Saturday (23-July-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Bald Faced Hornets Are Back. I thought I saw a Bald Faced Hornet yesterday, but by the time I got back out with a macro lens it was gone. I went out again today and found one on a cedar tree trunk. It looked to be collecting wood fiber for its nest. I walked the yard looking for the hornet nest/hive, but have not found it yet.

It was a year ago that I discovered a basket ball sized Bald Faced Hornet Nest/Hive. At that time I set up a telescope so I could take a movie of the nest from a safe distance.

Bald Faced Hornet Harvesting Fiber from a Cedar Tree Trunk. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens and TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) and SB-900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Bald Faced Hornet Harvesting Fiber from a Cedar Tree Trunk. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens and TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) and SB-900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Hovering Bald Faced Hornet Harvesting Fiber from a Cedar Tree Trunk. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens and TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) and SB-900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Hovering Bald Faced Hornet Harvesting Fiber from a Cedar Tree Trunk. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens and TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) and SB-900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Bald Faced Hornet Harvesting Fiber from a Cedar Tree Trunk. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens and TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) and SB-900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Bald Faced Hornet Harvesting Fiber from a Cedar Tree Trunk. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens and TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) and SB-900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.
Bald Faced Hornet Harvesting Fiber from a Cedar Tree Trunk. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens and TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) and SB-900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Bald Faced Hornet Harvesting Fiber from a Cedar Tree Trunk. Summer in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens and TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) and SB-900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro and Photoshop CS5.

Saturday (23-July-2011) — New Jersey

Summertime Heat Wave. “Let it Snow” in July.

The Carrier Clinic in nearby Belle Mead put this wishful thinking inflatable display up. They usually have it up in December and January. It has been in the upper 90’s and even over 100°F for the last several days. Anything to think cold is helpful.

Let it Snow -- July and 98°F in New Jersey. Wishful Thinking Inflatable Display in Front of the Carrier Clinic in Belle Mead, NJ. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). Out of the camera jpg image. (David J. Mathre)
Let it Snow — July and 98°F in New Jersey. Wishful Thinking Inflatable Display in Front of the Carrier Clinic in Belle Mead, NJ. Image taken with a Leica X1 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). Out of the camera jpg image.