Murmurations and more…
So far it has been a very cold stretch of weather in Kennebunk - brrrrrr!!! But the splendid bird sightings continue! I took this series yesterday afternoon on Christmas Day along the Kennebunk river. My shots from yesterday morning will have to wait for another day… I need more time to download them etc… but I promise you - they will be worth the wait!
I want to let you know how much I appreciate your post comments, emails, texts and calls - and also to apologize - I just can’t keep up in responding. But please know that I am so grateful that you enjoy - coming along with me…
I decided to spend some time along the Kennebunk river during the afternoon looking for water birds. Finally the sun popped out and I saw this gorgeous Common Eider across the river… this photograph makes me cold all over again when I look at it! They are such stunning birds…
I had been seeing a few occasional Red Breasted Mergansers going up and down the river earlier in the day so I decided to set up in the hopes that I would see one or two again… and I finally saw two - floating right past me! How spectacular are their red eyes and their long serrated bills? And just love those feathers on their heads….
A quick moving shadow passed over me - I looked up to see this striking Bald Eagle zooming past me!
I snapped this quick pic and picked up my tripod and camera and hustled down the pier - hoping it wouldn’t keep flying further away…
I spotted it through moored fishing boats at the top of this huge pine tree - I snapped this shot and continued to the end of the pier!
Wow! That is one huge bird… Full grown bald eagles like this one have a wingspan of anywhere from 5.5 ft to 7.5ft…
The most amazing thing happened next….. a Pigeon murmuration! Think of a murmuration as a ballet in the sky - with every bird exactly in sync with each bird right next to him or her. I have seen this happen many times at MacMillan Pier in Provincetown and have tried countless times to photograph this magnificent display …. with no luck. Yesterday, it finally all lined up for me - I felt totally “in the zone” and in lock step with these birds as they created all kinds of waves across the sky. I felt like I was swiveling my camera on its tripod in total harmony with their moves.
One of the reasons they will do this is a defense mechanism against a predator….like a bald eagle…. Just an fyi - starlings are known for their incredible murmurations - so for those that live near farms always keep your eye out for this splendid display.
I hope you enjoy this series… it was truly breathtaking…
I absolutely love this …. just like the Great Horned Owl ignoring the mobbing crows…
I was so hoping and anticipating that they would move to my left to make the turn and catch the beautiful light on their undersides…. Their formations kept getting more and more in sync….
I just love this…
And this….
I was so hoping they would turn so you could see their backs… and they did…And then they all landed on the rigging of one of the boats and it was all over for now…
I looked slightly to my right and caught the light on this ….
It was as if someone physically turned my body 180 degrees to look across to the right and up…. and there in a much closer position in the most beautiful late afternoon light was another bald eagle. I had been so focused on the other end of the pier with that eagle and the pigeons while this regal Bald Eagle was just waiting for me to notice… there are no words for these kinds of encounters…I keep wondering if the first eagle was the male and dealt with the swarming pigeons in order for the female to be left alone in peace…
My final photo on Christmas Day 2025….