Neil DeMaster Photography

Neil DeMaster Photography I hope my photographs will help others to appreciate and preserve our wildlife and natural places.

The Vermilion Flycatcher is a brightly colored bird that be found in the southwest United States, through Central Americ...
05/09/2026

The Vermilion Flycatcher is a brightly colored bird that be found in the southwest United States, through Central America and a large part of South America. The scientific name Pyrocephalus rubinus translates to fire headed ruby. They are primarily insect eaters and hunt like a raptor, by perching on a fence post or tree branch looking for prey before swooping in. They are monogamous birds, building a small cup nest, usually within 6 feet of the ground where they lay 2-4 eggs. The biggest threats to their population is loss of habitat and overuse of pesticides which decreases their prey items. This photo was taken in Tucson Arizona in November of 2025.

The Common Snapping Turtle is found in southern Canada down to Florida in most parts of the United States, east of the R...
04/11/2026

The Common Snapping Turtle is found in southern Canada down to Florida in most parts of the United States, east of the Rockies. They are omnivores and will eat almost anything smaller than them. Many times, lying in the mud on the bottom of a lake or pond with only their nostrils exposed waiting to ambush whatever is in reach. The average lifespan is 30-40 years but can live to 100 years. They spend most of their time in the water, but the females will travel over land to find sandy soil to dig a hole where they will lay 25-80 eggs. They are important to the environment as controllers of populations of some of their prey items and because they also scavenge, as ecological recyclers. While the common snapping turtle population is stable, the threats that face them are high and variable mortality of embryos and hatchlings, pollution and the pet trade. This photo was taken at Assawoman Wildlife Area in Delaware, USA on March 31, 2026

This is the Salt Harvesting Facility run by the Cargill Company on the Island of Bonaire. They use solar harvesting by l...
03/22/2026

This is the Salt Harvesting Facility run by the Cargill Company on the Island of Bonaire. They use solar harvesting by letting sea water run into 250 acres of condenser ponds. There they let the wind and the sun evaporate the water increasing the salinity. Eventually it is moved into crystallization ponds where the salinity is increased even more until the salt starts to crystalize and eventually forms a several inch layer of salt. After that it is washed and stacked into the salt pyramids you see in this photo. The solar process is advantageous for forming large crystals known as salt gems. These can be used in water softeners, swimming pools, table use, and de icing materials among other things. This photo was taken in August of 2025

The Black Necked Stilt can be found in the United States and all the way through South America always around many types ...
03/17/2026

The Black Necked Stilt can be found in the United States and all the way through South America always around many types of shallow wetlands. Their diet consists of insects, shrimp, tadpoles, small crustaceans. small frogs and fish. Both parents build nests on bare ground, near or just above the water line. The female lays 2-5 eggs that are light brown with black blotches and both parents share in incubation. When the weather gets too hot the parents soak up water with their belly feathers and bring it back to the nests for cooling purposes. If a predator threatens the nest, nearby stilts will shriek, pretend to have broken wings or will aggressively dive at the threat. This photo of a juvenile was taken in Bonaire in August of 2025.

The Brown Anole is native to the Bahamas and Cuba but have spread to many Caribbean Islands, Mexico, South America, the ...
02/07/2026

The Brown Anole is native to the Bahamas and Cuba but have spread to many Caribbean Islands, Mexico, South America, the United States and even Taiwan. Due to their hardiness and ease of care they are also popular in the pet industry. The Brown Anole has a carnivorous diet eating insects, arthropods, small fish, other lizards and lizard eggs, even their own molted skin or detached tail. They are active during the day, usually found basking on trees or rocks. This photo was taken in Roatan, Honduras.

The Say's Phoebe can be found in western North America and Mexico in dry open areas. They breed in the northwestern U.S....
01/24/2026

The Say's Phoebe can be found in western North America and Mexico in dry open areas. They breed in the northwestern U.S. and Canada up into Alaska. They build nests with a shelter or ledge overhead, sometimes in interesting places like wells, mineshafts and mailboxes. Their diet consists almost entirely of insects, including bees, flying ants and wasps, coughing up pellets of undigested insect parts. Fossils of these birds have been found dating as far back as the Pleistocene Era. This photo was taken in Phoenix, Arizona on November 24, 2025

The Gambel's Quail is named after the first south western naturalist William Gambel. They inhabit the southwestern U.S. ...
01/17/2026

The Gambel's Quail is named after the first south western naturalist William Gambel. They inhabit the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico. They have the ability to find green foods for proper nutrition as well as hydration which they need to survive their desert environment. Their primary diet is seeds and leaves but will supplement with fruit, berries, cacti and some insects. They are an important part of the ecosystem, spreading plant seeds as well as being a food source to snakes, raptors, bobcats, coyotes and wolves. The main threat to the species is habitat destruction but are currently have a Least Concern status by the IUCN. This photo was taken in Phoenix, Arizona 11/23/2025

The Salt River's headwaters are in the mountains of northeastern Arizona and travel 200 miles to meet the Gila River sou...
01/10/2026

The Salt River's headwaters are in the mountains of northeastern Arizona and travel 200 miles to meet the Gila River southeast of Phoenix. This photo was taken in the lower portion of the river known as the Salt River Granite Reef recreation area. This area is known for its recreational uses and wildlife spotting. Especially the wild horses that can be seen in the river if one is lucky.

The Brown Throated Parakeet can reach 10 in tall and approximately 3.5 oz. They are found primarily in northern South Am...
11/16/2025

The Brown Throated Parakeet can reach 10 in tall and approximately 3.5 oz. They are found primarily in northern South America and the Caribbean. They nest in tree cavities made by termites where the termites end up unintentionally protecting the eggs from predators like snakes and thrashers. They can live up to 25 yrs although the average lifespan in the wild is 10 yrs. Their diet consists of seeds, fruits, flowers and the occasional insect. The primary threats to the species are habitat destruction and the pet trade. This photo was taken in Bonaire in August of 2025.

The American Flamingo is the largest of the 6 flamingo species growing up to 5 ft tall and weighing 4-8 lbs. They are bo...
11/02/2025

The American Flamingo is the largest of the 6 flamingo species growing up to 5 ft tall and weighing 4-8 lbs. They are born gray and get their pink coloration from their diet of shrimp, algae and mollusks. They take in large gulps of water and then pulsate their tongue, forcing the water out of their curved bill while retaining the food. They have been known to travel 54 miles in a day for food. Their average lifespan is 20-25 years but can live up to 60. This photo was taken in Bonaire in August of 2025.

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