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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 10m

I'm doing my best not to, uh, focus too much on my next trip (Yellowstone), as I need to decompress from all the travel right now. Still, it will be nice to see bison in snow again!

Bison silhouettes on a snowy day in Yellowstone.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 21h

I'll be turning my attention to my most recent Africa pics first, but here's one more from the recent Canada trip. We got some bubble net feeding on our last day. It's always fun zooming in on these photos to see the tiny herring leaping for their lives before they are engulfed. Can you see them?

Humpback whales bubble net feeding for herring in BC.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

It's a bit too early to start decorating for the holidays, but apparently 'tis the season in the Great Bear Rainforest. We found this nice tree topper during this latest adventure in Canada. I am finally home and done with big trips for the year. Lots to do over the next few months, though!

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

I’m wrapping up my BC trip, and can tell you that it was one of the more diverse wildlife trips I’ve enjoyed here. About the only thing missing was owls (very difficult to see along coastal waters). But I had good luck with them in Zambia a few weeks ago, including this juvenile Pel’s Fishing Owl.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Normally, it’s a grizzly and gull show here on the BC coast, but oddly enough the bears have largely been absent from the main hot spots. Fortunately, I got plenty of Ursus arctos sightings in Alaska last month (where this was taken), and we’ve been seeing some other cool stuff.

Brown bear and Glaucous-winged Gull, Alaska

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Once again, we’re enduring days of wet weather here in the Great Bear RAINforest. On the plus side, the fiords come alive whenever this happens!

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Boy, there are going to be a lot of photos to process when I get home from this trip. Here’s another scene from the recent Zambia adventure, featuring a pair of White-fronted Bee-eaters.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

So far, it’s been a magical experience in the Great Bear Rainforest. This is how we started our day yesterday.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

As far as bathroom window views go, this ain’t bad…

Whale spout out the porthole window in British Columbia.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Taking off for my final trip of the year today. Back to bears (and probably gulls, but also hopefully whales, wolves, otters, orcas...), and I expect I'll likely be off the grid. Have a great rest of September if I can't check in, and I'll hopefully have some fun updates for you next month.

Brown bear and gull splashing and flying in Alaska's Katmai National Park

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

If you're in Portland on November 6-7, you can join me at the semi-annual gathering for the Nature Photographers of the Pacific Northwest. NPPNW has asked me to be the keynote speaker, and I'll be giving TWO different talks on the Seventh. Hope to see you there!

Max is giving two photography seminars at the NPPNW conference in Portland, OR, on November 7, 2026!

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

We’re fed quite well on some of these photo safaris. Between African camps and lodges and the private sailboat I’ll be on in Canada in a few days, no complaints. But I’ll still look forward to tucking into some familiar comfort food at home in between. (Which probably means we’re ordering a pizza.)

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

As the last of our group prepares to fly out from Zambia this evening, I’ll be left with lots of quickly-fading-but-fond memories… until such time that I can process the oodles of photos (October at the earliest). Then I get to relive the adventure! Can’t wait.

Elephant silhouettes along the Luangwa River in Zambia

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

This brown bear cub was very curious, which is a necessary trait to help alleviate boredom while Mom is busy fishing all day. It also excelled at making cheeky facial expressions, so it was a lot of fun to watch and photograph.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Interesting scene as we watched two cubs of different ages nurse from the same female lion. This is not uncommon in prides, though normally I see mixed litters of similar ages doing it. In this case I knew it was a matter of time before the growing teeth of the older cub would upset the female!

Lioness snarling at cub after a painful nursing session in Zambia.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Still bouncing back and forth between Zambia pics from the field, and photos from last month’s Alaska adventure… Here’s that white bear cub, undoubtedly proud of its skillful catch.

Brown bear cub hoisting a rotting salmon carcass in Katmai National Park.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

It’s been a great trip so far here in Zambia, but one thing that was still missing was a solid daytime leopard encounter. That finally changed this morning in South Luangwa, when we had a chance to follow this male (here scent marking a tree) as he patrolled his territory.

African leopard being watched by an impala in South Luangwa National Park.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

This is NOT a good photo, but it absolutely encapsulates the chaos of a wild dog hunt. From the racing warthog to the dancing impalas, you never know where the action will go. Taken this morning in the Lower Zambezi.

African wild dog hunting while a warthog and impala flee in Lower Zambezi National Park.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

More recent bear action from Alaska: we were pretty lucky to see multiple sets of triplets during our time in Katmai!

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Hi from Zambia, where I swear we’re photographing more than just birds… but you get to see this Bearded (I believe… African woodies are all very similar) Woodpecker today.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

While in Alaska, bears were usually the main focus, but I sometimes got distracted by other critters… like my first Willow Ptarmigan.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

We’ve started my next adventure in the Lower Zambezi. So far, so good, especially for this White-fronted Bee-eater (the Little Bee-eater did its best not to act jealous).

White-fronted Bee-eater eating a butterfly next to a Little Bee-eater in Zambia.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Despite the fact that our Alaska trip was devoted to one primary species, we were reminded constantly about the variety of brown bears found there. They differed in personality, fishing strategies… and fur color. This white yearling cub was definitely most unique looking character we saw all week.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

After photographing the 100th bear chasing the 1000th fish, things might start to feel a bit monotonous. That’s the point when I start to experiment with shutter speeds, focus, camera movement, and seeing what might work well in black and white.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

New Alaska Photos: Fishing is serious business for bears, but sometimes they make it seem more like a frolic than a slog. (A heads-up that I depart today for Zambia. I hope to provide some updates interspersed with more Alaska posts, but you can follow my adventure more closely in IG/FB Stories).

Brown bear running through a creek chasing salmon, Alaska

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

New Photos: Alaska 2026 I'm about to leave on my next adventure, so it will be hard to share a lot of photos from my recently-completed Alaska tour, but we may as well start anyway. Bears + Salmon is always a fun combo, but particularly exciting when the latter are those bright red sockeyes!

Brown bear catching sockeye salmon, Alaska

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

It was a struggle, and I'm sure it felt like swimming upstream at times.... but after a lot of effort (and likely some flip-flopping), negotiations are over here in Seattle and the kids are going back to school on time. Whew! (New Alaska photos have dropped on my website, btw.)

Sockeye salmon flopping in the shallows in Alaska.

A sockeye salmon struggles through the shallows in a creek in Alaska

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

This remains the only time I've photographed a flying carpet. (Yellowstone, 2009)

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

We had lots of cool finds during our macro adventures in Borneo last year, but not many of them were "cute," per se. This froglet, possibly a young harlequin tree frog, was an exception.

Froglet resting on a leaf, Malaysian Borneo

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

I suppose I should yell it from the, er… treetops: My 2027 Brazil photo tour is down to ONE spot left. It combines the Amazon (where we look for the endangered white-cheeked spider monkey) and Pantanal. Learn more about this epic adventure: www.maxwaugh.com/workshops/br...

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

This was a big surprise for us during our visit to Kruger National Park: wild dog puppies right next to the road! It was only the second time I’d seen this endangered species in Kruger, and to see the next generation up close like this was a real treat.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

This mom (and her sister) pretty much had the same reaction when the kids would show up for lunch.

Irritated lioness with cubs, South Africa

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Only two bridges at MalaMala and we choose the one with the resident troll...

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

I'm making surprisingly fast progress on my new Alaska photos, and hope to have something to share before my next departure. This was a very special character that will feature prominently in the photo collection.

Maybe a white brown bear cub peeking over some rocks in Alaska? Maybe...

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

A Verreaux's Eagle-owl chick perches atop a Hamerkop nest. Africa's largest owl will sometimes use Hamerkop nests to raise their own young. However, unlike the nest builders, the owls will lay their eggs atop the nest... not inside. And yes, Hamerkop nests can be extremely large (2m+ in diameter)!

Verreaux's Eagle-owl chick on Hamerkop nest, South Africa

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Let's do a few more from South Africa this week! Here's a young male leopard surveying the Sand River for prey and/or potential threats. He had not yet carved out his own territory, and was wary of the big male on the other side of the river.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

I’m happy to be home, even though an Anchorage-Seattle redeye is brutal for the sleep schedule (too short!). We had a great Alaska experience, with loads of bear cubs. There were several sows with twins, and some moms with three. Here we have 2/3 of a darling trio we saw a couple times up close.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Back to new Africa pix while we wind down my current adventure: We were lucky to spend time with wild dogs again. This is one of the more gregarious and dynamic species I’ve spent time with over the years, and I feel fortunate to have had good luck with them recently. Hoping for more in Zambia soon!

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

When you have an opportunity to photograph something *other* than bears and salmon in Katmai, you do it!

Birds, bears, and fish in Katmai National Park

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

My Alaska adventure finally kicked off a day late yesterday, following weather delays. We had a great day watching snorkeling and splashing bears. If you’re on IG or FB, you can follow my Stories for more highlights from the field this week!

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

A pair of lion cubs warily keep an eye on an approaching lioness… who ultimately turned out to be part of the family.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

South Africa 2026: One of the most common owl species I see during my SA visits is the Pearl-spotted Owlet. Jenn spied this one is some nice morning light, and the setting and pose reminded me a lot of when I photographed its cousin, the Northern Pygmy-owl, a couple winters ago in Yellowstone.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Perhaps the photographic highlight of this latest South Africa trip for me was the opportunity to finally see aardwolves up close. This is one of the “Shy Five” in Africa, due to its elusive and nocturnal nature. Though I’ve seen it before (only twice), it was nice not having an obscured view.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

New Photos: South Africa 2026 I've published my latest photos from the recent Africa trip. Here is a Brown-headed Parrot photographed in Kruger National Park... only on the computer did I notice the hitchhiker! Check out the rest of the new photos from this trip: www.maxwaugh.com/2026/08/13/n...

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

I finally enjoyed a solid, deep sleep last night. Which is both good and bad. Whenever I sleep deeply, my dreams eventually turn into nightmares, and that finally wakes me up. Last night's dream ended in me being attacked by a bear. Which bodes well for my impending Alaska bear trip, I suppose.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

A mother and daughter have just reunited in the golden light of Africa, and I have one question: Why would you leave?!

Safari vehicle driving past leopards in South Africa.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

It's World Elephant Day! Here's a selection of relevant images from over the years, taken in Zambia, Tanzania, Botswana, South Africa, and Kenya.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Thanks to Wendy for ordering prints yesterday! In this case, she was hoping to customize the crop on her image selections... which is something one can do directly on my website before submitting an order! I only mention this because my Summer Sale (20% Off) continues through August 31st. ;)

Using the custom crop tool on MaxWaugh.com to adjust a print order.

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

A pelican and a penguin hang out on a small island off the coast of Chile. Sadly, the ptarmigans and peafowls couldn't make it.

Peruvian Pelican and Humboldt Penguin, Chile

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Max Waugh @maxwaughphoto.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

After all the recent Africa posts, I think it's best to cool down with a winter scene. Here's a red fox casting some very long shadows on a windswept hillside in Yellowstone's Hayden Valley.

Red fox casting long shadows on a snowy hillside in Yellowstone.

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