals-in-one. Look at the animal upright, and it’s a great blue heron. Turn your screen upside-down, and it’s the Lock Ness Monster. (Photographed in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana.) #photography #birds #LochNessMonster

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5154: Yesterday, large flocks of migrating Clark’s nutcrackers (pictured) and evening grosbeaks passed through the Essen Wildlife Refuge. The birds picked at pinecones for a while. Then, when a larger bird circled above, they vanished into the trees. #birds #photography

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5153: This colorful beauty is a giant clam, photographed last year in the Raja Ampat of New Guinea. #photography #sealife #nature #oceans

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5152: Juvenile gentoo penguins playing follow-the-leader on a tiny island off the coast of Antarctica. #birds #photography

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5151: Bird’s-eye view: blue-footed booby. (Photographed in the Galapagos Islands.) #birds #photography

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5150: Water art. If you look closely, you’ll see the tip of an American coot tail, as it dives for a meal. #photography #birds

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

What if you could travel back in time to thwart America’s worst political villains before they could do any damage? Published in 2022, Doctor Refurb is more relevant than ever! Available at your favorite internet bookstore or via special order at your local bookstore. #Books #BookSky #novels #scifi

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Published during the first Trump term, Time Is Irreverent 2 by Marty Essen is now more relevant than ever! Available at your favorite internet bookstore or via special order at your local bookstore. #Books #BookSky #Librarysky #author #writer #novels #fiction #humor #scifi

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Published during the first Trump term, Time Is Irreverent by Marty Essen is now more relevant than ever! Available at your favorite internet bookstore or via special order at your local bookstore. #Books #BookSky #Librarysky #author #writer #novels #fiction #humor #scifi

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5149: This is an eleven-foot-long African rock python, photographed in Zimbabwe. Isn’t she a beauty? #photography #nature #wildlife

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5148: When Deb and I explored Bonaire, we hiked to a magical little waterhole. There we sat as the birds and lizards came to us. This night heron was one of the visitors. #birds #photography

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5147: I shot this photo while snorkeling in a tiny lake filled with stingless jellyfish. In the ocean, stings from this species of jellyfish pack a wallop, but in the lake, where they are cut off from predators. . . . (Tap ALT for full text.) #photography #nature #sealife

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5146: Whale sharks are the world’s largest fish. They can reach 60 feet, and their mouths can be 5 feet wide. Last year, Deb and I swam with 4 whale sharks of various sizes in the Raja Ampat of New Guinea. We even got a . . . (Tap ALT for full text) #photography #nature

Marty’s photo of the day #5146: Whale sharks are the world’s largest fish. They can reach sixty feet in length, and their mouths can be five feet wide. Last year, Deb and I swam with four whale sharks of various sizes in the Raja Ampat of New Guinea. We even got a few unintended whale shark rides when they surfaced quickly from the murky water before we could get out of the way. They felt like rubber. In this photo, I swam ahead of the shark to catch an image of it taking in a massive gulp of water (whale sharks are filter feeders).

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5145: This is a blue-chin parrotfish accompanied by razor surgeonfish (left) and black striped salema (right). (Photographed in the Galapagos Islands.) #photography #sealife #nature

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5144: I haven’t posted any photos from Europe for a while, so here’s a pretty passage between an ancient church and its cemetery, in the tiny village of Lesponne, France. #photography #France

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5,143: Galapagos penguins are the rarest penguins in the world (less than 2,000 exist). They are also only penguin species that lives in the tropics. To survive high temperatures, they have less fat/feathers and they can pant like dogs. #birds #photography

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5142: Excited California Sea lions, rushing into the water to greet their new swim partners. (Photographed in the Sea of Cortez.) #nature #photography

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Marty Essen @martyessen.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Marty’s photo of the day #5141: You are looking at a Christmas tree marine iguana (also known as Española marine iguana). These lizards are a subspecies found only on Española island. (Photographed in the Galapagos Islands.) #nature #photography

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