Category: Nature

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

Sunday (06-January-2008) — Colorado

Winter in Rocky Mountain National Park.

The main road on the east side of the park was open so I spent the day. It was cold and windy, and a new storm appeared to be building. It has been interesting to watch the seasons in the National Park.

Winter in Rocky Mountain NP. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 17-35 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 17 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec) (David J. Mathre)
Winter in Rocky Mountain NP. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 17-35 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 17 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec) .Winter in Rocky Mountain NP. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 17-35 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 25 mm, f/9, 1/125 sec)
Winter in Rocky Mountain NP. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 17-35 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 25 mm, f/9, 1/125 sec) (David J. Mathre)
Winter in Rocky Mountain NP. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 17-35 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 25 mm, f/9, 1/125 sec)
Winter in Rocky Mountain NP. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 17-35 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 17 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec) (David J. Mathre)
Winter in Rocky Mountain NP. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 17-35 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 17 mm, f/11, 1/125 sec)

Thursday (27-December-2007) — Florida

Gone to See America. December 2007 Florida Road Trip. Day 6: Birds at Fort De Soto Park.

It is always fun going to Fort De Soto Park. It is located on the southern end of Pinellas county separating Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The park is known for its beaches and is a great location to take bird pictures. The three images for this day include a Great Blue Heron, a White Egret having a cricket for breakfast, and an Osprey building a nest under a full moon.

Great Blue Heron. Image taken with an Nikon D2xs and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 120 mm, f/8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Great Blue Heron. Image taken with an Nikon D2xs and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 120 mm, f/8, 1/1000 sec).
White Egret having a Cricket for Breakfast. Image taken with an Nikon D300 and 200 mm f/2 VR lens with TC-20 II (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/11, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
White Egret having a Cricket for Breakfast. Image taken with an Nikon D300 and 200 mm f/2 VR lens with TC-20 II (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/11, 1/400 sec).
Osprey Landing on Nest under a Nearly Full Moon. Image taken with an Nikon D300 and 200 mm f/2 VR lens with TC-17 II (ISO 200, 340 mm, f/11, 1/340 sec). (David J Mathre)
Osprey Landing on Nest under a Nearly Full Moon. Image taken with an Nikon D300 and 200 mm f/2 VR lens with TC-17 II (ISO 200, 340 mm, f/11, 1/340 sec). (David J Mathre)

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Wednesday (26-December-2007) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2007 Road Trip Day 5: Selby Gardens in Sarasota.

We drove to Sarasota to visit Marie Selby Botanical Gardens to view the Orchid show. The gardens do not allow the use of tripods in the conservatory, but did allow me to use my walking stick as monopod to stabilize the camera while taking pictures. I tried to work quickly so not to block other visitors to the gardens. It was a target rich environment. After visiting the conservatory we spent time wandering around in the outdoor gardens. It was there I got an image of a crab spider having a fly for lunch.

Orchid at Selby Gardens in Sarasota, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)
Orchid at Selby Gardens in Sarasota, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (David J Mathre)


Crab Spider with a Fly for Lunch at Selby Gardens in Sarasota, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (David J Mathre)
Crab Spider with a Fly for Lunch at Selby Gardens in Sarasota, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (David J Mathre)



Tuesday (25-December-2007) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2007 Road Trip Day 4: A Busy Christmas Day.

Early morning sunrise and night-time photography at the Vinoy Hotel.  Wildlife photography at the Weedon Island Nature Preserve. Lots of birds, a crab spider, and how often do you see, let alone catch a “flying fish” in midair. Then the extended Mathre family Christmas Day celebration.

Sunrise over Tampa Bay from the Vinoy Hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 14-28 mm f/2.8 len (ISO 100, 20 mm, f/11, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Sunrise over Tampa Bay from the Vinoy Hotel in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 14-28 mm f/2.8 len (ISO 100, 20 mm, f/11, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)


Mullet in Flight. Weedon Island Nature Preserve, Pinellas County, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/5, 1/500 sec) (David J Mathre)
Mullet in Flight. Weedon Island Nature Preserve, Pinellas County, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/5, 1/500 sec) (David J Mathre)



Monday (24-December-2007) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2007 Road Trip Day 3: Fort De Soto Park.

I drove to Fort De Soto Park to find some birds to try out a 200 mm f/2 VR lens with a TC-EII 2.0x teleconverter. Other than this turkey vulture that wanted to pose, the rest of the birds seemed to be on a siesta and were in hiding. I should have gone earlier in the morning…

Turkey Vulture on a post at Fort De Soto park in Pinellas County, Florida. Image taken with a D300 camera and 200 mm f/2 VR lens with a TC-EII 2x teleconverter (ISO 360, 400 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Turkey Vulture on a post at Fort De Soto park in Pinellas County, Florida. Image taken with a D300 camera and 200 mm f/2 VR lens with a TC-EII 2x teleconverter (ISO 360, 400 mm, f/11, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)


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