Maine! Can you see the Eagle?
Bald Eagle: York County Maine, USA, January 2025 — The eagle was back along the river yesterday, but sitting way up high in a tall pine on the other side. If you look closely in the wide shot (I say “wide” but it was at 111mm equivalent) you might find it, tucked back in at the end of a branch. It takes 600mm equivalent, cropped in, and then up-scaled, to see that it really is an eagle. I sat on a bench in the sun (barely warm enough for that but I had all my layers on), and waited to see if he or she would come down for a fish or at least decent to a lower perch…but the eagle was still on the end of that same limb when the sun went behind clouds and I called it quits. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Posed Parakeet
Orange-chinned Parakeet: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — Victor’s feeder by the corner of the 2nd floor deck is ideal of bird portraits…as in this portrait of a Orange-chinned Parakeet who posed nicely on the moss with the bromeliad. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Eider
Common Eider: York County, Maine, USA, January 2025 — When we first moved back to Maine in 1995, there were flocks of hundreds, thousands, of Common Eiders all along the coast of York County. Now I have to go looking to find one…or one small flock of maybe half a dozen. I am not convinced that there are less Eiders, though that could well be true. just for sure that they don’t come into the coast here anymore. This handsome male reminded me. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Parakeets
Orange-chinned Parakeet: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — Victor has a flock of Orange-chinned Parakeets that frequent his fruit feeders daily. They are noisy and aggressive and he often moves them on with feather duster on a long pole once they have eaten, otherwise they would dominate the feeder for hours, not eating, but preventing other birds from eating. It seems to be all part of the game to them. I am posting the second photo to show the orange chins, which are hard to see unless you catch them just right. The Parakeets fly as flock but often perch as pairs. I am assuming that is intentional, and reflects the inner structure of the flock…a flock of mostly pairs. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii @ 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Bluebird in the cold
Eastern Bluebird: York County, Maine, USA, January 2025 — We are having the same cold snap as most to the East right now, and our 5 bluebirds are doing their best to stay warm. I keep the mealworm feeder full. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii @ 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Dusky
Dusky-faced Tanager: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — According to Victor, many birders and photographers come to Tico Rainforest B&B specifically to see and photograph the Dusky-faced Tanager. And indeed, in all my trips to Costa Rica, I have only seen it at Victor’s feeders, on this trip…or maybe, if memory serves, had distant glimpses of it from the Sarapiqui tour boat on the Puerto Viejo river right behind Victor’s property. It is a fairy common bird and ranges down from Costa Rica all the way to Ecuador and Peru, but is maybe harder to see than some of the other more brightly colored Tanagers. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii @ 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Bluebird thanks
Eastern Bluebird: York County, Maine, USA, January 2025 — I am always thankful for Bluebirds. When there is nothing else to photograph, our bluebirds are always here and always striking poses. 🙂 Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii @ 600mm equivalent. Program with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Green Honeycreeper close!
Green Honeycreeper: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — After an active morning around Victor’s place, and a mid-day rest, I spent the rest of the afternoon sitting and photographing birds at the feeder. Victor has a fruit feeder with plantains set up off one corner of the 2nd floor balcony, with a mossy branch that he replaces as needed, and a nice distant background…ideal for photography. And, closer to the house, between the balcony and the feeder, there are some bushes that frame the feeder and provide even closer perches for birds as they come and go. This is pretty much a full frame shot of the male Green Honeycreeper in one of those close bushes, just beyond the balcony rail. In a shot like this you can appreciate the subtle color variations and the texture details of the plumage. The artistry of creation. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-500 Di iii @ 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator. (The green in the name Green Honeycreeper comes from the female of the species who is bright leaf-green.)
Costa Rica! Brown woodpeckers of the Sarapiqui
Smoky-brown, Rufous-winged, Cinnamon, and Chestnut-colored Woodpeckers: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — In two days of active birding on the grounds at Tico Rainforest B&B with Victor, I saw and photographed 4 of the brown woodpeckers of Costa Rica. (Though the Cinnamon here is a photo of a more cooperative bird just down the road from Victor’s at the Pierrella Ecology Gardens.) As you might be able to tell the top two are closely related, and the bottom two are closely related, but the top and bottom pairs are not. The Cinnamon and Chestnut-colored are fruit eaters, while the Smoky-brown and Rufous-winded eat mainly insects. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii @ 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Costa Rica! more Broadbills
Broad-billed Motmot: Tico Rainforest B&B, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, December 2024 — As I mentioned yesterday, this Broad-billed Motmot was very tolerant and allowed me to work around it quite close while it actively hunted for flying insects. It was super alert, but not bothered by me. In fact I may have been of use, as I was undoubtedly stirring up insects as I circled the bird. Happy to help, and I did get a lot of satisfying photos of this bird in return. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii @ 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator. ISO 16000 with some noise reduction in post.