Posts in Category: birds
Black and White Warbler
Black and White Warbler: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — This might be the second Black and White Warbler we have had in our yard over the past 20 years, but, if so, it is ONLY the second. I was totally surprised to see it land among the feeders at my photo blind. It came by a few times while I watched, but getting a photo was difficult. It was a very active bird, and was working, very Black and White like, close in to the branches behind the foliage. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Golden-crowned Kinglet!
Golden-crowned Kinglet, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I got the chair-blind out again yesterday afternoon and spent an hour and a half watching chickadees come and go…along with the more occasional Chipping Sparrows. I was ready to pack it in when we got a sudden flurry of activity that included, not one, but two new birds for our yard. First a Black-and-white Warbler, and then a Golden-crowned Kinglet! I have seen both birds in Maine, but the Golden-crowned only in Acadia. This is female Golden-crowned, and a very scruffy bird at that…either it had been bathing recently or it is in molt. Still, a Golden-crowned Kinglet in our yard! You will probably see the Black-and-white Warbler tomorrow…unless I get something really spectacular today 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. The chair blind, by the way, is the best thing ever! It is a double blind…with two seats…so I have lots of room, and it packs up in seconds so I don’t have to leave it out.
Goldfinch: Another bird at the feeder blind
American Goldfinch, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — The water feeder did not see much use during the spring but I had only just refilled it when this American Goldfinch came in for a drink. Perhaps it will be more popular here in late summer. I am impressed with the uniform color on this bird…when I closed the feeding station by the blind, in late June, the Goldfinches were still splotchy with new feathers coming in, though it was full breeding season. Now they are solid yellow. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Birds at the blind again
I resolved to fill the feeders under the pines this week, set up the water feature, and get the chair-blind out again and see what I could see. Of course the first birds active at the feeders were the Chickadees. They have not been coming to the porch feeders, which are out in full sun, as often as the summer wears on, but they were all over the feeders in shade. And you can never have too many chickadee photos…right? Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Another shot of the Jakes
Wild Turkey, Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve at Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, USA — As further evidence of the strangeness of turkeys. 🙂 Nice light though! Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Turkeys are so strange!
Wild Turkey, Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve at Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, USA — At the risk of offending turkey lovers everywhere I am going to come right out and say it: Turkeys are so strange! This is one of a small rafter of jake turkeys (“rafter” is one of two collective nouns for Wild Turkeys, the other being “gang”, and a “jake” is young “Tom”…or male turkey. If it was a female it would not have the chest beard, and, if young, would be called a “jenny”…if an adult, a “hen”. I say again, Turkeys are so strange, or maybe it is just that they bring out the strangeness in us). I saw this rafter of jakes along the entrance road at Laudholm and they were not really all that bothered when I got off my bike to take some pictures. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Perky Song Sparrow
Song Sparrow, Emmon’s Preserve, Kennebunkport, Maine, USA — I went out to Emmon’s Preserve yesterday looking for dragonflies and whatever else I might see…and found numbers of Song Sparrows around the edge of the big meadow behind the Land Trust building. This one was particularly perky and posed nicely for me. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
How small is a Snowy Egret?
Snowy Egret: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — You can rule out any trick of perspective here, since the Egret is clearly in front of the Herring Gull, so this gives an accurate idea of just how small a Snowy Egret really is. Way small! Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
The Snowy Egret in its moods
Snowy Egret: Kennebunk Maine USA — The Snowy Egret is such an elegant bird, until it isn’t. 🙂 I found this beautiful creature along the margin of Back Creek where it passes under the access road to our local beach. Just doing its Egret thing. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.
Turkeys at the bath…
Dust bath that is. Turkeys like their dust baths. This flock of hens and poults, near Laudholm Farms in Wells, Maine, had found a sandy spot at the edge of a corn patch and were having a grand old time covering their feathers in dust to fight feather mites. Even the poults were enjoying it. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.