Field Sparrows are a species of conservation concern in Maine…and I certainly do not see many of them. So few that, at least on the Kennebunk Plains Wildlife Management Area where both nest, I always have to convince myself that they are not Clay-colored Sparrows, a truly rare bird in Maine. This pair stayed just at the limits of photography with my 600mm lens.

Sony Rx10iii at 600mm equivalent. 1/250th @ f4 @ ISO 100. Processed and cropped heavily in Polarr. 

There seem to be a lot of Eastern Towhees this year. I see them on the Kennebunk Plains and at Laudholm Farms…and they are still very vocal. They are singing abbreviated songs now, which I think is typical of the nesting period. This gentleman hopped around in the lower branches off the boardwalk through the Maple Swamp at Laudholm and finally hopped up to pose on the tip of this dead birch twig. Ideal! Add the glint of sun in his eye and it is a very satisfying portrait. At least to me 🙂

Sony Rx10iii at 600mm equivalent. Program mode. -.7 EV. 1/250th @ f4 @ ISO 100. Processed in Polarr. 

This is another light in the forest shot…about nothing in particular, and everything to do with the play of light and shadow…the texture of green foliage and grey tree bark, against a background of brown fallen leaves. These are young trees, mostly grown since the forest fires of 1947. Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters Trail. 

Sony Rx10iii at 24mm equivalent. In-camera HDR. 6 stop difference at -.7 EV. Processed in Polarr. 

The Calico Pennants are in full cry at Day Brook Pond on the Kennebunk Plains Wildlife Management Area in West Kennebunk Maine, and they are certainly among my most favorite dragonflies. This is an adult male. As I have argued before, this should really be the Valentines Pennant. How else explain the row of hearts down the abdomen? It is a glorious bug by any name.

Sony Rx10iii at 1200mm equivalent (2x Clear Image Zoom). Processed in Polarr. 

I would have had to trek further up the rocks to get the Light out from behind the Bell House and tower, but I would have lost the clouds behind. And Carol was waiting up by the pines. If you look closely you can see her in light blue right of the red pump house on the left. I have edited two tourists out as it is, who were beyond me on the rocks below the Light and in plain view. Someone said I should not edit the tourists out as the Maine economy is so dependent on them, but these two were not aesthetically pleasing, and were inconviently placed. Serves them right 🙂

Sony RX10III at 24mm equivalent. In-camera HDR. -.7 EV. Processed in Polarr. 

I was beginning to wonder what had become of the Red Squirrels at Laudholm Farms (Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve in southern Maine). There are generally several that I see every year, but I did not find one until last week. I suspect this is one of a few I always see on the same section of boardwalk. They like to come down and eat the maple seeds that collect. It must be much easier than digging them out from under the ferns and foliage of the forest floor. I think Red Squirrels are cuter than Gray Squirrels…and, yes, I know that in residential areas they are much more destructive. In the forest though their compact from and perky attitude is attractive. I think.

Sony Rx10iii at 600mm equivalent. Program mode. f4 @ 1/250th @ ISO 100. Processed in Polarr.

Several years in the past Carol and I have celebrated our wedding anniversary with a day out at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay Maine. It is a lovely place to spend a July morning, among the flowers, and often dragonflies of the variety of gardens they have on the grounds. But July is too late for one of the main gardens: the Giles Rhododendron Garden, which has over 100 varieties of Rhododendron and Azalea terraced up a hillside under tall pines. So this year we went early…but the earlies time and weather allowed was this past Thursday. We were still just about a week too late. The garden was in bloom on the 15th, according to the CMBG blog, but heavy rains several days between then and our visit put and end to the bloom. We found plants in odd corners still showing…but the main event, with the hillside full of pastel color, was past. These are a few of the remaining blossoms. 

Sony Rx10iii at various focal lengths. Program mode. Processed in Polarr and assembled in FrameMagic. 

I have been blessed with several close birds recently. This Eastern Phoebe was hunting around the observation deck off the boardwalk at Laudholm Farms when I visited last. Clearly with some success. I saw it take at least two of these bettles.  Quite a mouthful for a little bird 🙂

Sony Rx10iii at 600mm equivalent. Program mode. 1/250th @ f4 @ ISO 100. Processed in Polarr. 

The tall Hawkweed is in bloom at Laudholm Farms in Wells Maine (Wells National Estuarine Reserve). Hawkweed is an interesting plant in that each clump shares a genetic identity…which is subtly different than any other clump, even though they might only be separated by a few yards. Here we have two busy bees collecting pollen in the Hawkweed…obviously with some success. The top specimen is one of the largest Green Metallic Bees (there are several species in the family) that I have ever seen, and the bottom bee, if I am not mistaken, is a Common Honey Bee. I have made the flowers roughly the same size in each panel so that you can see the difference in size between the bees. 

Sony Rx10iii at 600mm equivalent. Program mode. -.7 EV. Processed in Polarr and assembled in FrameMagic. 

The other day when I was at Day Brook Pond on the Kennebunk Plains Wildlife Management Area there was a small flock of Purple Finches…at least 2 males and half a dozen females. Their singing caught my ear from half way around the pond, and I tracked them down and even got a few pics…not great pics…but Purple Finch is actually a good bird for York County. Range maps show the Purple Finch as a breeding species in all of Maine, but ebird has no sightings at all for Southern Maine. The nearest are down in Massachusetts at Plum Island (Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, and well north of Portland. So…a good bird. I suspect it is actally just under-reported, as opposed to absent, since I have seen them at least a few times at my feeders as well. I will certainly be looking for them this summer around the pond.

Sony Rx10iii at 600mm equivalent. Program mode. +1 EV to overcome backlight. Processed in Polarr.