Saturday (10-September-2022) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in my backyard: Mourning Dove, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, House Finch.


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


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


Ruby-throated Hummingbird at a hummingbird feeder. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

The number of Yellowjacket wasps around the house has been increasing. They seem to be getting food out of the hummingbird feeder. They also have been feeding on suet blocks (which I have now removed). I have been finding dead ones on the floor in the basement, so was worried they had found a way into the basement but not a way out. Today, I found the basement window where they were getting in. Upon further investigation, I found they had built a nest in the ceiling of the basement near where they were getting into the house. I’ve created a time-lapse video of the nest using a Leica SL2s camera with a Laowa 24 mm f/14 macro probe lens. The macro probe lens allowed me to get closer to the nest without getting stung. From outside, I noticed that the wasps were returning to the nest with body parts of other bees. Have they attacked a Honey Bee hive?? Now I need to figure out how to deal with and remove the wasp nest.

Daily Electric Energy Used (50.9 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (52.9 kWh) from Sense. Sunny. Surplus of 2.0 kWh.

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Thursday (08-September-2022) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in my backyard: Mourning Dove, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Turkey Vulture, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, European Starling, House Finch, Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal.


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

A batch of Yellowjacket wasps have taken over the Hummingbird feeder.

Yellowjacket. (David J Mathre)
Yellow Jackets at the Hummingbird Feeder. Image taken with a Leica SL2 camera and 90-280 mm lens. (David J Mathre)

Daily Electric Energy Used (63.6 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (44.0 kWh) from Sense. Sun and clouds. Deficit of 19.6 kWh.

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Monday (05-September-2022) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in my backyard: Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Turkey Vulture, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, European Starling, Gray Catbird, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Song Sparrow, Common Grackle, Northern Cardinal. At one point a Northern Cardinal and Yellow-Jacket Wasp had an issue over drinking rights at the birdbath.


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


Northern Cardinal vs. Yellow-Jacket Wasp. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


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


Ruby-throated Hummingbird feeding on Canna flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Ruby-throated Hummingbird at the Hummingbird Feeder. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (69.1 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (39.5 kWh) from Sense. Cloudy. Deficit of 29.6 kWh.


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Wednesday (31-August-2022) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in my backyard: Mourning Dove, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, House Finch.


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (78.7 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (59.6 kWh) from Sense. Sun and clouds. Deficit of 19.1 kWh.

Monthly Electric Energy Used (2452 kWh) from Sense. Monthly Solar Electric Energy Produced (1755 kWh) from Sense. Deficit of 697 kWh.

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Sunday (28-August-2022) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in my backyard: Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Blue Jay, House Finch Common Grackle, Northern Cardinal.


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.


Ruby-throated Hummingbird at a hummingbird feeder. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (81.8 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (30.2 kWh) from Sense. Cloudy. Deficit of 51.6 kWh.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (496 kWh) from Sense. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (347 kWh) from Sense. Deficit of 149 kWh.

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