Saturday (23-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the Day — Brown-headed Cowbird, House Finch, Northern Cardinal, Mourning Dove, White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee, Blue-Jay, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and Eastern Phoebe. There continues to be lots of action at the Eastern Phoebe nest with both parents feed the new hatchlings.


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

Spring flowers of the day — Poppies (California, Oriental, Red), Dame’s Rocket, Five-spot, Rhododendron, Johnny Jump Up, Babies Blue Eyes, Bachelor Button, Cornflower, Sweet William, Dianthus, Siberian Wallflower, Daisy, Foxglove, and Tulip Tree.


California, Red, and Oriental Poppies. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


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

Barely a week old, and the new Fawn with spots is running around the yard. So far lucky that there are not many cars on the road as its only natural predator is the automobile.


Spots. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (47.7 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (32.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Cloudy much of the day. A deficit 0f 15.2 kWh.


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Monday (18-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

I went out just after sunrise to check if any of the poppy flowers started to open, and noticed a very small fawn with spots lying down in the clovers. The Doe left it for daycare while she went out for something to eat.


Young Spotted Fawn. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

I continue to monitor the Eastern Phoebe nest above my door. So far just one of the parents sitting on the nest — no evidence any of the eggs have hatched.

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

Spring flowers of the day include Five-spot, Dandelion, Johnny Jump Up, Rhododendron, Forget-me-not, Siberian Wallflowers, California Poppy, and Red Poppy.


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


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

Grass grows fast this time of the year and needed to be cut.

Daily Electric Energy Used (53.1 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (61.6 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Intermittent clouds all day. A surplus of 8.5 kWh.


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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. 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)
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)
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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Friday (15-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

The bird for the day is a Mourning Dove.

Mourning Dove. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens (ISO 560, 600 mm, f/4, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Mourning Dove. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens (ISO 560, 600 mm, f/4, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
I need greens so I can make milk for my new baby.Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 360, 105 mm, f/1.4, 1/250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
I need greens so I can make milk for my new baby.Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 360, 105 mm, f/1.4, 1/250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (47.8 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (60.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Sun, but more clouds. A surplus of 12.7 kWh.


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Monday (11-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Daily birds include an American Crow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Mourning Dove, and Downy Woodpecker. Young fawn (with spots) at the far end of my backyard.

American Crow in the grass. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 720, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
American Crow in the grass. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 720, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
American Crow with stolen sandwich. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 320, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
American Crow with stolen sandwich. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 320, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male Brown-headed Cowbird feeding. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male Brown-headed Cowbird feeding. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/320 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Mourning Dove feeding. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Mourning Dove feeding. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Downy Woodpecker. 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)
Downy Woodpecker. 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)
Young Fawn following its mother. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 500, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Young Fawn following its mother. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 500, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Young Fawn. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Young Fawn. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (53.6 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (54.2 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Mix of sun and clouds, but still a surplus of 0.6 kWh.


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