Blue Toadflax: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2026 — One of the more delicate of Maine wildflowers, favoring sandy soils and roadsides, the Blue Toadflax gets its name from the shape of the tiny flowers—which to some suggest toads—and the shape of the leaves, which resemble true flax. I try to photograph it almost every year, but since the tall, thin stalks catch every hit of breeze, it is not easy. I found these at the road’s edge in the wind shadow of the dense brush at the edge of a marshy area and waited out the breeze. Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 Contemporary at 99mm equivalent field of view. Mounted on my tiny carbon fiber tripod. Aperture with macro modifications. f/18 @ 1/30th @ ISO 640 (I only selected the aperture for depth of field; the camera did the rest.) Processed in Photomator.

Cedar Waxwing: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2026 — Yesterday’s photoprowl included a relatively close encounter with a whole flock of Cedar Waxwings. They were so eager after the Serviceberries that they did not pay much attention to me. Serviceberries are actually pomes—like apples or pears—not berries at all, but that is a distinction that probably does not matter to the waxwing. Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 Contemporary at about 600mm equivalent. Program with bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Common Tern: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2026 — The tiny fish (possibly herring) are running at the mouth of the river, and the Common Terns have arrived. Just a few so far, mixed in with the Least Terns, both hover-and-dive fishing over the water. I sat on my stool and tried to catch some in the act. This is how fast they are. The plume of splash from hitting the water is still in the air, and the bird is already coming up and out with a fish. If you want to enlarge the image, you can actually just barely see the fish in the Tern’s bill. Quite something to watch. Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 Contemporary at about 1000mm equivalent field of view crop. Program with flight and action modifications. Processed and enlarged in Photomator.

Pearl Crescent Butterfly: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, July 2026 — One of the most common butterflies in southern Maine in early summer, the Pearl Crescent: not the showiest, but still attractive. And everywhere right now. It is named, apparently, for a light pearly crescent on the underside of the hind wing. I have looked at a lot of photos, including these, and either I do not know what they are talking about, or it is very hard to see. 🙂 These are butterflies from the first spring brood. They overwintered as dormant caterpillars, and woke up to feed and become butterflies only a few weeks ago. Later, full summer, broods will have brighter, bolder colors. Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 Contemporary at about 600mm equivalent field of view crop. Program with insect modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.

Cedar Waxwings: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2026 — In the spirit of you never know what you will see: these two Cedar Waxwings flew up ahead of me on the trail through the marsh and landed just inside the forest edge. Just barely within reach of my lens. I have several shots with different poses, but this one speaks to me. I am pretty sure they were a couple 🙂 Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 Contemporary at about 900mm equivalent field of view (crop). Program with bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Black-capped Chickadee: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2026 — I bought a little water feature for the deck to see if I could catch some hummingbirds bathing, but so far only the chickadees are using it. I say “only” but, of course, I am happy that they are. Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 Contemporary at about 500mm equivalent. Program with bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2026 — You just never know. I decided to sit for an hour in the open deck door watching the feeders, and what should show up? This somewhat bedraggled male Rose-breasted Grosbeak. We only see one in the yard once or twice a year, but, of course, I cannot account for all the time we are not looking out the window. Look at that beak! While all Grosbeaks are named for the beak, Grosbeaks come from at least two different bird families. The Rose-breasted and Blue Grosbeak are Cardinals, while the Evening and Pine Grosbeaks are Finches. They share a common diet of larger, hard-to-crack seeds—bigger tree buds—and, in the case of the Cardinal Grosbeaks at least, large, hard-shelled insects. I am always delighted to find one at our feeders—and especially this rosy fellow. Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 Contemporary at 450mm equivalent from about 8 feet. Program with bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Lichen: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2026 — I have a daughter who just recently (apparently) discovered a fascination with moss—and I am assuming with the lichen too—since they so often grow together. I have had such a fascination since childhood (and I suspect she has too…we just have a way of continuously rediscovering wonder, and it surprises us every time!) Lichen are indeed fascinating. As a child I did not know, of course, that it is two separate organisms living as one: a fungus for structure and durability (and the more rigorous aspects of gathering minerals), and an alga (or cyanobacteria), which makes energy out of sunlight. The alga itself is wonderful. It is a cluster of single cells, each one of which has its DNA loose (so to speak) inside it, rather than confined to the nucleus as ours is—and as is the case in moss and all true plants. And—I just learned this this morning—some lichen are powered by cyanobacteria which also do not have their chlorophyll confined to chloroplasts, but kind of etched into the inside of the membrane of the cell. Now that is wonderful. I suspect, from the color and texture of these lichen, that we have an alga pair here, but it is impossible to know for certain without microscopic examination (and sometimes even then). Together—algae (or cyanobacteria) and fungus—they make a formidable pair, able to survive harsh conditions, and literally eat rocks. Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 Contemporary at 110mm equivalent field of view. Aperture with macro modifications. f/18 at 1/30th at ISO 3200 from my mini-tripod. Two images focus stacked for depth of field. Processed in Photomator and Pixomatic.

Jack-in-the-pulpit: Old Rachel Carson NWR headquarters. Wells, Maine, June 2026 — There seems to be just one Jack-in-the-pulpit left where I have seen many in the past, but at least there is one. The Jack-in-the-pulpit name might seem strange, unless you have seen the hooded pulpits common in European churches. It is also called Indian Turnip since the American Indians harvested it—and after careful preparation to remove the toxic calcium oxalate crystals—ate it. The Dragon’s Root name was probably given by someone who attempted to eat it raw. 🙂 Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 Contemporary @ 55mm equivalent field of view. Aperture Program with macro modifications (f/14 at 1/15th second, on my mini-tripod). Processed in Photomator.

Piping Plover chick: York County, Maine, USA, June 2026 — I complained about this last year, and I will probably complain about it next year (though by now I should know that no one else cares). Plover chicks are all but impossible to focus on. Not only are they fast and pretty much in constant motion, but they are just too fuzzy—too insubstantial—for the camera’s focus to latch on to. And their eyes are only half open, so even eye-tracking fails. Still, such a wonder to watch. Once more, I did not approach this chick. I sat on my stool well away from it, and eventually, it came to me. I took my photos and waited right there until it moved off far enough so that I could stand without alarming it (or its parents). And I flatter myself to think that while I was watching the chick, no crows or gulls could get close enough to hunt it. Win-win. As they say. Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 Contemporary at about 700mm equivalent crop. Program with bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.