Monday (31-July-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Black Swallowtail Butterfly on a purple delphinium bloom. Bumblebee on a Sunflower bloom.

Black Swallowtail Butterfly on purple delphinium bloom. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon N1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR telephoto zoom lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec) (David J Mathre)
Black Swallowtail Butterfly on purple delphinium bloom. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon N1-V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR telephoto zoom lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec) (David J Mathre)
Bumblebee on a Sunflower Bloom. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon N1-V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR telephoto zoom lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Bumblebee on a Sunflower Bloom. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon N1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR telephoto zoom lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)

Sunday (23-July-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

We had a lot of rain last night. Good for the small wildflower meadows, and good for the few tomato plants that haven’t been nibbled by the deer. I did an early morning walkabout to view the wildflowers. I am still getting a lot of Poppy blooms, as well as Cosmos, Coreopsis, Zinnia, Blackeyed Susan, and others that I don’t know the ID. Some of the Sunflowers are starting to bloom (those that the deer didn’t find). I also saw that the Burma (Bottle Gourd) bloomed last night with a big white flower.

The kitchen renovation is progressing. All but one of the IKEA cabinets have been assembled. Still lots of work to do. After the contractor left, I went back out to the wildflower meadow and saw a Clearwing Hummingbird Moth. It made my day knowing that the work to create the trial wildflower garden/meadow was worth it…

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth approaching a Pink Cosmos wildflower. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (© 2017 David J Mathre)
Clearwing Hummingbird Moth approaching a Pink Cosmos wildflower. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (© 2017 David J Mathre)


Saturday (22-July-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

The first Sunflower to bloom in my wildflower meadow. Somehow it escaped the deer that have nibbled many of the sunflower plants before they were able to bloom. The deer don’t seem to mind the electric fence. My neighbors tell me that I need to put up an 8-10 foot fence. That won’t keep the ground-hog from digging below the fence.

First Sunflower Bloom. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/6.3, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
First Sunflower Bloom. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/6.3, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)

Sunday (02-July-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

I have been taking pictures of the backyard wildflower meadow, but have not been keeping up with processing the images. I’ve also been juggling several home renovation projects. Someday, I need to share pictures of the inside projects. The outside patio is also moving along.

Red poppy in my backyard wildflower meadow. Summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 56 mm f/1.2 lens (ISO 200, 56 mm, f/6.4, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Red poppy in my backyard wildflower meadow. Summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T1 camera and 56 mm f/1.2 lens (ISO 200, 56 mm, f/6.4, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)


Tuesday (20-June-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Late Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Walkabout in my backyard on the last day of spring. In addition to the poppies, a number of new flowers are starting to appear (Babies Breath, Bachelors Buttons, Coreopsis, Cosmos, various Daisies, Larkspur, and Black-eyed Susan). The yellow prickly pear cactus flowers only open for one day.

Red Poppy flower. Backyard spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 60 mm f/2.4 macro lens (ISO 200, 60 mm, f/2.8, 1/350 sec). (© 2017 David J Mathre)
Red Poppy flower. Backyard spring nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 60 mm f/2.4 macro lens (ISO 200, 60 mm, f/2.8, 1/350 sec). (© 2017 David J Mathre)