Lesson’s Motmot: Hotel Bouganvillea, San Juan, Costa Rica, March 2026 — Still in the “year ago” mode and still on the grounds of our first hotel in Costa Rica. Lesson’s Motmot. Motmot from the call, which you can hear from quite a distance. That racket tail is rarely still. Tick tock. Tick tock. The theory is that the flicking tail attracts the flying insects that are the majority of its diet. The racket is actually what we might call an intentional wear pattern. The feathers in the gap are just very loosely attached and fall out easily. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 400mm (cropped to about 800mm equivalent field of view). Program mode with bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.

Rufous-backed Wren: Hotel Boganvellea, San Juan, Costa Rica, March 2025 — another year ago encounter. This Rufous-backed Wren had a nest in the cactus tree on the hotel grounds and spent half an hour at least photographing it. The next day, when I took my group back to the spot to photograph it, the tree was on its side on the ground. The roots had given away, maybe spontaneously, and maybe someone or something pushed it over, but that was the last of that wren we saw in our time there. I sincerely hope it found another nesting spot in time to nest before the season was over. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 400mm (cropped to around 650mm equivalent field of view). Program with bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Mottled Owl: Hotel Boganveilea, San Juan, Costa Rica, March 2025 — A year ago this time, Carol and I were in Costa Rica with a Point and Shoot Nature Photography group. I never get to share all of my best shots, let alone all of my shots, from a trip to Costa Rica, so while things are quiet in Kennebunk, let’s drop back to visit this wonderful Mottled Owl. A pair have nested in a large stand of bamboo on the grounds of the hotel where we begin and end our trips…which has extensive garden landscapes. It is always special to find one peaking out between the bamboo trunks, and watch, while listening to the gentle percussion symphony the breeze plays on the bamboo. People whisper. You cannot help yourself. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 400mm, cropped to about 600mm equivalent field of view. Program with birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Red-breasted Merganser (female), Kennebunk, Maine, USA, March 2026 — Continuing my accidental series of both sides now images, here is a nice winter female Red-breasted Merganser from yesterday at the tidal inlet. The tide was well in and the water deep by the bridge, and there were a few birds in fairly close, so I stopped for some photos. I had never looked closely enough at a female RBM to notice the delicate tan banding on the breast. Perhaps the lighting here brings it out more. Sony a7CR. Tamron 150-500 at 500mm. Cropped to at least 800mm equivalent field of view. Program with bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.

Northern Cardinal: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, March 2026 — Nothing like a Cardinal on a cloudy day…like someone knocked a hole in the universe to let the red light out. And not just a hole, a living, breathing, flying hole. If that does not amaze you, I do not know what will. If that does not delight you, I do not know what will. Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 at 300mm (cropped to maybe 1000mm equivalent field of view). Program with birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Black-capped Chickadee: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, March 2026 — I suspect that this chickadee is hunting spiders in the bark of this tree, brought to the surface by the warmth of the sun even on a cold early March day when there is not much other food around. I love the intensity of the focus. This bird has one thing on its mind and only one. So much so that it was paying little attention to the man with the camera. Puts me in my place, doesn’t it 🙂 Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 at 300mm, cropped to about 800mm equivalent field of view. Program with birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Mallard Duck: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, March 2026 — “Here I am, just standing on my stone in the stream. Make what you will of it. I do not care!” (Now there is the anthropomorphic impulse at its finest and hard at work this morning.) Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 at 300mm (cropped to something like 700mm equivalent field of view). Program with bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

Rock Doves: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, March 2026 — Are these photographs of Rock Doves (pigeons) or are they photographs of living beings woven of light (and is there really any difference)? Sometimes the woven light aspect is more obvious than others…but if you let yourself think of the humble Rock Dove as a being of woven light, it gives you permission to think of yourself that same way…and how is that not a good thing? Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 at 235, 424, and 450mm equivalent fields of view. Program with birds ad wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.

Water is strange stuff. One of the only substances where the solid, crystalline form (ice) has a lower density than the liquid form (water). Which is why ice floats on top of water, which is why rivers, lakes, and ponds stay “alive” in the winter, which is one of the reasons life on Earth is possible. You see. Strange stuff, and vitally important. This is what it looks like when the physics of rapidly moving water and cold air temperatures are given a few days to play. And who says nature does not have a sense of humor…or even a sense of style! Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 at 450mm equivalent field of view. Intelligent Auto with Landscape Scene Mode. Processed in Photomator.

Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, March 2026 — This time we have our local male bluebird showing us both profiles. I have to look closely now as one of last year’s fledglings is a male and is nearing full adult plumage, but this is the papa bird for the past several seasons. He is very handsome and totally aware of it! Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 at 300mm (cropped to about 600mm equivalent field of view). Program with bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.