Posts in Category: yard
Maine! Blue Jay
Blue Jay: York County, Maine, USA — I was photographing Ruby-throated Hummingbirds at the feeder on our back deck when this Blue Jay flew in and landed on one of the feeder supports. It is relatively rare for us to have Blue Jays in the yard, only a few times each summer, and very rare for us to have one on the deck. I suspect this is a juvenile bird, mostly due to the pale forehead and crown. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 5000 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
Maine! Day Lilies
Day Lilies from our yard. The “wild-ish” Day Lilies that grow in our front yard are all “double blossom” lilies, with two flowers on top of each other. The Day Lilies that grow in our back yard are single blossom??? These are from the front yard. Both images are in-camera focus stacked (hand held) with the OM Systems OM-1 and the 100-400mm zoom at 300mm equivalent. It is still pretty amazing to me that the camera can do this. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. Nominal exposure ISO 2500 @ f5.7 and f6.3 @ 1/500th.
Bluebird on a wet snow day…
Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, March 2023 — One last shot from the snowy Saturday. You can see how wet this Bluebird is. They were still busy around the feeders…coming for mealworms every few moments. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 400 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Spring is coming, despite the snow!
American Goldfinch: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, March 2023 — Despite the snowfall, this American Goldfinch is definitely showing some real yellow under its chin! That means spring can not be far off. Taken at our back deck feeding station on March 4th. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 250 @ f4@ 1/500th.
Bluebird faithful…
Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, March 2023 — Yesterday I shared three of our faithful feeder birds…three shots taken during our March snow storm. It would not be fair to our other faithful friends, our Bluebirds, not to give them their due. Right now we have at least 5 bluebirds coming each day for mealworms: our pair of nesting adults and 3 of last year’s young. Sometimes they are all sitting on various perches on our deck at the same time. I have, of course, way too many photos of them, but they are very photogenic. They pose and posture and are always doing something interesting. These storm photos are proof. It was wet snow and you can see the wet in their feathers. And the young bird seems totally mystified, or maybe just offended by March, that this white stuff is falling from the sky and landing on him. I mean! Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 400 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Faithful trio…
Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, March 2023 — Three of our daily visitors spent most of their snowy day on our deck…or so it seemed. Despite the snow falling it was excellent light for detail. So maybe an uncommonly good look at some common birds…our faithful trio at the feeders. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 500, 640, and 1000 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
American Tree Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, March 2023 — Another shot of our American Tree Sparrow in yet another snow storm. This bird seems to only show up at our back-deck feeding station when it is actually snowing. Maybe we should call it a “Snow Sparrow”. 🙂 It is a pretty bird actually. Not flashy, but pretty in an understated way. We are getting another 10-15 inches of snow today…so I expect to see the Tree Sparrow! Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 320 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
American Tree Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, February 2023 — Something different on the deck yesterday in our intermittent snow. Even Carol thought it might not be a Chipping Sparrow (which should not be here now…in middle of a snowstorm…anyway). I actually had to look it up, after taking a few photos through the glass of deck door…that is how rarely we have seen one in the yard over the going-on 30 years we have lived in Southern Maine. We don’t get the flocks by the roadside that are common south of us in winter. Just a single bird on very rare occasions. Nice to see though. We have more snow predicted for Wednesday. I will have my eye out! Sony Rx10iv at 500mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 200 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, February 2023 — There are two Red-breasted Nuthatches visiting our back deck feeding station most days this winter. We can go months without seeing one in the summer, when the living is easy, but at least this winter, they seem to frequent the feeders more. Caught this one in the strong afternoon sun on a cold February day. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 160 @ 4 @ 1/500th.
Black-capped Chickadee in the winter sun
Black-capped Chickadee: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, February 2023 — The most common of our common backyard birds here in southern Maine…the Black-capped Chickadees are with us every day, all year long. This one was coming in for mealworms and suet the after the Polar Vortex blew on out to sea. The light was great and I could not resist a portrait. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 320 @ f4 @ 1/500th.