Month: May 2020

Saturday (16-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

The birds for the day are Brown-headed Cowbird, Mourning Dove, and Eastern Phoebe. The Eastern Phoebes are responsible for the bird nest above my front door. They also appear to be catching the Carpenter Bees that have been drilling holes in my Cedar siding. A good thing, so I will leave the bird nest alone. Yesterday it was very warm, and many California Poppy flowers opened. The California poppy flowers close at night and open again the next day when warmed by the sun. The first outdoor Red Poppy flower of the season bloomed. The poppies this year were self seeded from last year’s flowers.


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


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


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

Red Poppy. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 224 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Red Poppy. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 224 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Red Poppy. Composite of 35 focus stacked images taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro OIS lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Red Poppy. Composite of 35 focus stacked images taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro OIS lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus. (DAVID J MATHRE)
I need greens so I can make milk for my new baby. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 500, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
I need greens so I can make milk for my new baby. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 500, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (49.8 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (78.1 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of Sun and clouds. A surplus of 28.3 kWh.


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Friday (15-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

The bird for the day is a Mourning Dove.

Mourning Dove. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens (ISO 560, 600 mm, f/4, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Mourning Dove. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens (ISO 560, 600 mm, f/4, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
I need greens so I can make milk for my new baby.Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 360, 105 mm, f/1.4, 1/250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
I need greens so I can make milk for my new baby.Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 360, 105 mm, f/1.4, 1/250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (47.8 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (60.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Sun, but more clouds. A surplus of 12.7 kWh.


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Thursday (14-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds for the day included House Finch (immature?), Northern Cardinal, and Brown-headed Cowbird. I continue to watch the Eastern Phoebes nest is above the front door. Spring flowers for the day include Crimson Clover, Allium, and California Poppy.


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

Eastern Phoebe nest. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens + 1.4x telelconverter (ISO 1600, 280 mm, f/2.8, 1/150 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Phoebe nest. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens + 1.4x telelconverter (ISO 1600, 280 mm, f/2.8, 1/150 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)


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

I need greens so I can make milk for my new baby. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
I need greens so I can make milk for my new baby. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (47.5 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (82.6 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of sun. A surplus of 35.1 kWh.



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Wednesday (13-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds for the day included Blue Jay, Mourning Dove, House Finch, Northern Cardinal, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and Eastern Phoebe. The pair of Eastern Phoebes nest is above the front door. I wonder if the parasitic cowbirds managed to lay an egg in the nest? The Eastern Pheobes now guard the area around the front door. Spring flowers for the day include Prunella Vulgaris (also known as Self-Heal, Heal-All, and Woundwort), Jack in the Pulpit, Five-spot, Siberian Wallflower, Crimson Clover, Allium, California Poppy, and Lilac.


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


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

Eastern Phoebe nest. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 280, 105 mm, f/1.4, 1/250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Phoebe nest. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 280, 105 mm, f/1.4, 1/250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (48.8 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (90.1 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of sun. A surplus of 41.3 kWh.


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Tuesday (12-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

It was a busy day. Up very early to see the Waning Gibbous moon. Birds for the day included Mourning Dove, Gray Catbird, House Finch, Brown-headed Cowbird, Indigo Bunting, Chipping Sparrow, American Crow, Northern Cardinal, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. The Indigo Bunting is new here. With all of the rain, the grass is growing fast and needed to be mowed. Afterwards, I took a walkabout and came upon both a Fowler’s Toad, and an American Bullfrog. Lots of early spring flowers including Prunella Vulgaris (also known as Self-Heal, Heal-All, and Woundwort), Jack in the Pulpit, Five-spot, Forget Me Not, Johnny Jump Up, Siberian Wallflower, Crimson Clover, Allium, California Poppy, Flax, Dogwood, and Bethlehem Star (Grass Lily). As a bonus, at the end of the day, I found a White Poppy flower. This is the first regular poppy to bloom outdoors this year. The California Poppies have been blooming for a couple of weeks now.

Waning Gibbous Moon. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/4, 1/640 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Waning Gibbous Moon. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/4, 1/640 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)


Birds Viewed from my Patio. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Male Indigo Bunting. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 200, 600 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male Indigo Bunting. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 200, 600 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)


Fowler’s Toad. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Kermit the Bullfrog. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


May Flowers — Portrait Mode. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


May Flowers — Landscape Mode. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

White Poppy. Composite of 100 focus stacked images taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 64, 60 mm, f/4, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus. (DAVID J MATHRE)
White Poppy. Composite of 100 focus stacked images taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 64, 60 mm, f/4, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus. (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (56.1 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (82.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of sun. A surplus of 26.4 kWh.


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