Posts in Category: action
Maine! Time for a pedicure?
Bald Eagle: York County, Maine, USA, November 2023 — Our local eagles spend most of their time, when they are hanging out in the pines above the river, just sitting upright and watching the water below them. I have hundreds of photos of them in that pose from previous years, and dozens already from this year. Occasionally they do something different, but you have to be on hand and ready when it happens. This shot was taken just after 11 am, and the light was already going around slightly behind the bird, making for interesting rim-light. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. -1.0EV. Converted to HDR and processed in Photomator.
Maine! Plover with a prize
Black-bellied Plover: York County, Maine, USA, November 2023 — We still have small flocks of Black-bellied Plover stoping over on their way south, building up their energy stores for the long flight. The prize might look that appetizing to us, but it is truly precious to the Plover. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and Apple Photos.
Maine! Great Blue on the wing
Great Blue Heron: York County, Maine, USA, November 2023 — There are still a few Great Blue Herons hanging in there as the season advances, still fishing while the fishing is good before heading south. I caught this one as it took off up the tidal creek the other day. OM Systems OM-1 with the ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and Apple Photos.
Maine! Up, up and away!
Buffleheads (female): York County, Maine, USA, November 2023 — A couple of female Buffleheads take to the air over the reflections in a tidal creek. Up, up, and away. They make it look just about as hard as it must be to break free of the water and take to the air. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and Apple Photos and assembled in FrameMagic. -1.0 EV.
Maine! Geese grab
Canada Geese: Kennebunk, York County, Maine, USA, November 2023 — Sometimes a photo just happens, almost despite me. I was photographing an eagle in the early morning sun high in a pine tree across the river, when this flock of Canada Geese came blasting up river right past me at eye-level. The Geese were still in the shadow of my bank while the other bank was in sun and I had no time to adjust anything. I just fired off a burst in their direction and hoped for the best…and while this might not be “the best” is certainly more than I could have hoped to get. As I have said many times before, wildlife photography is mostly about being in the right place at the right time and ready. Sometimes it just happens. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife settings (-2EV for the Eagles in the sun). Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Bufflehead chase
Bufflehead: York County, Maine, USA, November 2023 — I have only seen a few Buffleheads this year so far. This “chase” behavior is common between males, at least at this time of year when I see them at the mouth of our tidal rivers. I assume it is some kind of dominance display, but then, I do not know the rules of the game, and cannot declare winners and losers. 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent (they were really too far away). Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Maine! Show-off!
Mallard Duck: York County, Maine, USA, November 2023 — Far up one of our tidal rivers in a quiet backwater there lives a small flock of Mallards. Mallards are so common that we hardly look at them anymore, but they are worth looking at. Take this pair on the mossy log. Dig those orange feet and the iridescent kelley green. They were attractive enough, and then the male decided to really show off. He was not taking flight. Just stretching his wings. She did not seem to be impressed. 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Hoodies in action
Hooded Merganser: York County, Maine, USA, November 2023 — This little pod of Hooded Mergansers, two of which, the males, you saw yesterday, were navigating the tidal creek behind the dunes. I happened to have the camera up when they started their run up into the air and into the reflections of the autumn oaks. Wonderful little ducks! OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator. Assembled in FrameMagic.
Maine! White-tail
White-tailed Deer: Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, USA, November 2023 — I spotted this Great Blue Heron (upper left and upper right in the top and bottom photos) and decided to stay on the marsh overlook deck on the back side of the wet maple forest boardwalk at Laudholm to see if it would work its way down to me…it eventually did, but while I waited for it, this lovely young doe White-tail came tentatively out of the forest, maybe looking for a a fresh water pool. I was sitting on the bench and partially blocked by the deck itself and the foreground brush, so I eventually stood up in all my hunter-safe bright yellow glory, and, of course, the deer, who was already wary out in the open, saw me and, after due consideration, decided it was time to head back into the relative safety of the forest. Watching it run through the marsh was one of the most satisfying wildlife moments I have had in a log time. White tail indeed! OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications (wildlife in this case). Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Maine! You say hello, I say goodbye
Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers: York County, Maine, USA, October 2023 — Coming and going. A (maybe) pair of Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers on a dead tree. You never know what you are going to catch when you point the camera up. I was, of course just trying for the perched bird, when the second bird flew in and startled it off the perch. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent (and cropped). Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro.