Posts in Category: ocean

Maine! Eider

Common Eider: York County, Maine, USA, January 2025 — When we first moved back to Maine in 1995, there were flocks of hundreds, thousands, of Common Eiders all along the coast of York County. Now I have to go looking to find one…or one small flock of maybe half a dozen. I am not convinced that there are less Eiders, though that could well be true. just for sure that they don’t come into the coast here anymore. This handsome male reminded me. Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.

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.