Maine! Canada Geese
Canada Geese: York County, Maine, USA, January 2024 — Down at the beach after the storms looking to see what birds might have come in. There is a small flock of Canada Geese perhaps wintering in the marsh around the mouth of our river. We will see how long they stay. I caught these on the move from one feeding area to another. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Green Honeycreeper
Green Honeycreeper (male and female): Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Park, La Vergin, Costa Rica, December 2023 — Clearly the Green Honeycreeper is named for the female of the species…otherwise it would be the turquoise honeycreeper. In whichever sex and color it is a striking bird of the fruiting undergrowth under the rainforest canopy. A member of the tanager family, it is generally part of a mixed feeding flock with other honeycreepers, tanagers, and euphonias. They are often seen in pairs, as we encountered them at Dave and Dave’s. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Herring Gull with a prize
Herring Gull: York County, Maine, USA, January 2024 — Not my favorite gull, but then gulls are not my favorite birds either. 🙂 Early in the morning on the beach, after the storm. OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer
Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer: Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Park, La Vergin, Costa Rica, December 2023 — Catching the Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer hovering by the flowers is another goal of every visit to Dave and Dave’s. On a morning visit, when the birds are most active, the light is not ideal, but it makes for some dramatic backlighting. Gotta love the red feet! At one time this was called the “red-footed plumeleteer. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom. Program mode with my custom birds in flight modifications. Processed in Photomator. These are natural light photos…no flash.
Maine! Mine!
Ring-billed Gull: York County, Maine, USA, January 2024 — A Ring-billed Gull defending its find on the local beach. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 1–=400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! White-necked Jacobin
White-necked Jacobin: Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Park, La Vergin, Costa Rica, December 2023 — This shot of the White-necked Jacobin with the tail flared against the sun is one you can hope for at Dave and Dave’s on any visit. Patience and anticipation are all that are required. A camera that is up to the job helps. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds in flight modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Rufous-tailed Hummingbird
Rufous-tailed Hummingbird: Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Park, La Vergin, Costa Rica, December 2023 — The Rufous-tailed Hummingbird showing off its name-sake tail with the sun behind it. The different gorget colors are purely due to the angle of the light. The scientific name of this bird comes from the Aztec for warrior, which is appropriate as in many places the Rufous-tiled dominates feeders and flowering plants…vigorously guarding them from all other species. At Dave and Dave’s the White-necked Jacobins dominate even the Rufous-tailed, but perhaps just because their numbers are higher. OM Systems OM-1 with the ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds in flight modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye: York County, Maine, USA, January 2024 — Another bird that I have not seen much of off our coast here in Southern Maine for many years is the Common Goldeneye. When I first moved here in the mid 90’s, if memory serves, they were relatively common near our local beach. Perhaps the recent storm brought these. There were the two males and at least one female. It is nice to catch them in good light to show off the green of head…just one of the colors it can be in changing light. OM Systems OM-1 with the ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator. Assembled in FrameMagic.
Costa Rica! Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer
Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer: Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Reserve, La Vergin, Costa Rica, December 2023 — Another hummingbird from Dave and Dave’s. More rare than the White-necked Jacobin, both in general and at the flowers at Dave and Dave’s, which makes it a more special bird to see and photograph. However the dominant White-necked Jacobins do their best to keep the Plumeleteer away from the feeding area, so they are quick in and out. This one managed a brief rest stop right in front of us. The only Central American hummingbird with red feet! OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 472mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds in flight modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Horned Grebe
Horned Grebe: York County, Maine, USA, January 2024 — Eared Grebe used to be a common sight at the mouths of our rivers here in Southern Maine, but this might be the first one I photographed in at least a decade. Something happened to the sea bed along our coast in a major storm going on 20 years ago, and the big flocks of Eiders, the Horned and Red-necked Grebes, Long-tailed Ducks, the Surf and White-winged Scoters, were pretty much gone over-night. Or maybe I just have not been looking hard enough. 🙂 Two Horned Grebes showed up after the weekend storm that also did quite a bit of damage to the sea-bed and shore line all up the coast of Southern Maine. Could be a coincidence, but maybe not. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro.