Biggest Week in American Birding: Northern Perula
Northern Perula: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2023 — Not a great view of a Northern Perula but the best I could manage from my spot on the boardwalk. 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/800th. -.7EV.
Maine! Bee in lupine
Honey Bee in wild Lupine: York County, Maine, USA, June 2023 — It is Lupine season in southern Maine. The crop does not seem as full this year as last, but that might be my aging imagination. I have photographed this same stand of lupine, in a hayfield near Emmon’s Preserve, every year for many years. The bees are always busy there. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications (which work for bees and dragonflies very well). Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 640 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
India!
Grey Langur and Spotted Deer: Rathambore Tiger Reserve, Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — The Grey Langurs were common along the stream by the road that goes by the temple inside Rathambore. along with birds and other wildlife, like this Spotted Deer that photobombed my monkey shot. Actually I could not resist the contrast when the deer walked behind the monkey. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 320mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 160 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Maine! Willet close up
Willet: York County, Maine, USA, June 2023 — Here is that close-up of the Willet from our local beach that I mentioned yesterday. The adults are no longer guarding this area, so I assume they decided to relocate. I saw them further out in the marsh yesterday, and a whole group on the other side of the river mouth. This one was definitely sticking its tongue out at me. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom @ 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f7.1 @ 1/1000th.
Biggest Week in American Birding: Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Rose-breasted Grosbeak: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2023 — There are always a few Rose-breasted Grosbeaks coming through Magee Marsh in May while the Biggest Week in American Birding is going on, and they are always a delight to see. This year my only encounters were with birds high up in the canopy…or what canopy is left at Magee after the storms. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th. -.7EV.
Maine! Willet
Willet: York County, Maine, USA — A pair of Willets decided to nest right beside the parking area at one of our local beaches. What can you do? I took lots of photos of this Willet reminding me not to step too close to the nest. I did not even attempt to find the nest and gave the Willet as much space as it would allow, but it’s nest was evidently quite close to the only path back to the road. I have much closer shots but I like the angles and textures in this environmental shot. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f7.1 @ 1/1000th.
India! Yellow-wattled Lapwing
Yellow-wattled Lapwing: Uttar Pradesh, India, May 2023 — From another road-side stop on the way back from the Chambal Sarus Crane Conservation Area. We saw Red-wattled Lapwing pretty much everywhere we went near water in India, but one a few Yellow-wattled, and all of them well away from water. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Maine! Arrowhead Spiketail
Arrowhead Spiketail: Forever Wild Preserve, Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2023 — This gorgeous creature is the Arrowhead Spiketail. It may be 5 years between emergences, and, indeed, I have only ever seen one other here in Southern Maine…yet its population is “stable.” It was very cooperative, returning to the same perch time after time until I had “enough” photos of it. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom. One at 800mm equivalent. Two at 1600mm (with 2x digital extender). Three at 614mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications (works well for dragonflies as well). Processed in Pixelmator Pro. The first shot is at ISO 2500 @ f22 (for greatest depth of field to get both the head and tail in focus) @ 1/640th. Second is ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/540th and third is ISO 200 @ f9 @ 1/6400th (again for depth of field).
Biggest Week in American Birding! Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron: Maumee Bay Nature Center, Oregon, Ohio, USA, May 2023 — This Great Blue was guarding the upper pond at the Nature Center at Maumee Bay when I was there to do a presentation at the lodge and the Biggest Week headquarters. I got there early enough for a walk around the short loop of boardwalk at the Nature Center. OM-Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800 and 420mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and assembled in FrameMagic. ISO 200 @ f6.3 and 7.1 @ 1/640th. -.7EV.
Maine! Snapper
Snapping Turtle: Roger’s Pond, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I posted a Day Poem about this encounter yesterday. Always happy to see a Snapper…from a distance. This is maybe only my 4th sighting as an adult, if I can claim to be one yet at 75. A big one! The underwater shot gives a better impression of just how big. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800 equivalent for the close-ups, 472 for the whole turtle and 200mm for the underwater shot. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications (bird worked better on the turtle than animal…I tried them both.) Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 for the land shots, ISO 400 underwater @ f6.3 (f5 underwater) @ 1/640th.