Chickadee beauty shot
Black-capped Chickadee, Kennebunk, Maine, USA. You don’t actually need a blind to photograph chickadees up close. They will come to my feeders while I am actually out among them adding seed. The blind does give me the opportunity to observe them going about their business without being aware of me, and I am, of course, getting a lot of shots of chickadees in all manner of poses and settings. I like this shot for its aesthetic appeal. It is something about the way the berry shoots segment the frame, the touch of red from the out of focus berries themselves, and naturally neutral grey background…and, of course, the bird itself in all its native perkiness. The tack-sharp feather detail and the quality of the light helps too. All in all, to my eye, it is a beauty shot. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
So what’s with all the Purple Finches?
Purple Finch, Kennebunk, Maine, USA. In past years we have had individual Purple Finches at our feeders on a few occasions…generally females, but at least one male a year. They appear unpredictability and are never seen again that year. This year, for some unknown reason, we have Purple Finches at the feeders every day. We had one male who did his normal here and gone thing, but we have at least 3 females who have been here for more than a week, and show every sign of hanging around for the summer. Time will tell. It has me wondering though if this is just an “our yard” phenomenon, or a southern Maine, or even a New England phenomenon. Are we having an outbreak of Purple Finches this year? More likely I am just seeing more. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Strange Titmouse
Tufted Titmouse, Kennebunk, Maine, USA I have been trying for 3 years now to get a decent photo of this Titmouse. It is part of a pair that started coming to our feeders 3 years ago, and have returned each year since. The mate is a normal Tufted Titmouse, with a grey chest and a bit of rust under the wings. I posted a photo of that bird a few days ago. I first I thought this bird had just gotten into something and stained its feathers…but when it returned the second year, and now the third, with this same plumage, I have to assume it is some kind of melanistic coloring. So, my fellow birders, have you ever seen the like? Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Chipping Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow, Kennebunk Maine, USA. To my mind (and eye) the Chipping Sparrow is one of the most elegant sparrows out there…from the deep rust of the cap, through the white eyebrow and the back eye-stripe, the white bib, and the well patterned brown of the wings and back…elegant all the way. I have gotten lots of photos of the Chipping Sparrows who are frequenting my new feeders by my photo blind on the feeders…but yesterday one posed on the tip of a branch for me. I always prefer shots away from the feeders. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Titmouse!
We have a pair of Titmice that frequent our yard. One of them has unique coloration…a dark bib covering the top third of the chest…this is the other one. I am still trying for a photo of the darker bird. It is particularly shy, perhaps suffering from a persecution complex do to its odd plumage. Anyway, I like this close up of the mate hanging off a bittersweet vine in front of my backyard photo blind. I will add a water feeder and a hanging bird bath to the feeder array by the blind today. I am still hoping for a shot of the melanistic titmouse before long. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Wood Frog Symphony
I was out the other day walking in the woods of Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, just down the street from us actually. When I got back to the car there was a Wood Frog Symphony going on the vernal pool next to the road. I have tried to photograph the Wood Frogs singing in the past, with mixed luck, but this time I found two largish males quite near each other who stayed on the surface as I approached the pool. They are tricky to photograph, as are any frogs, since the wet spots on their skin reflect so strongly creating highlights that are totally burned out. I did some cloning on these shots to make them look more realistic. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. Highlights retouched in TouchRetouch.
One little Chipmunk on a Mission!
I spent an hour or more watching one little Chipmunk haul away my scatter of sunflower seeds in front of my new bird / photo blind, two packed cheek pouches at a time. She lives under the shed two backyards over from us, and made a dozen trips across the yards to load up on seeds. Watching her skitter through the leaf litter was a real treat. When she stood tall to scope out the situation on each trip, you could see the reason for her urgency…she was obviously nursing at least 6 pups. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Handsome House Finch
The House Finch, seen here in Kennebunk, Maine, USA, is often overlooked as “just another finch,” so common as not to require, or deserve, our attention. This male in fresh spring plumage, and in spectacular late afternoon light, makes it clear that we need to rethink our prejudices. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. Taken from my backyard photo blind.
American Goldfinch
American Goldfinch, Kennebunk, Maine, USA. Still coming into full breeding plumage. My backyard bird / photo blind is proving to be very satisfying, and very productive. The opportunity to observe and photograph my backyard birds this close, without disturbing them in any way, is new to me, and I am enjoying it immensely. Odd as it seems, I will have the pandemic to thank for this. I would not have gone to the expense and effort of setting it up if not for the “stay at home” advice. I ordered a hanging water feeder and bird bath to add to my setup. I expect I will be using the blind a lot this spring and summer. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo.
Dark-eyed Junco (slate-colored)
Dark-eyed Junco, slate-colored sub-species. Kennebunk Maine, USA. This is “first fruits” from my new bird / photo blind in our back yard. I put out my pop-up turkey hunting blind and 2 squirrel proof bird feeders and a suet cage within another cage, again to discourage the squirrels, under the big pine along the boarder of our yard in the back. The Chickadees found the feeders first, of course, but in 2 hours of sitting in the blind yesterday afternoon I had opportunities to observe and photograph several species at close range. It works amazing well. This Slate-colored Junco is a bird that is around the yard all summer, and occasional up on our deck under the feeders there, but this is the first decent photo I have gotten. I will be spending a lot of time, these next weeks as we wait out the pandemic, in my blind. One afternoon was enough to convince me it will work. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo.