Posts in Category: Maine
Maine! Bluebird attitude
Eastern Bluebird: York County, Maine, USA, February 2024 — I am amazed at the number of Bluebirds I see around home and around town, and on my walks further afield. I know of at least 20 nesting pairs wintering over just in the limited area I frequent, generally with last year’s young still hanging around. Quite a change in the going on 40 years we have lived here. However other species are faring with habitat reduction and climate change, the Bluebirds seem to be doing well. And they are always so interesting to watch. Such attitude for a small bird. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Maine! Bye
Bald Eagle: York County, Maine, USA, February 2024 — I was surprised to find our local Eagle pair on their perch in the tall pine on the other side of the river late one afternoon. The sun was behind them and they were deep in the shadow of the pine. Still you have to try. Both sat for me for a few seconds after I saw them, but then one decided it was time to go. Not a perfect shot, but the best I could manage in the situation. OM Systems OM-1 Mkii with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Robin at work
American Robin: York County, Maine, USA, February 2024 — Carol found the local flock of Robins yesterday, working the vines in the tall trees up the street, so I had to walk up and check for Cedar Waxwings…and take a few Robin photos. I like the delicate beak work here as the Robin harvested berries. I think these are crabapple, and there are quite a few trees in one neighborhood, so lots of Robins, when the berries have frozen and thawed often enough to concentrate the sugar. There were several Cedar Waxwings as well, but I was not able to get as close to them. OM Systems OM-1 Mkii with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Stand and deliver!
Common Loon: York County, Maine, USA, February 2024 — This is a common behavior for Common Loons. This one did it 3 times while I was watching and the 3rd time I was ready for him. It is a whole production with the bird rising slowly out of the water and extending its wings several times before settling back. I am not sure what purpose it serves. It does not appear to be any kind of display, as this bird was all alone in the creek. Unless it was just practicing. I suspect though it has more to do with shaking the water out of the wings, or warming itself between dives. OM Systems OM-1 Mkii with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! See what I got!
Common Loons: York County, Maine, USA, February 2024 — The loons were having a productive morning. As I watched one or another of the 4 working within sight took a crab from the bottom of the inlet every 5 minutes or so. This one seemed proud of his catch…though it was not the biggest one I saw that morning. Maybe it is a he and a she and she hoped he was in a sharing mood? OM Systems OM-1 Mkii with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! happy couple
Red-breasted Merganser: York County Maine, USA, February 2024 — And here is the happy couple: Male and female Red-breasted Mergansers showing their fancy party hairdos. OM Systems OM-1 Mkii with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Show-off
Red-breasted Merganser: York County, Maine, USA, February 2024 — There have been female or immature Red-breasted Mergansers in the tidal creek near the mouth of our local river since the beginning of winter, but this might be the first male I have seen, and he was putting on a good show for the female that was with him. Such a handsome bird! OM Systems OM-1Mkii with ED 100-400mm IS zoom. First two Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Third Program mode with my custom birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Maine! Merganser action
Red-breasted Mergansers: York County, Maine, USA, February 2024 — a little Red-breasted Merganser action from the tidal creek near us. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.
Maine! Air show
Bald Eagles: York County, Maine, USA, February 2024 — I have seen this action in photos, and in a video or two on YouTube, but I never expected to see it through my viewfinder. I was taking photos from a great distance of this interaction between 3 immature or sub-adult Bald Eagles squabbling over a perch in the dead top of a tall pine when Eagle number 3 was doing a close pass, when Eagle number 2 suddenly flipped over in mid-air and they did the “show me your talons” thing. From the size difference in the two birds I am thinking this is a male and s female…the female below and the male above. I know it looks so unlikely that you might suspect photoshop or some kind of AI generated image…but I assure you these are real Eagles acting like real Eagles. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent (cropped considerably). Program mode with my birds in flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomatic and assembled in FrameMagic.
Maine! Sunday gift
Immature or Sub-adult Bald Eagles: York County, Maine, USA, February 2024 — I went for what is becoming my customary Sunday morning photoprowl, visiting our local park along the river and then the river mouth and the marshes behind the dunes where it meets the sea. I am generally pleasantly surprised by something…and yesterday it was an immature or sub-adult Bald Eagle that came, chased by noisy crows, and settled in the dead top of a far pine. I took some shots from where I stood, but then began to walk closer. I was still a long way off when, again, surprise, a second and a third sub-adult eagle flew in from behind the first and attempted to dislodge it from its perch. Nothing doing. The first eagle was not budging and the second never really got settled before the third was on them both. After some interesting areal maneuvers, which I will share tomorrow, all three Eagles flew off, far out over the marsh, where one settled into a tree even further away. On my way out I found the other two in a tree on a rise of the farm fields. A surprise and a gift indeed. OM Systems OM-1 with the ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent (from way too far away). Program mode with my custom birds in flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator. Shutter speed 1/1600th.