Tuesday (03-July-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Morning and afternoon walkabouts with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens. The afternoon set was after a thunderstorm leaving some of the flowers wet. I am really liking this lens. One note, when the lens is out of the camera, or attached to the camera when the camera is off there is an internal part of the lens that slides back-and-forth making a knocking noise. When the camera is powered on this does not happen. I have seen reports on the internet, but have been told that it is not a problem. Now that the Fuji X-H1 and X-T2 cameras have firmware updates that will allow the camera to do focus bracketing. I look forward to trying focus bracketing with this lens.


Steam rising off the street after a thunderstorm. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Steam rising off the street after a thunderstorm. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (DAVID J MATHRE)


Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Monday (02-July-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Daily walkabout with a Leica CL camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens.  Flower & Wildflowers, Flower Beds, and the Grow Towers. Is this first plant a flower or weed?

Weed or Wildflower?. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Weed or Wildflower?. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)




Sunday (01-July-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Daily walkabout looking for flowers. Daisy, Baby’s Breath, Red Poppy, California Poppy, Cosmos (notice the spider), Zinnia, etc.

Cosmos. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Cosmos. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (DAVID J MATHRE)


Sunday (01-July-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Early Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Fledgling Day. This morning the House Wren parents would fly up to the nest, but not feed the chick. Initially one chick would stick its head out and beg for food, then another one would try to stick its head out above, and another one below the first chick. Eventually, the first chick went outside the entrance and the other two chicks blocked it from reentering the nest. It finally dropped down to the ground and started hopping around and begging to its parents “what do I do now???” Then it was just two birds looking out of the nest. Soon thereafter, the second one jumped out. I didn’t see it but presume the third one followed. Then it was a matter of learning to fly before becoming cat food.

House Wren Chick Looking Out of the Nest at My Front Door.. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)
House Wren Chick Looking Out of the Nest at My Front Door.. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Two House Wren Chicks Looking Out of the Nest at My Front Door.. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Two House Wren Chicks Looking Out of the Nest at My Front Door.. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Two House Wren Chicks Looking Out of the Nest at My Front Door.. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Two House Wren Chicks Looking Out of the Nest at My Front Door.. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Three House Wren Chicks Looking Out of the Nest at My Front Door.. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Three House Wren Chicks Looking Out of the Nest at My Front Door.. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Two House Wren Chicks Looking Out of the Nest at My Front Door.. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Two House Wren Chicks Looking Out of the Nest at My Front Door.. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS telephoto zoom lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Saturday (30-June-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Summer Nature in New Jersey.

Earlier this spring I noticed a tiny bird, smaller than a sparrow entering a small hole near my front door. The hole had been the access point for an intercom system that was removed when I installed a new Ring video door bell. I covered the hole with gaffer tape, and was going to fill it with wood putty, but the bird took the tape off and built a nest. When the bird flew into the nest it would often set off the Ring motion detector. The bird would also fly out of the hole when a delivery person rang the door bell. I finally got some images of the birds feeding the new hatchling(s). I also think that I have identified the bird as a house wren. The head of the young bird is almost as big as the parents, and this evening I noticed both of the parents dancing around, fluttering their wings, and chirping loudly on my door step. I think they are trying to convince junior that it is time to leave the nest…

House Wren Nest at My Front Door. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 1600, 80 mm, f/11, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
House Wren Nest at My Front Door. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 1600, 80 mm, f/11, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
House Wren Nest at My Front Door. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 1600, 80 mm, f/11, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
House Wren Nest at My Front Door. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 1600, 80 mm, f/11, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
House Wren Nest at My Front Door. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 1600, 80 mm, f/11, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
House Wren Nest at My Front Door. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 1600, 80 mm, f/11, 1/80 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)