Rock Pigeon: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — You can tell I am desperate for photographic subjects when I start photographing Rock Pigeons…Robins, Mallards, etc. I found myself photographing all three yesterday, here in Kennebunk, Maine. They were there, and little else was, of course, but I was also appreciating their beauty…which most of the time I overlook. The iridescence on the throat of this otherwise basically gray Rock Pigeon really stands out. And note the bright red eye. This bird is actually a pretty fair example of the typical wild Rock Pigeon, harkening back to the original stocks that came over from Africa to colonize North America. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f5 @ 1/1000th.

There is a poem:

10/24
Late in the afternoon, cloudy
day light already failing fast,
I had just finished cleaning up
from making oat milk, and,
while I was at it in the sink,
getting the french press ready
for tomorrow, and emptying
the sink drain strainer outside
among the plants (they love
the mix of coffee grounds and
oat mash) when I glanced,
in passing, out the deck doors
at the feeders. I suppose some
flurry of activity caught the
corner of my eye. The feeders
and all the perches we have
provided, were covered with
small birds…Pine Siskins as
I looked closer. I counted as
they flew off…20 at least…
a veritable hoard of siskins…
or since they are allied with
the finches, perhaps a “charm”
or a “company” or a “trembling”
(all collective nouns for finches)
of fine featured Pine Siskins.
Three hung around at the
thistle feeder long enough
for me to get a photo or two,
despite the light. The photos
will be nothing much to boast
of but enough to seal the
memory of the afternoon we
were invaded by a trembling
of the Pine Siskins, 20 strong.

Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos.