Category: Nature

Views of nature and the natural world. Plants, animals, and wildlife from around the world.

One-Year Ago (07-January-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Only two different birds at the bird feeder — Northern Cardinal, and Tufted Titmouse.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Northern Cardinal at a bird feeder. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/3.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Tufted Titmouse at a bird feeder Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/4.5, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)

Two-Years Ago (07-January-2018) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

I was wondering why there were no birds at the bird feeder, then saw this hawk in the distance sunning itself in a tree. Not the best image, and it is significantly blown up.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Broad-winged Hawk sunning in a tree. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (David J Mathre)

One-Year Ago (06-January-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Tufted Titmouse working a sunflower seed.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Tufted Titmouse at a bird feeder Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter (ISO 320, 280 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)

Monday (06-January-2020) — New Jersey

Wintertime Indoor Hydroponic Gardening

More macro flower images from the Indoor Hydroponic Farms. Three versions of a male Zucchini flower as  focus stacked composites of 25 images processed with Helicon Focus. You can see the tiny hairs in the flower, as well as some tiny droplets of nectar at the base of the flower. Unfortunately, there are no bees in the house and I have to manually pollinate the flowers that I want to bear fruit or vegetables.


Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.


AeroGarden Farm 05-Right. Male Zucchini Flowers. Focus stacked image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). Composite of 25 images processed with Helicon Focus (method A). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 05-Right. Male Zucchini Flowers. Focus stacked image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). Composite of 25 images processed with Helicon Focus (method A). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 05-Right. Male Zucchini Flowers. Focus stacked image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). Composite of 25 images processed with Helicon Focus (method B). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 05-Right. Male Zucchini Flowers. Focus stacked image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). Composite of 25 images processed with Helicon Focus (method B). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 05-Right. Male Zucchini Flowers. Focus stacked image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). Composite of 25 images processed with Helicon Focus (method C). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 05-Right. Male Zucchini Flowers. Focus stacked image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/5.6, 1/60 sec). Composite of 25 images processed with Helicon Focus (method C). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (73.0 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (21.1 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. A deficit of 51.9 kWh. Some of the hydroponic gardens are still off.

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Sunday (05-January-2020) — New Jersey

Wintertime Indoor Hydroponic Gardening

A number of the colorful flowering plants in the hydroponic gardens bloomed while I was away. I also harvested some strawberries. Some of the strawberries looked a little odd since I was not here to manually pollinate the strawberry flowers.

AeroGarden Farm 03-Right. Dianthus Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/5, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 03-Right. Dianthus Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/5, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 02-Left. Dianthus Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 02-Left. Dianthus Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 01-Right. Calendula Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/11, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 01-Right. Calendula Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/11, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 01-Right. Calendula Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/11, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 01-Right. Calendula Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/11, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 01-Right. Snapdragon Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 01-Right. Snapdragon Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 01-Right. Snapdragon Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 01-Right. Snapdragon Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 03-Right. Zinnia Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 03-Right. Zinnia Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 03-Right. Zinnia Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 03-Right. Zinnia Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Zinnia Blooms cut from last December. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Zinnia Blooms cut from last December. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 05-Right. Zucchini Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 05-Right. Zucchini Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 05-Right. Zucchini Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
AeroGarden Farm 05-Right. Zucchini Bloom. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 200, 80 mm, f/8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Strawberry Harvest from AeroGarden Farms 07-Left, 07-Right, and Hydroponic Tubs 01-08. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 400, 80 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Strawberry Harvest from AeroGarden Farms 07-Left, 07-Right, and Hydroponic Tubs 01-08. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 400, 80 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (66.3 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (20.9 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. More sun. A deficit of 45.4 kWh. Some of the hydroponic gardens are still off.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (354 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (93 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. A deficit of 261 kWh.

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