Category: Nature

Views of nature and the natural world. Plants, animals, and wildlife from around the world.

One-Year Ago (19-January-2016) — Pacific Ocean

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 14: Crossing the Pacific Ocean From Hawaii to Japan.

Pacific Ocean Sunrise Panorama viewed from the aft deck of the MV World Odyssey. Composite of 20 images taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 82 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the panorama created using AutoPano Giga Pro.

I never got tired of going out to see the sunrise and sunset during the voyage. Each day they were unique (weather permitting) and a new challenge to decide on how to best compose an image. I was more than willing to miss an extra hour or two of sleep just to see what the next day would bring. I also was always on the lookout for a ship passing in front of the disk of the sun at sunrise or sunset. That goal was a lot harder while crossing the Pacific Ocean than it was on previous Semester at Sea voyages in and around Europe.

Pacific Ocean Sunrise Panorama viewed from the aft deck of the MV World Odyssey. Composite of 20 images taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 82 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the panorama created using AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Pacific Ocean Sunrise Panorama viewed from the aft deck of the MV World Odyssey. Composite of 20 images taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 82 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the panorama created using AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Pacific Ocean Sunrise Panorama viewed from the aft deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image 11 of 20 taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 82 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the panorama created using AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)
Pacific Ocean Sunrise Panorama viewed from the aft deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image 11 of 20 taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 82 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and the panorama created using AutoPano Giga Pro. (David J Mathre)

Nine-Years Ago (19-January-2008) — New Jersey

Winter Nature in New Jersey. Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Ducks and Great Blue Heron at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. The ducks usually leave the pond for somewhere more quiet when the Canada Geese show up. I had not seen a Heron here before in the winter.

Great Blue Heron and Mallards. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 800, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec) (David J Mathre)
Great Blue Heron and Mallards. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D300 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 800, 400 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec) (David J Mathre)

Wednesday (18-January-2017) — New Jersey

Indoor Winter Nature in New Jersey — Western Conifer Bug.

I originally thought these were Stink Bugs, which also try to come indoors once the temperatures drops outside. They have similar colors, but the Western Conifer Bug is more elongated. I do wonder if the Conifer Bug is the reason many of my pine trees died, and had to be removed. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 60 mm f/2.4 macro lens (ISO 200, 60 mm, f/2.4, 1/60 sec) with the pop-up flash.

Western Conifer Bug. Indoor winter nature in New Jersey. The bugs think it is too cold outside... Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 60 mm f/2.4 macro lens (ISO 200, 60 mm, f/2.4, 1/60 sec) with the pop-up flash. (David J Mathre)
Western Conifer Bug. Indoor winter nature in New Jersey. The bugs think it is too cold outside… Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 60 mm f/2.4 macro lens (ISO 200, 60 mm, f/2.4, 1/60 sec) with the pop-up flash. (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (18-January-2016) — Pacific Ocean

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 13: Crossing the Pacific Ocean From Hawaii to Japan.

Claude Monet oil painting in my cabin on the MV World Odyssey. Does anyone know the title? I think I have mentioned that this ship is a bit more opulent than the MV Explorer previously used by Semester at Sea.  Image taken with a Leica T camera and 11-23 mm lens (ISO 320, 19 mm, f/4.2, 1/125 sec).

Signed Claude Monet oil painting "Path Through the Corn at Pourville" in my cabin on the 8th deck of the MV World Odyssey. I think I have mentioned that this ship is a bit more opulent than the MV Explorer previously used by Semester at Sea. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 11-23 mm lens (ISO 320, 19 mm, f/4.2, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Signed Claude Monet oil painting in my cabin on the 8th deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 11-23 mm lens (ISO 320, 19 mm, f/4.2, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (18-January-2016) — Pacific Ocean

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 13: Crossing the Pacific Ocean From Hawaii to Japan.

Panorama of the sun rising over the Pacific Ocean from the deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 200, 35 mm, f/16, 1/250 sec).

Pacific Ocean Sunrise from the aft deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 120, 35 mm, f/16, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Pacific Ocean Sunrise from the aft deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 120, 35 mm, f/16, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)