Posts in Category: flight
Snowy Egret
Snowy Egret: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, September 2025 — One of the Snow Egrets (of which numbers are increasing finally) got up and flew around me toward the other side of the marsh. I was ready for it, more or less. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 @ 600mm equivalent. Program with action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Marsh
Snowy Egret: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, September 2025–the marshes in southern Maine are never more beautiful to my eye than in early fall when the saltwort (or glasswort) turns bright red against the greens and golds of the grasses and the reeds. Add a Snowy Egret in flight with open wings…and there’s an image worth looking at. I think. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Flying Ruby
Ruby-throated Hummingbird: Kennebunk, Maine, August 2025 — Of course the real challenge is to get the hummingbirds in flight. It is not nearly as hard as it used to be, before bird recognition, eye-tracking, auto focus. Now days it is just a matter of patience (and a bit of hand-eye coordination that comes with practice). And of course totally dependent on how cooperative the hummer is. 🙂 So still a gift really, despite our fancy equipment. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Story of the hawk and the mockingbird
Red-tailed Hawk and Northern Mockingbird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, August 2025 — This big Red-tailed Hawk flew over the road ahead of me while I was on my trike, chased by a Mockingbird. By the time I got off the trike and my camera up the hawk had settled in a tall conifer. I could not see the Mockingbird with my naked eye but I knew it was in there somewhere too. I took some shots with the hawk off-center in hopes of catching the Mockingbird, and managed to get both in the shot. The Hawk was still obviously feeling harassed and did not sit for long. And the Mockingbird was still on its tail when it flew. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent (and cropped). Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Voice
Least Tern: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, July 2025 — I generally get terns in flight just about figured out just about in time for them to disperse after nesting, and I might not see another tern this close until next year. 🙁 Still. This one was voicing its appreciation (or displeasure). Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Tree Swallows
Tree Swallows: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, July 2025 — There were 4 swallow on the branch when I lifted the camera, and then this happened 🙂 Thankfully the Program choose a shutter speed of 1/1000th so I got the shot. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm. Program with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Fish from heaven!
Least Tern: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, July 2025 — The Least Terns are apparently feeding chicks now. They hide really well so I have not seen one yet…but I have not gotten close enough to really look. I could not figure out was all the “courting” behavior meant…males offering fish…until I looked it up this morning. The chicks are fed on regurgitated fish, so the only way for a male to feed is offspring is to offer the fish to his mate…or do the job himself. I think maybe the hope, among the males, that they might get lucky again has something to do with it too…and that, as they say, is how the species survives. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Landing flaps
Great Blue Heron: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2025 — There are not many Great Blues around yet this summer. Seems like there were more last year by this time. ?? Sometimes though you are just in the right place at the right time. All landing flaps down! Spilling air from the wings. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program with my birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Happy tern (not so happy fish)
Least Tern: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2025 — Continuing to experiment with the dot-sight for photographing terns in flight, I finally found some fishing yesterday at the mouth of the river. It will take more practice than I have had so far but I am happy with this shot of the tern rising with its catch. The dot sight makes it just a bit easier, but, in the long run I don’t think it is increasing the number of keeper I get…just maybe cutting down the time it takes to get one. I still throw away a 100 shots for every one I keep. But it is a lot of fun trying 🙂 I will go back at least one more time before the terns disperse and leave the dot sight at home. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Dot-sight. Processed in Photomator.
Least Tern
Least Tern: Kennebunk, Maine, June 2025 — Sometimes we encounter angels unaware…and sometimes they are intent on pooping on us 🙂 I had to quit when one scored a direct hit on my dot-sight and my lens (not to mention the face behind them). And yes, I have been experimenting with a dot sight…or reflex sight…to better target the angels. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications (trying minimum shutter speed 1/4000th). Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.