Birdbath - David Mathre Photography

Sunday (03-July-2022) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in the backyard: Red-bellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Gray Catbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, Northern Cardinal. It is summer and hot outside. One of the Blue Jay’s spent a long time in the bird bath. I refill the bird bath in the afternoon so they have some cooler water.

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

Blue Jay taking a Bird Bath. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (79.1 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (73.3 kWh) from Sense. Clouds and sun. Deficit of 5.8 kWh.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (525 kWh) from Sense. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (465 kWh) from Sense. Deficit of 60 kWh.

Monday (20-December-2021) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

The temperature dropped to the low 20’s (F) overnight. The solar powered pump for the birdbath continued to pump water part of the night leaving an ice sculpture.

Birdbath Ice Sculpture. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Mourning Dove, Northern Mockingbird, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco.

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

Time-lapse Little Planet videos of the day. The concrete for the inner sleeve posts was allowed to set for 48 hours. Combination rain day, and colder temperatures. Eight of the eight foot outer sleeve posts were installed with the appropriate hardware (bottom brace band with eye bolt, middle collar with eye bolt, and top brace cup). The 2nd video shows eight more post holes being dug by Red Rover. Will wait for warmer weather to install the inner sleeve posts and Quikrete fast-setting concrete.

Daily Electric Energy Used (81.1 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (32.9 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sunny. Geothermal HVAC heating the house, much of the day stage 2 since it is cold outside. Deficit of 48.2 kWh.

Friday (29-October-2021) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Downy Woodpecker, Black-capped Chickadee, House Finch.

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

Images of a new solar-powered water fountain in the birdbath at different exposures/shutter speeds (1/100, 1/30, 1/13, 1/8 sec).

Water Fountain in a Birdbath. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Today I figured out how to attach a rear weight and tool box to the 3-point connection on the rear of Red Rover. It took a while to figure things out, and I can see I need to get a variety of pins to hold the connectors. Also, I couldn’t adjust the turnbuckle on the 3-point hitch stabilizer chains. The jam bolt was “jammed” too tight. Will probably need to take it off and put the turnbuckle onto a vice. Job for another day. Then moved the last of the deer fence pipes from the metal pallet.

Assembling the Shelter Logic “Shed in a Box” Storage Shed on a windy day. The first thing the hieroglyphic assembly instructions show is two people, and that it can be completed in 2 hours. By myself, it took a lot longer…

Daily Electric Energy Used (39.2 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (12.5 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Cloudy most of the day. Deficit of 26.7 kWh.

Friday (19-March-2021) — New Jersey

Last Day of Winter Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Visitors to the backyard, patio birdfeeder, and patio birdbath: Mourning Dove, Turkey Vulture, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, House Finch, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal. The Carolina Wrens must be building a nest as they are spending a lot of time collecting small twigs.

Daily backyard visitors. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Late in the afternoon the birdbath warmed up enough for a Song Sparrow to take a bath. It is still cold enough at night for the birdbath to freeze over.

Song Sparrow taking a Birdbath. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Lots of Purple Crocuses and White Snowdrops blooming. The Daffodils are just about to open.

Early wildflowers on the last day of winter. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (58.5 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (66.2 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sunny all day. Still cold at night so the Geothermal HVAC system was on. A surplus of 7.7 kWh.

Four-Years Ago (17-May-2014) — Texas

South Texas Birding Photo Safari with Jason Odell Day 2.

Female Painted Bunting Leaving After a Bird Bath at Campos Viejos Ranch in Southern Texas. Image taken with a Nikon D4 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 500, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec).