Mourning Dove, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — The Mourning Dove is another bird that only started frequenting our yard last year. I am sure we had a few pass through in previous years, but now that I am using a seed mix in some of my feeders, and there is always spilled millet and milo on the ground, the doves are daily visitors, sometimes a dozen at a time. That is okay by me. It is actually rare to see on up in a tree like this, but they do fly and perch, even though they are primarily ground feeders. Such subtle color. So beautiful. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 200 @ f4 @ 1/500th.

Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — When I rebuilt my backyard photo blind feeder station this spring, I added a few more perch branches, and relocated the mealworm feeder. The Bluebirds are now using the perches on the way in to the feeder, which gives me a chance to photograph them in a more natural setting…as opposed to at the feeder itself. This is our male. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 160 @ f4 @ 1/500th.

Song Sparrow: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — As I have mentioned, the Song Sparrow is one of the first migrant passerines to arrive back in Southern Maine as spring comes on…about the same time as some of the larger non-passerines…the Turkey Vultures and Red-tailed Hawks. Many of our common feeder birds winter over these days. I saw my first Song Sparrows last week, though I have not heard one singing yet. They come in under my backyard photo blind feeders to clean up after the other birds. This one posed nicely, up off the ground for a change, before moving on. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 200 @ f4 @ 1/500th.

White-breasted Nuthatch: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I never get tired of watching the White-breasted Nuthatches at our feeders. When photographing them, the better trick is catching when they are not at a feeder. They tend to fly in for a quick raid and they fly off, quite far, before dealing with their spoils. Still, I will take my Nuthatches any way they are willing. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. Vertical: ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/1000th, Facing: ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th. Horizontal: ISO 320 @ f4 @ 1/500th.

Song Sparrow: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — As I was walking. by one of the brush piles along the edge of our lot the other day I caught a sparrowish bird out of the corner of my eye. I could not pin it down, but it looked like a possible Song Sparrow…if so, my first of the year. We never had Song Sparrows in our yard until last spring and summer, when I started putting out mixed bird seed in the feeding station by my backyard blind. Once they found us, we had a few each day…mostly following the Purple Finches who would come to the feeder and throw lots of seed out as they looked for just the right seed. The Sparrows would forage on the ground under the feeders. Song Sparrows are generally one of the first migrant song birds I see in fields and marshes so it is no surprise that they would be the nesting resident to show up in our yard. We have a couple of them now…and this one posed nicely outside my blind. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 160 @ f4 @ 1/500th.