Monthly Archives: March 2024
Maine! Bluebird in the frame
Eastern Bluebird: York County, Maine, USA, March 2024 — As I have mentioned before, Bluebirds are pretty much everywhere you look in York County by now. I see them in my yard every day, no matter the season. This one was along a trail through fields and forest that I walk at least once a month, most months. I like the “frame” here, the way the branches curve around the bird, and the way the light wraps the bird. OM System OM-1 with M. Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Florida! All about the dance
Snowy Egret: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — More Egrets dancing on the water (I told you I got lots of shots!). The grace and beauty of these birds is undeniable. Who can resist? OM System OM-1 with M. Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 300mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds-in-flight and action modifications. -1.0EV. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Ridiculous Finch
House Finch: York County, Maine, USA, March 2024 — I have never seen the courting behavior of the House Finch before yesterday and it is really quite something to see. It certainly appears as if the ability to look ridiculous might improve the breeding success of male House Finches. This one certainly thought it did, though I can’t say the female looks like the display is putting her in an amorous mood. He went on like this for quite some time, doing his best to strike the most ridiculous pose. And noisy too. OM System OM-1Mkii with M. Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Lesser Violetear
Lesser Violetear Hummingbird: Feathers Garden, Savegre Mountain Hotel and Spa, San Geraldo de Dota, Costa Rica, December 2023 — Another hummingbird who frequents the Feathers Garden at Savegre: the Lesser Violetear. It used to be the Green Violetear, until the name gods changed it to the Mexican and Lesser Violetear…and, no, there is no Greater Violetear. ?? This is a feisty little hummer that attempts to dominate the feeders wherever you find it…and it is common from the upper reaches of the Rainforest right up through Cloud Forest, at least to 8000 feet where I have seen it often. OM System OM-1 with M. Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Cardinal on ice
Northern Cardinal: York County, Maine, USA, March 2024 — Before my Cardinal after the March snow and ice event encounter slips too far into memory I need to share at least one more photo. 🙂 OM System OM-1Mkii with M. Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Florida! Cut-off
Snowy Egrets: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, January 2024 — While I have, as I mentioned when I first posted images from this encounter with the water dancing Egrets along Blackpoint drive, seen this behavior before many times, I never saw it so concentrated or so intense or involving so many birds at once as I did this January. The action was non-stop and I often did not know where to look, there were so many Egrets in the air at the same time. Close calls and cut-offs were inevitable. OM System OM-1 with M. Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 300mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. -1.0EV. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Song Sparrow on ice
Song Sparrow: York County, Maine, USA, March 2024 — The recent snow and ice event here in southern Maine had the birds sticking close to the feeders for two days and we had our first Song Sparrow of the year in our yard. I saw my first in York County a month ago (though that was a really early bird) and saw a flock of them out near a local pond two weeks ago, but this is the first of the year in the yard. The ice adds a touch of interest as well. OM System OM-1Mkii with M. Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Costa Rica! Winter bird
Rose-breasted Grosbeak: Feathers Garden, Savegre Mountain Hotel and Spa, San Geraldo de Dota, Costa Rica, December 2023 — Of course at least some of the December birds of Costa Rica are the summer birds of North America. Most long distance migrants end up further south, but a few of our warblers, tanagers, and orioles spend the winter in Costa Rica…including the Rose-breasted Grosbeak…holding its own for color (though only a shadow of its breeding self) among the bright tropical birds of the cloud forest. OM System OM-1 with M. Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Bluebird in frozen Maple
Eastern Bluebird: York County, Maine, USA, March 2024 — Another shot from our frozen Monday here in Southern Maine. Bluebird and iced Maple buds. OM System OM-1Mkii with M. Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Florida! Deadly dance
Snowy Egret: Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Titusville, Florida, USA, January 2024 — After my workshop day in Cocoa Beach at the Space Coast Birding and Nature Festival, I arrived early at Blackpoint Wildlife Drive, to find the Egrets and Spoonbills feeding avidly in the ponds right behind the entrance sign. Parking is awkward there, but in just 20 minutes I got more photos of Egrets dancing on the water than I had ever hoped to get. Part of it was the OM System OM-1 with its bird detecting, eye-tracking auto focus, and part of it was that I have never seen so much concentrated action in such a small pool. This sequence shows how effective the whole dance-on-the-water thing is for Snowy Egrets…though I still suspect they have more misses than hits. It is certainly fascinating to watch, and I have enough photos from this one stop to share for the next week or more. 🙂 OM System OM-1 with M. Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 300mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds-in-flight and action modifications. -1.0EV, 1/1600th second. Processed in Photomator.