Monday (19-August-2013) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Black Swallowtail Butterfly with Tattered Wings on a Joe-Pye Weed in the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 Camera FT1 Adapter, and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 195 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec).

Most of the butterflies yesterday had tattered and damaged wings. I haven’t seen praying mantis yet, so birds?

Black Swallowtail Butterfly with Tattered Wings on a Joe-Pye Weed in the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 Camera FT1 Adapter, and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 195 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Black Swallowtail Butterfly with Tattered Wings on a Joe-Pye Weed in the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 Camera FT1 Adapter, and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 195 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)

Two-Years Ago (19-August-2011) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth on Thistle Bloom. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D700 camera and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec).

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth on Thistle Bloom. Sourland Mountain Preserve, Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D700 and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth on Thistle Bloom. Sourland Mountain PreserveImage taken with a Nikon D700 and 28-300 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)

Saturday (17-August-2013) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Horse (Deer?) Fly. Backyard Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera, FT1 adapter, and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/80 sec). Maybe not as tack sharp if I was using a real macro lens and tripod, but pretty amazing from a hand-held telephoto (810 mm FOV equivalent, at 1/80 sec).

Horse (Deer?) Fly. Backyard Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera, FT1 adapter, and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)
Horse (Deer?) Fly. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera, FT1 adapter, and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/80 sec). (David J Mathre)

 

Monday (12-August-2013) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey: Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Kermit the Bull Frog Hiding in the Shade –  Pond at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.  Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 500 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec).

Kermit the Bull Frog in a Pond in the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 560, 500 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Kermit the Bull Frog in a Pond in the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 560, 500 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)

Monday (12-August-2013) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey. Sourland Mountain Preserve

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Joe Pye Weed Bloom at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 250, 500 mm, f/5, 1/600 sec). Lens mounted on a monopod.

I’ve visited the Sourland Mountain Preserve several times since returning from Iceland. There are a couple of patches of Joe Pye weeds that the Yellow (Tiger) Swallowtail and Black Swallowtail butterflies are attracted. I did see one Clearwing Hummingbird Butterfly, but wasn’t quick enough to get a picture. I only saw one thistle in bloom. Didn’t see any Praying Mantis (butterfly predators). Also, only one Monarch Butterfly.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Joe Pye Weed Bloom at the Sourland Mountain Preserve in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 250, 500 mm, f/5, 1/600 sec). Lens mounted on a monopod. (David J Mathre)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Joe Pye Weed Bloom at the Sourland Mountain Preserve in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 250, 500 mm, f/5, 1/600 sec). Lens mounted on a monopod. (David J Mathre)