Biggest Week in American Birding: making shoulders at me….
Red-winged Blackbird: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, May 2023 — This Red-winged Blackbird was perched right over the boardwalk, just above head-height, and harassing the birders as they passed under him. Perhaps he enjoyed it. I know I did. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent and just about its closest focus (just over 4 feet). Program mode with an early version of my bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 640 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th. -.7EV.
Maine! Willet on approach…
Willet: York County, Maine, USA, June 2023 — Another composite of three shots of an approaching Willet. It came in from many hundreds of yards out in the marsh, and I followed it all the way at 25 frames per second. These are the three shots I saved out of several hundred. 🙂 I had no idea when I started shooting that it was coming to me. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight modifications. Processed and composited in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 640 @ f6.3 @ 1/3200th. Plus .7EV for the bird against the sky.
India! More Lagur Monkey business
Langur Monkey, Rathambore Tiger Reserve, Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — Along the stream below the temple within Rathambore National Park and the Tiger Reserve, there was a large troop of Grey Langur monkeys, going about their business. This large female was after a drink from the stream. Sony Rx10iv at 266 and 467mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos and assembled in FrameMagic. ISO 320, 250, and 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Maine! Snowy Egret
Snowy Egret: York County, Maine, USA, June 2023 — Along the reaches of the lower Mousam River, way out in the marsh. This Snowy Egret was leap hunting along the edge of a pool. Two shots going up, and two coming down 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and assembled in FrameMagic. ISO 200 @ f8 @ 1/1250th. -1EV to save the highlights.
Maine! Two for the price.
Piping Plover: York County, Maine, USA, June 2023 — These are 3-4 week old chicks from our local beach, again, taken from a good distance with my 800mm equivalent lens and cropped for scale. Though they are feeding on their own, and have been for a couple of weeks, they are still calling mom to come attend to them. Often the female has left the chicks to their own devices by now, so she may or may not come running. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f8 @ 1/1250th.
Maine! Ebony Jewelwing
Ebony Jewelwing: Branch Brook, Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2023 — One of my favorite Odonata…the spreadwing damselfly Ebony Jewelwing. I generally go looking for them at Emmons Preserve along the Batson River in Arundel, but I found this one along the Branch Brook nearer to home. The body is metallic green in most lights and from most angles, but you can see here that it can also be a lovely metallic blue. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 500 and 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
Biggest Week in American Birding: Mission Accomplished
Green Heron: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, Oak Harbor, Ohio, USA, May 2023 — For the second year in a row a pair of Green Herons is nesting at the end of the pond across from the boardwalk at Magee. They were busy building and repairing the nest while we were there for the Biggest Week in American Birding in May and this gentleman had obviously been sent out for a stick…which he chose to forage within a few feet of the boardwalk rail. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 372mm equivalent. Program mode with an early version of my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 320-500 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th. -.7EV.
Maine! Discovering its wings
Piping Plover: York County, Maine, USA, June 2023 — This Piping Plover chick is 2 to 3 weeks old. It will not fly for at least another week, maybe more, but it is beginning to stretch its wings. This same day there were maybe 2 day old chicks at other end of the beach (they were well away from the nest and that does not happen generally for the first day or so), and they were only half this size…that is the body was half this size, the legs do not grow much after hatching. Piping Plovers grow into their legs 🙂 Notice the fine fringe of down feathers still on the wing. And let me remind you that this photo was taken from at least 30 feet with a long lens and cropped in for scale. I would never get as close to the chick as it looks here, and neither should you. 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f8 @ 1/1250th.
India! Rufous Treepie
Rufous Treepie: Rathambore Tiger Reserve, Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — The Rufous is the only Treepie generally seen in Rajasthan but they are seen often and pretty much everywhere there are trees. This one was along the road when we went with a birding guide to explore the area in and around the Rathambore Tiger Reserve. Sony Rx10iv at 584mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 200 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Maine! Song Sparrow
Song Sparrow: York County, Maine, USA, June 2023 — What is better than a Song Sparrow singing! This one was on the back side of the dunes on one of our local beaches, apparently trying to drown out the surf. OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 1600mm (2x digital converter). Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f9 @ 1/1600th.