Cedar Waxwing: York County Maine, USA, August 2024 — Cedar Waxwings are, in my opinion, one of our most beautiful birds here in Maine. I don’t see them often. They come in quickly as a small flock to cherry pick (and I do realize that might be taken as a pun) the ripe fruit from any tree or bush, and then, just as quickly they are gone…off to another tree or bush with fruit ready…maybe a mile away. I was in the right place at the right time yesterday when half a dozen Cedar Waxwings raided a couple of bushes either side of the trail I was standing on. They are super active and fast, and their ultra-fine plumage and crayon bright wax wing and tail tips, as well as the large black eye in the black mask, make them beautiful, but also difficult to photograph well. They make an excellent test for any camera and lens combo. The Sony a6700 and Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom pass with flying colors. The camera rarely missed focus even when the birds would not sit still, and I am really pleased with the way the feather detail and colors are rendered. Sharp, but still realistic. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Wild Turkeys: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — before I forget. Walking down a trail through the marsh along the river I looked up to see this small flock of hens and poults ahead of me, confined by the brush on either side, but in no hurry. They eventually reached an opening at the end of a small footbridge and wandered off into the marsh. Still taking their time. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Animal/bird recognition auto focus. Processed in Photomator.

Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Willet (Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron): York County, Maine, USA, August 2024 — Yesterday was one of those rare Florida like days in Southern Maine. Hot. Humid. Too hot. Too humid. And in the marsh along the river there was a very Florida like concentration of wading birds: A couple of Great Blue Herons, some Willits (probably more than I knew as they don’t show much above the marsh grass), at least one white phase Little Blue Heron, and lots of Great and Snowy Egrets. In the top right wide view there are over 50 birds and that was not half of what was there. I crept through the underbrush to get to the edge of the marsh and sat down to shoot under the overhanging tree branches. It was amazing to watch the interactions. I have only seen this kind of concentration of waders in Florida…never before in Maine. So here we have the wide view, a treble of waders (Great and Snowy Egret and Willet), a Great Egret stretching its wing, and a Snowy Egret in flight. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Animal/bird subject detection auto focus. Highlight protection metering. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.