Red Eft at Wildcat Ridge

Red Eft
Wildcat Ridge Wildlife Management Area
Morris County NJ
April 2023

Call them what you like: Efts, Newts, or Salamanders These charismatic amphibians make me grateful for the preserved open spaces we do have in North Jersey.

Sidenote: if you do take the time to get outside to observe reptiles and amphibians do not be selfish and move them or take them home. Nobody wants to be a prisoner.

Variegated Fritillary in NJ

Variegated Fritillary
Double Trouble State Park
Ocean County NJ
July 2022

More information on the Variegated Fritillary – https://www.naba.org/chapters/nabanj/butterflies/variegated_fritillary.html

njnature #njphotography #njhiking #newjersey #nj #njstateparks #njwildlife

Pine Barrens Bluet at Bass River State Forest NJ

Pine Barrens Bluet

Bass River State Forest NJ

June 2022

This small damselfly accommodated a closeup shot with my compact macro lens setup.

More info on the Pine Barrens Bluet – http://www.conservewildlifenj.org/species/fieldguide/view/Enallagma%20recurvatum/

Canon EF-M 28mm macro lens + Canon M5

Common Sanddragon in the New Jersey Pinelands

Common Sanddragon in the New Jersey Pinelands

Bass River State Forest

June 2022

More information on the Common Sanddragon dragonfly – https://njodes.org/Pages/SpeciesAccount.aspx?id=312

Visit Bass River State Forest – https://nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/parks/bassriverstateforest.html

This uncropped image was shot with the Canon 28mm macro lens. Shooting dragonflies or small butterflies with a short lens is very difficult yet allows for a broad view of the surrounding landscape.

Dot-tailed Whiteface dragonfly in NJ

Dot-tailed Whiteface dragonfly 

Mahlon Dickerson County Reservation 

Jefferson NJ

May 2022

Though this species of spring dragonflies is very common locally I find their contrasty colors are great for imagery. 

For this frame I used my 28mm macro lens to showcase the dragonfly-scape

More information on Dot-tailed Whiteface – https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dot-tailed_whiteface

#njnature #njphotography #njhiking #newjersey #nj #macro #morriscounty #northjersey

Hoary Elfin in Whiting NJ

Hoary Elfin
Whiting WMA
Ocean County NJ
May 2022

With an approximate wingspan of 1” these tiny Spring butterflies are quite a challenge to fill the frame with.

Read more about the Hoary Elfin – https://www.naba.org/chapters/nabanj/butterflies/hoary_elfin.html

Chicken of The Woods

Chicken of the Woods
Four Birds Trail
Newfoundland NJ

More information on the Chicken of the Woods mushroom – https://www.wildernesspioneers.co.uk/chicken-of-the-woods-laetiporus-sulphureus/

Explore the Four Birds Trail – https://www.njhiking.com/best-hikes-in-nj-four-birds-trail/

Spring Peeper at Splitrock Reservoir

Spring Peeper
Splitrock Reservoir
Morris County NJ
October 2021

More info on Spring Peepers – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_peeper

Northern Walkingstick in NJ

Northern Walkingstick
Appalachian Trail
Blairstown NJ
September 2021

More info on the Northern Walkingstick – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_walkingstick

Red Admiral Butterfly at Washington Valley Park NJ

Red Admiral butterfly on Tree Trunk
Washington Valley Park
Somerset County NJ
August 2021

Taken with wide angle lens the goal of this capture was to isolate the perched butterfly set against the forested green background.