Posts in Category: birds
New Mexico! Black-headed Grosbeak
Black-headed Grosbeak: Randall Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, July 2024 — There were probably a couple of pairs of Black-headed Grosbeaks coming to the feeders at Randall Davey Audubon center in the foothills above Santa Fe, New Mexico while we were there visiting our daughter and granddaughter. Impressive birds that you would think might dominate the feeders, but the little Pine Siskins gave them a run for the bird seed. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
New Mexico! Tail on
Broad-tailed Hummingbird: Randall Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, July 2024 — Tail on and almost too close, but who could resist? Also pretty dark in the corner against the building in the garden at Randall Davey Audubon Center. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird and wildlife action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
New Mexico! Spotted Towhee
Spotted Towhee: Randall Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA, July 2024 — This and the Eastern Towhees we have in Maine are very similar birds. In fact for many years they were considered the same species…but there are subtle and not so subtle differences. The Spotted is a “louder” bird overall. Its calls, its plumage, the red of the eye…all louder. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
New Mexico! Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Broad-tailed Hummingbird: Randall Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA — Not the best light, sitting in deep shade with an adobe building in the background, but still, sitting, and close. One of the more common hummingbirds at the feeders at Randall Davey Audubon in the hills above Santa Fe. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications (1/500th). Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Shelter
Piping Plover: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, July 2024 — Just a day out of the egg (not quite) two of the 4 Piping Plover chicks seek some shelter after an adventure down to the distant (in plover chicks terms) wet area of the beach. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Dive bomb
Least Tern: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — Now this tern means business! He or she has been practicing and got 3 direct hits on me…one on my hat 🙂 and two right in my eyes (or way too close for comfort 🙁 Business all the way. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving birds in flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! A little beach action
Least Tern: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — With my camera already set for birds in flight, I was able to catch this interaction between two Least Terns on the beach. I think this is a mated pair and their chicks have already hatched, so I am not sure what was going on exactly. 🙂 Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving birds in flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Flyover
Osprey: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, July 2024 — While photographing Least Terns in flight at the beach, this Osprey flew over on its way out to the mouth of the river. Too good to pass up, especially when I was already set for birds in flight. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving birds in flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Caught on the wind
Least Tern: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — I have taken over 20,000 shots of Least Terns in flight (or attempted at any rate) over the past month. I go out for a few hours and come back with 2500 exposures…of which I pick maybe 50 to process, and out of that 50 I might get 5 that somewhat satisfy me…and out of the 5, I might be happy enough with one of them to post. But that is just the way photographing Least Terns in flight goes…at least at my level of skill and with my equipment. In the month I have tried two different cameras and three different lenses. I bought a new camera and a new lens primarily because I was not happy with the results my current setup was producing. But of course the equipment is the least important thing about tern in flight photography. Mostly it is just practice and waiting on grace. Most of the keepers are pure gifts…they just happen if you are out there trying. Anyway. Sony A6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving birds in flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Hatchlings!
Piping Plover: York County, Maine, USA, July 2024 — This shot was taken with a 600mm equivalent zoom lens from a respectable distance and then cropped to less than a sixth of the frame…down to 2mp from 26mp. Even when they nest on a busy beach, it is important that we give these endangered birds their space. I have been watching this nest for a month now, checking it almost every day, hoping to be on hand for the hatching, or at least soon after. Yesterday the sun did not fight its way free of the cloud cover until afternoon, and the beach was still fogged in when I got there, but I had a look anyway. The Plover was certainly looking unsettled on the nest, and sure enough I caught a chick peaking out from under. I am not certain, but I think it had hatched only moments before I got there, and I am pretty sure the second chick hatched while I watched. She had 4 eggs, so I will have to go back today to see if the other two hatched as well. The chicks were still staying mostly under the cover of the parent, and were not able to fully stand yet, though by now, 16 hours later, they are probably up and running around. I hope so anyway. Sony A6700 with the Tamron 50-400mm Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.