Monthly Archives: June 2024
Maine! Canadian Tiger Swallowtail
Canadian Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2024 — I have been seeing Tiger Swallowtails in the forest and fields of Southern Maine for a couple of weeks now, generally on the wing, gliding close to foliage or grass. This is not the first to pass through our yard, but it is the first that has settled while I was watching and had my camera ready. It visited the daisies twice…I missed it the first time, but it came back, and then flew right up to the deck where I was standing and settled on the geraniums just long enough for a few frames before it was off up over the roof of the house and away. OM System OM-1Mkii with the M.Zuiko 150-500IS zoom at 1200mm and 678mm equivalent. Hand-held at 1/320th. Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Nothing like being close: grey edition
Grey Catbird: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — Yet another bird from my session waiting for the hummingbirds to return to the feeder on the back deck. The Grey Catbirds have learned to hover up under the suet feeder and take suet. They stand on the deck rail under the feeder and then launch themselves up…and they are completely unafraid of me in my camp chair as long as I don’t move too fast. 🙂 OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent from about 10 feet. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! feel the heat?
We have had a couple of days of unusual heat for June. You might be able to feel in this photo from our local beach. I was out early photographing Piping Plover chicks before it got unbearable on the beach. I could go home. The Plovers are stuck there. 🙁 OM System OM-1 with M.Zuiko 12-45 f4 Pro. Program mode with in-camera HDR. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! More arty terns
Least Terns: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — A few more arty terns. They really show off against the green backdrop of the distant vegetation (and they are already show-offs in flight). OM System OM-1 with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 454mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Flying fish
Least Tern: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — It is the abundant supply of Sand Eels at the mouth of our tidal rivers that attract the breeding colonies of Least Terns, and, in my experience, about 1 in 10 close ups of a Tern in flight right now will show it carrying a Sand Eel. Sand Eels are part of the courtship ritual of Least Terns in Maine and the mate still brings eels to the sitting bird on the nest. When the eggs hatch both birds will bring eels to the young. So it is, literally, flying fish that keep the Least Terns on our beaches. And yes, the Sand Eel or sandeel is actually a fish, not an eel. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 454mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Downy away
Downy Woodpecker: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — Another shot from the “waiting for the hummer’s” series. Sitting on my back deck this Downy Woodpecker, one of the most frequent birds at our feeders year round, settled in the big maple above me, so I grabbed a few shots and was still on the bird when it decided to move on. So, not quite an accidental photo, but close to it. 🙂 Low light on a cloudy afternoon. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Strange pine fellows
Willet and American Goldfinch: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — On my way down the beach to photograph the Piping Plover chicks the other day a pair of Willets were guarding a nest in the beach grass. One or the other would settle in the short pine trees overlooking the nest. I caught both the Willet and a female American Goldfinch sharing the same perch. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Nothing like being close: black and white edition
Immature Hairy Woodpecker: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — Another shot while waiting on the hummingbirds to come to our feeder. This immature Hairy Woodpecker spends a lot of time on our deck, eating mealworms mostly, which it has learned to do directly from the mealworm feeder. Between the parents and the young the Hairys can go through 3 cups of mealworms in a day. I liked them better when they only came for the suet and an occasional sunflower seed. 🙂 This is pretty much a full frame shot at about 9 feet with the OM System OM-1Mkii and the M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Nothing like being close, purple edition.
Purple Finch: York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — While waiting for the Ruby-throated Hummingbird to put in a appearance at our feeder, this bright male Purple Finch came in to the sunflower seed feeder and posed so nicely for me that I could not resist a real close up. Great afternoon sun too. This is at 1600mm equivalent using the OM System OM-1Mkii with the M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent plus the 2x in-camera digital tele-converter. Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Along the Bridle Path
Along the Bridle Path in Kennebunk, Maine, looking out at Parson’s Beach. OM System OM-1 with M.Zuiko 12-45 f4 Pro zoom at 24mm. Program mode with in-camera HDR. Processed in Photomator.