Point & Shoot Nature Photographer

Eastern Bluebird: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, October 2026 — Sometimes it is more about the picture than the subject. This Eastern Bluebird was too far away by far for a satisfying portrait, but who could resist the picture? The reds and yellows of fall. The blue and brown of the bird. The ripe crabapples. The slant of the sun making even the twigs dance. And the over-the-shoulder pose, as though expecting an arrival at any moment. All kinds of harmonics at play. More music than a photo generally manages to capture. So, yes, this one is all about the picture. Sony a7CR with Sony FE 100-400 f5.6-F8 at 400mm. Cropped to 3mp, so about an 1800mm equivalent field of view (and pretty amazing at that distance). My birds and wildlife mode. Processed from HEIF in Photomator.

Autumn Meadowhawk Dragonflies: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, October 2026 — The Yellow-rumped Warblers may have already passed through, but along the same trail where they were thick a few days ago, there are now just as many Autumn Meadowhawks. They are everywhere. Of course, being considerably smaller than a warbler, they are not as present, perhaps, unless you are attuned to them. I am. This late in the fall, they seem to be smaller than the early flights and to have more color in their wings, but maybe that is just a reflection of the fall. (All and every pun intended. 🙂 Sony a7CR with Sony FE 100-400 f5.6-f8 at 400mm. Cropped to 11, 9, and 10mp so right around 1000mm effective field of view. My birds and wildlife mode (which includes insects). Processed from HEIF in Photomator.

Song Sparrow: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, October 2026 — We have a few more Song Sparrows passing through—or our resident Song Sparrows are becoming more active and visible as migration approaches—hard to tell which—but I am seeing them again along the berm trail in the marsh where they have been shy the second half of summer. They are still playing hard to get. This one was right beside me, but stayed well on the backside of the bush so that the camera faced the almost impossible task of finding and focusing on the eye through the obstructions and with distracting elements behind. And yet it did just that. Pretty amazing. And of course an amazing bird at any time, in any setting. Sony a7CR with Sony FE 100-400 f5.6-f8 at 400mm. Cropped to 14mp so somewhat over 800mm effective field of view. My birds and wildlife mode with expandable spot focus area. Processed in Photomator.

Yellow-rumped Warbler: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, October 2026 — Apparently, the horde of Yellow-rumped Warblers cleared out ahead of the storms of the past few days. I found only a bird here and there today where there were dozens, maybe hundreds, a few days before. This is a shot from a few days ago. I was further from the bird than you might think. This is an 8mp crop, but if the detail survives upload, it is a feast for the eyes. Sony a6700 with Sony FE 100-400 f5.6-f8 OS at 600mm equivalent. Cropped to about 1100mm effective field of view. My birds and wildlife mode. Processed in Photomator.

Harlequin Ladybug (or Ladybird Beetle): Kennebunk, Maine, USA, October 2026 — I stopped to take a photo of the lichen on a downed branch in the forest and discovered this tiny ladybug (or ladybird beetle as it is sometimes called) foraging. The contrast between bug and lichen was too good to pass up. This is a very small bug: no more than 10mm, and this one was smaller than that. Sony a6700. Sony FE 100–400 at 600mm equivalent. Cropped to 7mp so about 1100mm effective field of view. My birds and wildlife mode, with insect recognition. Processed in Photomator.

Black-capped Chickadee: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, October 2026 — Sometimes life conspires to beauty, and your breath catches. Sometimes you are ready to catch it. Sometimes you actually do. I think this is one of those moments. Sony a6700 with Sony FE 100-400 f5.6-f8 at 600mm equivalent. Cropped to about 900mm effective field of view. My birds and wildlife mode. Processed in Photomator.

Red-tailed Hawk, Kennebunk, Maine, USA, October 2026 — Our resident Red-tailed Hawks have been scarce this summer, but there seem to be a few migrating through just now. This one was overhead while I was photographing the horde of Yellow-rumped Warblers in the trees along the marsh trail. Not close, but it circled many times as it climbed. Sony a6700 with the Sony FE 100-400 f5.6-8 at 600mm equivalent. Cropped to 4 and 3 mp, so effective fields of view of about 1500 to 1750mm. My birds in flight and action mode. 1/2000th. Processed in Photomator.

Yellow-rumped Warbler: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, October 2026 — There are thousands of Yellow-rumped Warblers in the trees that line the old trolley berm through the marsh beside the river, and they, or at least their fellows, have been there for most of a week now. I do not know if they are staging there, for if high numbers are passing through daily, but at any given moment you might be surrounded by 30 or more warblers—and moving up the trail the density does not change. They are everywhere! And some are quite close. I had my pick of photo ops, and I was trying for a few shots that would capture both the autumn and the warblers. This sequence, in a large-appled crabapple tree, framed against the distant foliage, pretty much does it for me. 🙂 Sony a6700 with Sony FE 100–400 f5.6–f8 at 600mm equivalent. Cropped to 9mp so about 1000mm effective field of view. My birds and wildlife mode. Processed in Photomator.

One of my favorite all-time locations for photography, this little pond, right beside a busy road only a few miles from home, really lights up in the fall. Give it the right sky and it is magic. Sony a6700. Sony 16–50 f3.5–5.6 kit lens at 24mm equivalent. My custom HDR-like landscape mode. Processed from a HEIF in Photomator.

White-breasted Nuthatch: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, October 2026 — We are nearing peak color here in Southern Maine, and the birds are getting into autumn mode. The nuthatches are often at the feeders, collecting and sometimes devouring sunflower seeds. This one posed nicely in front of a little patch of color while working the kernel out, making for some more artistic renderings. Sony a7CR with FE 100-400 f5.6-f8 at 400mm. Cropped to about 800mm effective field of view (16mp). My birds and wildlife mode. Processed in Photomator.