Posts in Category: Kennebunk Plains
Maine Landscape
Kennebunk Plains Nature Conservancy, Kennebunk, Maine, USA, April 2024 — More of a sky-scape than landscape, since the plains have not really come alive yet after the winter. Signs of life but still pretty subdued. The sky makes up for it. OM System OM-1 with M.Zuiko 12-45 f4 Pro zoom at 24mm equivalent. Program mode. In-camera HDR. Processed in Photomator and Apple Photos.
Maine! Yellow-rumped Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler: York County, Maine, USA, October 2023 — The other, and more expected, warbler in the young birches on the sand plain was, of course, the Yellow-rumped Warbler. Yellow-rumps come early and stay late, and are undoubtedly the most common warbler in southern Maine. Though you might think they are looking up to spot danger…they are actually looking for insects on the underside of the birch leaves. 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 468mm. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixomator Pro.
Maine! Palm Warblers
Palm Warbler: York County, Maine, USA, October 2023 — I was surprised to find a large mixed flock of warbler working an isolated stand of young birch trees out in the middle of the sand plain. I expected the Yellow-rumped but I was even more surprised to find that at least half of them were Palm Warblers. I don’t see Palms in Maine all that often, and I have never seen them in such numbers. A nice treat, and I took way too many photos. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 464mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife medications. Processed in Pixomator Pro.
Maine! Red-legged Grasshopper
Red-legged Grasshopper: Kennebunk Plains, Kennebunk, Maine, USA, October 2023 — There are lots of grasshoppers out on the Kennebunk Plains…from early spring to late fall. I believe this one is a Red-legged Grasshopper, and this is a hand-held focus stacked image at 800mm equivalent with the OM Systems OM-1 and the ED 100-400mm zoom. Eight shots at different focus points, taken automatically and stacked in the camera. It is rare to find a grasshopper cooperative enough for this trick. 🙂 Processed in Pixomator Pro.
Maine! Tuesday Landscape
Along the edge of the Kennebunk Plains…these are always among the first trees to reach full color…not quite yet, but getting there. OM Systems OMD EM5Mkiii with 12-45mm Pro zoom at 78mm equivalent. In-camera HDR scene mode. Processed in Pixomator Pro.
Maine! Thursday special. Chipper
Wildlife photography in southern Maine is much more difficult than bird photography. The birds are pretty much everywhere, but you have to look much harder to find wildlife of any kind…unless, of course, you are talking about Chipmunks. I know, many photographers would scoff at the idea that chipmunks count as wildlife…but we take what we can get, and every once in a while, a chipper just sits up so cute that you have to take notice. And if it out in the wild (or at least away from our yard) that is even better. This one was out on the Kennebunk Plains when I was there checking the Blazing Star bloom and photographing insects. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/800th.
Maine! Bee in Blazing Star
Common Eastern Bumblebee: Kennebunk Plains, York County, Maine, USA, August 2023 — before Northern Blazing Star season slips completely away, one last shot. Of course the Blazing Star bloom is a magnet to every pollen collecting bug in southern Maine. There were bees of every sort found here, including this common Bumblebee. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 1250 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
Maine! Wednesday Damsel
Swamp Spreadwing (?) doing calisthenics. Day Brook Pond, Kennebunk Plains Nature Conservancy, York County, Maine, USA — the spreadwings seem very few in number this year, and very late. ?? I think this is a Swamp Spreadwing doing interesting things with its abdomen. OM Systems OM-1 with the ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications.
Maine! Sunday Supplement, a flock of Goldfinches.
American Goldfinch: York County, Maine, USA — While out checking the Blazing Star bloom I found this large flock of American Goldfinches working the fading booms as they go to seed. I am not sure I have ever seen such a large flock. A group of them settled in the top of one of the small birches long enough for a few photos. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f7.1 @ 1/1000th.
Maine! Hummingbird Clearwing Moth
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth: Kennebunk Plains Conservation Area, York County, Maine, USA, August 2023 — Last week when I went out to check for insects in the Northern Blazing Star bloom on the Kennebunk Plains, I found this Hummingbird Clearwing Moth working the Blazing Star…with a Monarch Butterfly right behind it. What are chances? Clearly better than you might think…as here you have it. There are two Clearwing Moths in Southern Maine, the Hummingbird (this one) and the Snowberry (which has a dark stripe down the side) and I have seen them both on the Plains different years. This is, on the other hand, only my 5th life Clearwing, though I only have photos from 3 of the previous…but I do remember each encounter vividly. This one will be the “one with the Monarch” 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with the ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/800th.