Posts in Category: Kennebunk
What color is a turkey?
Wild Turkey: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — The Turkeys are forming large herds again…it is the season…or maybe it is in honor of Thanksgiving…safety in numbers? I encountered a small group right next to the road and pulled over to roll down the window and take a few shots. This is full frame at 600mm equivalent. The light was not the best, but even here you can see the deep iridescence in the feathers…blues and greens and purples…making the humble turkey a rainbow bird. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 1250 @ f4 @ 1/500th. And a happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.
Bluebird posing
Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — After yesterdays “action” shot of the bluebird taking off from its perch, I am not done with the bluebird yet. I have to share this shot of the bird posing nicely on the same perch, against that great background of late fall foliage. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr, Pixomator Photo Pro, and Apple Photos. ISO 1250 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Bluebird splash
Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — not a perfect shot but it certainly caught my eye when I was importing my photos from a walk to Roger’s Pond the other day. The bluebird was a little too far away even at 600mm on the zoom, and the light was not good, but when a bluebird splashes across the frame like this, well it certainly catches your eye. 🙂 The colorful background helps too. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr, Pixelmator Photo Pro, and Apple Photos. ISO 1000 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Male and female Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpeckers: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I have seen more Pileated Woodpeckers this year than I have seen, all totaled, in the 10 years previously. As I noted yesterday, the female in this composite lives across the road from us in a patch of remnant forest along a stream, and I caught the male at Roger’s Pond Park, across the river from us, maybe 3/4 of a mile from our house, as the Pileated flies…so probably not a pair…but still an interesting comparison. (And, in fact, doing a bit of research here, Pileated territories can be up to 200 acres, and with the fragmented forest here in town, these two might still be a pair.) Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos and assembled in FrameMagic. Male ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/1000th +1 EV, and Female ISO 125 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Pileated Lady
Pileated Woodpecker (female): Kennebunk, Maine, USA — yes this is one of those “same woodpecker on both sides of the tree” shots. I was set up to record my Sunday Morning Flute Meditation in front of our living room windows, when I saw movement across the street in front of our house. I know there is a female Pileated Woodpecker that hangs out in the woods back in there, and who visits our yard on rare occasions, and there she was, working a dead tree behind the fire hydrant. So, of course, I left the recording setup, grabbed my camera and a jacket and hat, and went out to see how close I could get. 🙂 These shots, two different shots assembled in Pixomatic to look like one, were taken from our mailbox. I had early morning sun at my back…and the light was so warm and intense that I lost all detail in the red crests, but still…you have to go for every Pileated…just because you do. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixomatic, Polarr, and Apple Photos. ISO 160 (left) and 125 (right) @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker: It is worth celebrating every time a Red-bellied Woodpecker shows up at the suet, since we do not see them often, but it is especially noteworthy when shows up when I have my camera handy, or stays long enough so that I can go get my camera. This one flew off as soon as I moved in the kitchen…typical behavior…but returned briefly after I had come back with the camera. The yellow cable tie was an unsuccessful attempt to discourage the two squirrels who have figured out how to imitate the woodpeckers and hang off the bottom of the suet cage to nibble between the bars. I shoo them away when I catch them, but, honestly, they can’t get much for all their efforts. The Downy Woodpecker and the Nuthatches get most of the suet. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 400 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Bluebird for November
Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — We are privileged to have had Bluebirds in our yard just about year around these past few years. As long as I keep the mealworm feeder stocked, we see them just about every hour of the day. They join the Chickadees, Nuthatches, and Downy Woodpeckers as our truly “resident” yard birds. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications, Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 640 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Crow in Autumn
American Crow: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — The crows are congregating for the winter already in southern Maine…but then they are kind of a congregating species anyway. You rarely see one crow. This was part of a small flock that works our section of Brown Street, and probably a wider area. I see them mostly when they come to visit around home, and they are often in the big empty lot just up the street. And, also very Crow-like, this one had something on its mind that it was determined to let the world know all about. It was not happy about something. Maybe it did not like me stopping under its tree for these photos. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. Assembled in FrameMagic. ISO 200 @ f4 @ 1/500th +.3 EV and ISO 320 @ f4 @ 1/500th, +1 EV. (Playing with the EV compensation to try to balance the back bird against the bright background.)
Blue Jay blue too
Blue Jay: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — If one set of poses of my cooperative Blue Jay from the other day is good…then a second set should be better? Maybe. As good as, more likely. 🙂 After all it is the same bird and the same feeding station. Handsome bird. Lovely background. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos and assembled in FrameMagic. ISO 800 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Blue Jay blue…
Blue Jay: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — Blue Jays are only occasional visitors to our yard, though they are certainly always in the neighborhood. I can not tell you how many times one has landed on our deck when I have not had my camera handy, and, always, they are gone as soon as I move to go get the camera. This one was no different, but he came back after I got the camera and actually posed for me in a couple of different spots on the deck…here on one of the perch branches we have bolted to the deck rail near the feeders. Blue Jays are Corvids…related to the Crows…and are highly intelligent birds, with lots of character. They can be bullies at the feeder and I suppose I would feel differently about them if they were in our yard all the time, but as occasional visitors I am always happy to see them. It helps, in these shots, to have the lovely background of fall color, already in the sun while our deck was still in shadow. Taken through the thermal glass of our deck door. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 640 for the first two, 800 for the last @ f4 @ 1/500th. +.3 EV to compensate for the backlight.