Thursday (30-July-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

There are lots of Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies about even though the wildflower population has been drying out in the late July heat. Apparently, they have been laying eggs in the Broccoli Rabe plants as their caterpillars are munching on the Broccoli leaves. I need to get some BT or Neam oil spray.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Morning at the Birdfeeders: Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Gray Catbird, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.


Morning at the Birdfeeder. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Afternoon at the Birdfeeders: Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Gray Catbird, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.


Afternoon at the Birdfeeder. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (63.2 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (61.4 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sun and clouds. A deficit of 1.8 kWh. During these hot days, the solar is not keeping up unless it is sunny all day. Part of the problem is that the Sycamore trees are full of leaves shading the solar panels part of the day.

Wednesday (29-July-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Morning at the Birdfeeders: Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, and Northern Cardinal.


Morning at the Birdfeeder. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Afternoon at the Birdfeeders: Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, House Finch, American Goldfinch, and Northern Cardinal.


Afternoon at the Birdfeeder. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (71.0 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (77.3 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. More sun. A surplus of 6.2 kWh. .

Monday (27-July-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

The lawn was getting long, or the deer weren’t eating enough.

Morning at the Birdfeeders: Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, and Northern Cardinal

Afternoon at the Birdfeeders: Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Carolina Wren, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, and Northern Cardinal

Daily Electric Energy Used (72.4 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (73.6 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sunny with clouds in the afternoon. A surplus of 1.2 kWh. As long as the sun is out most of the day, the Geothermal HVAC system keeps the house cool without needed additional electricity from PSE&G.

Friday (24-July-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Early morning thunderstorm, with lots of rain (1.50″). The pond is full, but muddy. It was foggy out early in the morning adding atmosphere to some of the images. The rain brought a bit more life out of the Lemon-Mint, Bee-Balm, and Bergamot — but the butterflies and clearwing moths are preferring the Thistle flowers. In one set of butterfly images, an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail is being chased by a Yellow-jacket Wasp. Morning images are with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens.

IF YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO VIEW THE FOLLOWING SLIDE-SHOWS, TRY A DIFFERENT BROWSER — AND LET ME KNOW.


Clearwing Hummingbird Moths (Hemaris thysbe) captured with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Clearwing Hummingbird Moths (Hemaris thysbe) captured with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Clearwing Hummingbird Moths (Hemaris thysbe) captured with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Clearwing Hummingbird Moths (Hemaris thysbe) captured with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly being chased by a Yellow-jacket Wasp. captured with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Afternoon images are with a Leica SL2 camera and 90-280 mm f/4 lens. They include Clearwing Hummingbird moth and both the common Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly and the Dark morph Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. This camera sometimes is slow in focusing on close subject, but once it locks onto the subject does a great job keeping focus on the rapidly moving Clearwing Hummingbird moth.


Clearwing Hummingbird Moths (Hemaris thysbe) captured with a Leica SL2 camera and 90-280 mm f/4 lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Clearwing Hummingbird Moths (Hemaris thysbe) captured with a Leica SL2 camera and 90-280 mm f/4 lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Clearwing Hummingbird Moths (Hemaris thysbe) captured with a Leica SL2 camera and 90-280 mm f/4 lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Clearwing Hummingbird Moths (Hemaris thysbe) captured with a Leica SL2 camera and 90-280 mm f/4 lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly captured with a Leica SL2 camera and 90-280 mm f/4 lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Dark Morph Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly captured with a Leica SL2 camera and 90-280 mm f/4 lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Birds of the Day: American Black Vulture and American Goldfinch captured with a Leica SL2 camera and 90-280 mm f/4 lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Morning at the Birdfeeders: Gray Catbird, House Finch, Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Chipping Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Mourning Dove, American Goldfinch, American Crow, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and Song Sparrow.

Afternoon at the Birdfeeders: Gray Catbird, House Finch, Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Brown-headed Cowbird, Hairy Woodpecker, American Goldfinch.

Daily Electric Energy Used (57.3 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (35.8 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Cloudy all day. A deficit of 21.5 kWh.

Thursday (23-July-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Wildflowers of the day: Cosmos, Teazel, and Larkspur.


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

Butterfly of the day: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly.


Butterfly of the day: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Moth of the day: Clearwing Hummingbird Moth. The Lemon-Mint/Bee-Balm are starting to dry up, and the Clearwing Hummingbird moths now favor the Thistle flowers. I know some folks consider Thistle weeds because of the spines, but I still like them because they do attract butterflies, moths, and bees. Also, deer hate them.


Clearwing Hummingbird Moths (Hemaris thysbe) captured with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Birds of the Morning: Gray Catbird, House Finch, Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Chipping Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, American Goldfinch, American Crow, Carolina Wren, and Song Sparrow.

Birds of the Afternoon: Gray Catbird, House Finch, Black-capped Chickadee, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Chipping Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, American Goldfinch, American Crow, Carolina Wren, and Song Sparrow.

Daily Electric Energy Used (59.5 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (48.6 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Rain, clouds, then more rain. A deficit of 10.9 kWh.