Tuesday (03-August-2021) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Blue Jay, Gray Catbird, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Common Grackle.


Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


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

Flowers of the day: Black-eyed Susan, Canna, Cosmos, Nasturtium, Partridge Pea, Plains Coreopsis, Sunflower, Zinnia.


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


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

Both Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and Monarch butterflies feeding on a Thistle flower.


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

Other bugs of the day include a pair of tiny Dragonflies mating, and Milkweed Aphids eating a Milkweed plant.


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

The local Fawns, still with spots are getting bigger. A groundhog in the back wildflower meadow. Kermit the bullfrog in the pond.


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (51.0 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (47.2 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Clouds and sun. A deficit of 3.8 kWh.

Tuesday (16-June-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Wildflower Meadow -- Little Planet View. Image taken with a Garmin VIRB-360 camera (ISO 100, 1 mm, f/2, 1/1996 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Wildflower Meadow — Little Planet View. Image taken with a Garmin VIRB-360 camera (ISO 100, 1 mm, f/2, 1/1996 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)

Birds of the Day — Northern Cardinal, Black-capped Chickadee, House Finch, Gray Catbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Blue Jay, and Tufted Titmouse. The Eastern Phoebe continues to sit on the nest.


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

Spring flowers of the day — Red and Pink Poppies, Larkspur/Delphinium, and Blanket Flower


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

Kermit (and his brothers) in the pond.


Bullfrogs in the pond. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

A Groundhog started digging a nest into the rock wall supporting my patio. I need to deal with this before it destabilizes the wall. ARRG!


Young Groundhog on my patio. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (38.1 kWh) from Sense. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (86.9 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Lots of sun. A surplus of 48.8 kWh.


powered by Ambient Weather

Sunday (08-July-2018) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

I stopped at the nearby Sourland Mountain Preserve to see if any butterflies have arrived. I only found some really tiny butterflies (or are they moths?).  While walking down the gas line trail, I noticed a deer watching me from the bushes. It looks like she has a wound on her head between the eyes that was covered with flies. Back home, there was a wary groundhog, a bull frog in my pond, and a young fawn going through my wildflower garden eating the buds before they can bloom.



Individual images in the slide shows can be viewed here.

Friday (11-May-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Tree Fungus, Azalea Flowers, and a Ground Hog. The tree fungus and red azalea flowers were in a neighbor’s yard. They have a high fence to keep the deer away. I lost my azalea shrubs years ago to the ever hungry deer. The groundhog was in my backyard, just at the dividing line between what is supposed to be the wildflower meadow and grass. You can see that the main thing growing in the wildflower meadow is the invasive “mile-a-minute” vine.

Tree Fungus. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens. (David J Mathre)
Tree Fungus. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens. (David J Mathre)



Eight-Years Ago (09-August-2008) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Angry Groundhog. I kept filling in the hole it was trying to build next to the foundation of my house. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/8, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC.

Angry Groundhog. I kept filling in the hole it was trying to build right next to my house. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/8, 1/125 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CC. (David J Mathre)
Angry Groundhog. Image taken with a Nikon D300 camera and 80-400 mm VR lens (ISO 400, 400 mm, f/8, 1/125 sec). (David J Mathre)