Lincoln’s Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — there is a poem for this one too 🙂
When the Lincoln’s Sparrow
showed up in the litter under
the feeders, I had to convince
myself, first, that it was not
wishful thinking. It could so
easily have been a Song, of
which we have several every
day, doing the same forage
in last year’s oak and maple
leaves, looking for the seeds
the finches spill. Still, the
Lincoln’s is such a fine featured
bird compared to the chunky
Song, and eventually I got
a good enough look to tick
off the tells, and be sure it
was more than wishful. I am
pretty sure it is my first Lincoln’s
for this southern end of Maine.
They don’t nest here, except
rarely, but I have seen them
in migration many a time in
Cape May, New Jersey, and
a time or two up north in
Maine, at Acadia National Park.
So, there it is, one more bird
for the yard list…one more
photo from the blind. And not
and easy bird at any time.
Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr. The light here was early evening and warm, but I have tried to strike a balance in the processing.
Full adult male Purple Finch!
Purple Finch, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — There is a poem that goes with this.
5/15
I am here to celebrate my first good shots
of full male Purple Finch. It dropped by
the feeders in front of the blind this after-
noon while I was out waiting for the supper
chili to cook and watching for whatever
birds might favor me with their presence.
And such a presence! We have had two
females right along, and a first year male
just coming into its first blush of color these
last few days, but the male has been scarce…
two sightings in bad light on the deck feeders
and a few photos through the thermal glass,
but this male was right there, 10 feet in
front of me, at the feeder in its full royal
plumage…purple so rich it glows, almost
red when it perched higher in the pine in
the late day sun. Such a treat. And a great
relief. I had begun to think I would have
to wait for our first year male to purple up.
Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. I shifted the focus point to the upper third of the view to make sure the head was in focus at this close distance. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
House Wren
House Wren, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I am hoping this House Wren will attract a mate and nest in our yard, or one of the neighboring yards. It has been vocal on occasion and will respond to a recording of its song. I already had some grab shot photos of it on the feeder…just perching, not feeding, and I was delighted when it worked the area under the feeders and came this close. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. And I did catch it singing, though from within a bramble.
Cardinals
Northern Cardinal, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I had a great afternoon for photography yesterday, as the cold front came through, and with threatened frost overnight. The birds were very active at the feeders, and the late afternoon sun, coming in level from the west, was beautiful. Both male and female Cardinals came, and did their usual perch for a moment and then skulk under the feeders routine. They only stayed maybe 7 or 8 minutes and my attention was well divided between the two…a photographer’s desired dilemma…having to pick among multiple great subjects 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. The colors here are very intense, but I can testify that, in that late afternoon light, they are visually accurate.
Downy looking up
Downy Woodpecker, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — This Downy Woodpecker was very interested in what was happening in the branches above it our big pine. I could not see up that high because I was inside the blind, but something was going on up there. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Portrait of Mrs. Squirrel
I think squirrels are cute…but that does not mean I give them a free pass when it comes to raiding my bird feeders. I have invested in a set of “squirrel proof” feeders and suet cages that, for the most part, defeat the squirrels’ attempts at criminal trespass. That does not mean they don’t try, several times a day, sometimes once an hour. The idea of all that food, right there in easy view, is evidently just too much for them, even when past experience has proven that they can’t get at it. It is entertaining to watch them, and I don’t mind anything they take from the ground under the feeders, even when I scatter seed for the sparrows. If it is on the ground it is fair game. This mother squirrel is one of the pack of 3 or 4 who come to our yard every day. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
First-year Male Purple Finch
Purple Finch, Kennebunk, Maine, USA. — In the past we have had a few Purple Finches visit our feeders on their way through to somewhere else, but this year we have 3 individuals coming to the feeders every day, and have had for more than a month now. It is possible the mixed seed I have had to resort to during the pandemic is just that much more attractive to them than the Black-oil Sunflower I have fed in past years, or it could be that there are just more Purple Finches this year in Maine. At any rate we are enjoying them. I have been watching this bird every day, semi-convinced that it is a first year male, while our other two are definitely females. Yesterday, for the first time, I was able to see the growing purple coming in the plumage. It is subtitle but it is definitely there. 🙂 And just for fun, I will include a “personality” shot as well. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Mr Cardinal
Northern Cardinal, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I went out to my backyard photo blind early again yesterday, working the early morning commute crowd at the feeders. The sun comes in strongly from the right and behind the birds, and it is not much above eye-level, with the birds still primarily in shadow under the trees, so it took me four tries to find a post-processing that I was satisfied with. None of my existing presets worked for this bird, in this light. The red is just so red, and the lighting, coming around from the front side like that, is a challenge to keep in balance. The result is pretty striking, I think, and I can testify that it is very like what I saw with my naked eye. This is just one very red Cardinal. Shockingly red 🙂 Note the little grey patch under the wing. I don’t know what that amounts to, but it is interesting. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Mrs Cardinal
Northern Cardinal, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — Both the male and female cardinals are coming to the feeder station by the blind several times a day now…of course they generally come when I am not in the blind…but occasionally I am out there to see them. This is the kind of view you can only get from a blind. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
House Wren
House Wren, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I went out early to my backyard blind, hoping for a repeat of the morning feeding frenzy from the day before when we had all the usual suspects plus the local Cardinal pair. It did not happen, but as I was patiently waiting for the Cardinals to arrive, this tiny House Wren made a brief appearance at the feeder. It perched but did not feed, and then made one pass, more wren-like, through the under-growth and leaf litter under the feeders before it moved on. If memory serves it is my first House Wren for the the yard, and only one a very few I have seen in Maine. I have not seen it again, but I am going out early again this morning. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.