Pretty as a picture
Eastern Kingbird: Kennebunk, Maine, July 2025 — If you follow my work (play 🙂 you have seen this Eastern Kingbird before. It has taken the territory that belonged to an Eastern Phoebe for many years along one of our marsh paths. This is just (to my eye) a pretty picture. I like the bird. I like the pose. I really like the weathered wood of the stump and its bold form, and I like the background of mottled brown and green. It does not say much about anything, but it is pretty. And maybe that’s enough. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400. Program mode. Processed in Photomator.
Fish from heaven!
Least Tern: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, July 2025 — The Least Terns are apparently feeding chicks now. They hide really well so I have not seen one yet…but I have not gotten close enough to really look. I could not figure out was all the “courting” behavior meant…males offering fish…until I looked it up this morning. The chicks are fed on regurgitated fish, so the only way for a male to feed is offspring is to offer the fish to his mate…or do the job himself. I think maybe the hope, among the males, that they might get lucky again has something to do with it too…and that, as they say, is how the species survives. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Porcupine!
Porcupine: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, July 2025 — Shortly after seeing the deer in the milkweed (yesterday’s post) at my in-laws 4th of July cookout, a hawk flew across the back of the meadow and landed in a tallish tree at the edge of the woods. I did not get a good look, so, of course I kept my eye on that tree 🙂 That is how I noticed the dark blob moving through the foliage. Could only be a porcupine so I took the camera and again worked closer…this time right out into the meadow, almost to the edge of the woods. Again, the porcupine was aware of me, but I was no threat. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
I see you!
White-tailed Deer: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, July 2025 — As we sat down to a late 4th of July cookout lunch at my in-laws, someone spotted this deer grazing in the wild meadow at the edge of their property. Of course I hustled right over to the car to get my camera (I do not run anymore, hustle is as good as it gets). I worked my way around the house to get closer, stopping every 15 yards or so to take photos. She watched me coming, fully aware but not, apparently, much bothered. She actually let me come right up the mowed edge of meadow, maybe 30 yards away. After taking way too many photos, I disappeared back around the house, and she went on grazing there behind the milkweed until she had her full. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Grasspink Orchid
Grasspink Orchid (or Tuberous Grasspink): Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, USA, July 2025 — I rode my trike down to Laudholm Farms yesterday to see if the Grasspinks were in bloom in the remnant bog on the lower trail. The bog is quickly being overtaken by sapling maples, ferns, and other brush, but there are still a few grasspinks. They are always a challenge to photograph since they are so 3 dimensional…there is no single plane of focus that shows them in all their glory. These were growing within inches of the boardwalk, but so low I had to sit down cross legged. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 108mm equivalent. Aperture program at f11 for depth of field. Processed in Photomator.
Ready or not!
Least Tern: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2025 — If you walk by the areas where the Least Terns are nesting on the beach, this is going to happen. Even if you are well away from the protective strings that set off the nesting area from the rest of the beach. I am not sure, but I suspect the Terns actually enjoy buzzing humans as though we were gulls or foxes…I think they know we are not after their eggs, but they really enjoy seeing us duck and flinch. Besides, I was sitting on my stool with no treat to them at all. But what do I know? Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Wren thoughts
Carolina Wren: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2025 — The wrens are family Troglodytidae which means cave dweller, and I can see, in this photo, how they might have been the inspiration for illustrations of the cave dwelling dwarfs. And now, having had that thought, I cannot see them any other way. Dwarf birds, with all the character of a Tolkien dwarf. I think that might be okay. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Interactions
Piping Plover: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2025 — I took my little collapsing plastic stool (the ones that look a little like a Dalek from Dr. Who) down to the beach yesterday. I got to watch the two week-old plover chicks interact with each other and one parent for 30 minutes or so (without causing too much alarm to the nesting terns behind them). That was the plan for the stool all along, and it worked. The chicks are a little more used to being out of the egg now…not so frantic to explore the whole world all at once. The sun was fierce and I think they were eager to find some shelter under the adult’s wings. Sure looked like they wanted to cuddle though, and who could resist? The plovers live a precarious life sharing the beach with humans. At least while I was there they had some protection from the gulls. Which is maybe why they are willing to share the beach with us. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent (and considerably cropped). Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Not a ho hummer!
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2025 — Lousy light is often the best light for hummingbirds, if you want to catch the gorget in all its glory. The day stated overcast and dull yesterday, but, for the first time this summer the male Ruby-throat was very active around the feeder, and was posting guard on the little branches we have fixed to the deck for perches, and I had time to watch it and get some photographs. They needed treatment for noise in post, but the gorget is as good as I have ever seen it. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
A bit full of himself (herself?)
Willet: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2025 — Looking a bit full of him/herself? I know that is a total projection and the Willet is not feeling anything I might think, but I am human and can not help myself 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.