Thursday (07-June-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

A Dragonfly and Icelandic Poppies.

Dragonfly on a Twig. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)
Dragonfly on a Twig. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)
Pink Icelandic Poppy Flower. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)
Pink Icelandic Poppy Flower. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)
Red Icelandic Poppy Flower. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)
Red Icelandic Poppy Flower. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)

Friday (01-June-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

While mowing the backyard, I found an Eastern Box Turtle at the edge of the grass and beginning of the wildflower meadow. The last time that I saw one in my yard was nearly 20 years ago. The back section is wet, and I recently found some May Apple plants — so had hoped to find that the turtles still existed on my property. There were frogs and dragonflies at the pond. The frogs jump into the pond before I can take their picture. Back on the patio, the plants in the Garden Towers are growing very fast. I have already started harvesting some of the lettuce. Individual images in the slide show can be viewed here.




Nine-Years Ago (20-June-2008) — New Jersey

Backyard Late Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Walkabout in my backyard on the last day of spring with a Nikon D3 camera and 200 mm f/2 telephoto lens with a 2x TC-E II teleconverter. Rabbits, dragonflies, fruits, flowers, and wildflowers.

Harvey the rabbit trying to hide. Backyard spring nature in new Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 200 mm f/2 telephoto lens and TC-E II 2x teleconverter (ISO 1600, 400 mm, f/4, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
Harvey the rabbit trying to hide. Backyard spring nature in new Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 200 mm f/2 telephoto lens and TC-E II 2x teleconverter (ISO 1600, 400 mm, f/4, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)


Monday (15-August-2016) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Walkabout at the Sourland Mountain Preserve this morning. Images of Dragonflies (having sex), Butterflies, a Canada Goose with an attitude, and a frog. Images of the Clearwing Hummingbird Moth, American Goldfinch, and my Troll with some large white mushrooms are in different posts. Images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens.


Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.


Friday (12-August-2016) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

When I  reviewed my older images for 12-August, I found that most are  of butterflies at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.  I am starting to feel a bit stronger after my bout with Lyme disease, so this morning I decided to check the Sourland Mountain Preserve out again. While taking the antibiotic for Lyme disease, I am not supposed to spend much time in the sun. So I put on a lot of sunscreen and a bunch of DEET. I took a Fuji X-T1 camera and the 100-400 mm OIS lens. This kit is a lot lighter than the ones that I have used in the past while visiting the Sourland Mountain Preserve. It doesn’t focus as fast, but neither did the original Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm lens. The morning trip was successful. Many good images of Butterflies (Tiger Swallowtail, Black Swallowtail, Great Spangled Fritillary, and White Cabbage), Dragonflies, and a Dog-Day Cicada. No Monarch Butterflies, and no Hummingbird Clearwing Moths. This is the first time I got a picture of a live cicada. In the past, I only have pictures of the exoskeleton or larva. The Cicadas were making a lot of noise . These are not the 17-year versions of Cicadas (not a peak year).


Swallowtail Butterflies. Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.



Great Spangled Fritillary Butterfly. Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.


Cabbage White Butterfly on a Chicory Flower. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens. (David J Mathre)
Cabbage White Butterfly on a Chicory Flower. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens. (David J Mathre)


Dragonflies. Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.


Dog Day Cicada. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens. (David J Mathre)
Dog Day Cicada. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens. (David J Mathre)