Posts in Category: action
Least Tern
Least Tern: Kennebunk, Maine, June 2025 — Sometimes we encounter angels unaware…and sometimes they are intent on pooping on us 🙂 I had to quit when one scored a direct hit on my dot-sight and my lens (not to mention the face behind them). And yes, I have been experimenting with a dot sight…or reflex sight…to better target the angels. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications (trying minimum shutter speed 1/4000th). Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Bobolink
Bobolink: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2025 — The Boboliks are back, nesting in the hayfields along the road in to our local beach, singing from the tops of the saplings. This was taken on a day when the air was full of Canadian wildfire smoke. The smoke did not dampen the song, but it definitely dimmed the photo. Bobolinks are close to invisible most of the year, but during nesting they certainly put on a show. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. (From the seat of my trike). Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Some feet!
Grey-cowled Wood Rail: Cope Art, Gualpies, Costa Rica, March 2025 — Cope has had Wood Rails frequenting his little back yard sanctuary for several years now. He just has the remains of a small talapia pond not much bigger than one of those above ground pools from Walmart, but it attracts an amazing array of birds. You have (or I have at any rate) to admire those amazing dark pink legs and feet and that bright red eye. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 457mm equivalent (too close for the full zoom). Program mode with my birds and wildlife modifications (dark in there around the pool, so ISO 16000). Processed in Photomator.
Taking aim
Least Tern: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2025 — The Least Terns on our local beach have gotten serious about defending nesting territories. Though I stay well away from the strings set out by Fish and Game for their protection, they are still intent on using me for target practice. Two can play that game and I use the opportunity to practice my birds-in-flight…I was going to say “skills” but that implies that there is skill involved when mostly it is just a matter of taking your chances often enough so that you come home with some results that are worth processing…with a few “keepers”. Mostly I find that after their initial alarm and half a dozen passes at me, they settle back down to their nest sites…there are no eggs yet…and if they do not then I move on. I do have a growing collection of white spots on my hat. If I count my keepers and the spots I think the Terns and I are coming out about even. I should point out that this is all taking place on a popular tourist beach, with folks in beach chairs and on blankets all around me, so the Terns do not lack for targets. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
She’s not having any (and neither is he)
Least Tern: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2025 — I thought the Terns might have abandoned our local beach when I visited this week…there were very few in the air when I got there, where there had been many a few days before. I eventually found them, down on the exposed rocky flats just above tide line, busy doing their spring courting. I watched this male hard at it, and though he had a nice big offering none of the females he approached were receptive. She’s not having any, and neither is he apparently. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. (considerably cropped). Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Willets in love
Willet: York County, Maine, USA, May 2025 — I was down at the local beach one of the first sunny days we have had in southern Maine in what seems like a very long time, just in time to catch these two Willets “going at it” as they say. They were a long way down the beach from me, on my way back from looking for plovers, and these are deep crops from shots at 600mm. I think they might have been too busy to know I was there anyway. 🙂 Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Least Tern
Least Tern: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, May 2025 — I got my trike back on the road yesterday…all assembled and some minor adjustments in the morning, and out to the beach with my camera in the afternoon. I was surprised by the number of Least Terns already making themselves at home on our local beach. Last year they did not come in numbers until their original nest site at the mouth of the next river south of us failed. This year they seem ready to establish a first nest on our beach. It will take me a while to get my eye and hand in for tern flight shots…but I am happy with this for a first day effort. (The terns have probably been on the beach for a few weeks…but I have not been to a long stretch of too cool, too wet, May weather.) Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Jacamar again
Rufous-tailed Jacamar: Pierrella Ecology Gardens, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — Once the Jacamar had finished the Blue Morpho butterfly (see yesterday’s post for that story). It sat on an open perch, again, right in front of us…perhaps hoping for another. I always think Jacamars look like huge hummingbirds. For me at least, it is a bird, and this was an experience, that had me jittering on the edge of too much wonder to contain. I am sure I was grinning ear to ear, and so were all those with me. And, while I was disappointed to find my camera in the wrong mode when I finished…still, I have a record of that wonder. Goes to show you. Goes to show me. It is not really about what I do…it is about what the birds are doing. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program with my macro modifications (by mistake). Processed in Photomator.
Jacamar
Rufous-tailed Jacamar: Pierrella Ecology Gardens, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — The husband of our guide, who. with our guide, owns and operates Pierrella Butterfly Farm, got involved in our tour when it was time to locate the resident Rufous-tailed Jacamar, one of the more spectacular birds of the rainforest. He found the pair, deep in the undergrowth, then found us to send us there, and went running off, who knows where. He returned with a big Blue Morpho Butterfly, so obviously he had been to the butterfly enclosure. The butterfly was caught carefully between the fingers of one hand. “Watch” he said, “Be ready!” Then he released the butterfly and the male Jacamar swooped from its hidden perch and caught the Morpho in the air, then landed on perch right in front of us to dismember it and eat the good parts. Totally astounding. The closest I have ever seen a Jacamar, and to see it in action! What a treat. Of course, it turned out that I had not reset my camera to my birds and wildlife modifications after taking some insect macros, so these shots might have been better…but still! Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my macro modifications (f16…as I say, by mistake). Processed in Photomator.
Keel-billed Toucan
Keel-billed Toucan: Dave and Dave’s Costa Rican Nature Park, La Vergin, Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, March 2025 — I have not had a close view of a Keel-billed Toucan in my past several trips to Costa Rica. Just not in the right place at the right time I guess. This one sat well out in the tall trees along the edge of Dave and Dave’s property between the house and the road. Still, a wonder to see. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.