Posts in Category: beach
Piping Plover
Piping Plover: York County, Maine, April 2025 — Taking a break from my coverage of the March trip to Costa Rica. I took some time on a sunny afternoon to go check the beach for Plovers. Our Piping Plovers started arriving in York County more than a week ago. Most arrive from the south in April, and the males begin to establish territories. They still, to my eye, look a bit cold and uncomfortable on the beach. It was only in the 40s yesterday, with a deep wind chill, but I saw at least a dozen individuals in a 1/4 mile stretch of beach. As always I will say that I am very careful when I photograph Plovers. They are an endangered species, clinging to very limited habitat here in Maine. In the original photo this bird is still quite small, taking up only about 3% of the frame. I use a long lens and crop in, and I never get close enough so that the birds retreat from me. Shots like this one happen when I am standing still and the plovers come toward me. And I stand there until they move away again on their own. If you see Plovers on the beach, give them their space. If you want to see them close, carry binoculars or a camera with a long lens. And please, if you walk your dog on the beach, obey the signs and use a leash. Never allow your dog to chase birds. We have been privileged to see Plover and Tern numbers grow in recent years. That is a trend we want to contiinue. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Wrinkled red
Rose hips. Kennebunk, Maine, USA. February 10, 2025. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 532mm equivalent. Aperture mode at f16. Processed in Photomator and framed in LikeAFrame.
Loony
Common Loon: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, February 2025 — Just to prove I am not still in Costa Rica or Florida, here is a shot from yesterday morning…a dullish February morning, though we had sun in the afternoon. I was walking down to the tidal creek to photograph loons fairly far out, when this one popped up practically right beside me. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Playing with his food
Common Eider: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, January 2025 — This first winter male Eider is breaking all the rules. While he did eventually swallow the crab whole, he did it on the surface, not underwater, and he was, so it seems to me, playing with his food before he ate it…to the extent that he threw it up in the air and then re-caught it as it came back down…before it could sink. I know there must be a better explanation than play…if there isn’t we have been seriously underestimating the intelligence of Eiders (or I have anyway). Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 Di iii @ 600mm equivalent. Program mode with bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Maine! skulking Cardinal in the snow
Northern Cardinal: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, January 2025 — I was surprised to find a pair of Cardinals skulking deep in the beach rose tangle on the dunes as the snow fell the other day. Not easy to photograph, but worth a try. A Cardinal is always worth a try. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 Di iii @ 600mm equivalent. Eye-tracking is really something! Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Maine! Flight against the light
Ringbilled Gull: York County, Maine, USA, November 2024 — I got down to the beach yesterday to see what was in the river mouth, hoping for a few winter ducks in close. Not much yet, but I had some fun with the gulls in flight with the sun behind them. Sony a6700 with Sony E70-350G at 525mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator and Luminar Neo (a small amount of motion blur reduction).
Maine! King Tide
The super moon is up…Beaver or Bear Moon, depending on who you listen to…and the tides are running very high, completely flooding the marsh. This is looking both ways from the bridge over Back Creek on the way into our local beach. Sony a5100 with E 10-18 f4 at 15mm equivalent. Superior Auto with Landscape Scene mode. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Ring-bill beach
Ring-billed Gulls along the surf line of a little beach in a small cove between rock headlands here in Kennebunk, Maine. Sony a5100 with the Sony E 10-18 f4 zoom at 15mm equivalent. Superior Auto with Landscape Scene Mode. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! By the glint in your eye
Ring-billed Gull: York County Maine, USA, September 2024 — There was a good sized flock of Ring-billed Gulls at the beach last week, working the surf line and just off-shore. They were pretty secure and very busy, so I worked my way close enough for some intimate portraits. I like the glint of sun in this one’s eye as it turned its head away from me just a bit, intent on something in the water. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Squabble on the beach
Semi-palmated Sandpipers: York County Maine, USA, September 2024 — The beach confrontations among Semi-palmated Sandpipers can get pretty vigorous, with lots of high jumps and leg action and flapping wings. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.