Month: October 2021

Saturday (16-October-2021) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Mourning Dove, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, American Robin, House Finch. Early in the morning there were no birds around the birdfeeder. I noticed the Red-tailed Hawk up in a tree being harassed by a troop of noisy Blue Jays. Once the hawk left, some birds did show up at the birdfeeder. Late in the afternoon as a storm approached, the sky was full of Turkey Vultures soaring ahead of the dark clouds.


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

Mid-afternoon a Monarch butterfly showed up and started feeding on a Butterfly Bush. I’m not sure if it is the same Monarch from yesterday. The wind was picking up as a storm approached, but the butterfly held on tight while it continued to feed on the nectar. It kept coming back for a good two hours. It needs to fuel up for the long trip to Mexico, or where ever the east coast Monarch’s go to hibernate. I got lots of pictures.


Monarch butterfly feeding on a Butterfly Bush. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Monarch butterfly feeding on a Butterfly Bush. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Monarch butterfly on a post. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Monarch butterfly on a post. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Monarch butterfly resting on a bush. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Monarch butterfly feeding on a Butterfly Bush. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Monarch butterfly feeding on a Butterfly Bush. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Monarch butterfly feeding on a Butterfly Bush. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Monarch butterfly resting on a post. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Monarch butterfly resting on a bush. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Monarch butterfly resting on a bush. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Monarch butterfly feeding on a Butterfly Bush. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (48.5 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (32.1 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sun and clouds. Deficit of 16.4 kWh.

Friday (15-October-2021) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Mourning Dove, Turkey Vulture, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Black-capped Chickadee, European Starling, American Robin, House Finch.


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

Flowers (and plants) of the day: Chinese Forget-me-not, Cosmos, Marigold, Plains Coreopsis, Teasel.


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

Time-lapse video of a day in the wildflower meadow. This section was plated late in summer with Cosmos and Plains Coreopsis. The earlier planting in this section failed, mainly coming up with tall grass instead of the spring to summer wildflowers. I mowed the grass down, rototilled, and covered with a black-agricultural fabric to kill off the weeds for several weeks before replanting. I am now starting to get some flowers even though the plants are not very tall. Another section was planted with Marigold and Zinnia. They are not growing very fast, and have not bloomed. It also doesn’t help that the Deer and Ground Hog continue to nibble on the small plants. [Click on the full screen button, bottom right corner to view a larger image.]

I haven’t seen any Monarch butterflies until today since August. Usually there are some of the group that migrates south to hibernate around in October. One of the places that I usually see them in October is at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. This year the brush along the high-pressure underground gas line was mowed, and there are no flowers to attract the Monarch butterflies. Today, while rototilling one of my wildflower meadows to prepare for next spring I noticed the shadow of a butterfly flying. When I turned around, I saw a Monarch. It landed on a Zinnia flower. I dropped everything and ran inside to get a camera. When I got back outside, I found the Monarch feeding on a Marigold flower.


Monarch butterfly feeding on a Marigold flower. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Deer in the backyard. They keep trying to get into the fenced off areas. Some look pretty scrawny.


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

Waxing Gibbous moon with my new Sigma 150-600 mm sport (L-mount) lens on a Leica SL2 camera.

Waxing Gibbous moon. (David J Mathre)
Waxing Gibbous Moon. Image taken with a Leica SL2 camera and Sigma 150-600 mm OIS lens (handheld). (David J Mathre)

Daily Electric Energy Used (53.4 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (33.3 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sunny. Deficit of 20.1 kWh.

Thursday (14-October-2021) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, European Starling, Gray Catbird, American Robin, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak.



Birds of the day. 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 (and plants) of the day: Blanket Flower, Butterfly Bush, Cosmos, Daisy, Marigold, Nasturtium, Plains Coreopsis, Roselle, Sweet Alyssum, Zinnia, Hot Pepper.


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


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (40.8 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (35.9 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sunny. Deficit of 4.9 kWh.

Wednesday (13-October-2021) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Northern Flicker, Black-capped Chickadee, American Robin, House Finch, Carolina Wren, Northern Cardinal.


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

Flowers and Bee. (David J Mathre)
Honey Bee and Cosmos. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 400 mm f/2.8 lens. (David J Mathre)

Daily Electric Energy Used (46.0 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (12.4 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Cloudy Deficit of 33.6 kWh.

Tuesday (12-October-2021) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, American Robin, House Finch, Northern Cardinal.


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (43.4 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (19.3 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Clouds and some sun. Deficit of 24.1 kWh.