2020 Hein Natural History Photography Calendar

Note: With the 2020 version of the calendar I have changed to a two-sided format to reduce paper use.  The cover, and January through June are on the front side.  Flip the calendar over, and July through December are on the back side.

The 2020 calendar includes images from California's Anza Borrego State Desert Park, the Carrizo Plain National Monument, the Eastern Sierra, several locations on the Northern California coast, and of course, the wild places on and around Mount Diablo.

2020 Hein Natural History Photography Calendar

2019 Hein Natural History Photography Calendar

The 2019 calendar includes images from the Republic of Panama, the California coast and Eastern Sierra, Point Reyes National Seashore, Crater Lake and Death Valley National Parks, and of course, the wild places on and around Mount Diablo.

2019 Hein Natural History Photography Calendar

Fiery-billed AracariFiery-billed Aracari, Birder's Paradise, Paraiso, Chiriqui Provence, Panama Smooth-billed AniSmooth-billed Ani, Volcan, Chiriqui Provence, Panama

Resplendent Quetzal (Male and Female)Resplendent Quetzal (Male and Female), Camino Los Quetzales, Chiriqui Provence, Panama Geoffroy's TamarinGeoffroy's Tamarin, Los Altos de Cerro Azul, Panama

The 2018 calendar includes several images from an amazing visit to Southern Africa - Botswana and South Africa.  Other images are from special places around California, including the Carrizo Plain National Monument "super bloom", the Eastern Sierra, Lassen Volcanic National Park, and of course, the wild places on and around Mount Diablo.

2018 Hein Natural History Photography Calendar

Southern Africa Gallery

We started our journey in Cape Town, South Africa with the goal of observing and photographing our penultimate penguin species - the African (formerly "Jackass") Penguin - which we accomplished at the colony at Boulders Beach (our final penguin species is the Fjordland Penguin of New Zealand). We also visited Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden located at the base of Table Mountain, and Cape Point/Cape of Good Hope at the southern tip of the African continent.  Many thanks to Wian van Zyl from Birding Ecotours for a great day of birding, conversation, and photography. 

African PenguinsAfrican Penguins, Boulders Beach, Table Mountain National Park, South Africa Cape of Good HopeCape of Good Hope, Cape Point, South Africa

From Cape Town we headed north to Maun Botswana where we joined a mobile photo safari organized by photographer Thom Hogan, arranged by Wilderness Travel, and conducted by the most-excellent Capricorn Safaris.  Our route first took us overland from Maun to Moremi Game Reserve where we spent three days on morning and afternoon game drives and had our first encounters with wild leopards, hippos, giraffes, and zebras.

LeopardLeopard, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana HippopotamusHippopotamus , Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana

When you are in the remote wilds of Botswana you are treated to brilliant night-time displays of stars and the milky way.  We took advantage of the lack of light pollution and humidity to learn the basics of astrophotography from one of our instructors, Tony Medici.

The Milky WayThe Milky Way, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana The Milky Way over CampThe Milky Way over Camp, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana

We then traded our land cruisers for boats and an all day ride up the Okavango River to Camp Okavango, which would be our luxurious home for the next two nights.  The Okavango passes at times through large open lagoons, but more often than not you are traveling in winding, narrow channels with walls of Pampas Grass towering above you.  Our safari leader, Shane Hedges, recorded a time-lapse video of a portion of our ride (click the photo to access the video).

Filming the Ride up the OkavangoFilming the Ride up the Okavango, Okavango Delta, Botswana Pied KingfisherPied Kingfisher, Camp Okavango, Okavango Delta, Botswana

Boat Ride in the OkavangoBoat Ride in the Okavango, Okavango Delta, Botswana Camp OkavangoCamp Okavango, Okavango Delta, Botswana

We departed "Camp O" and boarded two small planes for the short flight to Savuti in Chobe National Park, where we would rejoin our mobile camp for 3 days of game drives with more elephants, giraffes, and our first sighting of lions and new antelope species like Roan.

African Savanna ElephantAfrican Savanna Elephant, Savuti, Chobe National Park, Botswana LionLion, Savuti, Chobe National Park, Botswana

Roan AntelopeRoan Antelope, Savuti, Chobe National Park, Botswana Giraffe & OxpeckersGiraffe & Oxpeckers, Savuti, Chobe National Park, Botswana

From Savuti, we drove northeast to the Chobe River near Kasane on the border with Namibia where we would spend our last 3 days in Botswana. The waters of the Chobe River attract large numbers of Elephants, African Buffalo, Impala, and the predators that hunt them.

Lion CubsLion Cubs, Chobe National Park, Botswana African Savanna ElephantsChobe National Park, Botswana

African Fish-EagleAfrican Fish-Eagle, Chobe National Park, Botswana Morning Light at ChobeMorning Light at Chobe (Namibia in the distance), Chobe National Park, Botswana

On our second to last night in Chobe, lions killed a zebra approximately 100 meters behind our camp.  Spotted Hyenas quickly discovered the kill and called in reinforcements.  For the rest of the night we were treated to howls and growls as those two apex predators fought over the kill.  At first light we found the kill site - all that remained was a dark spot on the ground and a few scraps that allowed us to identify the prey as Zebra.  There were still a few hyenas and Black-backed Jackals sniffing around the kill site when we arrived (and some in our group also observed the much less common Brown Hyena and Side-striped Jackal a little later).

Capricorn Safari's Camp at ChobeCapricorn Safari's Camp at Chobe, Chobe National Park, Botswana Spotted Hyena at Lion KillSpotted Hyena at Lion Kill, Chobe National Park, Botswana

We departed our camp in Chobe for Kasane first thing in the morning to begin our long voyage home - after stops in Johannesburg, Dubai, and San Francisco, we stepped in the door of our house 42 hours later.  We realize we have only scratched the surface of all that Africa has to offer.  However, we truly appreciated the opportunity to experience this small but incredible piece of it.  Many thanks to Shane Hedges and his team from Capricorn Safaris who helped make the trip so memorable and enjoyable.  Thanks also to Thom Hogan and Tony Medici for their planning, knowledge, and instruction.

The 2017 calendar includes images from Florida and many special places around California, including Death Valley, Yosemite and the Eastern Sierra, and of course, the wild places on and around Mount Diablo.

2017 Hein Natural History Photography Calendar

Mount Diablo Buckwheat (Eriogonum truncatum)Mount Diablo Buckwheat (Eriogonum truncatum), Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, Antioch, California

Another trip to South Florida brought another visit to the Wakodahatchee Wetlands (see the January 2016  image of the month).  Not surprisingly, things had changed in the six months since our last visit.  Gone were the Palm Warblers that seemed to be in every shrub and tree.  Purple Gallinules were also scarce.  However, the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were literally hanging out on the rails of the boardwalk allowing for close views (and photos) of their subtly beautiful plumage.

June 2016Black-bellied Whistling Duck
Another trip to South Florida brought another visit to the Wakodahatchee Wetlands (see the January 2016 image of the month). Not surprisingly, things had changed in the six months since our last visit. Gone were the Palm Warblers that seemed to be in every shrub and tree. Purple Gallinules were also scarce. However, the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were literally hanging out on the rails of the boardwalk allowing for close views (and photos) of their subtly beautiful plumage.

Mary Bowerman was a botanist who performed the pioneering studies of the flora of Mount Diablo starting in the 1930s. This trail that now bears her name was originally named the "Fire Interpretive Trail".  It was constructed after fires in the late 1970s to educate visitors about fire ecology on the mountain.  Mary was instrumental in ensuring that impacts to the habitat along the trail, especially these talus slopes and rock outcrops, were minimized during construction. She was also a co-founder of the conservation organization, Save Mount Diablo, and remained actively involved with the organization until passing away in 2005 at the age of 97.  The trail was renamed in her honor in 2007.

May 2016Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva) blooming on the chert slopes along the Mary Bowerman Trail near the summit of Mount Diablo. Mary Bowerman was a botanist who performed pioneering studies of the flora of Mount Diablo starting in the 1930s. She was also a co-founder of the conservation organization, Save Mount Diablo in 1971.

April 2016After 4 years of drought the winter of 2015-2016, fueled by "El Nino"storms, brought abundant rainfall to Mount Diablo. The mountain responded with a spectacular Spring wildflower display. I captured this image of a Goldenbush, Lupine, and Paintbrush extravaganza on the slopes of North Peak during Save Mount Diablo's BioBlitz event.

March 2016Desert Paintbrush (Castilleja augustifolia), Titus Canyon, Death Valley National Park.

2016 was the year of the "superbloom" in Death Valley - Fall and Winter rains enabling an outrageous display of wildflowers that attracted visitors from all over the world. We had made plans for a Spring desert trip to Death Valley long before the superbloom made the news. Fortunately, Death Valley is a BIG place and you can always find solitude if you know where to go. I captured this image of Desert Paintbrush on the drive into Titus Canyon. The yellow wash on the ridge in the background is from Golden Evening Primrose, which were blooming in abundance during our visit.

Sara Orange-tipSara Orange-tip, Mitchell Canyon, Mount Diablo State Park

January 2016Whenever we visit family in South Florida, we also try to plan several visits to a couple of amazing wetlands in Palm Beach County - the Wakodahatchee Wetlands, and the Green Cay Wetlands. Both of these places are part of municipal water treatment systems that use the wetlands as part of the treatment process. They have extensive boardwalks that are extremely popular with walkers, birders, and photographers. I think they are arguably the best places anywhere to photograph wetland bird species. The beautiful Purple Gallinule is one of the stars of any visit to these wetlands.

December 2015A cold front had passed through on Christmas Eve, and there was the possibility of snow on the summit. I got up early and headed to Mount Diablo State Park, but the summit road was closed at the Junction Ranger Station. So, I laced up my hiking boots and headed up the Summit Trail for the 1500' climb to the summit. I captured this image just as the clouds lifted on the blustery northwest corner of the Mary Bowerman Trail where the landscape was covered in frost and ice.

Day 7 - Great Gray OwlGreat Gray Owl, Yosemite National Park
Day 7 of the ‪#‎challengeonnaturephotography‬. I'm dedicating my final photo of the challenge to the memory of Rich Stallcup. Rich spotted this Great Gray Owl early one morning perched on a snag at the edge of a meadow near Crane Flat in Yosemite National Park. We didn't know at the time that this would be one of the last trips we would take with Rich - he passed away a few months later. In addition to being a great friend, he was my mentor as a naturalist and was responsible for rekindling my passion for nature photography. He touched the lives of literally thousands of other people in similar ways. Today is Rich's birthday, so it seems fitting to post this photo of that Great Gray Owl...

The 2016 calendar includes images from around Florida, Wisconsin, Oregon, and California  (including, of course, the wild places on and around Mount Diablo).

2016 Hein Natural History Photography Calendar

Eastern Sierra Fall ColorsEastern Sierra Fall Colors, South Lake, Inyo County, California

The 2015 calendar includes images from around the state of California (including, of course, the wild places on and around Mount Diablo).

2015 Hein Natural History Photography Calendar

The 2014 calendar includes images from Panama, Oregon, and multiple places in California (including, of course, the wild places on and around Mount Diablo)

2014 Hein Natural History Photography Calendar

April 27 - June 29, 2013

The iconic Mount Diablo is nothing if not complex. This exhibit features some of the mountain’s diverse qualities and intriguing history. It includes antique surveying equipment and stories about the Mountain’s Initial Point, features plants and trees unique to the Mountain, and traces the growth of the State Park from 1921 to today. Special displays are provided on the Diablo Beacon and the new outdoor treasure hunts called geocaching.

Underwritten by the Lesher Foundation, the exhibit is collaboration among the Museum of the San Ramon Valley, Mount Diablo Surveyors Historical Society, Mount Diablo Interpretive Association and Save Mount Diablo. Speakers from each of these groups will talk with visitors each Saturday from 10:30 to noon during the exhibit.

Directions:  http://www.museumsrv.org/srvm_directions.html

I will have the following images of Mount Diablo's plants and animals on display:

Mount Diablo's Trees and Wildflowers

Heritage Oak, Deer Flat	Checker Lily, Mitchell Canyon
Chaparral Broomrape flowers, White Canyon	Bitter Root, Mary Bowerman Trail

Animals of Save Mount Diablo's BioBlitz

The following four wildlife images were captured during one of Save Mount Diablo’s “BioBlitz” events.  A BioBlitz brings together expert naturalists from a variety of disciplines to count every species of plant and animal they can identify from a particular place over a 24-hour period.  Save Mount Diablo uses data from these events to provide important baseline information about the natural resources on and around Mount Diablo.

Coast Horned Lizard	Singing Grasshopper Sparrow, upper Curry Canyon
Night Snake, Curry Canyon	California Red-legged Frog, Curry Creek

This is one of the best places I know to see relatively uncommon Bay Area reptiles like Sagebrush Lizard, Western Whiptail, and even the threatened Alameda Whipsnake (please treat these rare animals with respect).  It is also a great place for botanizing, particularly in the late spring when wildflowers have disappeared from the lower slopes of the mountain.  One of my favorite spectacles each spring is the display of Bitter Root covering the chert slopes on the northeast corner of the trail.

Sagebrush Lizard (Sceloporus graciosus) Sagebrush Lizard

Sticky Chinese Houses (Collinsia tinctoria) Sticky Chinese Houses

Bitter Root (Lewisia rediviva) Bitter Root

Thursday, June 7th, 2012
Camellia Room of The Gardens at Heather Farm, 1540 Marchbanks Drive, Walnut Creek, California
6:00 pm Doors open
6:30 pm Potluck Dinner is served
8:00 pm Announcements
8:15 pm Speakers

Magellanic Penguins, Patagonia, Chile

Magellanic Woodpeckers, Puyehue National Park, Chile

Vicunas, Lauca National Park, Chile

Up and Down Chile From Tierra del Fuego to the Atacama Desert

Chile is an amazingly large, diverse, and beautiful country.  The windswept coast of Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego is a gateway to Antarctica, while the Atacama Desert is the driest desert on the planet.  Spectacular volcanoes rise toward the sky from a 15,000’ plain - the Altiplano - while also erupting near the beautiful lakes and temperate rain forests of the Lake District.  Of course you can’t discuss Chile without mentioning the “Dragon’s Back” - the high Andes.

While the landscapes of Chile are stunning, its wildlife may be more so.  Birds range from the iconic Andean Condor soaring above the peaks of the Andes to the diminutive Chilean Woodstar hummingbird perched in a desert oasis near the border with Peru.  Large, flightless Rhea trot past Magellanic Penguins in Patagonia, while endemic and frustratingly “skulky” Tapaculos call – almost always just out of sight - from the dense vegetation of a Southern Beech Forest.  The riches of the Humboldt Current attract seabirds; many, many seabirds  - albatrosses, petrels, diving petrels, storm-petrels, giant petrels, shearwaters – oh my!

Of course there is other wildlife to entrance you during your travels.   Guanacos – the wild form of domesticated Llamas and Alpacas – are familiar residents of the lowlands and foothills, but give way to their beautiful and diminutive cousin, the Vicuña, in the high altitude of the Altiplano.  Also inhabiting the Altiplano are the weird and wonderful, rabbit-like Vizcachas.  Back at sea level, Commerson’s Dolphins cruise the Strait of Magellan and Sperm Whales dive into the Humboldt Current in search of squid (who in turn are hunting other prey).

MDAS members Scott and Claudia Hein will present photos of these amazing landscapes and wildlife captured during their November 2011 trip to Chile with Wings Birding Tours.

2012 Hein Natural History Photography Calendar

2012 Hein Natural History Photography Calendar

I also create a separate “Images of Diablo” calendar for Save Mount Diablo that is a gift to supporters who make an end of year donation of $250 or more.

September 10th - 24th, 2011

Exhibit Information
 

I will be showing the following four pieces in the upcoming exhibit at the Lynn House in Antioch, California.  The theme of the exhibit is "Nature in all mediums" and it features the artwork of the Mount Diablo Audubon Society.

Lindsay Wildlife Museum
April 9th - July 11th, 2011

Opening Reception, April 9th from 5 to 7:30pm

I will be showing the following three pieces in the upcoming exhibit at the Lindsay Wildlife Museum in Walnut Creek.  "The Beauty of Mount Diablo" is a cooperative exhibition organized by The Lindsay Wildlife Museum, Save Mount Diablo, and the Mount Diablo Interpretive Association.  The opening reception will be held on April 9th from 5:00 to 7:30PM at the museum.  Admission to the reception is free and our friend Stephen Joseph will be signing copies of his fabulous new book, "Mount Diablo: The Extraordinary Life and Landscapes of a California Treasure".  Stop by and say hello

Winter View West from Mount Diablo Mount Diablo Winter Vista

Heritage Oak, Deer Flat Heritage Oak, Deer Flat

Checker Lily (Fritillaria affinis ssp. lanceolata) Checker Lily, Mitchell Canyon