Posts in Category: ocean
Maine! Labor Day at the beach
I went out looking for Sandpiper action at our local Kennebunk beach but had to stop for land/seascape. (There are some sandpipers along the surf line.) Sony a5100 with the E 10-18 f4 zoom at 15mm equivalent. Superior Auto with Landscape Scene mode. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Goldeneye
Common Goldeneye: York County, Maine, USA, January 2024 — Another bird that I have not seen much of off our coast here in Southern Maine for many years is the Common Goldeneye. When I first moved here in the mid 90’s, if memory serves, they were relatively common near our local beach. Perhaps the recent storm brought these. There were the two males and at least one female. It is nice to catch them in good light to show off the green of head…just one of the colors it can be in changing light. OM Systems OM-1 with the ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator. Assembled in FrameMagic.
Maine! Horned Grebe
Horned Grebe: York County, Maine, USA, January 2024 — Eared Grebe used to be a common sight at the mouths of our rivers here in Southern Maine, but this might be the first one I photographed in at least a decade. Something happened to the sea bed along our coast in a major storm going on 20 years ago, and the big flocks of Eiders, the Horned and Red-necked Grebes, Long-tailed Ducks, the Surf and White-winged Scoters, were pretty much gone over-night. Or maybe I just have not been looking hard enough. 🙂 Two Horned Grebes showed up after the weekend storm that also did quite a bit of damage to the sea-bed and shore line all up the coast of Southern Maine. Could be a coincidence, but maybe not. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro.
Maine! You do know I can see you?
Common Loon: Kennebunk, York County, Maine, USA, November 2023 — An uncommon view of a Common Loon from the mouth of one of our local rivers. Very aware of me there taking the photo, but not overly concerned. 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! stealth Loon, and Loon lunch
Common Loon: Kennebunk, York County, Maine, USA, November 2023 — Common Loons always strike me as pugnacious. Tough. Ready for a fight. They are relatively efficient hunters, but still, hunting is their full time business. Much more so than the Red-throated Loons we have this time of year as well. The Red-throats seem to spend much more time on the surface??? Or maybe that is just my imagination. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Long Sands Beach, York, Maine
Long Sands Beach, York, Maine, February 2023 — I got on the wrong road coming back from York Hospital where I had a Travel Medicine appointment yesterday, and came up the coast a ways. Not the first time it has happened. I don’t go to York enough to know where I am. Still, it was a beautiful afternoon in February, and I stopped along Long Sands, south of Nubble Light, for this iPhone ultra-wide shot. Auto exposure (which has HDR always engaged on my iPhone 13). Processed in Apple Photos.
A little bay on the south Pacific coast of Costa Rica
An iPhone SE and Sirui 18mm lens shot of a little bay north of Marino Ballena National Park on the south Pacific coast of Costa Rica. What a view!
Red-throated Loon
Red-throated Loon: East Point, Biddeford Pool, Maine, USA — While looking for Snowy Owls around Biddeford Pool, I walked the trails and shoreline at East Point Audubon Preserve. As I went back toward the Pool along the estuary there was a small mixed group of water birds feeding in loose formation…one eider, one Red-breasted Merganser (which I will share tomorrow) and this Red-throated Loon. Red-throated Loons can be seen off the Maine coast through the winter. The green water shot was close in to shore and I was looking down on the bird…hence the difference in water color. Though the bird is not in breeding plumage, you can recognize it by its slim elegant profile and its smooth rounded head. It helped that I had already seen one Common Loon, earlier in my wandering that day, and the Common Loon profile was fresh in my memory. This was definitely a different bird. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. bottom shot enlarged in Pixelmator Photo Pro. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/800th and 1/640th.
Wood Island Light
Wood Island Light guards the entrance to Saco Bay and the Saco River. This shot is from the East Point Sanctuary in Biddeford Pool where I was looking for Snowy Owls just before our Nor-easter. No owls, but a classic winter’s day photograph of the light. Sony Rx10iv at 24mm equivalent. Program mode with auto HDR. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. Nominal exposure: ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Safe Harbor
Cape Porpoise Harbor, Cape Porpoise Maine
“If your eye is generous, your whole being is full of light.” Jesus
Yesterday was one of those gray fall days in Maine along the coast. Just enough rain falling to dampen, skies heavy overhead, sea agitated…almost angry on the rocky shore. And yet, it was day to enjoy…a day of joy in being alive. In Cape Porpoise the lobster boats were mostly anchored, and the dock was quiet, under the eye of the lighthouse on Goat Island. We ate the excellent clam chowder at the Chowder House, and watched Eiders catching crabs, and Gulls stealing them. The sign on the wall announced the end of the season and begged our patience since all the summer help was gone back to college and school. We were warm on the inside and the outside by the time we left, with a the deep quiet of the end of season day settling in us, still at our centers as the boats floating the harbor…anchored by our faith in a loving creator and wrapped in the light, of the fellowship of Christ. Our safe harbor, our guiding light, no matter what comes in wind and rain, or how the waves beat against the shore…no matter the end of seasons, or even the end of days. We know where our harbor lies…we know the light within and look at the world of weather and change with generous eyes.
Happy Sunday! May you know safe harbor today.