Purple Finch: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, May 2026 — This is not the season when we see Purple Finches at our feeders, so I was mildly surprised—and quite delighted—to see a whole little flock of them in the scruffy pines along the marsh trail. They moved ahead of me until they reached the open area of beach rose and flowering bushes, and then circled around me back to the pines—but not before I got a few shots of them. This one had this interesting ruff of fine breast feathers on both sides under the wings. Maybe a molt pattern? Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 at about 500mm equivalent field of view. Program with bird and wildlife modifications. Processed in Photomator.