Posts in Category: birds
Maine! Yellowthroat youngster
Common Yellowthroat (fledgling): York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — Walking along the edge of a meadow, this little bird was chattering in the bushes. It is fledgling Common Yellowthroat. You can just see a bit of the gape still there at the back of the beak. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Animal/bird subject recognition and auto focus. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Hungry
Barn Swallows: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — There was a whole flock of fledgling Barn Swallows along a path through the river-side marsh that I take a few times a week. They seemed determined to all land on this fragile dead rose branch along the way, while the adults flew around them with food. That is an adult bird coming in out of focus in the foreground. It was obviously not a sustainable situation and after a few seconds they all took off in search of a more stable perch. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Animal/Bird subject detection auto focus. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Another sand bar encounter: do you come here often?
Great Egret: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — Two Great Egrets walked onto a sand bar. The title options are pretty much limitless. 🙂 The light was almost perfect for shooting Great Egrets…bright enough to bring out detail, but not so bright as to burn out detail. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Animal/Bird recognition and auto focus. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Chance encounter
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — So I don’t really believe in chance, but I am always surprised to find a hummingbird away from our back-deck feeder…in the wild, so to speak. I forget that hummingbirds got along just fine before humans began to feed them. This female Ruby-throated Hummingbird was harvesting nectar from the jewelweed along a trail I visit on occasion, and it cooperated for a few photos. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my flight and action modifications. Animal/Bird subject detection auto focus. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Out on the sandbar
Great Egret, Snowy Egret, imm. Herring Gull: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — The Egrets are beginning to gather again, populating the sandbars at low tide. Always mixed company, with both egrets, lots of gulls, and the occasional Great Blue Heron. A lively crowd generally, with lots of interaction and not a little showing off. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Animal/Bird subject detection and focus. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Red-tailed
Red-tailed Hawk: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — In early spring I saw a Red-tailed Hawk several times along a stretch of trail that I like to walk with my camera. I knew its hunting perches. Well, this week there is another hawk on those perches…or perhaps the same hawk, after what I can only hope was a successful mating and nesting season. Over the course of an hour in the area, the hawk showed me both sides. 🙂 Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Animal/Bird subject recognition focus. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! White in Flight
Great Egret: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — A Great Egret winging its way upriver to the sand bars. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my flight and action modifications. Animal/Bird subject detection auto focus. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Such a pretty little thing
Least Tern (fledgling): York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — The Least Tern chicks are fledging the past few days…testing their wings in sort flights up and down the beach. This one was well outside the protected area, out on the open beach. I don’t know why, but there is something uniquely attractive about the Least Tern at this stage of its development. Subtly beautiful, with a hint of the elegance to come. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Animal and Bird subject recognition. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Prairie
Prairie Warbler: York County Maine, USA, July 2024 — We don’t really have any prairies in Maine, but we do have sand plains, and evidently that is close enough to attract the Prairie Warblers. This is only the second one I have seen in 20 years in this location, but that does not mean that they do not nest there every year. This one is showing off all its field-marks. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Animal and Bird subject recognition and focus. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Transition
Least Tern (chick transitioning to feathers from down): Kennebunk, Maine, USA, July 2024 — This is one of the oldest of the Least Tern chicks from this year’s hatch at our local beach, already transitioning from down to adult feathers, and looking pretty natty doing it. This bird will be flying and feeding itself in another few weeks. For now the adults are keeping close watch and feeding it several times a day. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent (and cropped heavily). Program mode with my evolving bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.