Monthly Archives: April 2021
Song Sparrow sings
Song Sparrow: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — The Song Sparrows were back under the feeders at my backyard photo blind before any other migrant bird. That is too be expected, as they are early birds in the fields and marshes here in Southern Maine as well. However, this will be only the second year we have had them in our yard regularly so I was happy to see them. They don’t sing often around they yard, but I caught this one up on the fence behind the feeding station, giving song. Technically this is an interesting photo for a couple of reasons. First it is an extreme crop from the full frame as even at 600mm equivalent, the distance was great and the bird was tiny (a 2.8mp crop from a 20mp frame, or the equivalent of a 4200mm lens), and second because I used “Machine Learning Super Resolution” in Pixelmator Photo to enlarge the crop and restore some of the resolution (bringing back up to 6.8mp). Depending on where you view this (on my blog or on FaceBook or Instagram) and on what size screen you view it on, you may or may not be able to appreciate the level of detail the combination of the ZEISS lens, the Sony sensor, and the Pixelmator software was able to render under challenging conditions. It will not stand up to pixel peeping, as the Machine Learning part becomes evident, but it is pretty impressive at normal viewing sizes. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 200 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
House Finch
House Finch: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — Already this year is different than last year, bird-wise. Last year the House Finches made a brief appearance right about now, for a single sighting, and then disappeared until late summer. They were replaced at the feeders by Purple Finches soon after that one visit, so we did not miss them. All considered, I prefer Purple Finches to House Finches anyway. Purple Finches are somehow more “wild”, less domesticated than their aptly named House Finch cousins. The small tribe that frequented our yard spring, summer, and fall were the first to pay more than a fleeting visit to the feeders, so there was the novelty factor. This year the House Finches have been here several days, and are at the feeders several times a day, for extended visits. All finches have the capacity to hog the feeders…as they sit on the perch and throw seed around until they find just the right one. As in this set of photos of our male, taken at close range from my backyard photo blind. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 200 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Gotcha! White-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — Even when photographing from my backyard photo blind, I like to catch birds away from the feeders, and I have, of course, set up the feeding station with that in mind…placing the feeders naturally among many perches. The Nuthatches remain a challenge. They rarely perch either on the way into the feeders or on their way out…and if they do they are always way back in and far away (relatively speaking). So I have reason to celebrate every nuthatch caught away from the feeders. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 500 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Squirrel among the Maple blossoms
Eastern Gray Squirrel: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I looked out of my window yesterday afternoon, peaking between the blinds, and saw a squirrel on the maple branch above me. He appeared to be eating the maple blossoms…I have been watching the maple blossoms since they were just tiny red beads on the branch tips. Maple blossoms are one of my favorite things about spring. They are so beautiful, and so unlikely. I suspect the vast majority of Americans do not know that maples flower, and certainly do not know how beautiful the flowers are. Our blossoms are not quite ready to open into full flowers yet, but they have made a lot of progress the past few days. I certainly did not expect to see the squirrels eating them. A google peruse this morning shows that it is common behavior…to the extent that are recommended “cures” to keep squirrels from decimating ornamental maples in folk’s yards. We have so many maple trees here in Southern Maine, and even in our yard, that it would take a plague of squirrels of biblical proportions (as they say) to do much damage. Much as I appreciate maple flowers, if the squirrels prefer them to my sunflower seeds in season, I say “let them eat flowers!” Anyway, I got my camera and spent a while watching and photographing the squirrel getting into all kinds of greedy postures among the maple blossoms. Each of these three shots tells its own story, and together they tell a tale. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 400, 250, and 250 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Chickadee snack
Black-capped Chickadee: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — this Black-capped Chickadee spent a few moments dispatching a small seed, one bit at a time…the way they do…with the seed held between the foot and the branch, and bending down to peck at it with the beak. Taken from my backyard photo blind with the Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Photo and Apple Photos. ISO 320 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Tufted Titmouse pair
Tufted Titmouse: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — this pair of Tufted Titmice have been with us for several years now, summer and winter, visiting our feeders many times a day. The male is harder to photograph as he spends less time around the feeders. It is not that he comes less often…it is that his raids are fast, and he does not perch anywhere in sight most of the time. I attribute some of his shyness to his unique coloration. It might be just that much harder for an atypical titmouse to survive. His partial melanism is, evidently, not hereditary, as they have raised several broods while we have watched, and all have been normal titmice. Taken from my backyard photo blind. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. Both shots: ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Easter Cardinal
Northern Cardinal: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — We don’t have Cardinals nesting in our yard. The nearest pair is a block away. I hear them singing this time of year, and most of the summer, whenever I am in my blind, and occasionally, they come to see what seed is being spilled under our feeders. I had only been in the blind a few moments yesterday, and was still getting set up, when both male and female came by…not close…but passing through the pines on their way somewhere else. I managed a few shots of the male. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 200 @ f4 @ 1/500th. Better than a chocolate egg for Easter any time!
Mourning Dove
Mourning Dove, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — The Mourning Dove is another bird that only started frequenting our yard last year. I am sure we had a few pass through in previous years, but now that I am using a seed mix in some of my feeders, and there is always spilled millet and milo on the ground, the doves are daily visitors, sometimes a dozen at a time. That is okay by me. It is actually rare to see on up in a tree like this, but they do fly and perch, even though they are primarily ground feeders. Such subtle color. So beautiful. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 200 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Bluebird
Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — When I rebuilt my backyard photo blind feeder station this spring, I added a few more perch branches, and relocated the mealworm feeder. The Bluebirds are now using the perches on the way in to the feeder, which gives me a chance to photograph them in a more natural setting…as opposed to at the feeder itself. This is our male. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 160 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Standing tall, Eastern Bluebird
Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — This female Eastern Bluebird was stretching up tall to see something happening a few branches or trees over. On alert. Being able to observe at this this level of behavior is one of the blessings of using my backyard photo blind. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos. ISO 160 @ f4 @ 1/500th.