Pine Grosbeak, Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, USA — another shot from my session with the Pine Grosbeaks among the fallen apples at Laudholm Farms. This shot shows off that specialized beak. Pine Grosbeaks feed on a variety of smaller seeds. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/640.

Pine Grosbeak: Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, USA — As I mentioned yesterday, I finally found some Pine Grosbeaks near home, to satisfy my finch irruption cravings. They were busy filling their apple seed cravings in the abundance of wind-fall apples under the trees at Laudholm Farms. They spent a lot of time tossing the apples. It was entertaining to watch, to say the least. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th, 1/800th, and 1/1000th.

Pine Grosbeak: Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, USA — I will admit to being the tinniest bit jealous of all the folks in Maine who have had Pine Grosbeaks in their yards this winter. It is an irruption year for northern finches in general, and Grosbeaks in particular, including the Pine, but as far as I know they have not gotten as far south as Kennebunk. But then I found 6 birds, all young or female (it is impossible to tell which without a hand’s on examination), feeding on fallen apples under the trees by the education building at the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve at Laudholm Farms. The reserve is just south of the Kennebunk town line, less than 5 miles from my house. They have temporarily detoured the main hiking trail right under the trees, and the birds were so busy with the winter dried apples that they paid no attention to passing hikers, or photographers. I had forgotten how big Pine Grosbeaks are…almost the size of a Robin…but definitely a finch. The massive bill is suited for anything from pine nuts to thistle seed, and they were definitely digging something in the shriveled apples…not maybe the apple flesh itself as they were doing a lot of tossing…they may have been after the seeds. Anyway, I have a lot of photos of immature or female Pine Grosbeaks now. I am still jealous of those who have had males…but, actually, I have only seen a few photos of males from Maine this year. I am definitely keeping my eyes out. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/800th.

Black-capped Chickadee, Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, USA — Okay so it is really only a standard Black-capped Chickadee, but it is not one of the tame chickadees that come to our feeder a hundred times a day. On the other hand, it paid no more attention to me there taking it’s photo out in the middle of the woods at Laudholm Farms than one of our yard birds would have, so maybe “wild” is a word that just can not be applied to any chickadee. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.