Six-Year Ago (23-December-2008) — Florida

Gone to See America. December 2008 Florida Road Trip. Day 2: St. Petersburg.

Osprey with Fish for Breakfast at Fort De Soto County Park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens with TC-E 20 II teleconverter (ISO 200, 600 mm, f/8, 1/1600 sec).

Last year I learned that a male Osprey will catch as large a fish that it can and then fly around like this to impress the females.

Osprey with Fish for Breakfast at Fort DeSoto Park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D700 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens with TC-E 20 II teleconverter (ISO 200, 600 mm, f/8, 1/1600 sec). (David J Mathre)
Osprey with Fish for Breakfast at Fort DeSoto Park in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens with TC-E 20 II teleconverter (ISO 200, 600 mm, f/8, 1/1600 sec). (David J Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (22-December-2011) — Florida

Gone to See America. December 2011 Florida Road Trip. Day 3: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

OK, I Caught This Fish — Now How Do I Swallow It. A Reclusive American Bittern Caught Fishing along Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 500 mm f/4 VR II lens (ISO 180, 500 mm, f/4, 1/250 sec).

OK, I Caught This Fish -- Now How Do I Swallow It. A Reclusive American Bittern Caught Fishing along Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 500 mm f/4 VR II lens (ISO 180, 500 mm, f/4, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
OK, I Caught This Fish — Now How Do I Swallow It. A Reclusive American Bittern Caught Fishing along Black Point Wildlife Drive in Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 500 mm f/4 VR II lens (ISO 180, 500 mm, f/4, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (21-December-2011) — Florida

Gone to See America. December 2011 Florida Road Trip. Day 2: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Great Blue Heron Swallowing a Frog. Black Point Wildlife Road, Merritt Island Wildlife Preserve, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 200-400 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1800, 400 mm, f/4, 1/320 sec).

Great Blue Heron Swallowing a Frog. Black Point Wildlife Road, Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200-400 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1800, 400 mm, f/4, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Great Blue Heron Swallowing a Frog. Black Point Wildlife Road, Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 200-400 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1800, 400 mm, f/4, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)

Eight-Years Ago (21-December-2006) — Florida

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

White-throated Sparrow with Red Berry. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/6, 1/160 sec).

White-throated Sparrow with Red Berry. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/6, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
White-throated Sparrow with Red Berry. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/6, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)

Two-Years Ago (12-December-2012) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey.

Turkey Vulture waiting to warm in the morning sun. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 FT1 adapter and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VRII lens (ISO 160, 200 mm, f/2.8, 1/1600 sec). The population of Turkey Vultures has significantly increased after the state stopped removing road killed deer from the roadways.

Turkey Vulture in a Tree Waiting to Warm in the Morning Sun. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 FT1 adapter and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VRII lens (ISO 160, 200 mm, f/2.8, 1/1600 sec). (David J Mathre)
Turkey Vulture in a Tree Waiting to Warm in the Morning Sun. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 FT1 adapter and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VRII lens (ISO 160, 200 mm, f/2.8, 1/1600 sec). (David J Mathre)