Tag: Wildlife

Tuesday (23-August-2016) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Monarch Butterfly on a Thistle Bloom. Image taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). I am amazed by the high resolution detail captured by this camera, down to the individual specks of dust or pollen on the wings of the butterfly.

Over the last two weeks I only saw three Monarch butterflies, and only got an image of one. Today, I saw at least ten and was very happy. In addition to the Monarch butterflies, I also saw many Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies, Black Swallowtail butterflies (two or three varieties), Great Spangled Fritillary butterflies, Clearwing Moths (two varieties), Dragonflies, and Robber Flies. All in all the best day this season. I am going to be up late tonight processing more images…

Monarch Butterfly on a Thistle Bloom. Image taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). (David J Mathre)
Monarch Butterfly on a Thistle Bloom. Image taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 80-400 mm VRII lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). (David J Mathre)

Sunday (21-August-2016) — New Jersey.

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Praying Mantis With an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail for Sunday Brunch. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 300 mm f/4 lens.

Praying Mantis With an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail for Sunday Brunch. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 300 mm f/4 lens. (David J Mathre)
Praying Mantis With an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail for Sunday Brunch. Images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 300 mm f/4 lens. (David J Mathre)
Praying Mantis With an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail for Sunday Brunch. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 300 mm f/4 lens. (David J Mathre)
Praying Mantis With an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail for Sunday Brunch. Images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 300 mm f/4 lens. (David J Mathre)
Praying Mantis With an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail for Sunday Brunch. Sourland Mountain Preserve. Summer Nature in New Jersey. Images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 300 mm f/4 lens. (David J Mathre)
Praying Mantis With an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail for Sunday Brunch. Images taken with a Nikon D810a camera and 300 mm f/4 lens. (David J Mathre)

Five-Years Ago (21-August-2011) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Male American Goldfinch on a Thistle. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 250, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). I got almost an identical picture yesterday at the same location. The Goldfinch really like when the Thistle goes to seed.

American Goldfinch on a Thistle. Sourland Mountain Preserve, Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 250, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
American Goldfinch on a Thistle. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 250, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)

Five-Years Ago (21-August-2011) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Hummingbird Clearwing moth as a meal for a Praying Mantis. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 320, 105 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5.

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth as a Meal for a Praying Mantis. Sourland Mountain Preserve, Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 320, 105 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth as a Meal for a Praying Mantis. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 320, 105 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)

Five-Years Ago (21-August-2011) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Hummingbird Clearwing moth on Thistle flower. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5.

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth on Thistle Bloom. Sourland Mountain Preserve, Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth on Thistle Bloom. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)