Brown-headed Cowbird - David Mathre Photography

Saturday (16-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

The birds for the day are Brown-headed Cowbird, Mourning Dove, and Eastern Phoebe. The Eastern Phoebes are responsible for the bird nest above my front door. They also appear to be catching the Carpenter Bees that have been drilling holes in my Cedar siding. A good thing, so I will leave the bird nest alone. Yesterday it was very warm, and many California Poppy flowers opened. The California poppy flowers close at night and open again the next day when warmed by the sun. The first outdoor Red Poppy flower of the season bloomed. The poppies this year were self seeded from last year’s flowers.

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

California Poppies — Portrait. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

California Poppies — Landscape. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Red Poppy. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 160, 224 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Red Poppy. Composite of 35 focus stacked images taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro OIS lens (ISO 160, 80 mm, f/2.8, 1/60 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus. (DAVID J MATHRE)

I need greens so I can make milk for my new baby. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (ISO 500, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (49.8 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (78.1 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of Sun and clouds. A surplus of 28.3 kWh.

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Thursday (14-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds for the day included House Finch (immature?), Northern Cardinal, and Brown-headed Cowbird. I continue to watch the Eastern Phoebes nest is above the front door. Spring flowers for the day include Crimson Clover, Allium, and California Poppy.

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

Eastern Phoebe nest. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens + 1.4x telelconverter (ISO 1600, 280 mm, f/2.8, 1/150 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)

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

I need greens so I can make milk for my new baby. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (47.5 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (82.6 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of sun. A surplus of 35.1 kWh.

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Tuesday (12-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

It was a busy day. Up very early to see the Waning Gibbous moon. Birds for the day included Mourning Dove, Gray Catbird, House Finch, Brown-headed Cowbird, Indigo Bunting, Chipping Sparrow, American Crow, Northern Cardinal, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. The Indigo Bunting is new here. With all of the rain, the grass is growing fast and needed to be mowed. Afterwards, I took a walkabout and came upon both a Fowler’s Toad, and an American Bullfrog. Lots of early spring flowers including Prunella Vulgaris (also known as Self-Heal, Heal-All, and Woundwort), Jack in the Pulpit, Five-spot, Forget Me Not, Johnny Jump Up, Siberian Wallflower, Crimson Clover, Allium, California Poppy, Flax, Dogwood, and Bethlehem Star (Grass Lily). As a bonus, at the end of the day, I found a White Poppy flower. This is the first regular poppy to bloom outdoors this year. The California Poppies have been blooming for a couple of weeks now.

Waning Gibbous Moon. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 100, 600 mm, f/4, 1/640 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Birds Viewed from my Patio. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Male Indigo Bunting. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 200, 600 mm, f/4, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Fowler’s Toad. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Kermit the Bullfrog. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

May Flowers — Portrait Mode. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

May Flowers — Landscape Mode. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

White Poppy. Composite of 100 focus stacked images taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 60 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 64, 60 mm, f/4, 1/30 sec). Raw images processed with Capture One Pro and Helicon Focus. (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (56.1 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (82.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of sun. A surplus of 26.4 kWh.

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Sunday (10-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

The day after the “Global Big Day” not as many birds around. Granted, I didn’t spend as much time watching. Birds for the day included: American Crow, Tufted Titmouse, Gray Catbird, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, and Northern Cardinal.

Birds viewed from my backyard patio. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (59.5 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (90.4 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Sunny most of the day. A surplus of 30.9 kWh.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (385 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (435 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. A surplus of 50.0 kWh.

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Saturday (09-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Today was “Global Big Day” for observing and counting birds. Starting at first light in the morning I kept watch on the bird feeders and backyard. The outdoor temperatures dropped below freezing overnight, and the bird bath was frozen over. The bird feeder was stocked with a mixed feed (I was out of the high oil sunflower seeds) and an apple. By the end of the day I observed and took pictures of 15 bird species. Mourning Dove, Turkey Vulture, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Gray Catbird, American Robin, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Northern Cardinal, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak. The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is new, and I only observed the female. Looking forward to seeing the male. The female is larger than the local sparrows and finches and does not have the rose coloration of the male. The large beak helps with the identification. The bird images from the day are presented based on observation time.

Female Rose-breasted Grosbeak (?). Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/640 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)

Birds 06:45 to 07:30. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Birds 12:20 to 13:00. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Birds 16:50 to 17:10. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Birds 17:50 to 18:00. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

19:50 to 20:00. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (54.0 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (74.2 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Sunny in the morning with some clouds in the afternoon. A surplus of 20.2 kWh.

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