Two-Years Ago (24-August-2015) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth on a Thistle Bloom. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC.

This one does appear to be a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe) based on 1) the lack of any banding on the lateral side of the thorax; 2) thysbe always has yellowish or pale colored legs.

Hummingbird Clearwing Moth feeding on on Thistle flowers. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/4 lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth feeding on on Thistle flowers. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 300 mm f/4 lens (ISO 100, 300 mm, f/8, 1/250 sec). (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (12-August-2016) — New Jersey.

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Ever Wonder How a Deer Scratches its Ear? Then the Doe stuck her tongue out in response to me taking pictures of her fawn. Images taken through my screened kitchen window with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens.


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


Thursday (10-August-2017) — New Jersey

Home Renovation.

The well drilling company arrived early this morning to drill two holes for a closed-loop geothermal heat pump. The heat pump will replace my oil furnace, oil hot-water heater, and air conditioner. One more step to reduce my carbon footprint.

Two wells being drilled for a closed loop geothermal heat exchange pipe. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2.8 or 11-23 mm lens. (David J Mathre)
Two wells being drilled for a closed loop geothermal heat exchange pipe. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 23 mm f/2.8 or 11-23 mm lens. (David J Mathre)


Individual images from the slideshow can be viewed here.

Saturday (05-August-2017) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Two of the Burma water-bottle gourds in my wildflower meadow flowered today. It seems like they open at night when the moon is nearly full. I don’t know if a night moth is needed to fertilize to get one of the gourds. The one planted over a year ago in Florida produced a gourd over 1 meter in length. The image of the flower is behind a nylon mesh that I hope will keep it protected from the deer tonight.

Burma Water Bottle Gourd Flower. Backyard summer nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 280, 60 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) (David J Mathre)
Burma Water Bottle Gourd Flower.  Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 280, 60 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) (David J Mathre)

Four-Years Ago (05-August-2013) — Iceland

Gone to See Iceland 2013 Photography Safari with Mike Hagen. Day 7: Cape Ingolfshofdi (Ingólfshöfði) Along the South East Coast.

Puffin Landing with a Mouth Full of Fish. Cape Ingolfshofdi (Ingólfshöfði) a private nature preserve on an isolated headland on the coast half way between Skaftafell in Vatnajokull National Park and Jökulsárlón ice lagoon in Iceland. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VR II lens (ISO 800, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). Image processed with the new 64 bit Focus Magic filter.

Puffin Landing with a Mouth Full of Fish.(David J Mathre)
Puffin Landing with a Mouth Full of Fish. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VR II lens (ISO 800, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)