David Mathre Photography

Birds

  • Green Heron (26-May-2025)

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    David Mathre
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    Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

    While out taking pictures of the flowers blooming in my back wildflower meadow a large dark bird flew out of the pond landing in a tree next to the pond. I was able to quickly get a picture and identify it as a Green Heron (Butorides virescens). Shortly afterwards a second Green Heron flew out of the pond and away before I could capture an image. Note that this image was taken with a 10-year-old Nikon 1 V3 camera with a 70-300 mm VR lens. I still find this to be a great camera and lens combination for bird images.

    Green Heron. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One and Topaz AI (super focus).

    I have previously seen Green Herons at the local Sourland Mountain Preserve in 2012, 2013, and 2016 but not in my backyard pond. I expanded the pond a couple of years ago, and it is now full of frogs attracting Green Herons and Great Blue Herons. Additional Green Heron images are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

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  • Great Black-backed Gull (26-May-2013)

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    David Mathre
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    Twelve-Years Ago Today. World Life List #277. MV Explorer Crossing the North Sea.

    Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) in flight viewed from the deck of the MV Explorer on the North Sea. Semester at Sea Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage. Several of the Great Black-backed Gulls followed the ship hunting for a meal using the ships thermal wake as it crossed the North Sea. More images of Great Black-backed Gulls are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

    Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus). Viewed from the deck of the MV Explorer crossing the North Sea. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens.
    Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus). Viewed from the deck of the MV Explorer crossing the North Sea. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens.

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  • American Wigeon (26-May-2008)

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    David Mathre
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    Seventeen-Years Ago Today. World Life List #119. Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado.

    A pair of American Wigeons (Mareca americana) observed near a pond along the Auto Loop in the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado. The Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is among the highest wildlife refuges in the continental United States situated at an elevation between 8,100 to 8,700 feet and sitting in an interglacial plain between two mountain ranges. It encompasses diverse habitats, including sagebrush steppe uplands, grassland meadows, willow riparian zones, and wetlands. This 23,464-acre refuge was established in 1967, primarily to provide suitable nesting and rearing habitats for migratory.

    Pair of American Wigeons (Mareca americana). Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + 1.7x TC-E II teleconverter.
    Pair of American Wigeons (Mareca americana) — center of image. Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + 1.7x TC-E II teleconverter.

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  • Gadwall (26-May-2008)

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    David Mathre
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    Seventeen-Years Ago Today. World Life List #118. Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado.

    Gadwall (Mareca strepera) observed leaving a pond along the Auto Loop in the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, Colorado. Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge was a 2+ hour drive from Boulder, Colorado. I would visit the refuge several times on weekends while I was working part time in Boulder. The Auto Loop provides many opportunities for viewing wildlife in central Colorado. Additional images of Gadwall are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

    Gadwall (Mareca strepera). Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + 1.7x TC-E II teleconverter.
    Gadwall (Mareca strepera). Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge. Image taken with a Nikon D3 camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + 1.7x TC-E II teleconverter.

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About the author

I am a scientist by training (Eckerd College, BSc; Caltech, Ph.D.). I worked for 27 years as a Chemist in the Pharmaceutical Industry developing processes to manufacture medicines for human and animal health. I now spend my time as a photographer and world traveler. My interests include the natural world, wildlife, landscapes, sky, and seascapes, travel, and astrophotography. I look for unique ways of viewing the world and presenting my images. I have traveled to over 55 countries in six continents, often on Semester at Sea voyages. While at home in New Jersey, I spend time observing and photographing the plants and animals while expanding a wildflower garden/meadow in the backyard. When the sky is clear, I have telescopes viewing the night sky.

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American Robin American Three-towed Woodpecker American Wigeon Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge Bird in Flight Black Vulture Brandt's Cormorant Broad-tailed Hummingbird Brown Booby California Canada Jay Clark's Nutcracker Colorado Dominica European Herring Gull Gadwall Gone to See America 2009 Road Trip Graylag Goose Green Heron Latvia Lily Lake Magnificent Frigatebird Mute Swan MV Explorer New Jersey North Sea Norway Orchard Oriole Oslo Puerto Rico Purple-throated Carib Red-winged Blackbird Red Crossbill Rock Pigeon Rocky Mountain National Park Ruby-Throated Hummingbird Scotland Semester at Sea Sourland Mountain Preserve Spring Spring 2010 Enrichment Voyage Spring 2013 Enrichment Voyage St. Kitts Topaz AI Winter

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