Thursday (12-December-2024) — New Jersey

Silhouettes of Jets and Geese Transiting the Sun.

Today, I captured images of a flock of geese and several jets transiting the sun while looking at the sunspots (we are at or near the solar maximum). I was viewing the sun with a Vespera Classic and Vespera Pro automated telescope using solar filters.

Flock of geese transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Classic Telescope (200 mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Flock of geese transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Classic Telescope (200 mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Flock of geese transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Classic Telescope (200 mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Flock of geese transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Classic Telescope (200 mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Silhouette of a jet transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Classic Telescope (200 mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Silhouette of a jet transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Classic Telescope (200 mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Silhouette of a jet transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Classic Telescope (200 mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Silhouette of a jet transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Classic Telescope (200 mm, f/4, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Silhouette of a jet transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Pro Telescope (250 mm, f/5, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.
Silhouette of a jet transiting the sun with sunspots. Image taken with a Vaonis Vespera Pro Telescope (250 mm, f/5, 1/4000 sec) with a solar filter.

Saturday (19-February-2022) — New Jersey

Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Second day of the Annual Backyard Bird Count. Birds of the day viewed in the backyard, at the birdfeeder and on the patio: Canada Geese, Mourning Dove, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, European Starling, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, 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. 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. 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. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

At one point an American Crow showed up with a mouse? for lunch.


Crow with a mouse. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (107.5 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (27.7 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sunny in the morning then snow squall and colder in the afternoon. Deficit of 79.8 kWh.

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.

Five-Years Ago (15-September-2013) — New Jersey

Late Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

I was stalking a small Green Heron at the local Sourland Mountain Preserve trying to get some images of it catching a fish or frog. All of a sudden there was a commotion in the middle of the pond. Two Canada Geese started a full out smackdown. It was like a junior high school fight. The other geese in the pond formed a circle and made noises supporting their team. The small Green Heron didn’t know what to think.

I used the images I took  (Nikon 1 V2 camera, FT1 adapter, and 180 mm f/2.8D lens) to create a short time-lapse video. The burst mode with the Nikon 1 V2 camera was really useful to get lots of images in a short period of time with all of the activity.

Eleven-Years Ago (23-December-2006) — New Jersey

Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey: Birds, Berries, and Seeds

Walkabout with a Nikon D2xs camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 lens.  Five Canada geese in flight, northern mockingbirds, holly berries, bittersweet berries, and yucca seed pods.

Canada Geese in Flight. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/2.8, 1/8000 sec). (David J Mathre)
Canada Geese in Flight. Backyard Winter Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D2xs camera and 70-200 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 400, 200 mm, f/2.8, 1/8000 sec). (David J Mathre)