Tuesday (01-June-2021) — New Jersey

Springtime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

The Brood X Cicadas are everywhere and continue singing their love song. When when working outside I need to wear my noise canceling headphones.

Cicada. (David J Mathre)
Cicada. Image taken with a Leica SL2 camera and 24-90 mm lens. (David J Mathre)

Birds viewed in the backyard and near the patio birdfeeder: Gray Catbird, House Finch. Not many birds visiting during the emergence of the Cicadas. Normally, the Catbirds would be going after my strawberries about this time of the year. Apparently, the Cicadas taste better.


Birds of the day. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Spring flowers blooming: Love-in-a-Mist, Red Poppy, Rhododendron, Clematis, Baby Blue Eyes, Baby Snapdragon, Sweet Alyssum, Lacy Phacelia.


Love-in-a-Mist. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Poppies. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Spring Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (43.8 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (65.9 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sun and a few clouds. A surplus of 22.1 kWh.

Monday (31-May-2021) — New Jersey

Springtime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Spring flowers blooming: Love-in-a-Mist, California Poppy, Red Poppy. Red Poppies for Memorial Day.


Spring Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (49.1 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (73.4 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. The sun returned. A surplus of 24.3 kWh.

Sunday (30-May-2021) — New Jersey

Springtime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Visitors backyard and the patio birdfeeder: Black Vulture, House Finch. Not many birds visiting during the emergence of the Cicadas.


Daily backyard visitors. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Spring flowers blooming: Red Poppy, Love-in-a-Mist, Crimson Clover, Daisy, Lacy Phacelia, Beardtongue Foxglove, Siberian Wallflower, Sweet William.


Love in a Mist. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Poppies. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Spring Flowers: Crimson Clover, Daisy, Lacy Phacelia, Beardtongue Foxglove, Siberian Wallflower, Sweet William. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (45.0 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (16.3 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Cloudy and rain. A deficit of 28.3 kWh.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (354 kWh) from Sense. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (326 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. A deficit of 28 kWh.

Sunday (18-April-2021) — New Jersey

Springtime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Visitors backyard and the patio birdfeeder: Mourning Dove, Turkey Vulture, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Northern Cardinal.


Daily backyard visitors. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Early springtime flowers: Daffodil, Grape Hyacinth, Maple Tree, Plum Tree, Tulip, Violet.


Early Springtime Flowers (landscape mode). Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Early Springtime Flowers (portrait mode). Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Better luck today with the Tulip opening time-lapse video. The sun came out and it was warmer. This time I set up two cameras. One to look straight down (Leica SL2 camera with a 50 mm f/1.4 lens), and the other for a side view (Fuji X-H1 with a 50-140 mm OIS lens).

Daily Electric Energy Used (59.2 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (52.2 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sun and clouds. GeoThermal HVAC still on to heat the house. A deficit of 7.0 kWh.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (331 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (275 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. A deficit of 56 kWh.

Friday (16-April-2021) — New Jersey

Springtime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Visitors backyard and the patio birdfeeder: Turkey Vulture, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal. The Turkey Vultures were back on the patio. Initially, trying to get the apple in the “Havahart” trap. Fortunately, they are too big to fit in the trap. One of them roosted a while on the sensor for my new WS-5000 backyard personal weather station. Unlike my previous weather station, the combination sensor for this weather station has no moving parts. It uses an array of ultrasonic sensors to determine wind direction and velocity. Since there are no moving parts, the vendor provides metal spikes to install on the sensor to repel birds. The Turkey Vulture didn’t read the manual. The vendor now recommends finding a commercial odorant that repels Vultures. Fortunately, the weather station is still working — and can be accessed via Weather Underground.


Daily backyard visitors. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Turkey Vulture (portrait mode). Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Turkey Vulture (landscape mode). Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Early spring flowers blooming: White fruit tree (cherry, pear, crabapple???)


Early Spring Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Late planting starter seeds in the indoor AeroGarden Farm for the outdoor GrowTowers (Part 1). Seeds planted this year include Arugula, Butter Head Lettuce, Black Seed Simpson Lettuce, Collard Greens, Kale, Mustard, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Cucumber, Summer Squash (Saffron), Zucchini (Black Beauty, Emerald Delight).

Daily Electric Energy Used (43.7 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (43.3 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sun and clouds. GeoThermal HVAC still on to heat the house. A deficit of 0.4 kWh.