Friday (17-July-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

One thing I fear more than COVID-19 is Lyme disease. Been there, done that, don’t want to do it again. Today after out trying to capture images of Clearwing Moths, I found a Deer Tick inside the house crawling on my computer monitor. Not on me, but still in the house. Since I always immediately change and wash the clothes I wear when outside the tick either followed me on my hat or on the camera I was using. (Others suggest it was on my beard).

Tick. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro OIS lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Tick on its back stuck to tape. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro OIS lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Birds of the Day: Gray Catbird, and American Goldfinch. Several dozen American Goldfinch are loving feeding on the seeds from the Cornflower, Bachelor Button, and Chicory flowers.


Birds of the Day. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Wildflowers of the Day: Zinnia, Blanket Flower, Gloriosa Daisy, and various Sunflowers. The Zinnia is one of only a few that returned. Last year the section was full of Zinnia.


Wildflowers of the Day. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Butterfly of the Day: Cabbage White. Supposedly, the most common butterfly in New Jersey.

Cabbage White butterfly. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Cabbage White butterfly. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

There definitely are two types of Clearwing moths were present. They prefer pink to purple flowers (Bee-Balm, Lemon-Mint, Bergamot, Larkspur, Delphinium). The Clearwing Hummingbird moth (Hemaris thysbe) is larger, and has light-colored front legs. The Clearwing Snowberry moth (Hemaris diffinis) is smaller, and has dark/black colored front legs. I am trying different camera lens combinations to see which is the best to capture images of these moths.


Clearwing Hummingbird Moths (Hemaris thysbe) captured with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

NOTE: IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS VIEWING THE SLIDE SHOWS PLEASE TRY A DIFFERENT BROWSER AND LET ME KNOW WHICH BROWSER YOU ARE USING. THANKS!!!

Daily Electric Energy Used (53.5 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (44.6 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. More clouds than sun. A deficit of 8.9 kWh.

Sunday (05-July-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the Day: Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadee, and Northern Cardinal.


Backyard Summer Birds of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Flowers of the Day: Red Poppy, Black-eyed Susan, Blanket Flower, Foxglove, Sunflower, and Teazel.


Summertime Flowers of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Summertime Flowers of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (66.0 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (80.9 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. The sun came back. A surplus of 14.9 kWh.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (416 kWh) from Sense. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (475 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. A surplus of 59 kWh.


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Saturday (04-July-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the Day: Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Song Sparrow, and Mourning Dove.


Backyard Summer Birds of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Flowers of the Day: Poppies (Red, Pink, Icelandic), Black-eyed Susan, Moth Mullein, Blanket Flower, Larkspur, Foxglove, Spiderwort, Bergamot, Horsemint, Lemon-Mint, Bee Balm, Monarda, Mexican Hat, Teazel


Summertime Flowers of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Summertime Flowers of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Summertime Flowers of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Summertime Flowers of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (61.7 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (60.9 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Mixed clouds and some sun. A deficit of 0.8 kWh. Power glitch in the morning stopped data collection on the Sense Monitor until it was rebooted. The daily numbers are guesstimates.


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Thursday (02-July-2020) — New Jersey

Early Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the Day: Blue Jay, Mourning Dove, Northern Cardinal, Gray Catbird, and House Finch.


Backyard Summer Birds of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Flowers of the Day: Poppies (Red, Pink, Icelandic), Larkspur, Foxglove, Lance-leaf Coreopsis, Black-eyed Susan, Daisy, Common Mullein, Blanket Flower, Cosmos, Spiderwort, Bergamot, Horsemint, Lemon-Mint, Bee Balm, Monarda, Mexican Hat


Summertime Flowers of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Summertime Flowers of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Summertime Flowers of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Summertime Flowers of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Summertime Flowers of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (57.0 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (81.6 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Mixed clouds and some sun. A surplus of 24.6 kWh.


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Monday (29-June-2020) — New Jersey

Early Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the Day: Blue Jay, Gray Catbird, Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, House Finch, American Goldfinch, and Turkey Vulture.


Summer Birds of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Flowers of the Day: Purple Allium, Red Poppy, Blanket Flower, Teasel, Four O’Clock, Garlic Scapes, Delphinium, Larkspur, Garlic Scapes, Black-eyed Susan, Sunflower, Pink Poppy, and Foxglove.


Summer Flowers of the Day (portrait). Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Summer Flowers of the Day (landscape). Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Critters of the Day: Squirrel, Spots the Fawn, Rabbits, and Red Fox. This was the first time since last winter that I have seen Rabbits in the backyard. Within five minutes, the Red Fox showed up and the Rabbits disappeared.


Critters (mammals) of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (66.0 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (83.9 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Lots of Sun. A surplus of 17.9 kWh.


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