Eight-Years Ago (27-May-2013) — North Sea

Gone to See Europe and North Africa. Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 31: North Sea.

Viewed from the deck of the MV Explorer: Northern Gannet. My eBird Checklist.


Viewed from the deck of the MV Explorer. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Five-Years Ago (05-April-2016) — Atlantic Ocean

Viewed from the deck of the MV World Odyssey: Northern Gannet, Royal Tern, and Eurasian Collared-Dove. The Dove was a stowaway that we probably picked up while docked in Ghana. My eBird Checklist. My eBird Checklist. My eBird Checklist.


Viewed from the deck of the MV World Odyssey. Images taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Seven-Years Ago (01-September-2012) — Celtic Sea

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 10: At Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, Celtic Sea, and Irish Sea.

There were several Northern Gannets following the MV Explorer. I wanted to get an image of one crossing the full moon. I took lots of pictures, but only came close a few times. Then there was the issue of whether the moon, or the bird should be in focus.


Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.


Four-Years Ago (27-May-2013) — North Sea

Gone to See Europe. Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 31: At Sea, North Sea.

Several Northern Gannets followed the ship as we crossed the North Sea. I think the birds use the ship to provide lift as they hunt for fish being disturbed by the wake of the ship. One of the Northern Gannet flew with one foot out. I don’t know if it was injured or was using the foot to provide drag? It is amazing that these birds spend almost all year at sea — only spending time on land to breed and raise their young. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VR II lens(ISO 180, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec).

Northern Gannet in flight with one foot down in the evening sun. From the deck of the M/V Explorer crossing the North Sea between Dover and Oslo. Semester at Sea, Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VR II lens(ISO 180, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)
Northern Gannet in flight with one foot down in the evening sun. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VR II lens(ISO 180, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)

Four-Years Ago (16-September-2012) — At Sea, English Channel

Gone to see Europe. Semester at Sea. Fall 2012 Semester Voyage on the MV Explorer. Day 24: At Sea, English Channel.

Northern Gannet in Flight. Viewed from deck 7 of the MV Explorer transiting the English Channel. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec).

Northern Gannet in Flight From Deck 7 of the M/V Explorer Traveling in the English Channel. Image taken with a Nikon D800 and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Northern Gannet in Flight From Deck 7 of the MV Explorer in the English Channel. Image taken with a Nikon D800 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). (David J Mathre)