Three-Years Ago (12-February-2014) — Florida

Gone to See America. February 2014 Florida Road Trip. Day 12: Big Cypress National Preserve.

Silhouette of a Kingfisher with its Beak Open Making a Call at Dusk. Big Cypress Swamp in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 sec). Image converted to B&W with Capture One Pro 7.

Silhouette of a Kingfisher with its Beak Open Making a Call at Dusk. Big Cypress Swamp in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 sec). Image converted to B&W with Capture One Pro 7. (David J Mathre)
Silhouette of a Kingfisher with its Beak Open Making a Call at Dusk. Big Cypress Swamp in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/2500 sec). Image converted to B&W with Capture One Pro 7. (David J Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (10-February-2014) — Florida

Gone to See Florida 2014 Road Trip. Day 9: Big Cypress Swamp.

While staying at Clyde Butcher’s Swamp Bungalow, I went for a “Swamp Walk” in the Big Cypress Swamp with Kristen and Angela. Before the trip, I got a pair of waders from Cabela’s. Not really sure what I was getting into, I only took a walking stick/monopod and my trusty Leica X2 travel camera. It was a lot of fun — and we didn’t see any alligators or water moccasin snakes. Just the week before, one of the invasive 15+ foot Burmese pythons was caught nearby.

Follow the leader into the jungle. Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher's Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/3.5, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)
Follow the leader into the jungle. Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/3.5, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)
Time to get your feet wet. Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher's Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/3.5, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)
Time to get your feet wet. Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/3.5, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)
Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher's Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/100 sec). (David J Mathre)
Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/100 sec). (David J Mathre)
Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher's Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)
Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher's Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)
Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)
Feet are now wet. Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher's Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/3.5, 1/50 sec). (David J Mathre)
Feet are now wet. Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/3.5, 1/50 sec). (David J Mathre)
Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher's Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4.5, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)
Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher's Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher's Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Just about out of the jungle. Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher's Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Just about out of the jungle. Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/60 sec). (David J Mathre)
Just about out of the jungle. Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher's Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/100 sec). (David J Mathre)
Just about out of the jungle. Swamp walk with Kristen and Angela in the Everglades behind Clyde Butcher’s Big Cypress Gallery. Image taken with a Leica X2 camera (ISO 100, 24 mm, f/4, 1/100 sec). (David J Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (07-February-2014) — Florida

Gone to See America. February 2014 Florida Road Trip. Day 7: St. Petersburg.

Anhinga in the Rain. Brooker Creek Preserve in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 300 mm f/4 lens (ISO 6400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec)

Anhinga in the Rain. Brooker Creek Preserve in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 300 mm f/4 lens (ISO 6400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec) (David J Mathre)
Anhinga in the Rain. Brooker Creek Preserve in St. Petersburg, Florida. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 300 mm f/4 lens (ISO 6400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec) (David J Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (05-February-2014) — Florida

Gone to See America 2014 Road Trip Day 5. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Snowy Egret on a Branch. Along Biolab Road at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 300 mm f/4 lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/4, 1/1250 sec).

Snowy Egret on Biolab Road at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 300 mm f/4 lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/4, 1/1250 sec) (David J Mathre)
Snowy Egret on Biolab Road at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikohttps://david.mathre.com/wp-admin/edit-tags.php?taxonomy=post_tagn Df camera and 300 mm f/4 lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/4, 1/1250 sec) (David J Mathre)

Three-Years Ago (04-February-2014) — Florida

Gone to See America. February 2014 Florida Road Trip. Day 4: Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.

Nearly Five Hours Later and the Great Egret is Still Having Problems Swallowing the Fish. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 280, 600 mm, f/4, 1/1250 sec). It finally got it part way down its neck, but then didn’t look like it could fly.

Nearly Five Hours Later and the Great Egret is Still Having Problems Swallowing the Fish. Biolab Road, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 280, 600 mm, f/4, 1/1250 sec). It finally got it part way down its neck, but then didn't look like it could fly. (David J Mathre)
Nearly Five Hours Later and the Great Egret is Still Having Problems Swallowing the Fish. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 280, 600 mm, f/4, 1/1250 sec). (David J Mathre)