Harlequin Ducks: Marginal Way, Perkins’ Cove, Maine, USA, November 2026 — We took a walk along the cliff path yesterday just after noon to see if we could see any sea ducks in close. We saw lots of sea ducks, but, of course, not as close as we would have liked. Harlequins are always a very special duck to see, and there were several pods of them working the water between the rafts of Black Scoters and the rocks. These were taken with the Sony a7CR and the Sony FE 100-400 f5.6-f8 OSS zoom at 400mm with my birds and wildlife custom mode, and heavily cropped (to under 1mp to 2mp) and then processed in Topaz on the iPad to upscale and refine, and finished off in Photomator. Considering the distance to the ducks, I am happy with them. For now. I do hope to find some closer Harlequins before winter is over. 🙂

Greater Yellowlegs: Kennebunk, Maine, November 2026 — the Greater Yellowlegs are hanging in here in Southern Maine late into the season. This one, intent in the center of its ripples, above its reflection, made for an irresistible composition. Sony a7CR with Sony FE 100-400 f5.6-f8 OSS zoom at 400mm. Cropped to 3mp or about 1800mm effective field of view. My birds and wildlife custom mode. Processed in Photomator.

Hen Wild Turkey: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, November 2026 — I am always startled to see a Turkey in a tree, though I know full well that they get up in them from time to time. I actually saw this one hop up into the tree. The motion was too awkward and too brief to qualify as flight. It was obviously tempted by the ripe crab apples and motivated by the fact that there were very few left on the ground under the tree. The other tree hens were eyeing the apples as well, but only this one actually made the leap. Sony a7CR with Sony FE 100-400 f5.6-f8 OSS at 237mm. My birds and wildlife custom mode. Processed in Photomator.

Hen Turkey (with beard): Kennebunk, Maine, USA, November 2026 — There is a large herd of hen turkeys hanging out in the local fields on the way to the beach. I have seen as many as 20 at the same time. This day there were only 4 but they were right next to the road. When I stopped for some photos out the car window, they casually walked ahead of the car and across the road in front of me to reach a crabapple tree. They danced around it looking for fallen apples. One even hopped up into the tree to reach them. Only about 10% of hen turkeys grow the chest beard, and this one is particularly well developed. I am often dissatisfied with my turkey photos, but this one, I think, does the bird justice. Sony a7CR with Sony FE 100-400 f5.6-f8 OSS zoom at 400mm. This is only a slight crop. My birds and wildlife custom mode. Processed in Photomator.

Greater Yellowlegs: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, November 2026 — Even though it is a bit late for migrating Yellowlegs, I found a group of 6 or 7 foraging in the shallows of the tidal creek behind the dunes at the mouth of the river, on a bright early November afternoon. They were catching at least two kinds of prey. This appears to be a sprat or fry of some kind, but I also have photos of completely transparent shrimp-like creatures in Yellowlegs’ long bills. Sony a7CR with Sony FE 100–400 f5.6–f8 OSS zoom at 400mm. Cropped to 6 mp or about 1200mm effective field of view. My birds and wildlife custom mode. Processed in Photomator.

Red-throated Loons (adult and juvenile): Kennebunk, Maine, USA, November 2026 — As I mentioned a few days ago, a few winter ducks are coming in. These two were at the mouth of the river where the tidal creek comes in. An adult and a juvenile Red-throated Loon. The Commons will come soon and stay for the winter. The Red-throats might or might not stay. Sony a7CR with Sony FE 100–400 f5.6–f8 OSS zoom at 400mm. Cropped to 5 mp or about 1400mm effective field of view. My birds and wildlife mode. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.

Black-capped Chickadee: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, September 2026 — Gotta love Chickadees. They are so bold and so confident and so personable. (That last is a stretch, I know: maybe so “full of themselves.”) When there is nothing else to photograph, there are still chickadees (most places). Perky. That is what they are. Perky. Sony RX10 V at 600mm equivalent. Cropped to something like 1200mm effective field of view. My birds and wildlife custom mode. Processed in Photomator.

Great Blue Heron: Kennebunkport, Maine, USA, September 2026 — There were at least 3, maybe 4, Great Blue Herons between the estuary backwater and the pond between it and the estuary itself the other day. It was noon already by the time I got there, and heat shimmer was a definite issue, but we rarely see Herons this close here in Southern Maine, where they tend to be somewhat flighty. Sony RX10 V at 600mm equivalent. My custom birds and wildlife mode. Cropped to about 1200mm effective field of view. Processed in Photomator.

Solitary Sandpiper: Kennebunkport, Maine, USA, September 2026 — There are still lots of Lesser Yellowlegs around, but when I saw these two birds, I just knew they were somehow different. Legs too short and not yellow enough, and somehow not quite the right shape. Too chesty. I had to look them up since I see them so rarely, but I am pretty sure these are Solitary Sandpipers. Yes, I know. Despite their being—well—not solitary. 🙂 I love the wing stretch. On any bird. I often chant under my breath: “make a wing, make a wing”—but it always comes as a surprise. Sometimes I am ready, and sometimes I am not. Sony RX10 V at 600mm equivalent. Cropped to around 900mm equivalent. My custom birds and wildlife mode. Processed in Photomator and Apple Photos.

Cedar Waxwing: Kennebunkport, Maine, USA, September 2026 — One more Waxwing from the small flock hawking insects over the pond. When they returned to the perch between sorties, they would often pant, or more precisely employ gular flutter with their beaks open to cool down while they watched for the next bug to chase. (I looked that up just now.) Gular flutter is more energy efficient than the panting we mammals do, and since birds do not sweat, it is their only way of cooling their bodies on a hot day when they are expending a lot of energy chasing bugs. Sony RX10 V at 600mm equivalent. Cropped to 1000mm effective field of view. My Birds and Wildlife mode. Processed in Photomator.