Two-Years Ago (13-September-2012) — Belgium

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 21: Antwerp Zoo, Belgium.

Female Snowy Owl at the Antwerp Zoo. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec). Additional Processing with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS6.

Female Snowy Owl at the Antwerp Zoo. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec). Additional Processing with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS6. (David J Mathre)
Female Snowy Owl at the Antwerp Zoo. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)

Monday (08-September-2014) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

I finally tracked down a Monarch Butterfly today. Since I returned from the Semester at Sea voyage, it has been hot in New Jersey and the butterflies have been sparse. It was cloudy and windy today so wasn’t that hopeful. Lots of the yellow wild flowers, a very few thistle blooms – but did see several milkweed pods. Finally, I did see one Monarch Butterfly fly by. I had to pass through a lot of raspberry bushes to get close enough to get some good images.

Monarch Butterfly at the Sourland Mountain Preserve, Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 800, 400 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2014.

Monarch Butterfly at the Sourland Mountain Preserve, (David J Mathre)
Monarch Butterfly at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (06-September-2013) — New Jersey

Late Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Honey Bee Working the Yellow Bearded Beggarticks Wildflowers. Near the pond at the nearby Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec).

Honey Bee Working the Late Summer Yellow Wildflowers (Bearded Beggarticks). Near the Pond at Sourland Mountain Preserve in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Honey Bee Working the Late Summer Yellow Wildflowers (Bearded Beggarticks). Near the Pond at Sourland Mountain Preserve in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)

Eight-Years Ago (05-September-2006) — Washington

Gone to See America 2006 Driving Tour. Day 11: North Cascade National Park, Lake Chelan, Washington.

My best image from 2006. Female Mallard Duck on Lake Chelan. Image taken with a Nikon D200 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec).

Female Mallard Duck on Lake Chelan. Image taken with a Nikon D200 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Female Mallard Duck on Lake Chelan. Image taken with a Nikon D200 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/9, 1/320 sec). (David J. Mathre)

Five-Years Ago (30-August-2009) — At Sea

Gone to See North America Road Trip. Day 09: Alaska Marine Highway on the MV Columbia.

Bald Eagle on Channel Marker 54 From the deck of the MV Columbia (Alaska Marine Highway). Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 280 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec).

Bald Eagle on Channel Marker 54 From the deck of the MV Columbia (Alaska Marine Highway). Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 280 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Bald Eagle on Channel Marker 54 From the deck of the MV Columbia (Alaska Marine Highway). Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 280 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)