Three-Years Ago (23-December-2014) — South Atlantic Ocean

Gone to See Antarctica 2014/5: Day 8 – At Sea on the Hurtigruten MS Fram the Falkland Islands and South Georgia

Since my Nikon Df camera was not functional, I did the best I could with my Leica T camera, and the 18-56 mm zoom lens. I never thought I would try to capture “bird in flight” images with this camera and lens. There were a pair of Wandering Albatross using the thermals behind the ship. I had to spend a lot of time to finally get an image where the birds were in focus. I can be done, but takes patience.

Pair of Wandering Albatross Searching for Food in the South Atlantic Ocean from the Deck of the Hurtigurten MS Fram. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 56 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2014. (David J Mathre)
Pair of Wandering Albatross Searching for Food in the South Atlantic Ocean from the Deck of the Hurtigurten MS Fram. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18-56 mm lens (ISO 100, 56 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC 2014. (David J Mathre)

Four-Years Ago (27-May-2013) — North Sea

Gone to See Europe. Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 31: At Sea, North Sea.

Several Northern Gannets followed the ship as we crossed the North Sea. I think the birds use the ship to provide lift as they hunt for fish being disturbed by the wake of the ship. One of the Northern Gannet flew with one foot out. I don’t know if it was injured or was using the foot to provide drag? It is amazing that these birds spend almost all year at sea — only spending time on land to breed and raise their young. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VR II lens(ISO 180, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec).

Northern Gannet in flight with one foot down in the evening sun. From the deck of the M/V Explorer crossing the North Sea between Dover and Oslo. Semester at Sea, Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VR II lens(ISO 180, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Northern Gannet in flight with one foot down in the evening sun. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VR II lens(ISO 180, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)

Two-Years Ago (20-December-2014) — South Atlantic Ocean

Gone to See Antarctica 2014/2015. Hurtigruten Christmas Voyage on the MS Fram. Day 5: At Sea.

Cape Petrel in Flight. From the Deck of the Hurtigruten MS Fram in the South Atlantic Ocean. These birds flew along the ship during most of the voyage. This image was taken before the shutter on my Nikon Df camera died. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 800, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC.

Cape Petrel in Flight from the Deck of the MS Fram. These birds flew along the ship during most of the voyage. This image was taken before the shutter on my Nikon Df died (ISO 800, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Cape Petrel in Flight from the Deck of the MS Fram. These birds flew along the ship during most of the voyage. This image was taken before the shutter on my Nikon Df died (ISO 800, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)

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

Late Autumn Nature in New Jersey.

Male Mallard Duck Taking Off from a Pond in the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera FT1 adapter and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VRII lens (ISO 160, 200 mm, f/2.8, 1/2000 sec).

Male Mallard Duck Taking Off from a Pond . (David J. Mathre)
Male Mallard Duck Taking Off from a Pond at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera FT1 adapter and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VRII lens (ISO 160, 200 mm, f/2.8, 1/2000 sec). (David J. Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (24-November-2013) — New Jersey

Backyard Autumn Nature in New Jersey.

Turkey Vulture and the Moon. Several hundred turkey vultures spent the night in some local trees. This morning I went out at dawn to get some images as they started to fly away. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the whole wing span as this one flew by the moon.Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 1600, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/1000 sec).

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Turkey Vulture and the Moon. Backyard Autumn Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 1600, 300 mm, f/2.8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)