Thursday (01-Jun-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

The yucca plants have started putting up the flower stalks. I have a real problem with deer nibbling on the shoots before the flowers can even open. Last year I wired yellow plastic grocery store bags, sort of to act as scarecrows. It sort of worked, but I did get comments from the neighbors. This year I am trying deer netting — more as a deterrence. If this doesn’t work I will need to extend the electric fence. The carpenter bees are drilling more holes in the cedar siding on the front of the house.

 

Yucca stalk with flower buds. Backyard spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/6.4, 1/90 sec). (© 2017 David J Mathre)
Yucca stalk with flower buds. Backyard spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/6.4, 1/90 sec). (© 2017 David J Mathre)

 


 

Nine-Years Ago (01-June-2008) — Colorado

Springtime Nature in Colorado.

Male Broad-tailed Hummingbird at Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E II 20 teleconverter (ISO 360, 400 mm, f/11, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Male Broad-tailed Humming Bird at Lilly Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E II 20 teleconverter (ISO 360, 400 mm, f/11, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Male Broad-tailed Hummingbird at Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E II 20 teleconverter (ISO 360, 400 mm, f/11, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)

Wednesday (31-May-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

A small snake, and a poppy flower in the garden. I think the snake is garter snake. Every morning another several new poppy flowers open.

Small (garter?) snake in my garden. Backyard spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Small (garter?) snake in my garden.  Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
New red poppy flower in my garden. Backyard spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/7, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
New red poppy flower in my garden. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/7, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)

 

Monday (29-May-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

This morning there were two very large woodpeckers working a tree in my backyard. When I checked the pictures in my National Audubon Field Guide I was able to identify these as Pileated Woodpeckers. I hope they stick around for awhile so I can get some closer pictures. These images were taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens, and are zoomed in as 100% crops. Later on when I was cooking dinner, I saw Harvey the rabbit in my wildflower garden. The electric fence only has wires at levels to keep the deer out. I may have to add a lower wire — or hope that there are more wildflowers than Harvey can eat.

Spring in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (David J Mathre, David J Mathre)
Pileated Woodpecker. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens ( David J Mathre)
Harvey the Rabbit in my wildflower garden/meadow. Backyard spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken wi th a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/6.4, 1/50 sec). The image is fuzy because it was taken through a window and screen. (© 2017 David J Mathre)
Harvey the Rabbit in my wildflower garden/meadow.  Image taken wi th a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/6.4, 1/50 sec). The image is fuzy because it was taken through a window and screen. (David J Mathre)


Individual images from the slideshow can be viewed here.


Individual images from the slideshow can be viewed here.

Seven-Years Ago (29-May-2010) — Puerto Rico

Gone to See the Caribbean Islands. Semester at Sea Spring 2010 Enrichment Voyage on the MV Explorer. Ultimate Travel Photography Workshop with Michael Mariant. Day 3: San Juan, Puerto Rico.

A dramatic sunrise, and then a rainbow over the Atlantic Ocean before arriving in San Juan, Puerto Rico. We then spent the day doing a walkabout through the San Juan old city.

Atlantic Ocean sunrise from the deck of the M/V Explorer prior to arriving in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Semester at Sea, Spring 2010 Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/10, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Atlantic Ocean sunrise from the deck of the MV Explorer. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/10, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Rainbow and clouds over the Atlantic Ocean from the deck of the M/V Explorer prior to arriving in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Semester at Sea, Spring 2010 Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Rainbow and clouds over the Atlantic Ocean from the deck of the MV Explorer. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 50 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 100, 50 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)


Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed here.