Bird - David Mathre Photography

Eleven-Years Ago (19-November-2007) — Hawaii

Gone to See Hawaii. Big Island Photography Workshop with Thom Hogan. Day 2: Kailua Kona and Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historic Park.

I took this image of a small yellow bird in a palm tree while attending a workshop with Thom Hogan in Hawaii. Ultimately, I identified the bird as a Saffron Finch — which is not native to Hawaii. Later in the morning we went to a beach to work on an assignment to find something interesting and photograph it. We spent the afternoon till sunset at Puʻuhonua o Hōnaunau National Historic Park. Lizard (Gecko?), Tiki, Green Turtles, and Sunset.

Saffron Finch in a Palm Tree. Kona, Hawaii. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/8, 1/640 sec). (David J. Mathre) — Saffron Finch in a Palm Tree. Kona, Hawaii. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/8, 1/640 sec). (David J. Mathre)

alt_title. (David J Mathre) — Sunset at Pu’uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park, Big Island Hawaii. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs and 12-24 mm f/4 lens (ISO 100, 16 mm, f/22, 1/2.5 sec). (David J Mathre)

Six-Years Ago (10-October-2012) — New Mexico

Gone to See America 2012 Road Trip. Day 4: On the Road – Roswell, New Mexico to Carlsbad, New Mexico.

Before leaving for Carlsbad, I stopped back at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge to watch the Sandhill Cranes leave to feed for the day. I was told that one of the places they go to feed is local peanut farms that had been recently plowed. Ever wonder how the salmonella got in the peanut butter a few years ago???

Pair of Sandhill Cranes in Flight. Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Roswell. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/4, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)

Six-Years Ago (09-October-2012) — New Mexico

Gone to See America 2012 Road Trip. Day 3: On the Road – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma to Roswell, New Mexico.

I stopped in Roswell, New Mexico to spend the night. Just outside of the city is Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge. This is one of the stops that Sandhill Cranes make during their annual migration. They leave every morning to feed, and then return in the evening. There were literally thousands of the birds and the wildlife refuge — and they make a lot of noise.

Sandhill Cranes at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Roswell, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D4 and 500 mm f/4 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 400, 1000 mm, f/8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre) — Sandhill Cranes at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge near Roswell, New Mexico. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 400, 1000 mm, f/8, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)

Thursday (23-August-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

I finally discovered that it is the Grey Catbirds that are pecking at the tomatoes in my patio garden. Over half of the ripe tomatoes that picked today had been eaten by the Catbirds. Too bad the neighborhood cats that patrol my patio haven’t caught onto this opportunity.

Grey Catbird pecking at my tomatoes. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 70-300 mm VR telephoto zoom lens (ISO 450, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Five-Years Ago (05-August-2013) — Iceland

Gone to See Iceland 2013 Photography Safari with Mike Hagen. Day 7: Cape Ingolfshofdi (ingólfshöfði) Along the South East Coast.

Angry Great Skua letting me know that I was too close to its chick. These are very large seabirds, and we saw several Puffin skeletons near the nests. Cape Ingolfshofdi (ingólfshöfði) an isolated headland and private nature preserve on the coast half way between Skaftafell in Vatnajokull National Park and Jökulsárlón ice lagoon in Iceland. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VR II lens (ISO 140, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec).

Angry Great Skua (David J Mathre) — Angry Great Skua. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VR II lens (ISO 140, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)