Maine! Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Bluebird: York County, Maine, USA, August 2023 — Another shot from my afternoon session with the hummingbirds on the back deck. We have had Eastern Bluebirds year-round for the past 6 years. Before than, none, but when a pair moved into a nesting box a yard over from us, they came to stay, and they have raised at lest two broods each year since. They will disappear for a week or two from time to time, but they are with us every season. I keep the mealworm feeder full just for them. Beautiful afternoon light and a very cooperative bird make for a nice portrait. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 5000 @ f6.3 @ 1/1250 (I had the shutter speed bumped up for the hummingbirds 🙂
Maine! Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch: York County, Maine, USA, August 2023 — While waiting for the Ruby-throated Hummingbird to show its gorget the other day, of course I had fun with the other birds coming to our feeding station on the back deck. This is one of a pair of White-breasted Nuthatches that have frequented our yard for many years. (I can only assume they are the same two, but I do assume that 🙂 This one is after as sunflower seed spill from the feeder above its head. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 2500 @ f6.3 @ 1/1250th.
Maine! Northern Blazing Star Show
Our first August in Maine I was driving out past the Kennebunk Plains in August and saw the Northern Blazing Star show for the first time. It was like this, dense and lush and covering the plains…and I have not seen it like this since, until this year. It has been good, and beautiful, in past years, but not like this! And under a perfect August Maine sky. Sony A5100 with the kit 18-50mm zoom at 24mm equivalent. Intelligent Auto. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos.
Maine! Ruby-throat again
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: York County, Maine, USA, August 2023 — Of course, while working the feeder for gorget shots of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, I got lots of shots where the gorget is not lighted. In this one you an see a few spots of incandescents, but mostly it is a study in the other plumage details. 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom. Program mode with my custom birds modifications and the minimum shutter speed bumped up. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 3200 @ f6.3 @ 1/1250th.
Maine! Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: York County, Maine, USA, August 2023 — I spent a few hours sitting in a chair in the kitchen, just inside the open deck door, with my camera on a monopod…or eventually on my travel tripod…attempting, mostly, to catch the gorget of the male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds that are coming to our feeder. Of course I took photos of any and all comers to the deck feeders as they allowed me to. All in all a productive afternoon. Which is good, since two days of steady rain, and then rain on and off yesterday, have kept me from going further afield for photos. I might get out to a few spots this Sunday morning as there is no rain in the forecast. This was taken with only natural light without direct sun. Pretty good okay, if I do say so myself. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 2000 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
Maine! Blue Heron Sandwich on White Bread
Great Egrets and Great Blue Heron: York County, Maine, USA, August 2023 — Blue Heron sandwich between two slices of white bread 🙂 Another scene from the sandbar at the mouth of our local river. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f9 @ 1/1000th. -.7EV
Maine! Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee: York County, Maine, USA — One of the most common of our backyard birds here in southern Maine…and a noisy one at that. He sat and sang on our deck for a long time…especially considering the season, mid-August. A rare treat. Not the best light. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird settings. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 10000 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
Maine! Greater Yellowlegs
Greater Yellowlegs: York County, Maine, USA — Among the birds I found in the tidal pools in the marsh while looking for stray egrets was this Greater Yellowlegs, caught here on its own reflection. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f63 @ 1/640th.
India! Tiger!
Tiger: Rathambore National Park/Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — It is time to finish up my photos from our March 2023 trip to India. We worked hard for these photos of a young female Tiger at Rathambore…which we only found on our very last safari into the park. We spent most of an afternoon with her, as she rested in the shade across a pond from us. She is only a few years old, and had her first cubs with her, hidden somewhere in the deeper brush. Truly a privilege to spend time with her…and, for many of us, birders that we were, the highlight of our trip. The next morning early, we were on the train back to Delhi and one last night at a hotel and then the airport. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. Assembled in FrameMagic. ISO 800 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Maine! Crow
American or Fish Crow? York County, Maine, USA — Both are possible in York County and I have seen, or rather, heard both. American is more common, but on a silent perched bird like this it is really hard to say. If anyone can see something on this bird that would make it one or the other, please let me know. 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/1000th.