Marty’s photo of the day #4597: This is a stoplight parrotfish, photographed off the coast of Bonaire. Aren’t the colors amazing?
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Author: Marty Essen
Tomorrow Is the Day!
The reviews are in—and they’re fantastic! The Silver Squad: Rebels With Wrinkles will be published tomorrow, but there’s no need to wait. Pre-order at bookstores everywhere today!
Wild Donkeys of Bonaire
Flamingo
Variation Among Species
Marty’s photo of the day #4594: This was a difficult fish to identify because there is much variation among the species. Ultimately, you are looking at a white-spotted filefish that I photographed off the coast of Bonaire.
Leopard in Zimbabwe
Marty’s photo of the day #4593: When I photographed this leopard, the sun had already set, making it quite dark. My photo program allowed me to lighten it up and crop it, but attempts to remove the digital noise reduced the sharpness too much. Still, it’s a leopard in Zimbabwe!
Whipsnake
On a Foggy Antarctica Day
Marty’s photo of the day #4591: Female elephant seals and gentoo penguins, photographed on a foggy day, on a tiny island, off the coast of Antarctica.
A Holy Shit Moment
Marty’s photo of the day #4590: This was a “Holy shit!” moment. Deb and I were out a little deeper than usual, when a massive school of fish suddenly engulfed us. The moment lasted only a few seconds, as tuna were pursuing them in a high-speed chase. Photographed in Bonaire.
Chilling with an Octopus
Marty’s photo of the day #4589: I’m sitting on the floor of the Sea of Cortez, chilling with an octopus on my feet. Shhhhh! We don’t want to wake her up.
Anhinga
My Favorite Photo of 2024
Marty’s photo of the day #4587: For my last photo of 2024, I present a critically endangered hawksbill sea turtle that swam with me multiple times off the coast of Bonaire. I have this “favorite shot of the year” blown up in a large frame, where I see it every day and smile.
When the frogs come out
Marty’s photo of the day #4586: On a rainy night, deep in the rainforest of Borneo, the frogs come out to do their thing.
Gray Whale
Marty’s photo of the day #4585: This is a gray whale, photographed off the coast of Vancouver Island.
Off the Coast of Bonaire
Marty’s photo of the day #4584: My wife, Deb, and I snorkeled 26 times off the coast of Bonaire in September. Each time brought the excitement of a “new species,” sending us to our fish ID books once onshore. This one wasn’t in any of our ID books. Our best guess is that it’s a […]
Antarctica Coast
Hairy Woodpecker
Marty’s photo of the day #4582: This is a hairy woodpecker, photographed at the Essen Wildlife Refuge in Montana.
Best Campsite Ever!
Marty’s photo of the day #4581: The best campsite ever. Our tent pitched along the river, just south of the Arctic Circle, in the Yukon Territory. Deb and I snuggled in the middle, with a dog on each side of us—keeping us warm. And just outside our tent—wolves howling!
Grabby Christmas
Marty’s photo of the day #4580: ’Tis the season for my annual reminder that clergy have sexually molested more than 1 million children in the past 70 years. Churches don’t pay taxes. And despite their wealth, bankruptcy is a frequent defense in sexual assault cases. Grabby Christmas!
African Painted Dogs
Marty’s photo of the day #4579: These are African painted dogs, photographed in Zimbabwe. I counted 18 dogs in this pack. Overall, there are less than 1,500 African painted dogs left in the wild.