Frumpy Field Sparrow
Field Sparrow: Kennebunk Plains Preserve, Kennebunk, Maine, USA. — I went for a photoprowl on my eTrike yesterday, since my stock of photos or my Pic for today posts was running low, and had no more than parked the trike at the Kennebunk Plains, than this Field Sparrow hopped up to see what I was doing. It posed long enough for me to get a few portrait shots. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. In order to fill the frame at the distance, I relied on some extra processing. Processed as I normally would in Polarr for highlights and shadows, sharpness, etc. and then run through Pixelmator Pro Photo’s Machine Learning Maximum Resolution, and recropped for scale. The two shot were assembled in FrameMagic to give you a both sides view. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/640th.
Milkweed season
The Milkweed pods have begun to burst and the evidence is spreading through the fields. Considering the plight of the Monarch Butterfly populations I can only wish each and every Milkweed seed success. It seems to be that Monarchs are recovering somewhat from their low here in Southern Maine a few summers ago, but every milkweed plant is a step in the right direction. The first pod is on the Kennebunk Plains, and the scatter of seeds is at Laudholm Farms…miles apart. Sony Rx10iv at 424mm equivalent. ISO 100 @ f7.1 @ 1/1000th. And 580mm equivalent. ISO 100 @ f5 @ 1/1000th. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. Assembled in FrameMagic.
Downy at the sunflower seeds…
Downy Woodpecker: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — until this year, I had not noticed the Downy Woodpeckers at the feeders, other than the suet feeders, enough to realize that they are regular seed eaters. When I mentioned that discovery this spring, others assured me that “their downies” ate seed all the time, so I guess it was just me (or possibly “my downies”). It is still a treat to see them at the sunflowers. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent in only fair light. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos and assembled in FrameMagic. ISO 400 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Fresh Frog!
American Bullfrog: Day Brook Pond, Kennebunk Plains Preserve, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I always have to look up the difference between the Bull and Green Frog, as we have both here, often in the same pond. This one is a Bullfrog since it lacks the dorsal ridges of the Green. I could not resist taking the photo as it sat so nicely on the bit of sand right at my feet at the edge of the pond. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 250 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Chickadee in low light
Black-capped Chickadee: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — While photographing the Red-breasted Nuthatch the other morning early, I could not resist this Chickadee using the same feeder. Nothing so bold as a chickadee. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 6400 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Phoebe: Wells Estuarine Research Reserve at Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, USA — The Phoebes are faithful in Southern Maine. They arrive early in spring, and leave late in fall, and they are abundant and very present most places you might go all summer. There are certainly numbers of them along the lower trails at Laudholm Farms. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr, Pixelmator Pro Photo (ML Super Resolution) and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/640th.
Amazing Mushrooms…
It continues to be an amazing year for mushrooms and fungi. These are from the past few days on the Kennebunk Plains and our front yard. Using Google Lens, the top left might be Tiger’s Eye, no idea on the top right, then next down might be Dyer’s Polypore, left bottom is probably a Russula, next to the right might be False Death Cap, and the last one is probably another Russula. But I would not trust any mushroom ID I made, even with the help of Google Lens 🙂 I just enjoy the forms and textures and colors. Sony Rx10iv, mostly at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. Assembled in FrameMagic.
Starting Fall early…
This is the other little pond along Rt. 9 between Brown Street and the Wells town line. This one is right on the road. I have photos of it in all seasons, but fall is by far the most colorful. This pond is so exposed, and the water’s so cold, that you have to watch it closely. The leaves here are done turning and off the trees when the leaves further inland are just thinking about color. iPhone SE with Sirui 18mm ultrawide lens. Apple Camera app with Smart HDR engaged. Processed in Apple Photos.
Fall’s first touch…tentative
Autumn is happening! There are two cold water ponds along Rt. 9 between Brown Street and the Wells town line, and fall falls first long the edges of those ponds where the cold air gathers overnight. Add an interesting sky for the first real landscape of autumn. In another week or week and a half this will be a solid blaze of color. (Watch this space.) iPhone SE with Sirui 18mm ultra-wide lens. Apple Camera app with Smart HDR engaged. Processed in Apple Photos.
Tumbling down at Emmon’s Preserve
As I have mentioned before, the Batson River tumbles down over a short run of ledges at Emmon’s Preserve in Kennebunkport…there is not always enough water to make it interesting, but recent tropical storms and tropical storm remnants have made the ledges merry! I am not a fan of the whole silky water effect thing, when it is overdone, but I do like a bit of blur. Sony Rx10iv at 34mm equivalent. Program with HDR. Program shift for a slow shutter speed and Exposure Compensation to hold the highlights. Nominal exposure: ISO 100 @ f16 @ 1/6th. -1.7 EV. Hand held.