David's Images of the Day Photoblog
A year ago some early purple crocus flowers started blooming. Not as early as some years, but still early. The daffodils still have a bit to go. This winter cold, rain, and snow that usually only lasts one day. No sign of the crocus flowers yet.
Individual images from the slide shows can be viewed here.
Pair of Queen Butterflies on a wildflower along the Loop Road. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec).
Clearwing Hummingbird Moth on a Thistle Bloom. Sourland Mountain Preserve, Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/2 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/4, 1/800 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 8, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC.
My first Monarch Butterfly of the season. I am glad I planted this small section of wildflowers right next to the house, as the other sections have been devastated by “mile-a-minute” vine and deer. The deer like to munch on the plants before the flowers can bloom. I am going to have to go back to an electric fence. As soon as I saw the Monarch Butterfly, I ran back inside and grabbed the first camera I could find with a telephoto zoom lens. When I see more, I will come back with a macro lens.
I am starting to see flowers, and wildflowers — but not the large numbers (or meadow) like last year. The plants in the grow tower are getting big. I actually had to cull (remove) the zucchini and cucumber plants because they were getting too big and blocking the sun from the other plants. I did see a frog hiding near the newly expanded pond. Also, one of the may apple plants still has its apple (seed pod).
