and still the Cardinals…
Northern Cardinal: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I know there are Cardinals in Kennebunk all winter. They just don’t come to our neighborhood. The pair that nest between our house and the railroad tracks evidently are “summer folk”, and a have a winter home elsewhere. I found this one at Roger’s Pond Park beside the Mousam River in downtown Kennebunk. It was, of course, across the whole width of the river, so not much of a shot. More of a record really. The Cardinals are still with us. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 1200mm equivalent (600mm plus 2x Clear Image Zoom). Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 640 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
written in wood
Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, USA — These viral growths in tree bark are common in the forest in Southern Maine, but I have rarely seen a tree with so many or such a convoluted tale to tell. Sony Rx10iv at 24mm equivalent. Program mode with Auto HDR. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. Nominal exposure: ISO 320 @ f3.2 @ 1/60th.
Downy intent…
Downy Woodpecker: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — Another pose of the every day Downy Woodpecker. One nice thing about having a group of birds visit frequently is the opportunity to observe their interactions. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 800 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Everyday bird #3
Downy Woodpecker: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — sticking with my recent theme of “everyday” birds, this female Downy Woodpecker is another of the birds we see every day at out feeders…many times a day. Like the Chickadees and White-breasted Nuthatches, they have very little fear of humans and will fly in while I am standing on the deck in plain site, and just get about their business with the suet. This one has learned to get inside the suet cage to feed. It’s mate and the larger Hairies still hang off the bottom of the cage. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 800 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Another every day bird…
White-breasted Nuthatch: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — Celebrating another bird that comes to the feeders every day, year round. This White-breasted Nuthatch is contemplating the leap up to the next perch on its way to the suet, but it is another of those “keep looking up” photos that are appropriate for this new year. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 640 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Always Chickadees
Black-capped Chickadee: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — no matter what else, there will always be chickadees. They are first at the feeder in the morning, and last in the evening, and they come many times a day, every day. A day without chickadees in our backyard is almost unthinkable. And they are such friendly birds. They will come to the feeders on the deck while I am out filling them. So I try not to take them for granted. 🙂 They are worth watching every day, always up to something new. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 320 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Nuthatch for New Year’s
Red-breasted Nuthatch, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — any day with a Red-breasted Nuthatch in it is a good day, and hopefully any year that starts with a Red-breasted Nuthatch post will be a good year too. For all of us. (And for the Nuthatches of course.) Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 640 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
The last landscape of 2020
Even without snow it is clearly winter in Maine. This was only just after 2 in the afternoon on a late December day, and look at those shadows. We are looking out over the Little River Marsh…or one of many Little River marshes up and down the coast of Maine. This one is Laudholm Farms. There is another “Little River” as close as Goose Rocks, 10 miles up the coast, and many more as you travel north. If you look closely my shadow is among the trees. And so Pic for today says goodby to 2020. Sony Rx10iv at 24mm equivalent. Program mode with auto HDR. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. Nominal exposure: ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
No really, show me your best side!
Bald Eagle: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — Is it really vanity if you have something to be vane about? We associate the Bald Eagle with the power and majesty of our country at its best. (So, okay, most of the time I think Ben Franklin might have been right, for lots of reasons, in proposing the Wild Turkey as the national bird, but that ship has sailed and we are accustomed to the Bald Eagle). This one, posing in the late day winter sun, was certainly as handsome a bird as you are likely to find. Sony Rx10iv at 1200mm equivalent (600mm optical plus 2x Clear Image Zoom). Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. Assembled in FrameMagic.
Waxwing showing off…
Cedar Waxwing: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — sometimes you are just pointing the camera in right direction when something happens, and sometimes the focus on the camera is quick enough, and sometimes you get the shot. Sometimes. Not often. Sometimes. I was photographing this Cedar Waxwing on a branch when it decided it had had enough of me, or enough of the berries, and took off. Actually the whole group of them exploded out of the cherry trees at the same instant and headed back across the river. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f5 @ 1/1000th.