Monthly Archives: January 2021
Thistle addict
American Goldfinch: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — The numbers of Goldfinches coming to our thistle feeder is increasing daily. This is the first year we have had them in December and January. They make a change from the chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, and woodpeckers. And the bluebirds. In fact, we have good variety of winter birds this year. I would love to have the cardinals that I see occasionally in other parts of town, but I am happy with the goldfinches. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 640 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
What? I only took one!
Tufted Titmouse: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — Okay, this is total projection, but I could not resist. This Titmouse looks so guilty! Caught in the act of stealing sunflower seeds on our back deck. 🙂 The bird is apparently unaware that, while I actually put the seeds on the deck for the squirrels, who have been very good recently about leaving my feeders alone, I certainly am not going to begrudge a sunflower seed for a titmouse. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 640 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Wild Bluebird
Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — Wild, in the sense that this is not a yard-bird. 🙂 I encountered a few bluebirds at Roger’s Pond Park on the Mousam River off Main Street in Kennebunk. They are part of a mixed flock, along with Cardinals, Chickadees, Titmice, and Downy Woodpeckers that feed in that area of town. Later in the winter they may be joined by a flock of Robins and Cedar Waxwings…or rather one flock of Robins and another of Cedar Waxwings since they don’t really mix. All of these birds are “different” than the mixed flock that frequents our back yard, though in a straight line I am less than a mile from Roger’s Pond. I can tell because we have a unique partially melanistic male Titmouse that hangs with our flock. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 1200mm equivalent (600mm optical plus 2x Clear Image Zoom). Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 500 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Confiding squirrel
Eastern Grey Squirrel, Kennebunk, Maine. I was taking photos of the birds out my back deck door, standing in the open slide, when this squirrel hopped up on the rail and came pretty much right up to me. This was taken at about 3 feet. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 400 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
and still the Cardinals…
Northern Cardinal: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I know there are Cardinals in Kennebunk all winter. They just don’t come to our neighborhood. The pair that nest between our house and the railroad tracks evidently are “summer folk”, and a have a winter home elsewhere. I found this one at Roger’s Pond Park beside the Mousam River in downtown Kennebunk. It was, of course, across the whole width of the river, so not much of a shot. More of a record really. The Cardinals are still with us. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 1200mm equivalent (600mm plus 2x Clear Image Zoom). Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 640 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
written in wood
Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, USA — These viral growths in tree bark are common in the forest in Southern Maine, but I have rarely seen a tree with so many or such a convoluted tale to tell. Sony Rx10iv at 24mm equivalent. Program mode with Auto HDR. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. Nominal exposure: ISO 320 @ f3.2 @ 1/60th.
Downy intent…
Downy Woodpecker: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — Another pose of the every day Downy Woodpecker. One nice thing about having a group of birds visit frequently is the opportunity to observe their interactions. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 800 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Everyday bird #3
Downy Woodpecker: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — sticking with my recent theme of “everyday” birds, this female Downy Woodpecker is another of the birds we see every day at out feeders…many times a day. Like the Chickadees and White-breasted Nuthatches, they have very little fear of humans and will fly in while I am standing on the deck in plain site, and just get about their business with the suet. This one has learned to get inside the suet cage to feed. It’s mate and the larger Hairies still hang off the bottom of the cage. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 800 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Another every day bird…
White-breasted Nuthatch: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — Celebrating another bird that comes to the feeders every day, year round. This White-breasted Nuthatch is contemplating the leap up to the next perch on its way to the suet, but it is another of those “keep looking up” photos that are appropriate for this new year. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 640 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Always Chickadees
Black-capped Chickadee: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — no matter what else, there will always be chickadees. They are first at the feeder in the morning, and last in the evening, and they come many times a day, every day. A day without chickadees in our backyard is almost unthinkable. And they are such friendly birds. They will come to the feeders on the deck while I am out filling them. So I try not to take them for granted. 🙂 They are worth watching every day, always up to something new. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 320 @ f4 @ 1/500th.