Monthly Archives: November 2021
My first Snowy of 2021
Snowy Owl: Biddeford Pool, Maine, USA — I went out yesterday to do a poke around for Snowy Owls. There have been several in York County this past week (and at least one close encounter to go by the pics posted on Facebook). I did not have a close encounter, far from it, but I did manage to find one Snowy Owl, after several hours of visiting likely spots from past years and places they have been reported this year on eBird. This one was right at the narrows at Biddeford Pool…I was parked in the town parking by the market, but it was all the way across the channel on the other bank…barely a speck to the naked eye…and not clearly identifiable as a Snowy Owl. Could have been an upright white rock. I had to watch it for a while through the viewfinder at 1200mm on the Sony Rx10iv before it moved and I was certain it was an owl. Even then it only rotated its head. Not ideal for photography. This shot is at 1200mm equivalent using Clear Image digital zoom on the Sony, and then I enlarged it in Pixomator Photo Pro and cropped so it is at least the equivalent of a 3000mm lens. To make matters more difficult, it is a Snowy Owl…a difficult subject for exposure at any time. In the bright November sun, I had to dial the Exposure Compensation down to -1.3 EV to hold any detail in the white feathers. I tried even -2 EV but it still did not keep the highlights in check. The best I can say of this photo is that it is definitely a Snowy Owl. 🙂 It does give me hope for at least one close encounter this winter. We shall see. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent optical zoom plus 2x Clear Image zoom. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. -1.3 EV. Processed in Polarr, Pixelmator Pro, and Apple Photos. ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/800th.
Bluebird posing
Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — After yesterdays “action” shot of the bluebird taking off from its perch, I am not done with the bluebird yet. I have to share this shot of the bird posing nicely on the same perch, against that great background of late fall foliage. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr, Pixomator Photo Pro, and Apple Photos. ISO 1250 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Bluebird splash
Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — not a perfect shot but it certainly caught my eye when I was importing my photos from a walk to Roger’s Pond the other day. The bluebird was a little too far away even at 600mm on the zoom, and the light was not good, but when a bluebird splashes across the frame like this, well it certainly catches your eye. 🙂 The colorful background helps too. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr, Pixelmator Photo Pro, and Apple Photos. ISO 1000 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Male and female Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpeckers: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — I have seen more Pileated Woodpeckers this year than I have seen, all totaled, in the 10 years previously. As I noted yesterday, the female in this composite lives across the road from us in a patch of remnant forest along a stream, and I caught the male at Roger’s Pond Park, across the river from us, maybe 3/4 of a mile from our house, as the Pileated flies…so probably not a pair…but still an interesting comparison. (And, in fact, doing a bit of research here, Pileated territories can be up to 200 acres, and with the fragmented forest here in town, these two might still be a pair.) Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos and assembled in FrameMagic. Male ISO 100 @ f4 @ 1/1000th +1 EV, and Female ISO 125 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Pileated Lady
Pileated Woodpecker (female): Kennebunk, Maine, USA — yes this is one of those “same woodpecker on both sides of the tree” shots. I was set up to record my Sunday Morning Flute Meditation in front of our living room windows, when I saw movement across the street in front of our house. I know there is a female Pileated Woodpecker that hangs out in the woods back in there, and who visits our yard on rare occasions, and there she was, working a dead tree behind the fire hydrant. So, of course, I left the recording setup, grabbed my camera and a jacket and hat, and went out to see how close I could get. 🙂 These shots, two different shots assembled in Pixomatic to look like one, were taken from our mailbox. I had early morning sun at my back…and the light was so warm and intense that I lost all detail in the red crests, but still…you have to go for every Pileated…just because you do. 🙂 Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixomatic, Polarr, and Apple Photos. ISO 160 (left) and 125 (right) @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker: It is worth celebrating every time a Red-bellied Woodpecker shows up at the suet, since we do not see them often, but it is especially noteworthy when shows up when I have my camera handy, or stays long enough so that I can go get my camera. This one flew off as soon as I moved in the kitchen…typical behavior…but returned briefly after I had come back with the camera. The yellow cable tie was an unsuccessful attempt to discourage the two squirrels who have figured out how to imitate the woodpeckers and hang off the bottom of the suet cage to nibble between the bars. I shoo them away when I catch them, but, honestly, they can’t get much for all their efforts. The Downy Woodpecker and the Nuthatches get most of the suet. 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.
Bluebird for November
Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA — We are privileged to have had Bluebirds in our yard just about year around these past few years. As long as I keep the mealworm feeder stocked, we see them just about every hour of the day. They join the Chickadees, Nuthatches, and Downy Woodpeckers as our truly “resident” yard birds. 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.
Canada Geese
Canada Geese: Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, Wells, Maine, USA — I know Canada Geese are reaching “vermin” status in some parts of the country, but I still like to see them as they gather in Southern Maine in late fall. They are still mostly in the marshes, not on folks lawns here yet. (My attitude might be different if I were a golfer, but I am not.) This group was in the marsh beside the Merriland River where it flows through Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, below the bluff where the headquarters buildings are and the Well’s National Estuarine Research Reserve at Laudholm Farms on the other side of the river. Sony Rx10iv at ~580 equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photos and assembled in FrameMagic. ISO 400 and 640 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
Music loving Mallards
Mallard ducks: Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters, Wells, Maine, USA — the only thing special about this pair of Mallards from Branch Brook at Rachel Carson is that they were apparently music lovers…either that or they just came downstream to see what the awful racket was as I sat on the observation deck by the marsh playing my Native American Style flute. 🙂 (Of course it is almost impossible to make anything resembling a racket with a NAS flute…it is a naturally melodic instrument…which is why I play it.) They were still shy. Once I noticed them, cruising down under the bank, and stoped playing to take a few photos, they circled back upstream, and then when I started to play again, got up and flew away right in front of me toward the junction of Branch Brook with the Merriland River across the marsh. I wish I had had my camera up at that point…but at least I played them away on their journey. Sony Rx10iv at 580mm equivalent. Processed in Polarr and Apple Photo. ISO 1000 @ f4 @ 1/500th.
That birch…
This might be another story about Japanese Barberry, which provides the red understory here, but the photo is really about the birch tree…which I have photographed in every season. The ultra-wide lens makes it look less substantial than it is in person. It is s a big birch tree, and standing alone in the middle of a mostly maple forest at Laudholm Farms as it does, it is very impressive. iPhone SE with Sirui 18mm ultra-wide lens. Apple Camera app with Smart HDR engaged. Processed in Apple Photos.