RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - From a green-eyed cormorant to a standoffish bobcat, many creatures that populate the Rancho Murieta backcountry received the recognition they deserve when wildlife photographer Paul Anderson visited the River Valley Garden Club on March 27.

Anderson is best known in the community for his social media updates on the bald eagle family residing on the north side of Lake Clementia. His scoreboard shows the diligent parents have produced 14 eaglets since 2014, despite having to rebuild their nest twice.

Anderson’s interest in the eagles was a primary catalyst for his venture into photography. He began his journey by taking an introductory camera class at McKay Photo Academy in Gold River in 2017, marking his meteoritic rise as a wildlife photographer. He earned a master photography degree from the Professional Photography Association in just three years, a feat that typically takes six years. 

By 2019, he was competing with his images, earning prestigious awards and medals nationally and internationally at the highest levels.

Additionally, Anderson became an instructor with McKay Photo Academy, which organizes photography excursions domestically and internationally. Anderson has captured his winning images in diverse locations such as Antarctica, Alaska, the Canadian Northern Woods, Norway and Mongolia. 

Currently the manager of several car dealerships in Stockon, Anderson moved to Rancho Murieta 25 years ago for golf. He and his wife raised two children who now own their own homes in the community.  

“Now I don’t have time for golf,” he said.

Anderson began his presentation by saying that if he only accomplished one thing that night it would be inspiring audience members to join the SOLOS (Save Our Lakes & Open Spaces) group advocating for responsible development in Rancho Murieta.

“We are in such a magnificent community, and what we have in our backyard, I am going to share with you tonight,” he said.

Anderson shared stories behind some of his Rancho Murieta wildlife images as he navigated through his slide show, interspersing the narrative with light-hearted anecdotes. He described how he persuaded a bobcat that he and his dog, Lucy, weren’t predators, allowing the bobcat to continue hunting. Anderson also recounted his relief after being able to go to work unscathed after a chance encounter with a skunk and never seeing a rattlesnake when he wore heavy boots with “snake guards” covering his calves.

“But when I go out there for a quick half hour in my tennis shoes, I see them all the time,” he said.

Anderson presented many images of the Rancho Murieta Bald Eagles, documenting everything from their courtship rituals to the feeding of their loudly clamoring eaglets. He noted that the local eagles are half the size of those in Alaska and Washington, likely because they need less fat for insulation.

He also touched on a controversy about the eagle nest coming down two years in a row between August and October 1 in 2021 and 2022, showing a photo of vehicle tracks coming up to the tree involved. Despite these challenges, the eagles managed to rebuild their nest, although the latest one is secured to a dead or dying tree limb.

Highlighting the legal ramifications of disturbing these birds, Anderon displayed a slide about the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The act protects against disruption of any breeding, feeding or shelter habits, with penalties reaching up to $100,000 and a year in prison for the first offense. 

“So, it’s pretty serious,” he said.

Anderson also showed many striking images of the community’s wild swans, although it isn’t a good year for them. 

“I just counted five on the lake when were normally have 20 to 30,” he said.

Anderson described the cygnets as “the stars of the swans” because they are so much fun and have so much personality. However, capturing images of the young swans without their protective parents is challenging. The juveniles are fond of riding on their mother’s back.

Among the most vivid photographs was one taken a few years ago in Anderson’s backyard, featuring a Northern Flicker in a bush. 

“The berries haven’t been that same color since I took that picture,” Anderson said.

Anderson showcased a diverse range of other wildlife, from cormorants and pelicans to kites and Canadian Geese. He also captured images of a red-winged blackbird, an osprey, a salmon, a beaver, a coyote, an otter and a convoy of little ducks with brown beaks.

The presentation concluded with some award-winning images that included a Kodiak bear eating a salmon and two elephants sparring with their tusks. But the image that garnered the most acclaim featured a Mongolian hunter galloping across the grasslands with a giant eagle by his side. It won a gold medal this year in an international competition.

Anderson’s photographs are available for viewing on his Facebook page and Instagram account.