Month: April 2018

Saturday (21-April-2018) — New Jersey

Home Cooking. Rye, Oatmeal, and Maple Syrup Bread.

Whole Wheat & Oatmeal Bread Recipe: Oatmeal (1 cup); Rye Flour (1 cup); Sorghum (1/2 cup); Sprouted Wheat Flour (1 cup); Flax Seed (1/4 cup);  brown sugar (2 tbs); maple syrup (1 tbs); dry milk (1/4 cup); salt (2 tsp); egg (1 large); walnut oil (2 tbs); water (1 1/3 cup). Above ingredients added to the Panasonic Bread Bakery. Yeast (2 tsp) added to yeast hopper and the unit set for Whole Wheat Bread (Rapid) and started. Three hours later, the loaf of bread was removed and allowed to cool. This time the bread rose only 75%. Next time need to increase the sugar (maple syrup). The bread was very dense, and moist (almost gummy) in the center.


Friday (20-April-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

An American black crow, house finch, and a pair of northern cardinals. At one point I observed a male cardinal feeding a female. I’ve seen male cardinals feeding juvenile cardinals before. Is this springtime courtship behavior?

Male Northern Cardinal Feeding a Female. (Courtship Behavior???). Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/4, 1/800 sec) (David J Mathre)
Male Northern Cardinal Feeding a Female. (Courtship Behavior???). Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/4, 1/800 sec) (David J Mathre)





House Finch at a Bird Feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec) (David J Mathre)
House Finch at a Bird Feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec) (David J Mathre)

Thursday (19-April-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Spring Nature in New Jersey.

Chipping Sparrow at the bird feeder, and a very scrawny yearling deer. It was a long winter, and weather in March was difficult for finding food. Now the grass is turning green and starting to grow — which becomes the major food source for the deer.



Individual images can be viewed here.

Wednesday (18-April-2018) — New Jersey

Springtime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

It often seems that animals only want to look away and/or show their backside as soon as they see a camera lens.

Chipping Sparrow Looking Away. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec) (David J Mathre)
Chipping Sparrow Looking Away. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec) (David J Mathre)

Tuesday (17-April-2018) — New Jersey

Springtime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Some bigger birds stopped by the new bird feeders. Actually, they stayed on the ground below the feeder to work on the spilled seeds. First a male, then female Northern Cardinal. They were soon followed by a Blue Jay that chased the Cardinals away. After the Blue Jay left, a Mourning Dove showed up. Only small birds worked the bird feeders. The Black Crows stayed out in the grass, searching for insects.

American Black Crow. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 360, 600 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)
American Black Crow. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 360, 600 mm, f/4, 1/200 sec). (David J Mathre)






Individual images in the slide shows can be viewed here.