Four-Years Ago (01-March-2009) — New Jersey

Late Winter Nature in New Jersey. Snowy Day at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

I went for a walk at the local Sourland Mountain Preserve. It was snowing, a late winter storm. The long winding road is the right-of-way for a cross-country high-pressure gas line. The other images are of cattail, a pair of Mallard ducks swimming in a pond, and tree bark coated with snow.

Long Winding Road. Winter Snowstorm at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 400, 26 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Long Winding Road. Winter Snowstorm at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 400, 26 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Cattail in a Winter Snowstorm at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 400, 130 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Cattail in a Winter Snowstorm at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 400, 130 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Cattail in a Winter Snowstorm at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Cattail in a Winter Snowstorm at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Cattail in a Winter Snowstorm at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 400, 105 mm, f/5.3, 1/400 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Cattail in a Winter Snowstorm at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 400, 105 mm, f/5.3, 1/400 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Mallard Pair Swimming in a Snowstorm at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Mallard Pair Swimming in a Snowstorm at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Snow on Tree Bark During a Winter Snowstorm at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J. Mathre)
Snow on Tree Bark During a Winter Snowstorm at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Nikon D300 camera and 18-200 mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (David J. Mathre)

Monday (25-February-2013) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey: Spring is Coming!!!

When going to mail a letter today, I noticed that the Purple Crocuses were in bloom along a south-facing rock wall. Early, but not as early as last year 17-February-2012. Last year I used the Nikon 1 V1 camera, this year the new Nikon 1 V2 camera. This is the first time I used the 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (with the FT1 adapter) with a Nikon 1 camera.

Early Purple Crocus Bloom -- Spring is Coming!!! Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2, FT2 adapter and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 60 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Early Purple Crocus Bloom — Spring is Coming!!! Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2, FT2 adapter and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 60 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)

Six-Years Ago (24-February-2007) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Turkey Vulture and the Moon. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec).

Turkey Vulture and the Moon. New Jersey Winter. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
Turkey Vulture and the Moon. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)

Monday (24-December-2012) — New Jersey

Backyard Nature in New Jersey: Small Winter Birds on Christmas Eve.

I attached a 600 mm f/4 VR lens to the Nikon 1 V2 camera using the FT1 adapter. This was then set up on a tripod with a Gimble head on my back deck. Because of the small size of the digital sensor on the N1V2, this combination has a field of view (FOV) equivalent to a 1620 mm lens on a full size (35 mm) digital sensor. I wanted to see what type of images I could get, especially of small birds. There is more noise with the small sensor (and I think more noise with the N1V2 than the N1V1).

Dark-eyed "Slate-colored" Junco. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 280, 600 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Dark-eyed “Slate-colored” Junco. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 280, 600 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
White-throated Sparrow. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 160, 600 mm, f/4, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
White-throated Sparrow. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 160, 600 mm, f/4, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
White-throated Sparrow. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 720, 600 mm, f/4, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
White-throated Sparrow. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 720, 600 mm, f/4, 1/320 sec). (David J Mathre)
Downy Wookpecker. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 160, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
Downy Wookpecker. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V2 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 160, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)

Six-Years Ago (21-December-2006) — New Jersey

Winter Solstice: Birds in the Backyard.

I caught this white-throated sparrow eating a red berry in my backyard. The Nikon 80-400 mm VR lens is probably my most used lens. It is light enough to be hand held, and gives the reach to get images of small birds.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
White-throated sparrow. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/6, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)