Posts in Category: back deck feeding station
Faithful trio…
Red-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, March 2023 — Three of our daily visitors spent most of their snowy day on our deck…or so it seemed. Despite the snow falling it was excellent light for detail. So maybe an uncommonly good look at some common birds…our faithful trio at the feeders. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 500, 640, and 1000 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
American Tree Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, March 2023 — Another shot of our American Tree Sparrow in yet another snow storm. This bird seems to only show up at our back-deck feeding station when it is actually snowing. Maybe we should call it a “Snow Sparrow”. 🙂 It is a pretty bird actually. Not flashy, but pretty in an understated way. We are getting another 10-15 inches of snow today…so I expect to see the Tree Sparrow! Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 320 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Cardinal dance
Northern Cardinal: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, February 2023 — The birds were not only active at the feeders during the end of February snow-storm, they were active around the feeders…particularly active, bouncing around, fluttering, being generally aggressive toward each other for no apparent reason…active! This female Northern Cardinal posed for a second, and then danced in place for several. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Process in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 400 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Mourning Dove
Mourning Dove: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, February 2023 — So, okay, this was taken on the last day of February, but still in February. We have a pair (at least) of doves that are regular in our yard and they came with the rest of the mixed flock many times on our snowy day. The subdued light brings out the subtle colors. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 400 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Female Northern Cardinal
Female Northern Cardinal: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, February 2023 — It snowed pretty much all day yesterday, and the birds were very active at the feeders on our back deck. A pair of Cardinals was in the neighborhood. I am not sure where they spent the winter so far, but this is our first yard sighting since fall. The male was shy as always, and only made one lightning raid on the feeders that we saw…but the female came a few times and stayed long enough for me to capture her portrait. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 400 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
American Tree Sparrow
American Tree Sparrow: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, February 2023 — Something different on the deck yesterday in our intermittent snow. Even Carol thought it might not be a Chipping Sparrow (which should not be here now…in middle of a snowstorm…anyway). I actually had to look it up, after taking a few photos through the glass of deck door…that is how rarely we have seen one in the yard over the going-on 30 years we have lived in Southern Maine. We don’t get the flocks by the roadside that are common south of us in winter. Just a single bird on very rare occasions. Nice to see though. We have more snow predicted for Wednesday. I will have my eye out! Sony Rx10iv at 500mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 200 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Red-breasted Nuthatch: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, February 2023 — There are two Red-breasted Nuthatches visiting our back deck feeding station most days this winter. We can go months without seeing one in the summer, when the living is easy, but at least this winter, they seem to frequent the feeders more. Caught this one in the strong afternoon sun on a cold February day. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 160 @ 4 @ 1/500th.
Black-capped Chickadee in the winter sun
Black-capped Chickadee: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, February 2023 — The most common of our common backyard birds here in southern Maine…the Black-capped Chickadees are with us every day, all year long. This one was coming in for mealworms and suet the after the Polar Vortex blew on out to sea. The light was great and I could not resist a portrait. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 320 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Bluebird deals with the Polar Vortex!
Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, February 2023 — It was negative 12 degrees Fahrenheit on my little indoor/outdoor thermometer right beside the double glazed thermopane deck doors, with a wind chill factor of less then -50 outside, when I took this photo from the warm safety of our kitchen. This flattened bluebird is dealing with the Polar Vortex in is own way. Both he and we appreciated the bright winter sun. I kept the meal worm feeder full all day…and the sunflower and suet feeders for the chickadees and nuthatches and titmice and woodpeckers. (The chickadees, of course, took all three.) Action around the feeders was pretty constant all day. It eventually warmed up to about 9 degrees before going back down to negatives for the night. Today it is supposed to 40. 🙂 I am happy to say both we and the birds survived the Polar Vortex…this time. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 160 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Wild Turkeys in the winter…
Wild Turkeys: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, January 2023 — We have this herd of Wild Turkeys in the neighborhood the past few days. They come out of the little patch of forest across the road before sun-up, and yesterday, wandered into our backyard, where they foraged under the trees. A few came right up under the deck to get the spilled bird seed. The snow layer is frozen hard, so I assume they are having trouble finding food in the forest. Carol counted 40 in our yard. Again, these shots are at the limits of light 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 350 and 240mm equivalents. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications and multi-frame noise reduction. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. Equivalent ISO 6400 @ f4 @ 1/200th and 1/100th.