Maine! After the rains
Parson’s Beach and the Mousam River, Kennebunk, Maine, USA. August 2024 — The rains had passed and we were treated to some late afternoon sun, so of course I rode my trike down to the beach to see what I could find. This is looking back up the Mousam from the point of Parson’s Beach. Notice the Common Terns wheeling and diving over the water. Sony a5100 with the 16-50 kit lens at 24mm equivalent. Intelligent Auto, landscape scene mode. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Surprise!
Common Tern and Monarch Butterfly: York County, Maine, USA, August 2024 — Imagine my surprise when processing my photos from the actively feeding Common Terns at the mouth of the river to find this interloper in the frame. I certainly did not see the Monarch while panning to follow the tern…though the Monarchs must be passing through down the coast as I saw several yesterday, and those are the first of the season. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my flight and action modifications. Animal/bird subject detection auto focus. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Beauteous Buteo
Red-tailed Hawk (immature): York County, Maine, USA, August 2024 — And there it was, sitting on perch along the stretch of trail through the marsh where I have seen a hawk many times this summer, only closer this time. This is an immature Red-tailed Hawk, with its tail feathers already getting a little worn, so maybe a spring bird, but such a beauty! Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Animal/bird subject detection auto focus. Processed in Photomator.
Florida comes to Maine!
Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Willet (Great Blue Heron, Little Blue Heron): York County, Maine, USA, August 2024 — Yesterday was one of those rare Florida like days in Southern Maine. Hot. Humid. Too hot. Too humid. And in the marsh along the river there was a very Florida like concentration of wading birds: A couple of Great Blue Herons, some Willits (probably more than I knew as they don’t show much above the marsh grass), at least one white phase Little Blue Heron, and lots of Great and Snowy Egrets. In the top right wide view there are over 50 birds and that was not half of what was there. I crept through the underbrush to get to the edge of the marsh and sat down to shoot under the overhanging tree branches. It was amazing to watch the interactions. I have only seen this kind of concentration of waders in Florida…never before in Maine. So here we have the wide view, a treble of waders (Great and Snowy Egret and Willet), a Great Egret stretching its wing, and a Snowy Egret in flight. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Animal/bird subject detection auto focus. Highlight protection metering. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Maine! pretty egret photo
Great Egret: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — This photo will not win any awards for feather detail, but it is a pretty Great Egret, in a pretty setting, with a pretty reflection, and so maybe it wins on overall prettiness. It would make a good wall decoration. A nice, a pretty, addition to almost any room. 🙂 Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent (from a long way away). Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Animal/bird subject recognition auto focus. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Showing off those semi-palms
Semi-palmated Plover: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — Ever wonder why it is semi-palmated? Take a look at the raised left leg. See the webbing? Semi-palmed. 🙂 Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Animal/bird subject detection auto focus. A dull over cast day at the beach. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Standing guard
Least Tern with chick: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — This was a week ago on our local beach. This might be the last of the chicks from this year’s hatch. There are already fledglings flying practice runs up and down the beach. This chick is probably 4 days old…old enough to wander a ways from the old nest. I just happened to catch it hunkered down. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Animal/bird subject detection auto focus. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Wren on the rail
Carolina Wren: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — Just sitting the open back deck door, testing some new camera settings, and this Carolina Wren popped up on the deck rail. We saw the Wrens a lot in late spring and early summer, but have not seem them around the feeders for a month or more, so I was surprised to see this one. Delighted to see this one. I managed a short burst of shots before it disappeared again. Hard to say when we will see it next. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Animal/bird subject detection auto focus. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! In its element
Common Tern: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — there was a flock of Common Terns avidly feeding where the fresh and salt water’s mix in a tidal creek as the tide went out. They were swooping and circling over the water, diving down to hover and then strike. Beauty in motion. Birds totally in their element. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my flight and action modifications. Animal/bird subject recognition and auto focus. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Yellowthroat youngster
Common Yellowthroat (fledgling): York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — Walking along the edge of a meadow, this little bird was chattering in the bushes. It is fledgling Common Yellowthroat. You can just see a bit of the gape still there at the back of the beak. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Animal/bird subject recognition and auto focus. Processed in Photomator.