Wednesday (20-October-2021) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Colorful clouds at dawn. Composite of 12 images taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens.

Dawn. (David J Mathre)
Colorful Dawn Clouds. Composite of 12 image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens. (David J Mathre)

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Mourning Dove, House Finch.


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (41.0 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (32.6 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sun. Deficit of 8.4 kWh.

Tuesday (19-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, Blue Jay, Eastern Bluebird, American Robin, House Finch.


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (45.4 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (33.8 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sunny. With the sun lower in the sky, the leaves on the Sycamore tree are blocking sunlight from the solar panels. Deficit of 11.6kWh.

Monday (18-October-2021) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Colorful clouds at dawn. I haven’t done a dawn landscape image for a while. Both single and composite images taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens.


Dawn view from the backyard. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Canada Geese, Mourning Dove, Turkey Vulture, Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, American Robin, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow, 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 in trees. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Flowers of the Day: Cosmos, Marigold, Plains Coreopsis. One set of images of a Honey Bee feeding on a white Cosmos flower.


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


White Cosmos and Honey Bee. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

When I returned from the Post Office, there were deer inside the fenced wildflower meadow. The doe jumped over the fence, but the fawn had a hard time finding a place to go under the fence. After regrouping, I noticed a 6-point buck watching the activity from a distance.


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (39.6 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (24.6 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sun and clouds. Deficit of 15.0 kWh.

Sunday (17-October-2021) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Mourning Dove, Cooper’s Hawk, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, European Starling, House Finch, Northern Cardinal. For the second day in a row there were no birds around the birdfeeder in the morning. This time it was a Cooper’s 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.


Cooper’s Hawk (being harassed by Blue Jays). 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.

Security infrared video of a raccoon trying to steal the food out of a rat trap. Maybe the raccoon will stay away for a while. The only thing left in the garden are hot peppers. Just want the rats (and raccoons) to stay away from the bird feeders.

Daily Electric Energy Used (43.4 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (30.9 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sun and clouds. Deficit of 12.5 kWh.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (314 kWh) from Sense. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (186 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Deficit of 128 kWh.

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.