E. Abbott Photography

E. Abbott Photography Visual storyteller, filmmaker, photographer, and observer of the natural world. Documenting wildlife,

06/26/2026

Stillness at the pond. A Black-crowned Night Heron perched on a log while a Mallard rests nearby. Sometimes the quiet moments in nature tell the best stories.

From moonrises over Cleary Summit in the heart of winter to summer sunsets along the Chain O' Lakes, this journey with a...
06/25/2026

From moonrises over Cleary Summit in the heart of winter to summer sunsets along the Chain O' Lakes, this journey with a camera has taken me to some incredible places. 📷

Juvenile hawk — Red-shouldered or Cooper’s? What do you see?
06/24/2026

Juvenile hawk — Red-shouldered or Cooper’s? What do you see?

Bald Eagle with Fish in TalonsChain O’ Lakes State Park • Lake County, Illinois
06/23/2026

Bald Eagle with Fish in Talons
Chain O’ Lakes State Park • Lake County, Illinois

06/22/2026

From Alaska to the Midwest
Not long ago, I was photographing ptarmigan north of Fairbanks, Alaska.
Today, I'm spending my mornings along ponds and lakes in the Midwest, following herons, egrets, cormorants, and whatever else crosses my path.
Different landscape. Different wildlife. Same camera. Same curiosity.
The journey continues.

The Misunderstood FishermanMost people notice the herons, egrets, swans, and ducks.The cormorants often go overlooked.I ...
06/22/2026

The Misunderstood Fisherman
Most people notice the herons, egrets, swans, and ducks.
The cormorants often go overlooked.
I stopped to watch this one for a while and found myself admiring just how perfectly built it is for life in the water. Unlike ducks, cormorants don't rely on heavily waterproofed feathers. Their feathers become waterlogged during a dive, reducing buoyancy and allowing them to pursue fish beneath the surface with remarkable efficiency.
They aren't aerial hunters. They don't plunge from the sky. They dive from the surface and actively chase their prey underwater using their webbed feet and powerful bodies.
Because of that adaptation, they're often seen perched on logs and branches with their wings spread wide, drying in the sun between hunts.
The Double-crested Cormorant is common throughout the Great Lakes region, yet it's one of those birds that many people see without ever really seeing.
The longer I carry a camera, the more I find myself paying attention to the species that are easy to overlook.
Photographed in Schaumburg, Illinois.
E. Abbott Photography.

06/22/2026

Life at the Pond: A Heron's Reward.
The rain didn't seem to bother this Great Blue Heron. After a long wait along the water's edge, patience paid off with a hefty bullhead. Moments like these remind me that every trip to the pond has a story waiting to unfold.
Filmed in Illinois by E. Abbott Photography.

A few weeks ago, these goslings were small enough to disappear beneath the tall grass along the shoreline.One of my favo...
06/21/2026

A few weeks ago, these goslings were small enough to disappear beneath the tall grass along the shoreline.
One of my favorite parts of spending time at the lake is watching the same families grow throughout the season. The changes happen gradually, day by day, until you look back at a photograph and realize just how much they've grown.
Spring doesn't stay long.

06/21/2026

Lethal Control: The Return of M44 Cyanide Bombs

06/19/2026

Life at the Pond | Great Egret vs. Red-Winged Blackbird.
A Great Egret hunting along the pond finds itself under constant attack from a territorial Red-Winged Blackbird. A brief glimpse into the daily dramas unfolding in the wetlands.
Filmed in Illinois by E. Abbott Photography.

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