Two-Years Ago (21-August-2011) — New Jersey

Summer Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

American Goldfinch on a Thistle.  Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 250, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec).

American Goldfinch on a Thistle. Sourland Mountain Preserve, Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 250, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
American Goldfinch on a Thistle. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 250, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)

Monday (19-August-2013) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey. Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Bumblebee with Orange Pollen saddlebags on yellow  ragweed flowers. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera + FT1 + 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 500, 300 mm, f/8, 1/500 sec). [FOV Equivalent to ~ 810 mm on a 35 mm image sensor].

Bumble Bee with Orange Pollen Saddlebags on Blooming Ragweed. Summer Nature in New Jersey at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 + FT1 + 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 500, 300 mm, f/8, 1/500 sec). [FOV Equivalent to ~ 810 mm on a 35 mm image sensor]. (David J Mathre)
Bumble Bee with Orange Pollen Saddlebags on Blooming Ragweed. Summer Nature in New Jersey at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 + FT1 + 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 500, 300 mm, f/8, 1/500 sec). [FOV Equivalent to ~ 810 mm on a 35 mm image sensor]. (David J Mathre)

Monday (19-August-2013) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Black Swallowtail Butterfly with Tattered Wings on a Joe-Pye Weed in the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 Camera FT1 Adapter, and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 195 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec).

Most of the butterflies yesterday had tattered and damaged wings. I haven’t seen praying mantis yet, so birds?

Black Swallowtail Butterfly with Tattered Wings on a Joe-Pye Weed in the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 Camera FT1 Adapter, and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 195 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Black Swallowtail Butterfly with Tattered Wings on a Joe-Pye Weed in the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 Camera FT1 Adapter, and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 195 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)

Two-Years Ago (19-August-2011) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth on Thistle Bloom. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec).

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth on Thistle Bloom. Sourland Mountain Preserve, Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D700 and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth on Thistle Bloom. Sourland Mountain PreserveImage taken with a Nikon D700 and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)

Saturday (17-August-2013) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Horse (Deer?) Fly. Backyard Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera, FT1 adapter, and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/80 sec). Maybe not as tack sharp if I was using a real macro lens and tripod, but pretty amazing from a hand-held telephoto (810 mm FOV equivalent, at 1/80 sec).

Horse (Deer?) Fly. Backyard Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera, FT1 adapter, and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)
Horse (Deer?) Fly. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera, FT1 adapter, and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)