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.
Maine! Strange pine fellows
Willet and American Goldfinch: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — On my way down the beach to photograph the Piping Plover chicks the other day a pair of Willets were guarding a nest in the beach grass. One or the other would settle in the short pine trees overlooking the nest. I caught both the Willet and a female American Goldfinch sharing the same perch. 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: black and white edition
Immature Hairy Woodpecker: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — Another shot while waiting on the hummingbirds to come to our feeder. This immature Hairy Woodpecker spends a lot of time on our deck, eating mealworms mostly, which it has learned to do directly from the mealworm feeder. Between the parents and the young the Hairys can go through 3 cups of mealworms in a day. I liked them better when they only came for the suet and an occasional sunflower seed. 🙂 This is pretty much a full frame shot at about 9 feet with the OM System OM-1Mkii and the M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Nothing like being close, purple edition.
Purple Finch: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — While waiting for the Ruby-throated Hummingbird to put in a appearance at our feeder, this bright male Purple Finch came in to the sunflower seed feeder and posed so nicely for me that I could not resist a real close up. Great afternoon sun too. This is at 1600mm equivalent using the OM System OM-1Mkii with the M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent plus the 2x in-camera digital tele-converter. Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Along the Bridle Path
Along the Bridle Path in Kennebunk, Maine, looking out at Parson’s Beach. OM System OM-1 with M.Zuiko 12-45 f4 Pro zoom at 24mm. Program mode with in-camera HDR. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Snowy
Snowy Egret: We are not yet getting the big crowds of Egrets we got last summer. Perhaps they are still coming, but last year was unusual in the sheer numbers of both Snowy and Great Egrets at the mouths of our tidal rivers. This Snowy Egret was working the marsh pools along a favorite walking path…pretty far out. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Alsike Clover
There were many different kinds of clover in bloom along the Kennebunk Bridle Path when I went walking yesterday…including this one which is new to my awareness. I have probably seen it a thousand times, but I can’t say that I have ever appreciated it. It was way too windy for focus-stacking, so this is a straight up tele-macro at 800mm with the M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom. The flower head is about 3/4 of an inch across so even on phone you are seeing it larger than life size. OM System OM-1Mkii in Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Not so Ruby-throat
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — I sat in the open doorway out onto our back deck for two hours yesterday afternoon, waiting on the hummingbirds to come to the feeder. They are much less dependent on feeders this time of year, with lots of flowers in bloom, but they do come often enough to keep my 8 ounce feeder full…though I have to replace the juice before they drink it all. They come about once every 15 to 45 minutes depending on the time of day…never staying more than a minute…long enough for a hit on the feeder and then away back to wherever they are nesting, or to feeding on the flowers. As you see here, even 1/2500th of second is not fast enough to freeze the wing tips, but even in full sun at f6.3 that puts the ISO at 2000. I will try 1/4000th today. 🙂 OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom. Program mode with my birds-in-flight modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! It is not easy being green
Green Heron: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — I went by one of our local parking lot drainage ponds to check for dragonflies. Not much yet. There was, however, a nice Green Heron (not uncommon at this pond). It was in the reeds on my side, but flushed as I approached before I saw it and landed on the far side of the small pond. This shot is at 1600mm equivalent (and cropped) using the OM System OM-1Mkii with the M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom and the in-camera 2x digital teleconverter. Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
