Category: Nature

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

Wednesday (17-August-2016) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Robber Fly on a “Mile a Minute” Vine. Backyard Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 sec).

The “Mile a Minute” vine is now my most hated plant. It is invasive and is invading the North East as the Kudzu has invaded the South. It is able to grow 6 inches a day, and out competes every other plant. I have lost many trees and bushes. Even if you spray, the small blue seeds remain viable for 5-6 years. The plant has spines, and I have pictures from several years ago with the vine stuck to a deer, that probably brought it to my yard.

Robber Fly on a "Mile a Minute" Vine. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Robber Fly on a “Mile a Minute” Vine. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/6.3, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (17-August-2013)– New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Horse (Deer?) Fly Ready to Suck Your Blood. 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). Hard to catch in flight, but this one was sunning itself on my windshield. Just look at the size of its mouth parts.

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. mage 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)

Five-Years Ago (17-August-2011) — New Jersey 

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Rambunkshus teenage Fawns — “Got Milk”. Images taken with a Nikon


Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.


Tuesday (16-August-2016) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

I’ve seen this bird for the last few days. I thought is was a heron, but anytime I got within 100 feet it would fly to the other side of the pond and I was not fast enough to get an image. Today, I did get some images – but they are significantly cropped, and not all are in great focus. Once I saw its chest in the last images I knew it was an American Bittern. I need to go back with a bigger lens and maybe a tripod to get some better images.

The Reclusive American Bittern at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.  Images taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens.


Click on the above image to access the images in the slideshow.


Post note — I now think this is an immature Green Heron 24-August-2016.

Two-Years Ago (16-August-2014) — Poland.

Gone to See Europe 2014. Day 77: Semester at Sea, Summer 2014 Semester Voyage. Gdansk, Poland.

Sunset over Westerplatte and the Monument to the Defenders viewed from the deck of the MV Explorer while docked in Gdansk.  Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC.

Sunset over Westerplatte and the Monument to the Defenders viewed from the deck of the MV Explorer while docked in Gdansk.  Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Sunset over Westerplatte and the Monument to the Defenders viewed from the deck of the MV Explorer while docked in Gdansk.  Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)