Posts in Category: birds
Maine! Chickadees never fail me
Black-capped Chickadee: York County, Maine, USA, November 2024 — If I have the urge to photograph something…and that seems to happen to me fairly frequently :)…I know that if I go sit on my little folding camp stool on the back deck for a few moments the Chickadees, at the very least, will come, even here in the bird doldrums of deep November in Maine. They have no fear. This one sat there on the rail not 6 feet from me in my corner of the deck for maybe 30 seconds. Time enough. Sony a6700 with E70-350G at 525mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Crow attendant
American Crow: York County, Maine, USA, November 2024 — Of course when the eagles are perching by the river they are never without their attendant crows. And not the kind of attention they really like. The crows are continuously harassing the eagles, trying to keep them moving, never letting them settle for long. Of course our eagles are used to it and pretty much ignore the crows, but that does not stop the crows from trying. This one landed right above me. Sony a6700 with E 70-350 G at 525mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Pair of Stares
Bald Eagle: York County, Maine, USA, November 2024 — The Bald Eagles are coming to their perches along the river more frequently as the season progresses. I was surprised to find them there at high tide. One flew in, and then, with a lot of whinnying, the other, I am assuming her mate, joined her on the same perch for a short time, before it flew off again up river. These birds are considerably further away than they look in the photos :). Sony a6700 with E 70-350 at 525mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Highlight metering and -0.3 EV exposure compensation to hold highlight detail. Processed in Photomator (my basic processing for highlight and shadow and sharpness, then AI upscale). I have to say I am impressed with what the little Sony zoom can do on the a6700.
Maine! Here’s looking at you
Bald Eagle: York County, Maine, USA, November 2024 — Across the river and not as high up in the trees on the slope on the other side as it generally is…I caught this Bald Eagle looking at me. Its attention was mostly on the stream below where it hoped for fish in the shallow water of low tide on this tidal river. There were other fishers about…fly fishers on this famous stretch of trout water…but it did not seem to mind sharing its hunting stream. Early morning light, from downstream, made for tricky exposures. I always try to balance maintaining feather detail in the white, with feather detail in the shadows. Sony a6700 with Sony E 70-350 G at 525mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Highlight metering. -1.3EV. Processed croped and upscaled in Photomator.
Maine! Herring Gull Overhead
Herring Gull: York County, Maine, USA, November 2024 — We will pause my coverage of Yellowstone to bring you this Herring Gull in flight from our local beach. I went down early yesterday specifically to try from some birds-in-flight shots with the new lens…BIF are a challenge with any camera and any lens and it takes continual practice to “keep your eye in”. Sony a6700 with Sony E 70-350 G at 525mm equivalent. Program mode with my BIF and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Bluebird on a November afternoon
Eastern Bluebird: York County, Maine, USA — Our bluebirds are still coming throughout the day for mealworms, perhaps as active at the feeder here in the cold days of November as at any other time of year. We have four still, the adults and two of this year’s broods. This is the adult male posed in the trees above the deck in the almost horizontal light of the afternoon in Southern Maine. Sony a6700 with Sony E 70-350 G at 525mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! The Wren Test
Carolina Wren: York County, Maine, USA — I am “test driving” the Sony E 70-350 f4.5-6.3 G OSS zoom for my Sony a6700. It is tiny compared to the Tamron I have been using, though it lacks reach on either end. These are first shots from yesterday afternoon. Of course it is the bird that counts. We have had Carolina Wrens in the yard for three years now. They don’t come every day, but they come at least once a week…and during nesting they were around much more. They like the mealworms, but prefer to pick the spills up off the deck, rather than going to feeder itself, so this is a rare catch. Such a perky little bird. Sony a6700 with Sony E 70-350 G, at 525mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Yellowstone! Morning Swans on the morning river.
Trumpeter Swans: Hayden Valley, Yellowstone National Park, October 2024 — These two handsome Trumpeter Swans were swimming upstream on the Yellowstone right past the carcass on the bank and the Coyote from a previous post. Again the light was challenging. ISO 16,000 challenging, but with some noise reduction in post, this is still a satisfying image (at least to me). Sony s6700 with my bird and wildlife modifications. -1 EV to hold highlight detail. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Hunter
Great Blue Heron: York County, Maine, USA, November 2024 — I posted a hunting Coyote from Yellowstone already this morning, but here is a local hunter…hunter of the November marsh along the river just back from the ocean. About as different as you can get, but hunting is hunting, and if you take the time to compare the two you will see a similar attitude in both Coyote and Heron. A similar intensity. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Fall ducks
Mallards: York County, Maine, USA, October 2024 — Mallards on the fall reflections in a small pond. Just because. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.