Female Cardinal Visits
Northern Cardinal: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — We probably get a visit from the neighborhood cardinals every day, probably more than once a day, but I am rarely looking when they come. Therefore it is always a treat to see them. Both male and female will occasionally use the feeders, but they are both happier feeding on the ground…however they are much more difficult to photograph on the ground as they like to skulk among the leaves and brush, and seem to have a talent for keeping junk between themselves and my camera lens. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent from my backyard photo blind. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. Feeder shot: ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/800th. Ground shot: ISO 160 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Hermit Thrush
Hermit Thrush: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — After missing two good birds yesterday, the birding day ended with the gift of this Hermit Thrush in our yard. I could not get the camera on the Brown Creeper in the morning (though I had it in the frame several times) or on the Common Loon on the Mousam River on my eTrike ride (wrong camera in my hand, and gone by the time I got the right one), and I thought the thrush was going the same way. It flew in under the feeders by my backyard photo bind as I was folding up the blind to put it away, and after I had already put my camera up on the deck by the back door of the house. It sat there and looked at me, 10 feet away, for several moments and then scuttered off to the back side of the tree line and into the neighbor’s yard. I watched it through the brush for a while and then a chipmunk made a run at it, and it hopped back through the bushes close to me. So then I had to go get the camera. Again I had to contend with the full width of the tree line but I got some shots for the record. Then, another chipmunk ran at it (not sure what was going on there but two chipmunks apparently attacking a Hermit Thrush on the lawn has to be more than a coincidence) and it hopped over the brush, right past me, and into our yard below our deck. I was paying me no attention at all, so I was able to “stalk” it across the yard and get a few better photos. 🙂 Like I say, a gift! Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 1000 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Trout Lily / Adder’s Tongue
Trout Lily (aka Adder’s Tongue): Emmon’s Preserve, Kennebunkport, Maine, USA — I rode my eTrike out to Emmon’s Preserve on Monday, in part to see if the Trout Lily was in bloom. I have always called this early spring flower of the Maine woods Trout Lily, but a few years ago, I found that it has another, maybe more common name…Adder’s Tongue. By whatever name, the drooping yellow and orange blossoms above the dark spotted green leaves are one of the first delights of spring in Southern Maine…but, you have to be on your toes to catch them. Two weeks ago, the leaves were not even showing above ground. 5 days ago, I only found a few unopened buds. Yesterday, two favored patches in sunny spots in the forest were in full bloom. Some of the more shaded clusters are just poking up, but as the weather is staying above 50 degrees for a few days, they will quickly develop flowers and bloom…and then there well only be the clusters of patterned leaves close to the ground (marked like a trout) for the rest of the summer. Sony Rx10iv at 78mm equivalent. Full time macro on the ZEISS lens got me to within inches, and the flip out LCD allowed me to shoot from ground level looking up at the drooping flower. For a shot like this the movable spot focus is ideal as I can just tap the touch LCD over the flower and get precise focus. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. As you see, this shot was taken in the natural dappled shade of the forest floor. ISO 100 @ f3.5 @ 1/250th.
Patchy season: American Goldfinch
American Goldfinch: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — It is the season of patchy Goldfinches. The males are molting into breeding plumage and they are, honestly, all over the place…with patches of brightest yellow, pure white, and mottled black. I would say they did not know if they were coming or going, but, of course, they are all coming on to breeding. This is an interesting shot technically…a focus challenge for the Sony Rx10iv. 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 320 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Female Brown-headed Cowbird
Brown-headed Cowbird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — If there were an award for the least colorful bird in North America, surely the female of the Brown-headed Cowbird would be a contender. I won’t say it is the least attractive bird I have ever seen, but from any distance at all, the bird looks dull gray on gray, relieved only by the heavy black beak and big black eye. If it were any more dull it would disappear all together. If you look closely at these photos you will see that there is a subtle pattern under (or behind, or within) the gray, that is at least more interesting. And of course, the feather detail is also worth a look. Thing is, being a cowbird…messy, aggressive, feeder-hog that it is…and a known nest (or brood) parasite to birds that are easier to love, we might be just a bit prejudiced in judging its looks or attractiveness. Brood parasites, like the Brown-headed Cowbird, lay their eggs in other birds nests (in this case many warblers) and the larger and more aggressive BHCB chick hogs all the food that is intended of the true nestlings, to their detriment, and, often, demise. Not an easy bird to appreciate. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm from my backyard photo blind. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 250 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Chipping Sparrows
Chipping Sparrow: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — The Chipping Sparrows have been back for several days now, but I did not have a good photo op until late yesterday afternoon, when the sun came back out under the clouds on the horizon and lit up my photo blind area under the trees. This bird was about 8 feet in front of the blind. An elegant little bird, always, and lots of fun to watch. They are very active all summer, but especially active now during courting season. Lots of chasing and gyrations in the air. They are unusually agile even for a bird 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent, from my backyard photo blind. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 250 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Pine Siskin!
Pine Siskin: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — There are years when we do not see any Pine Siskins in our yard…in fact, most years we do not see any. They must pass through each year, but it is rare that they visit our feeders. I had to do a double take when this bird landed on one of the feeders under the trees by my backyard photo blind. Right size and shape for another Goldfinch…but no…right coloration (on first glance) for a female House Finch…but no. Pine Siskin! In the photo you can see what I could not see from my blind…the touch of yellow in the wings. This is a dullish female, but even so a delight to see up close. 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.
Mom to be
Grey Squirrel, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — Some of the squirrels in our yard are already getting ready for the first litter of the year…the females are getting just a bit plump and, in compromising positions, you can see their nipples swelling. You can just see the first signs here. This is the only time of year I can tell the females from the males. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent from my backyard photo blind. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 200 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Titmouse in situ
Tufted Titmouse: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — While the titmice are easy to photograph at the feeders, it is harder to get an unobstructed shot away from the feeders. They tend to bury themselves in twigs and foliage. While the leaves are still sleeping it is a bit easier. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. From my backyard photo blind. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 160 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Song Sparrow
Song Sparrow: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I always scatter some mixed seed under the feeders when I go out to sit in my backyard photo blind…mostly for the juncos, sparrows, doves, and the occasional cardinal…all of whom seem to enjoy foraging for the seed among the leaf litter. Most of them will come quite close to the blind, though it does mean opening the window all the way down so I can get an angle on them. This Song Sparrow took most of an hour to work its way forward into plain sight. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 125 @ f4 @ 1/500th. Plus .3 EV (I did not need the EV for this shot, but it was set from shots against the bright background around the feeders.)