Nature Photographer and Music Producer
For nearly ten years I’ve come to Oaks Bottom hoping to catch sight of a pileated woodpecker. I had heard rumors of people seeing a Pileated Woodpecker in the forest
Continue reading– Wood Chips kept falling on My Head — A Long Hunt Ends at Oaks Bottom
Yesterday I had one of those wildlife moments that makes you forget to breathe. While standing on the viewing deck at Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge, a river otter slipped quietly
That afternoon in Sellwood was a beautiful fall day with perfect golden hour lighting. I was wandering through Sellwood Park and I noticed a high-pitched chatter. A busy, bouncing cloud
Continue readingFluff and Fury: A Flock of Bushtits in Sellwood Oregon
There are days when the river seems to hold its breath. On a recent fall day, the Willamette lay glassy and gold, fog lingering in low pockets and the cottonwoods
Continue readingUp Close with a Great Egret: A Quiet Fall Afternoon on the Willamette
The garden still hums with life as spring winds down. Cosmos sway in the soft late-afternoon light, butterflies flit from petal to petal, and the neighborhood cat takes long, sunny
Capture the essence of Portland, Oregon with this 2025 calendar featuring stunning photographs by Jonathan Swanson. Hang it in your office or home to add a touch of Pacific Northwest
Continue readingNew Portland Scenes 2026 Calendar is now available to order.
I love birds in my backyard: chickadees, finches, and a Downy woodpecker that brightens my mornings. Lately I’ve also noticed my neighbor’s cat prowling around the feeders and caught it
This fall noisy visitors showed up at my feeder and made my backyard a little wilder — Downy woodpeckers They are small, bold, and surprisingly photogenic. After making a few
Continue reading Friendly Downy Woodpeckers Visit My Backyard
I had the pleasure of volunteering at the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) Science Fair on September 13–14, 2025, where I ran an arcade-style, multiple-choice bird quiz designed
Continue readingBringing Birds to Life at OMSI — My Volunteer Project (Sept 13–14, 2025)
On a peaceful late afternoon at the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge I had an unforgettable close encounter with a great blue heron (Ardea herodias). The bird landed in a tree
Continue reading Up Close with a Great Blue Heron — Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge
River otters (Lontra canadensis) are sleek, energetic mammals often seen sliding, diving and hunting in rivers, lakes and marshes. Famous for their playful behavior and acrobatic swimming, these charismatic carnivores
Continue reading River Otters — Playful Water Hunters of North America
This morning’s walk through Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge I had a close encounter with a Red Tailed Hawk that was clearly used to human presence. Perched high on a telephone
The other day a tiny gray butterfly landed on a cosmos bloom in my garden, and I was lucky enough to get a macro shot of the moment. Up close,
Continue readingA Tiny Visitor: Gray Hairstreak on My Cosmos
Here is a beautiful yellow rose next to my fountain. Portland is the city of roses. What does a Yellow Rose traditionally symbolize? I plant flowers to attract butterflies. Here
After putting up a feeder and a small fountain, I never expected the tiny, steel‑blue-and-russet birds that began darting around my fig tree after I installed a feeder and a
Continue readingHow a Feeder and a Fountain Brought Red‑breasted Nuthatches to My Backyard
Last week I spend some time in Neskowin doing some repairs on a beach house. I found some time to get some photos of the local wildlife. Here are some
A Heartwarming Encounter with Nature: Junco Nesting on My Deck This summer, I had the incredible opportunity to witness the beauty of nature right on my own deck. A pair
A few of my favorite photos that include wood ducks, bald eagles, and flowers from my garden.
Today, I made another excursion to Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge in Portland, Oregon, and I was captivated by the diverse array of bee species that call this lush habitat home.
Continue readingExploring the Buzz: Bees of Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge