Year: 2017

Sunday (23-July-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

We had a lot of rain last night. Good for the small wildflower meadows, and good for the few tomato plants that haven’t been nibbled by the deer. I did an early morning walkabout to view the wildflowers. I am still getting a lot of Poppy blooms, as well as Cosmos, Coreopsis, Zinnia, Blackeyed Susan, and others that I don’t know the ID. Some of the Sunflowers are starting to bloom (those that the deer didn’t find). I also saw that the Burma (Bottle Gourd) bloomed last night with a big white flower.

The kitchen renovation is progressing. All but one of the IKEA cabinets have been assembled. Still lots of work to do. After the contractor left, I went back out to the wildflower meadow and saw a Clearwing Hummingbird Moth. It made my day knowing that the work to create the trial wildflower garden/meadow was worth it…

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth approaching a Pink Cosmos wildflower. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (© 2017 David J Mathre)
Clearwing Hummingbird Moth approaching a Pink Cosmos wildflower. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (© 2017 David J Mathre)


Saturday (22-July-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

The first Sunflower to bloom in my wildflower meadow. Somehow it escaped the deer that have nibbled many of the sunflower plants before they were able to bloom. The deer don’t seem to mind the electric fence. My neighbors tell me that I need to put up an 8-10 foot fence. That won’t keep the ground-hog from digging below the fence.

First Sunflower Bloom. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/6.3, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
First Sunflower Bloom. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/6.3, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)

Thursday (06-July-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

The deer keep sniffing around my wildflower meadow. There are several young fawns with spots that pass through the yard with their herd every day. I don’t mind when they eat the grass. Many more wildflower pictures, several with bumblebees working the flowers. I was pleasantly surprised to see a Clearwing Hummingbird Moth. It is smaller than others that I have seen, so it may be the Snowberry Clearwing Moth. The other interesting thing I saw in the garden were Japanese beetles that appear to be eating the hated “mile-a-minute” vine that has become invasive. As long as the Japanese beetles don’t eat too many of the wildflower plants, I am going to leave them alone.

Hummingbird Moth (Hemaris thysbe or Hemaris diffinis). Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR telephoto zoom lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec) (David J Mathre)
Hummingbird Moth (Hemaris thysbe or Hemaris diffinis). Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR telephoto zoom lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec) (David J Mathre)
Hummingbird Moth (Hemaris thysbe or Hemaris diffinis). Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR telephoto zoom lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec) (David J Mathre)
Hummingbird Moth (Hemaris thysbe or Hemaris diffinis). Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR telephoto zoom lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec) (David J Mathre)
Japanese Beetles eating the hated "Mile-a-Minute" vine in my backyard wildflower meadow. Summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR telephoto zoom lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec) (David J Mathre)
Japanese Beetles eating the hated “Mile-a-Minute” vine in my backyard wildflower meadow. Summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR telephoto zoom lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec) (David J Mathre)


Sunday (02-July-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

I have been taking pictures of the backyard wildflower meadow, but have not been keeping up with processing the images. I’ve also been juggling several home renovation projects. Someday, I need to share pictures of the inside projects. The outside patio is also moving along.

Red poppy in my backyard wildflower meadow. Summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 56 mm f/1.2 lens (ISO 200, 56 mm, f/6.4, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Red poppy in my backyard wildflower meadow. Summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 56 mm f/1.2 lens (ISO 200, 56 mm, f/6.4, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)


Three-Years Ago (27-June-2014) — Spain

Gone to See Europe 2014. Day 27: Semester at Sea, Summer 2014 Semester Voyage. Getxo, Spain.

Sidewalk Skaters in Getxo Spain. Images taken with a Leica X2 camera. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, and Photoshop CC 2014

Sidewalk Skaters in Getxo Spain. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, and Photoshop CC 2014 (David J Mathre)
Sidewalk Skaters in Getxo Spain. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, and Photoshop CC 2014 (David J Mathre)
Sidewalk Skaters in Getxo Spain. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, and Photoshop CC 2014 (David J Mathre)
Sidewalk Skaters in Getxo Spain. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, and Photoshop CC 2014 (David J Mathre)
Sidewalk Skaters in Getxo Spain. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, and Photoshop CC 2014 (David J Mathre)
Sidewalk Skaters in Getxo Spain. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, and Photoshop CC 2014 (David J Mathre)
Sidewalk Skaters in Getxo Spain. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, and Photoshop CC 2014 (David J Mathre)
Sidewalk Skaters in Getxo Spain. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/6.3, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, and Photoshop CC 2014 (David J Mathre)