Seven-Years Ago (09-January-2013) — Florida

Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 7: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Afternoon drive through Biolab road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Birds observed (with images) include: Gulls (unidentified), Caspian Tern (winter plumage?), Black Skimmer, Wood Stork, Double-crested Cormorant, Roseate Spoonbill, Black Vulture, Turkey Vulture, and Osprey. Just showing one image for each bird species. More can be seen in the slideshow at the end of the post.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Collection of Gulls (not identified), Black Skimmer, and Caspian Tern (winter plumage?). Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/4000 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Caspian Tern (winter plumage?). Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Wood Stork in flight. Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 600mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Double-crested Cormorant. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Roseate Spoonbill and Wood Stork. Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 600mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Black Vulture on a dead palm tree. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/8, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Turkey Vulture with a dead fish. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8G VRII lens and TC-E 2.0 III teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/7.1, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Osprey with fish for lunch. Biolab Road in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/3.2, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)


You can access any of the images from the slideshow in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Seven-Years Ago (08-January-2013) — Florida

Gone to See America. January 2013 Florida Road Trip. Day 6: Merritt Island National Wildlife Preserve.

I drove across the state arriving in Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge before the sun went down. The first stop was Black Point Wildlife Drive. Observed the following birds: Roseate Spoonbill, Greater Yellowlegs, White Ibis, American Coot, Blue-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, and Snowy Egret. I then proceeded to Biolab Road. On the way I spotted a Red-shouldered Hawk. On Biolab Road I observed a Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, and Wood Stork.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Roseate Spoonbill. Black Point Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1V2 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 160, 180 mm, f’2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Greater Yellowlegs. Black Point Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1V2 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 160, 180 mm, f’2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
White Ibis. Black Point Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1V2 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 160, 180 mm, f’2.8, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
American Coot. Black Point Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1V2 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 160, 180 mm, f’2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Northern Pintail and Blue-winged Teal. Black Point Drive, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1V2 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 160, 180 mm, f’2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Snowy Egret. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f’2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Red-shouldered Hawk. Courtenay Highway, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1V2 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 800, 180 mm, f’2.8, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Red-shouldered Hawk. Courtenay Highway, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon 1V2 camera and 180 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 800, 180 mm, f’2.8, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Great Blue Heron. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 720, 300 mm, f’2.8, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Great Egret. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 720, 300 mm, f’2.8, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Wood Storkd. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f’2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)

Four-Years Ago (04-January-2016) — California

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 0: San Diego, California.

Morning walkabout near the cruise port area of San Diego. A Seagull (unidentified) posed in front of the MV World Odyssey. We would embark on the vessel the next day in Mexico for the Spring 2016 Semester at Sea voyage.  I also saw a Brown Pelican and a different Seagull (unidentified) posing on the head of a statue.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Seagull posing in front of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 10-30 mm lens (ISO 200, 28.5 mm, f/10, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Brown Pelican. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 264 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Seagull posing on the head of a statue. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 183 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)

Five-Years Ago (01-January-2015) — Antarctica

Gone to See Antarctica 2014/2015. Hurtigruten Christmas Voyage on the MS Fram. Day 17: Antarctic Peninsula.

Zodiac Leading an Antarctic Cruise Ship Through the Lemaire Channel. I had never seen clouds this color blue before, and they were that color blue. I am guessing it is blue light reflecting off the glacier. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 31 mm, f/11, 1/40 sec). Image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC.

Zodiac Leading an Antarctic Cruise Ship Through the Lemaire Channel. I had never seen clouds this color blue before, and they were that color blue. I am guessing it is blue light reflecting off the glacier. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 31 mm, f/11, 1/40 sec). Image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Zodiac Leading an Antarctic Cruise Ship Through the Lemaire Channel.  Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 31 mm, f/11, 1/40 sec).  (David J Mathre)

Thursday (26-December-2019) — Florida

Gone to See Florida — 2019 Road Trip.

Boxer Day. After the sun rose, we went looking for birds at Fort De Soto Park. We found a Great Blue Heron fishing, and some Osprey Nests. One of the male Osprey was flying around with the big fish he caught to show off to his mate.


Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the following images.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the following images.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the following images.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the following images.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the following images.


Daily Electric Energy Used (52.2 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (31.8 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Overall a net deficit of 20.4 kWh. Most of the hydroponic gardens were off or only on for fewer hours. Also, the thermostat for the Geothermal heater and hybrid heat pump hot water heater were set for vacation mode.

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