Maine! Willet in the surf
Willet: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — On one of our hot days last week, this Willet spend a lot of time in the surf, perhaps cooling off. It did not appear to be actively hunting…at least I did not see it try for any prey while I was watching. It just stood there and let the surf run around it. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Nothing like being close: squirrelly edition
Grey Squirrel: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2024 — Another visitor to the deck while I was waiting on the hummingbirds. Between squirrel proof feeders and some training, the squirrels are mostly happy with spilled seed these days, and they are quite fearless. They are up on the deck when I am right there in my chair, pretty much daring me to do anything about it. 🙂 I am happy to let them have the spilled seed. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Air defense
Least Tern (with Rock Dove): York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — I had never thought of the Rock Dove (pigeon) as a potential predator of Least Tern eggs, but this pigeon was showing way too much interest in one particular Least Tern nest on the beach. I had also never realized just how big a Rock Dove is compared to a Least Tern. The Terns made a valiant attempt to dive the pigeon off, dive bombing it on the beach and harassing it in the air, but when it landed near the nest and showed every intention of raiding it, they went into full air defense mode with one of most amazing shows of aerial dexterity I have ever seen. Every Tern on the beach joined in, and for several moments the Dove had their full attention…until it finally decided two tern eggs were not worth the hassle and got up and flew off into the distance. OM System OM-1 with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 338mm (Dove and Tern) and 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Maine! Still two
Least Tern. Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2024 — One of the reasons we invest in the long telephoto lenses and the cameras with good sensors is to be able to take photos like these from a distance where we were not disturbing the birds. But then I always have mixed feelings about sharing them. They look like they were taken from much closer than they were, and I certainly do not want to encourage folks with cell phones or even their kit zoom lenses to try to get shots like this. This is with the OM System OM-1Mkii with the M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent, plus the 2x digital tele-converter and a healthy crop to bring the final field of view to about 3000mm…or spotting scope scale. It is worth sharing, I think, because it is just something most of us never get to see. Look at how well camouflaged those eggs are. In fact, when the Tern wants to hide the eggs she (or he) just gets up and moves a few feet to one side or the other. Once the bird is off the nest it is almost impossible to see the eggs, even with optical aid. This bird is just returning to the nest after attempting to distract a gull. Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Canadian Tiger Swallowtail
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2024 — I have been seeing Tiger Swallowtails in the forest and fields of Southern Maine for a couple of weeks now, generally on the wing, gliding close to foliage or grass. This is not the first to pass through our yard, but it is the first that has settled while I was watching and had my camera ready. It visited the daisies twice…I missed it the first time, but it came back, and then flew right up to the deck where I was standing and settled on the geraniums just long enough for a few frames before it was off up over the roof of the house and away. OM System OM-1Mkii with the M.Zuiko 150-500IS zoom at 1200mm and 678mm equivalent. Hand-held at 1/320th. Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Nothing like being close: grey edition
Grey Catbird: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — Yet another bird from my session waiting for the hummingbirds to return to the feeder on the back deck. The Grey Catbirds have learned to hover up under the suet feeder and take suet. They stand on the deck rail under the feeder and then launch themselves up…and they are completely unafraid of me in my camp chair as long as I don’t move too fast. 🙂 OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent from about 10 feet. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! feel the heat?
We have had a couple of days of unusual heat for June. You might be able to feel in this photo from our local beach. I was out early photographing Piping Plover chicks before it got unbearable on the beach. I could go home. The Plovers are stuck there. 🙁 OM System OM-1 with M.Zuiko 12-45 f4 Pro. Program mode with in-camera HDR. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! More arty terns
Least Terns: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — A few more arty terns. They really show off against the green backdrop of the distant vegetation (and they are already show-offs in flight). OM System OM-1 with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 454mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Flying fish
Least Tern: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — It is the abundant supply of Sand Eels at the mouth of our tidal rivers that attract the breeding colonies of Least Terns, and, in my experience, about 1 in 10 close ups of a Tern in flight right now will show it carrying a Sand Eel. Sand Eels are part of the courtship ritual of Least Terns in Maine and the mate still brings eels to the sitting bird on the nest. When the eggs hatch both birds will bring eels to the young. So it is, literally, flying fish that keep the Least Terns on our beaches. And yes, the Sand Eel or sandeel is actually a fish, not an eel. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 454mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Downy away
Downy Woodpecker: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — Another shot from the “waiting for the hummer’s” series. Sitting on my back deck this Downy Woodpecker, one of the most frequent birds at our feeders year round, settled in the big maple above me, so I grabbed a few shots and was still on the bird when it decided to move on. So, not quite an accidental photo, but close to it. 🙂 Low light on a cloudy afternoon. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
