Posts in Category: marsh
Maine! Great Egret makes a wing
Great Egret: York County, Maine, USA — I always think that the wing of the Great Egret, or an egret of some kind, must have been the inspiration for angel wing paintings, and I always hope to catch a Great Egret preening. As it happens, they preen often and often extend their wings to get at the underside. The lighting here is dramatic. OM Systems OM1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th. -0.3EV.
Maine! Meadow Marsh
One of my favorite local views. This is along the Bridle Path inland from Rt. 9. Testing HDR on the new to me OMD E-M5iii with the 12-45mm zoom at 24mm equivalent. The in-camera HDR mode (in the Scene Modes) seems to produce a nice understated effect. This particular scene can be hard because of the dark pines and maples this time of year, but I am happy with this. 🙂 Good thing. Processed in Pixelmator Pro.
Maine! Greater Yellowlegs
Greater Yellowlegs: York County, Maine, USA — Among the birds I found in the tidal pools in the marsh while looking for stray egrets was this Greater Yellowlegs, caught here on its own reflection. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f63 @ 1/640th.
Maine! Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron: York County, Maine, USA — By the time I got out yesterday morning the tide was at full, and the sandbar at the mouth of our local river was completely under water. The congregation of egrets and herons that gather there at other tides was dispersed far and wide in the marsh pools looking for food. I did an explore up and down the Bridle Path through the marsh to see if I could find any close…but they were pretty far out in the marsh when I did find any. This Great Blue Heron was about as close as I could get. Even at 800mm equivalent, there was just too much moist, moving air between us. 🙂 Still, it is a satisfying image for its range of tones and textures, and for the interesting details that the wind is revealing in the plumage. I think. 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 250 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.
Maine! Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Kingbird: York County, Maine, USA — On one of my trike rides during our last day spell (rare this summer in Maine), I took this portrait of an Eastern Kingbird on an only post in the marsh from the seat of my trike. I carry my OM-1 and 100-400mm zoom on a Cotton Carrier on my chest as I ride, and I am, with practice, getting quick on the draw 🙂 1600mm equivalent (2x digital teleconverter). Program mode with my custom birds modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/800th.
Maine! Snowy Egret in the noonday sun.
Snowy Egret: Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, Wells, York County, Maine, USA — It was high noon by the time I got to the overlook on the back side of the Little River marsh, and the light was really too bright for white birds! This Snowy Egret with a nice plume was busy feeding in the pool close in. Such a handsome bird! OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 250 @ f7.1 @ 1/640th and ISO 320 @ f7.1 @ 1/800th.
Maine! Snowy Egret
Snowy Egret: York County, Maine, USA, June 2023 — Along the reaches of the lower Mousam River, way out in the marsh. This Snowy Egret was leap hunting along the edge of a pool. Two shots going up, and two coming down 🙂 OM Systems OM-1 with 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and assembled in FrameMagic. ISO 200 @ f8 @ 1/1250th. -1EV to save the highlights.
India! Grey Heron and Great Egret with lots of ducks and others at Saltanpur
Grey Heron, Great Egret: Saltanpur National Park, Rajasthan, India, March 2023 — Despite being often shrouded in the mirk of greater Delhi, the wetlands at Saltanpur are a vital resource for ducks, waterfowl, waders and other water birds, and home to a large herd of Nilgai antelope. I am always amazed at the resilience of nature. In this one image you can see three large waders, Black-necked Stilt, Painted Crane, Swamp-hen, and at least a few species of ducks. And the back end of a Nilgai. I had to work on it to draw the content out of the haze, but it certainly demonstrates how rich an area Saltanpur is for birds. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 250 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Great Egret views
Great Egret: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, September 2022 — While I have been sharing my photos from Uganda, of course life here in Maine has been going on. The other day I rode my eTrike on one of my loops and took a detour down to our local beach. There were a dozen or more Great Egrets in the marshes behind the dunes…this one quite close to the road. While I watched, it flew from one side of the road out over the tidal creek and back to the other side, even closer. These shots were taken without getting off my trike. 🙂 There was also a constant stream of Monarch Butterflies and Green Darner Dragonflies coming through headed south. I have a feeling that if I had time to sit and count them I would have totaled in the thousands for both for the day. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4.5, f5, and f5.6 @ 1000th.
Beach Roses in the view
The beach roses (Rugosa Rose) are in bloom in southern Maine. Beach Rose is an invasive species, originally from the Asia, that was imported and planted to stabilize dunes all along the Atlantic coast. You see it everywhere through most of the summer here in Maine. The flowers develop into Rose Hips…and are made, not so much in Maine, but in other Atlantic states, into a jam or jelly. They do make a great foreground for the skies of June…or this June at any rate. We have had a lot of these days lately. iPhone SE with Sirui 18mm lens. Auto with intelligent HDR turned on. Processed in Apple Photos.