Posts in Category: Maine
Maine! Gift Owl
Barred Owl: York County, Maine, USA, April 2024 — Sometimes Owls happen. I was down on the ground photographing Trout Lilies in one of my favorite spots for aka Adders Tongue, Yellow Dog Tooth Violet. I had been down there for at least 10 minutes when I decided to stand up and move to another clump. When I stood, a big bird dropped out of the tree right above my head…no more than 10 feet above my head, and swooped away through the still bare trees to land in a big maple 50 yards into the forest. It must have been there when I walked in and I must have been right under it all the time I was photographing the lily. It took me a moment to process the fact that it must be an Owl. I could see it there sitting on a limb with its back to me, way too wide for a hawk, and its flight had been absolutely silent. Owl! I worked my way around, looking for a more or less unobstructed view, trying very hard not to disturb the bird any more than I already had. There was, of course, no ideal line of sight and though it was sitting in full noon sun, its eyes were in deep shadow. Still, a Barred Owl in broad daylight. That does not happen often, or at least not to me. OM Systems OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator. This is an image that required more than normal processing to find the eyes in their shadowed recesses, and to remove foreground obstructions, but, still…my best shot ever of a Barred Owl, and only the third one I have seen in Maine. What a gift!
Maine! Full song!
Brown Thrasher: York County, Maine, USA — It was a treat to find this Brown Thrasher when I was out looking for Trout Lily the other day. It even sat up and sang for me. 🙂 OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine Landscape
Kennebunk Plains Nature Conservancy, Kennebunk, Maine, USA, April 2024 — More of a sky-scape than landscape, since the plains have not really come alive yet after the winter. Signs of life but still pretty subdued. The sky makes up for it. OM System OM-1 with M.Zuiko 12-45 f4 Pro zoom at 24mm equivalent. Program mode. In-camera HDR. Processed in Photomator and Apple Photos.
Maine! Head and shoulders
American Robin: York County, Maine, USA, April 2024 — If I sit very still in my camp chair, the Robins, most common of yard birds here in Southern Maine, will come right up to me. These two shots are at 1600mm equivalent, using the digital tele-converter in the OM Systems OM-1Mkii with the M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom, so I was not as close as it looks. Still, pretty close for a wild bird. Late afternoon light picks out every feather detail. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine Landscape
Not exactly a landscape, but part of the early spring landscape in the Southern Maine woodlands. In this case Emmon’s Preserve of the Kennebunkport Land Trust. I went a week ago to check the Trout Lily (Adder’s Tongue…I just found out it is also called Dog Tooth Violet, though that was a distinctly different plant in upstate New York when I was growing up) and the leaves were just barely above ground. This week there are a few in full blossom, but only a few in the most favored of spots among thousands of plants. This is a hand-held in-camera focus stack with the OM System OM-1 and M.Zuiko 12-45 Pro zoom. Program mode. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Most Purple!
Purple Finch: York County, Maine, USA, April 2024 — Even though I am skipping over many memorable photos from the extended neighborhood here in Southern Maine from the last few days (and weeks), I feel it is only fair to celebrate the most purple of Purple Finches who came and posed so nicely in the late day, last of the sun, in the backyard, just before supper time. I have been waiting for the male Purples to arrive, and for an opportunity to photograph them away from the feeders. Only fair to share. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 1600mm equivalent (using the 2x digital tele-converter in the camera body). Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator and Apple Photos. (And no, this is not an exaggeration. In the soft sun of early evening in the spring, the Purple Finches, or at least this Purple Finch, do (does) look that purple 🙂
Maine Landscape
Batson River, Emmon’s Preserve, Kennebunkport Land Trust. Spring spate. Shutter mode with LiveND. OM System OM-1 with M.Zuiko 12-45 Pro zoom at 24mm equivalent. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Song Sparrow again
Song Sparrow: York County, Maine, USA, April 2024 — Except for the Chipping Sparrow, of which there are thousands in Southern Maine, our most common Sparrow of spring and early summer just might be the Song Sparrow. They are certainly among the most visible, probably because they are so often drawing attention to themselves with their songs. We get them in our yard occasionally, but I know of several pairs on established territories just right in my area, and you are likely to hear and see them most anywhere you go. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine Landscape
A young maple undercut by this spring’s storm tides even 5 miles inland along the Mousam, but still in full flower. OM System OM-1 with M.Zuiko 12-45 Pro. Program mode with in-camera HDR. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Carolina Song
Carolina Wren: York County, Maine, USA, April 2024 — There is nothing quite like the song of the Carolina Wren. It is certainly enough to pierce any amount of lingering gloom, and let the sunshine in. This one was singing around the yard the other day, possibly looking for a nesting site. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.