Stormfall

 As we traversed the vast expanses of the Great Plains, our small group of four felt like a tight-knit family, trauma bonding over the adrenaline-fueled experiences and the endless highways. The days blurred together in a whirlwind of 6000km road trips, with nights that often stretched well into the wee hours. When the chase was on, all bets were off, and cuisine took a back seat. Truck stop fare became our norm, but somehow, the chimmichungas and mystery balls tasted better amidst the stormy backdrop. It was all part of the culture and fun, a reminder that we were living life on our own terms.

The Morton Supercell with wedge tornado 5 June 2025. The largest ever recorded tornado in Texas at a whopping 3.5km wide. We were standing just 2km away from this monster. What a site to behold, it was.

Chaser Convergence

On 5 June, while storm chasing the infamous Morton wedge tornado, the sight of a cluster of red dots peppering the weather radar painted a chaotic scene; those red dots were other storm chasers, each as eager and audacious as I was. This phenomenon, known as storm chaser convergence, creates a somewhat frenetic camaraderie as we all swiftly plot our courses in pursuit of nature’s fury. However, as we attempted to exit Lubbock, we found ourselves trapped in a web of severe weather and a cluster of vehicles, narrowly escaping the wrath of the storm's epicentre, where the winds howled and hail began to pelt us, everything around us felt precariously close to being engulfed.

It was a fine line between exhilaration and peril, a reminder of the thrilling dance we engage in with Mother Nature.

Storm Culture

 Looking back, I realize that storm chasing isn't just about the thrill of the chase; it's about the people you meet, the experiences you have, and the memories you create. I felt like I was part of something special, a community that lived for the thrill of the storm. And as I reflect on those unforgettable adventures, I know I'll be chasing storms again soon.

Twister in Texas

G5 Aurora

On 10 October 2025, a G5 solar storm hit earth launching a surreal aurora, lighting the night sky with vibrant reds, pinks, blues, and greens. The clear skies provided a perfect backdrop just 16 kilometres from my home in nearby farmland. Lucky to have captured a short timelapse to remember the occasion that captivated the world.

Aerial Drone Photography in Iceland

Colourful calderas and resiliant mosses side by side.

Pretty Speccy

Went to Iceland. Flew my drone. Nearly ran out of juice once or twice. Flew 148km in 14hrs over 6 days in up to 25km/h winds!

*Not a real dragon

Basalt columns rise as natural sculptures shaped by volcanic activity over thousands of years. These impressive formations, often resembling organ pipes, form when lava cools quickly and cracks into unique shapes.

These columns hold a mythical quality in Icelandic folklore, with stories of trolls and giants adding a sense of wonder. Whether hiking through the challenging terrain or simply gazing in awe at these natural wonders, the basalt columns of Iceland provide a humbling and inspiring experience.

Ancient Fire

Popping out from the vast landscape in the southern central highlands lies a trio of dormant volcanoes, a testament to the island's fiery origins. With its towering caldera and smooth slopes, the volcanos appear tranquil, but beneath their surface, the earth remains restless, a reminder of the raw power that constanly reshapes this land.

Arizona Monsoon

Saguaro National Park, Tucson.

Hail Core

As the heavy clouds swirl above, the striking blue colour of the hail core stands out. This vivid display of nature's force serves as a stark reminder of the raw beauty and unpredictability of the world around us.

Haboob

The name "haboob" originates from the Arabic word "habb" meaning "wind." These dust storms are common in arid regions like the Middle East and North Africa.

In Arizona, haboobs are typically caused by intense thunderstorms kicking up dust and debris, stretching for miles across the desert plains.

Ok, cowboys and cowgirls. Who's up for some spaghetti western antics, chasing the monsoon storms in Arizona.

Aurora in Ontario!

Last night, we embarked on a short journey just beyond the city limits of Ontario and were rewarded with a breathtaking spectacle - a vibrant aurora dancing across the night sky! This stunning display was courtesy of the biggest geomagnetic storm since 2005, which illuminated the darkness with shimmering curtains of green and purple.

And here is a lovely little timelapse to remember the event by,

2024 North American Eclipse

The Tale of The Eclipse

Once on an April day, in twenty-four,
To Niagara we ventured, seeking much more,
Gazing at the skies, waiting for the sight,
Of the eclipse so grand, glowing in its might.

Clouds gathered 'round, dimming our delight,
Our hope waned, swallowed by the darkened light,
Yet, just as despair began to grow near,
A sliver of hope pierced the looming fear.

The clouds, they parted, unveiling the show,
The eclipse appeared, casting a soft glow,
Cheers erupted, filling the air with glee,
As we witnessed this celestial decree.

Nature's wonder, a sight to behold,
In those fleeting moments, our hearts consoled,
For even in darkness, light finds its way,
Guiding our path, through night and through day.

9 exposures stacked and manually aligned with radial blur to show the corona in full glory. Lots of cloud cover, so a bit fuzzy, but I am still pretty happy with how it turned out!

Solar Prominances

The red/pink colour of the prominances is due to the H-α�- transition of atomic hydrogen . Many astronomical deep space objects show this red colour typical for a hot low density hydrogen gas. During this eclipse, the solar activity was at an 11 year peak, so we were lucky to see such activity.

Algonquin Little Critters

In Feburary 2024 I headed back out to Algonquin and discovered these lovely critters playing in the snow.

Female American goldfinch sitting amoungst the catkins.

Chatty Cathy

If you hear a symphony of high-pitched chirps and chatters echoing through the woods, chances are you've stumbled upon a group of red squirrels. These sociable creatures are quite vocal and love to engage in lively conversations with their fellow squirrels.

Tasmania

CRADLE MOUNTAIN

Sunrise view of Cradle Mountain from Dove Lake with the iconic boat shed in the foreground.

BICHENO

Marakoopa Cave

The Mole Creek Karst National Park is characterised by its extensive network of sediment and bone deposit, as well as shawls, and speleothems which make up stalactites and stalagmites. The Marakoopa cave is popular for its fantastic glow worm display, and features two underground streams, large caverns, rim pools, reflections and shawl and flowstone features.

Echidna

Echidnas are quill-covered monotremes living in Australia and New Guinea. The echidna and the platypus are the only living mammals that lay eggs and the only surviving members of the order Monotremata.

Maingon Bay

Beyond Port Arthur is a penninsular that hosts Maingon Bay Lookout and Remarkable Cave. In the distances is the towering dolerite columns of Cape Raoul. Beneath the lookout, green hills tumble down to meet the clean blue waters of the bay and small waves splash gently onto rock ledges.

A view on the way to Cradle Mountain.

Bears of Alaska

Off to the lesser travelled region of the Katmai National Park by private charter on the Island C. A bumper crop of salmon in the region coupled with perfect weather conditions meant this was the best season for viewing in some sixteen years, according to locals.

Beautiful morning at Kukak Bay, Katmai National Park.

It’s Mine

No less than 5 sets of cubs (9 in total) blessed us with their comical antics in Geograph Bay at Katmai.

A lone bear wanders the expanse of Kukak Bay in Katmai National Park.

Dinner Time

Bears were catching salmon every four minutes in this river delta in the Katmai National Park.

A big bear can eat up to 30kg a day. That’s a lot of sushi!

Sunrise in Kukak Bay.

Puffins

Super cute. There are two species found in the region, tuffted and horned as featured here.

MORE BEARS

Snooze time.

Supercells in the Great Plains, USA

In the late Spring and early Summer, dozens of hard core storm chasers flock to the Great Plains in search of tornadoes, photogenic supercells and big bolts of lightning.

In the last week of May 2023, I was surely up for some of that action and travelled with a group of professional chasers.

Somewhere in Oklahoma a funnel cloud forms across the expanse of farmland.

The open road, New Mexico.

Road Trip!

Together we clocked up over 6,800km in 7 days. Spanning Colorado, New Mexico, the Texas pan handle, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Kansas.

What's In My Bag 2023

Yellowstone

Amazing vista across the Lamar Valley area. If you look closely you can see two long horned rams scaling the rocky outcrops.

A Frosty Morning

Steam from the geothermal springs condenses on the Bison’s fur which in turn freezes into frosty icicles.

Scaling Cliffs

A big horn ram forages for food along the rocky hillside.

Bison roam the country side whilst fumeroles puff away and provide a warm relief in the winter.

View of the Lamar Valley from the Gardiner entrance.

And here is the film featuring the adventures of the lone coyote and other amazing animals!

Pine Martens in Algonquin

Two days in Algonquin looking for pine martens! My first time seeing these cranky cuties. It was quite the delight.

Male evening grossbeak.

Sketchy Critters

Pine martens are a member of the weasel family.

A wintery scene in Algonquin.

Pine Marten washing his face in the snow after a dumpster dive for left over pizza in a nearby camping bin.

It's not all glamorous in the wilderness!

Polar Bears in Churchill, Manitoba

Churchill, Manitoba is on the 58th parallel, located on the Hudson Bay and the summer holiday destination for about 60% of the world’s population of polar bears as they wait for the oceans to freeze over in winter. October is when the bears start to venture back in from deep within the tundra Boreal forests, hungry and carefully monitoring the weather for safe passage.

Young female polar bear climbing rocks at Bird Cove.

If you look very carefully, you can see a silver fox darting across the wintery scene as he hunts for lunch. It’s the same fox, captured in two images while I was taking a panorama. This is 9 images stiched together.

Arctic Hare

Easily spotted when in the tundra moss, it is hard to believe how seamlessly she can disappear in the snow.

Cape Merry, with the dome of the marine research center in the background.

James Knight sailed into the mouth of the Churchill River to begin construction of a fur trading post for the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1717. The cape was later renamed to honour Captain John Merry, who was the Deputy Governor of the Hudson’s Bay Company from 1712-1718.

The Sentinel

Julia, our fully armed bear guard watches over us at all times in case of a bear attack.

Autumn in Algonquin

The long weekend in October is Thanksgiving in Canada. This also happens to be the best time to see the Autumn colours in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario. We booked about 10 months in advance to stay at the Killarney Lodge which is convientently located right in the middle of the park.

View from Centennial Ridges Trail

Mist and reflections at Brewers Lake

Whitney

Drone shot taken just outside of Algonquin

Point Pelee

Point Pelee is a national park in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada where it extends into Lake Erie. Point Pelee consists of a peninsula of land, mainly of marsh and woodland habitats, that tapers to a sharp point as it extends into Lake Erie. Middle Island, Point Pelee is the southernmost point of mainland Canada, and is located on a foundation of glacial sand, silt and gravel that bites into Lake Erie. Point Pelee is famous for the migration of thousands of birds in the Spring and the migration of Monarch butterflies in the Autumn who wait for the winds to be just right before taking off for a 4000km trip across Lake Erie to the south.

Sunrise vista over the Marsh boardwalk at Point Pelee

View of the marsh boardwalk from the observation tower.

Montréal

It was a long weekend and the borders are finally open. So I and a million other Torontonians, decided to head to Montreal. After an 8 hour drive we finally arrived. And here are some pics from around old Montreal.

Montreal Old Port, Clock Tower and Jacques Cartier Bridge

Achievement Unlocked! Moose-tery Solved.

After 4 four visits to Algonquin Provincial Park over the last 18 months, we finally saw Bruce. He posed for us for a good 15min by the side of Highway 60 before wandering off into the forest.

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This is Bruce

He cut loose after drinking moon-juice, chasing a chartreuse goose round a blue spruce. He called a truce after the obtuse goose pulled out a noose. He found the whole thing quite a-moosing.

Winter Scenes at Morris Island, Quebec

Morris Island Conservation Area is located along the Ottawa River near the community of Fitzroy Harbour. This 47 hectare site consists of forested woodlands and wetlands. There are 6 km of trails to explore including a causeway over the lakes which connects the islands together.

Just a few whimsical, wintery scenes to finish off the year including footage of the wildlife from Parc Omega. Here’s to 2021!