Friday (19-August-2022) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in my backyard: Mourning Dove, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Turkey Vulture, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Gray Catbird, House Finch, Song Sparrow.


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


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


Turkey Vulture Soaring. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (72.9 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (63.2 kWh) from Sense. Sunny. Deficit of 9.7 kWh.


powered by Ambient Weather

Thursday (30-June-2022) — New Jersey

Independence Day Fireworks

Montgomery Township typically celebrates Independence Day with fireworks several days before the 4th of July. The fireworks have been canceled the last couple of years due to Covid-19. The current infection rate is listed as moderate, so the township decided to go forward with the fireworks this year. Not far from where I live is a great location that overlooks the high school. I got there at about sunset. Several cars had already arrived, but I still found a good spot to set up two cameras on tripods. The settings I used were ISO 100, f/11, and an exposure of 4 or 8 seconds. I then used the images to produce the following time-lapse videos. I may go back later and add music.

Did anyone notice that I haven’t posted any bird, flower, or garden images during June? Is anyone out there… Other than the thousands of attempts to login and hack the site?

Daily Electric Energy Used (75.9 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (78.5 kWh) from Sense. Sunny. Surplus of 2.6 kWh.

Monthly Electric Energy Used (1987 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (1931 kWh) from Sense. Deficit of 56 kWh.

powered by Ambient Weather

Monday (21-March-2022) — New Jersey

Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in the backyard: Mourning Dove, Turkey Vulture, Dark-eyed Junco. The Turkey Vultures were soaring in the late afternoon thermals looking for a meal.


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


Turkey Vultures in Flight. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Purple Crocus and Forsythia flowers. Now that it is officially spring, the Forsythia shrubs have started turning bright yellow.


Purple Crocus and Forsythia flowers in my Backyard. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (70.3 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (64.9 kWh) from Sense. Sunny. Deficit of 5.4 kWh. The solar panels are almost producing more power than I am using. Soon, I will be able to start growing things outside and will be able to turn off the indoor hydroponic units.

powered by Ambient Weather

Thursday (27-January-2022) — New Jersey

Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Downy Woodpecker, Red-Tailed Hawk, Downy Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal.


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


Red-tailed Hawks soaring overhead. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (112.9 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (41.6 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Cold outside. Whenever the external temperature drops below 10°F, the resistance heaters kick in to assist the Geothermal HVAC heating the house. Deficit of 71.3 kWh.

Sunday (23-January-2022) — New Jersey

Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Colorful Clouds at Dawn. The clouds went from pink to orange in just a few minutes as the sun was about to rise. Composite of several images using the Panorama tool within Capture One Pro.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Colorful Clouds at Dawn. Composite of nine images taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens. Raw images processed and panorama generated with Capture One Pro. (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Colorful Clouds at Dawn. Composite of eight images taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens. Raw images processed and panorama generated with Capture One Pro. (David J Mathre)

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Northern Cardinal.


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.


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

AeroGarden Hydroponic Updates. Classic 6 #1 Day 7: All 6/6 of the Basil have sprouted. Bounty #1 Day 7: All 9/9 of the Bok Choi have sprouted. Bounty #2 Day 6: 2/2 of the Rouge d’Hiver and 2/2 of the Black Seed Simpson have sprouted. The other lettuce varieties have not sprouted. Classic 6 #2 Day 6: In addition to the Celosia flower, a Dill plant has sprouted. Farm 9R Seed Starting Tray, Day 5: Many more of the poppy seeds have started to germinate.

alt_title. (David J Mathre)
AeroGarden Classic-6 #1. AeroGarden Classic-6 #1. Day 7. Genovese Basil (4/4). Thai Basil (2/2). Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens. (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
AeroGarden Bounty #1. Day 7. Bok Choi (9/9). Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens. (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
AeroGarden Bounty #2. Day 7. Red Sails (0/2); Rouge d’Hiver (2/2), Paris Island (0/1), Deer Tongue (0/1), Marvel of 4 Seasons (0/1), Black Seeded Simpson (2/2). Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens. (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
AeroGarden Classic-6 #2. Day 7. Dill (1/1), Italian Parsley (0/1), Chives (0/1), Orange Gazania (0/1), Phlox Mix (0/1), Celosia (1/1). Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens. (David J Mathre)
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
AeroGarden Farm 9R Seed Sprouting Tray. Day 6. Row A: California Poppy (American Meadows, 2018) 6/8; Row B: Oriental Poppy (American Meadows, 2019) 0/10; Row C: Lauren Grape Poppy Seeds (Marde Ross & Company, 2020) 4/11; Row D: Hungarian Breadseed Poppy Seeds (Plant Good Seed, 2020) 10/10; Row E: Red Poppy Seeds (American Meadows, 2019) 8/8; Row F: Turkish Tulip Poppy Seeds (Waterfall Seeds, 2020) 9/10; Row G: Somniferum Blend Poppy Seeds (Seed Needs, 2020) 10/11; Row H: Red Poppy Seeds (American Meadows, 2019) 9/9; Row I: Mixed Red Poppy Seeds (American Meadows, 2019) 8/8. Image taken with a Leica TL2 camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens. (David J Mathre)

When I checked the hydroponic gardens this morning, I noticed a Stink Bug nibbling on one of the Bok Choi seedlings.



Stink Bug nibbling on a Bok Choi seedling. Images taken with a Leica SL2s camera and Laowa 24 mm f/14 macro probe lens. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (100.3 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (34.5 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Cold outside. Whenever the external temperature drops below 10°F, the resistance heaters kick in to assist the Geothermal HVAC heating the house. Deficit of 65.8 kWh.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (712 kWh) from Sense. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (174 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Deficit of 538 kWh.