Wildlife - David Mathre Photography

Monday (06-June-2011) — New Jersey

Indoor and Outdoor Wildlife in New Jersey.

Another macro image of a Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) crawling on the wall indoors. It is not a silverfish. Outside, I got to test out a new telephoto lens.

Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) -- Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro + TC-E 20 (ISO 800, 210 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre) — Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) — Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro + TC-E 20 (ISO 800, 210 mm, f/11, 1/250 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Doe Licking Her Lips -- Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 600 mm f/4 lens (ISO 1800, 600 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec) handheld. Image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre) — Doe Licking Her Lips — Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 600 mm f/4 lens (ISO 1800, 600 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec) handheld. Image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Three-Years Ago (01-June-2008) — Colorado

Springtime Nature in Colorado: Rocky Mountain National Park.

While visiting Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park I saw a number of male Broad-tailed Hummingbirds. It looked like they were setting up territories as they would perch on a branch and watch the others in the vicinity. Every now and then they would dive toward the others in an attempt to get some more space.

Male Broad-tailed Humming Bird at Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E II 20 teleconverter (ISO 280, 400 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre) — Male Broad-tailed Humming Bird at Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E II 20 teleconverter (ISO 280, 400 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Male Broad-tailed Humming Bird at Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D300 and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E II 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/8, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre) — Male Broad-tailed Humming Bird at Lily Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D300 and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E II 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/8, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Sunday (29-May-2011) — New Jersey

Indoor Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Thanks to the Internet, I was finally able to identify this bug crawling up the wall. It is a Scutigera Coleoptrata, aka house centipede — and not a Silverfish. Apparently these eat other bugs including Silverfish in the house. This one is missing part of its right front antenna, and three of its right front legs. They still are creepy — no pun intended.

Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) -- Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro + TC-E 20 (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/11, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre) — Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) — Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro + TC-E 20 (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/11, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) -- Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro + TC-E 20 (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre) — Scutigera Coleoptrata (House Centipede) — Not a Silverfish. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR Macro + TC-E 20 (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Wednesday (25-May-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Images of Bumble and Carpenter Bees taken in my backyard this afternoon with a macro lens. The Bumble Bees were working the fast fading Rhododendron flowers for any remaining pollen. The male Carpenter Bees appeared to be flying stationary guarding territory — only moving when challenged by another male. The down side of the Carpenter Bees is the large holes that they drill into the wood around the house for their nests.

Bumble Bee Working Old Rhododendron Flower for Pollen. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre) — Bumble Bee Working Old Rhododendron Flower for Pollen. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/7.1, 1/200 sec).

Male Eastern Carpenter Bee Guarding Territory. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 800, 210 mm, f/13, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre) — Male Eastern Carpenter Bee Guarding Territory. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Macro + TC-E 20 teleconverter (ISO 800, 210 mm, f/13, 1/640 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One 6 Pro, Focus Magic, Nik Define 2, and Photoshop CS5.

Two-Years Ago (23-May-2009) — South Dakota

Gone to See America 2009 Road Trip. Day 16: Badlands National Park.

Western Meadowlark Singing. Late last night while not able to sleep after a loud spring thunderstorm, I started to read Moose Peterson’s book “CAPTURED — LESSONS from BEHIND the LENS of a LEGENDARY WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER“. In the book I saw an image of a Western Meadowlark. This morning while driving to work I was listening to a chapter of the book “The Last Stand” on Sirrius/XM radio and heard that “Sitting Bull heard from a Meadowlark that he would be killed by a Lakota”. With two references to a Meadowlark, I remembered that I had taken an image of a similar bird while on my “Gone to See America 2009” road trip while in Badlands National Park in South Dakota. When I took the image, I didn’t know what type of bird it was, but was enchanted by its singing.

Western Meadowlark, Badlands National Park, South Dakota. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/11, 1/640 sec). (David J Mathre) — Western Meadowlark, Badlands National Park, South Dakota. Image taken with a Nikon D3 and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/11, 1/640 sec).