David's Images of the Day Photoblog
Kermit the Bullfrog staying cool in the mud at the Sourland Mountain Preserve pond. Image taken with a Nikon N1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 160 mm, f/5.3, 1/25 sec).
I originally thought this was an elusive American Bittern at the Sourland Mountain Preserve Pond. The same bird I saw on 16-August-2016. When the bird is in flight it had a black crest. Now I think it is an immature Green Heron. I have previously seen Green Herons at the Sourland Mountain Preserve (15-September-2013). Four images taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens.
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I visited the Sourland Mountain Preserve yesterday at 15:00. It was hot out, and I only lasted an hour. I saw a number of Monarch butterflies, but they were not staying still. I did catch both a Monarch butterfly and an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly feeding on a Queen Anne’s Lace flower. I don’t often see butterflies feeding on this flower.
Bumble Bee in Flight. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec).
Some may think I have an obsession with the beautiful Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe). These were taken in the back section of my property where I have a number of Thistle plants in bloom. Most folks call the Thistles terrible weeds. I like them because I know from the Sourland Mountain Preserve that the flowers attract a variety of bees, butterflies, and hummingbird moths. The seeds attract Goldfinch birds. Images taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 55-200 mm OIS lens, Nikon D3x camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens or a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/4 lens.
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