Daily Archives: June 23, 2024
Maine! Nothing like being close: squirrelly edition
Grey Squirrel: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2024 — Another visitor to the deck while I was waiting on the hummingbirds. Between squirrel proof feeders and some training, the squirrels are mostly happy with spilled seed these days, and they are quite fearless. They are up on the deck when I am right there in my chair, pretty much daring me to do anything about it. 🙂 I am happy to let them have the spilled seed. OM System OM-1Mkii with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Air defense
Least Tern (with Rock Dove): York County, Maine, USA, June 2024 — I had never thought of the Rock Dove (pigeon) as a potential predator of Least Tern eggs, but this pigeon was showing way too much interest in one particular Least Tern nest on the beach. I had also never realized just how big a Rock Dove is compared to a Least Tern. The Terns made a valiant attempt to dive the pigeon off, dive bombing it on the beach and harassing it in the air, but when it landed near the nest and showed every intention of raiding it, they went into full air defense mode with one of most amazing shows of aerial dexterity I have ever seen. Every Tern on the beach joined in, and for several moments the Dove had their full attention…until it finally decided two tern eggs were not worth the hassle and got up and flew off into the distance. OM System OM-1 with M.Zuiko 100-400IS zoom at 338mm (Dove and Tern) and 800mm equivalent. Program mode with my birds-in-flight and action modifications. Processed in Photomator and assembled in FrameMagic.