
I did not start the day today knowing that it is National Reptile Awareness Day so I missed the opportunity to post this week’s reptile encounter as my pic for today. Now that I know, better late than never 🙂 Though we have lots of reptiles in southern Maine, I can go weeks without encountering one, so it is kind of special that this smallish garter snake crossed the path ahead of me at Laudholm Farms this week and stayed at the side of the path long enough for some photos.. That is pretty rare in itself. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at various focal lengths for framing. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modificaions. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and assembled in FrameMagic.

Laudholm Farms (Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve), Wells, Maine, USA, October 2023 — There is nothing quite like a mixed forest in Southern Maine in October. This is a trail at Laudholm Farms, down along the border with the on section of Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. Glorious light and glorious fall color. OM Systems OMD EM5Mkiii with 12-45mm zoom at 24mm equivalent. Program mode with in-camera HDR. -.3EV. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos.

Savanah Sparrow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, American Crow, Eastern Bluebird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Song Sparrow: York County, Maine, USA, October 2023 — I am falling behind on posting my October photos. Just too many good photo ops here in Southern Maine this year. These are birds from two walks on the Bridle Path. And these are only the ones close enough for a good photo. 🙂 I put the Yellow-rump in twice so you can see the rump and how plain the fall bird is if you do not see the rump. All shots with the OM Systems OM-1 and the ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and assembled in FrameMagic.

Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve at Laudholm Farms, Wells, Maine, USA, October 2023 — Some days you just have to get out with your camera. Those clouds will be rain today. OM Systems OMD EM5Mkiii with 12-45mm zoom at 24mm equivalent. Program mode with in-camera HDR. Processed in Pixelmator Pro.

Wild Turkey: York County, Maine, USA, October 2023 — I came up on a flock of Wild Turkeys beside the road early one morning…a mixed flock for a change, one big Tom and several hens and well grown poults…so a harem. Tom turkeys are strange looking at the best of times, but here in the awkward season they look especially alien. These shots were all from the windows of the car, first on one side of the road and then the other. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at various focal lengths for framing, 200-800mm equivalents. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and assembled in FrameMagic.

If the pines are jealous of the maple’s fall finery, they can take pride in supporting the fiery climbing vine. This is Virginia Creeper, sometimes know as Woodvine…as it is one of the few climbing vines that turns red in the fall. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 554mm equivalent. Program mode. Processed in Pixelmator Pro. ISO 500 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.

Great Egret: York County, Maine, USA, October 2023 — Certainly stalking mumminchog, and maybe grasshoppers too, in the marsh along the Bridle Path. The Great Egret manages to make even is stalk look elegant and graceful. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and assembled in FrameMagic. ISO 200 @ f6.3 @ 1/800th.

Rapids with their burden of fallen leaves on the Batson River at Emmon’s Preserve in Kennebunkport Maine. This is an intermediate shot between frozen water and silk…an HDR in Shutter preferred at 1/5 of a second and f18. ISO 200 at 24mm equivalent with the OM Systems OMD EM5Mkiii with the 12-45mm zoom. Processed in Pixelmator Pro.

Great Egret: York County, Maine, USA, October 2023 — Even enlarged I can not quite see what the prey is here…I am assuming shore shrimp or mumminchog (a small marsh fish). As I said yesterday, it was finding a lot of them. They obviously go down the hatch whole. OM Systems OM-1 with ED 100-400mm zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and assembled in FrameMagic. ISO 250 @ f6.3 @ 1/640th.

Kennebunk, Maine, USA. Early morning sun on the fall foliage along the Bridle Path where it crosses a small, nameless, tidal creek. Three images with the OM Systems OMD EM5Mkiii and the 12-45mm zoom at 24mm equivalent. In-camera HDR scene mode. Processed in Pixomator Pro and stitched in Bimostitch. Final touch-up in Apple Photos.