Tuesday (04-February-2014) — Florida

Gone to See America 2014 Road Trip. Day 4: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Great Blue Heron with its morning catch. Black Point Wildlife Drive in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. I’m not sure how it will swallow the fish… Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/80 sec).

Great Blue Heron With Its Morning Catch. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)
Great Blue Heron With Its Morning Catch. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/80 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)

Monday (12-August-2013) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey. Sourland Mountain Preserve

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Joe Pye Weed Bloom at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 250, 500 mm, f/5, 1/600 sec). Lens mounted on a monopod.

I’ve visited the Sourland Mountain Preserve several times since returning from Iceland. There are a couple of patches of Joe Pye weeds that the Yellow (Tiger) Swallowtail and Black Swallowtail butterflies are attracted. I did see one Clearwing Hummingbird Butterfly, but wasn’t quick enough to get a picture. I only saw one thistle in bloom. Didn’t see any Praying Mantis (butterfly predators). Also, only one Monarch Butterfly.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Joe Pye Weed Bloom at the Sourland Mountain Preserve in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 250, 500 mm, f/5, 1/600 sec). Lens mounted on a monopod. (David J Mathre)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Joe Pye Weed Bloom at the Sourland Mountain Preserve in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 250, 500 mm, f/5, 1/600 sec). Lens mounted on a monopod. (David J Mathre)

Tuesday (30-July-2013) — Iceland

Gone to See Iceland 2013 Photography Safari with Mike Hagen. Day 1: Golden Circle.

Clump of Mushrooms on a Tree Stump. Forest in Haukadalur, Iceland. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/250 sec). In camera B&W.

Clump of Mushrooms on a Tree Stump. Forest in Haukadalur, Iceland. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/250 sec). In camera B&W.(David J Mathre)
Clump of Mushrooms on a Tree Stump. Forest in Haukadalur, Iceland. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 400, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/250 sec). In camera B&W. (David J Mathre)

Monday (03-June-2013) — Russia

Gone to See Europe. Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 38: St. Petersburg, Russia.

Joe & Liz at a Fruit & Vegetable Stand in St. Petersburg Russia. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 6.7-13 mm VR lens (ISO 280, 13 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec) and Processed with Capture One 7 Pro.

Fruit & Vegetable Stand in St. Petersburg Russia. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 6.7-13 mm VR lens (ISO 280, 13 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec) and Processed with Capture One 7 Pro. Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage. (David J Mathre)
Fruit & Vegetable Stand in St. Petersburg Russia. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 6.7-13 mm VR lens (ISO 280, 13 mm, f/5.6, 1/125 sec) and Processed with Capture One 7 Pro. Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage. (David J Mathre)