One-Year Ago (14-January-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Not as many birds on the patio. A Carolina Wren and Mourning Pigeon. There also is an unidentified bird that looks just like a Dark-eyed Junco, but with tan/brown rather than grey colored feathers.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Carolina Wren at a bird feeder. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Mourning Dove behind a frozen bird bath. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Small bird. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens with 1.4x TC (David J Mathre)

Four-Years Ago (14-January-2016) — Pacific Ocean

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 10: Crossing the Pacific Ocean.

During the voyage we had several discussions regarding the identity of the Boobies that followed the MV World Odyssey across the Pacific Ocean. We were in general agreement that the birds following the ship before Hawaii were Brown Boobies. Then after Hawaii, we had both Brown Boobies and Masked Boobies. The Brown Boobies had three color patterns — all brown; brown top with tan/mottled brown bottom; or brown top with white bottom. I now understand these are the different juvenile through adult forms of the Brown Booby. The Masked Boobies were mostly white with black on the ends of the upper wings. It was bright and sunny on this day. We had twenty plus of the Bobbies using the thermals from the ship to soar and then dive for flying fish. I actually captured a sequence of images where a Brown Booby caught a flying fish.


Brown Booby with dark brown top and bottom. The individual images in the slide show are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Brown Booby with brown top and and tan or mottled light brown bottom. The individual images in the slide show are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Brown Booby with brown top and and white bottom. The individual images in the slide show are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Masked Booby mostly white with black on the ends of the upper wings. The individual images in the slide show are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Brown Booby caught a Flying Fish The individual images in the slide show are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Thirteen-Years Ago (14-January-2007) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Afternoon walkabout. Four types of birds observed — Male Northern Cardinal, Female Downy Woodpecker, Dark-eyed Junco, and Carolina Wren.

Northern Cardinal. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/80 sec) (David J Mathre)
Northern Cardinal. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/80 sec) (David J Mathre)
Female Downy Woodpecker. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/40 sec) (David J Mathre)
Female Downy Woodpecker. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/40 sec) (David J Mathre)
Dark-eyed Junco. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/90 sec) (David J Mathre)
Dark-eyed Junco. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/90 sec) (David J Mathre)
Carolina Wren. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/00 sec) (David J Mathre)
Carolina Wren. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/00 sec) (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (13-January-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Lots of birds viewed from my backyard patio. Blue Jay, Dark-eyed Junco, Mourning Dove, Carolina Wren, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, House Finch, and Turkey Vulture.

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Blue Jay at a bird feeder. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
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Dark-eyed Junco under a bird feeder. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/3.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Mourning Dove under a bird feeder. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Carolina Wren at a bird feeder. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Red-bellied Woodpecker at a bird feeder. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/5, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Northern Cardinal at a bird feeder. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/2.8, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Tufted Titmouse at a bird feeder. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
House Finch perched on a wire. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Turkey Vulture soaring. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/13, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)

Four-Years Ago (13-January-2016) — Pacific Ocean

Gone to See the World. Semester at Sea Spring 2016 Voyage on the MV World Odyssey. Day 9: Crossing the Pacific Ocean.

At midday I noticed a Booby flying low to the water at a distance. It looked like a Booby. Later at dusk, four of the birds soared over the MV World Odyssey. We tentatively identified these as Masked Boobies rather than Brown Boobies.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Masked Booby searching for food. Viewed from the deck of the MV World Odyssey. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 224 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Three Masked Booby flying above the MV World Odyssey at dusk. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 800, 229 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec). (David J Mathre)