Bluebird Winter
Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, January 2023 — Another visitor from early on our snowy morning. We have 5 Bluebirds that come for the mealworms we put out in a feeder. They are our two adults, a pair that, as far as I can tell, have nested in the yard next door for at least 5 years, and young birds from this year’s two broods. This is the adult male, looking a little wet and very stoic (to me) on this snowy morning. This is an art shot again…more than a portrait…for framing on the wall. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 400 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Dusky Crimsonwing
Dusky Crimsonwing: Bwindi National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — I got better photos (or at least photos in better light) of this bird at Mghinga National Park a few days later, but our guide Gordon worked so hard for these first photos that I have to post them. 🙂 This is another Albertine Rift endemic, with a very limited range on the western slopes of the volcanos of East Africa. This Crimsonwing is a skulker par excellence, and we got glimpses of it all around the parking area at the Gorilla Trek trailhead in Bwindi, but it was too quick for me to get a photo. Gordon did not give up though, and we eventually caught this bird in the open long enough for a burst. Sony Rx10iv at 595mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 1000 and 1250 @ 4 @ 1/500th.
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird: Danta Corcovado Lodge, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, December 2022 — Eventually we left the army ant swarm behind and actually made it up to the observation tower at Danta Corcovado…but we were late getting there and there was not a lot of action (and it was hot!). Due the rainy November, the flowers at the base of the tower were not in full bloom yet, but there were a few Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds working them. (We had Golden-tailed in those flowers in 2021.) I chased the Rufous around the tower a few times and got a few shots. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 250 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Uganda Edition: Yellow-whiskered Greenbul
Yellow-whiskered Greenbul: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — The field guides say this is a “very common” bird throughout its range, and its range includes part of every East African country, from a few hundred feet to the tops of the mountains…basically wherever there is forest or gardens. This one was, again, around the parking area at the Gorilla Trek trailhead. Sony Rx10iv at 591mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 2000 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Snow Finches
House Finch and American Goldfinch: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, January 2023 — We woke up to one of those winter wonderland scenes with wet snow clinging to every branch and bush and about 3 inches on the ground. It did not last more than a half hour once the sun and the wind got up, but it was traditionally beautiful for a few moments there. I managed a few shots in the early light to catch the contrast between the birds and the snow. House Finches have been coming to the feeders for the past two weeks. They are occasional visitors year round, but way outnumbered by the Purple Finches in the spring. American Goldfinches are another year round visitor. We are currently hosting a flock of at least a dozen. And this scene, with the fresh snow, is just a memory. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 320 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Uganda Edition: Rwenzori Hill-Babbler
African Hill-Babbler: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — This is a common bird through-out its range in East Africa, but the birds along the Albertine Rift have the full black head and are a unique sub-speices, sometimes called the Rwenzori Hill-babbler. Yet another bird from our few hours abound the parking area at the Gorilla Trek trailhead. Sony Rx10iv at 591mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 200 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Snow birds…
Goldfinch, Eastern Bluebird, White-breasted Nuthatch: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, January 2023 — We had a flurry of birds (our mixed feeding flock) just as the first huge flakes of snow begin to fall yesterday, so I paused my exercise routine to take the camera out and record it. Three of the usual suspects making the most of the opportunity. The Bluebird looks the most bemused by the falling snow (our first this year) but then bluebirds always look a bit bemused. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 1250 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Uganda Edition: Sunbird in the sun
Northern Double-collared Sunbird: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — Sunbirds, like this Northern Double-collared, are made for the sun. Such a splendor of color! Again, from the edges of the parking area for the Gorilla Trek at Bwindi, while we waited for the trekkers to come back. This is more of an “art” shot…something for the wall instead of the guide-book. Sony Rx10iv at 591mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 250 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Orange-collared Manakin
Orange-collared Manakin: Danta Corcovado Lodge, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica, December 2022 — Though it is not as closely associated with ant swarms as the others I have shared, this Orange-collared Manakin was with the mixed flock. The Orange-collared (this is a male) is endemic to the pacific lowlands of southern Costa Rica and northern Panama. They kind of glow in the darkness of the undergrowth under heavy canopy. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications and multi-frame noise reduction. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. Equivalent ISO 2000 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Uganda Edition: Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher
Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher: Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park, Uganda, August 2022 — This is the female of the Black-and-white Shrike-flycatcher, not an uncommon bird in Uganda west of lake Victoria, but rare other places in East Africa. It is, I would say, also uncommon at the elevation where we were in Bwindi, but it is generally seen where we saw it…high in the top of tree or up into the canopy. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f5 and f4 @ 1/1000th.