Sunday (20-February-2022) — New Jersey

Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Third day of the Annual Backyard Bird Count. Birds of the day viewed in the backyard, at the birdfeeder and on the patio: Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, European Starling, American Robin, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, 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.

Daily Electric Energy Used (114.9 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (48.6kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sunny but colder. Deficit of 66.3 kWh.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (684 kWh) from Sense. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (223kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. . Deficit of 66.3 kWh.

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.

Friday (18-February-2022) — New Jersey

Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

First day of the Annual Backyard Bird Count. Birds of the day viewed in the backyard, at the birdfeeder and on the patio: Mourning Dove, Turkey Vulture, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Junco, Song 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. 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.

I found a Stink Bug on one of the indoor hydroponic Dill plants.


Stink Bug on a Dill Plant. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (62.5 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (43.5 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sunny. Deficit of 19.0 kWh.

Wednesday (16-February-2022) — New Jersey

Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in the backyard, at the birdfeeder and on the patio: Downy Woodpecker. Not many birds around. Hope some are back by Friday for the annual backyard bird count.

Downy Woodpecker. (David J Mathre)
Downy Woodpecker. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 200-500 mm VR lens. (David J Mathre)

Daily Electric Energy Used (105.2 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (32.9 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sunny. Deficit of 69.6 kWh.

Tuesday (15-February-2022) — New Jersey

Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in the backyard, at the birdfeeder and on the patio: Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Song Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, Northern Cardinal. First Chipping Sparrow this year.


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

Indoor Hydroponic Update. AeroGarden Bounty 01 (Day 30): Bok Choi doing well. Harvesting leaves almost every day. Drinks a lot of water, and needs extra liquid fertilizer. AeroGarden Bounty 02 (Day 30): Rouge d’Hiver, Black-seeded Simpson lettuce, Genovese Basil, Thai Basil, and Dill doing well. Harvesting leaves from the lettuce so not to block light from the basil plants. AeroGarden Bounty Elite 03 (Day 22 and 30): Genovese Basil and Dill doing well. Two of the Parsley and one Thyme sprouted. The 2nd Thyme and Chives have not sprouted. AeroGarden Bounty Elite Seed Starter 04 (Day 7) Heirloom Red Cherry Tomatoes (4/5) sprouted. Golden Harvest Tomatoes (2/4) sprouted.


AeroGarden Bounty. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

AeroGarden Farm 01L (Day28): California Poppy, Oriental Poppy, Laurin’s Grape Poppy. Farm 01R (Day 28): Hungarian Bread Seed Poppy, Red Poppy, Turkish Tulip Poppy. Farm 02L (Day 28): Somniferum Mix, Red Poppy, Red Poppy Mix. Farm 02R (Day 28): Oriental Poppy, Hungarian Bread Seed Poppy, Turkish Tulip Poppy, Red Poppy, Somniferum Mix Poppy.


AeroGarden Farms 01 and 02. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

AeroGarden Farm 03L/03R (Day 22): Swiss Chard, Kale, Collard Greens, Spinach, Mustard Greens. After taking the images, harvested some of the larger Kale and Collard Greens leaves that were blocking the smaller plants. May have to re-think the number of plants per farm. AeroGarden Farm 04L/04R (Day 22): Oregano, Rosemary, Tarragon, Thyme. The larger plants in row D are supposed to be Sage, but I think they are something else???


AeroGarden Farms 03 and 04. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

AeroGarden Farm 08L (Day28): California Poppy, Oriental Poppy, Laurin’s Grape Poppy. Farm 08R (Day 28): Hungarian Bread Seed Poppy, Red Poppy, Turkish Tulip Poppy. Farm 09L (Day 28): Somniferum Mix, Red Poppy, Red Poppy Mix. The poppy plants were pruned to leave only 1-2 plants per position. Farm 09R Seed Sprouting Tray (Day 23): Row A: Snapdragon, Max Orange Wonder, Outside Pride (5/8); Row B: Chrysanthemum, Robinson’s Mix, Outside Pride (7/10); Row C: Iceland Poppy, American Meadows (8/11); Row D: Calendula Mix, Outside Pride, (5/10); Row E: Sweet William Mix, Outside Pride (5/8); Row F: Columbine, Multicolor, PopCool Seeds (1/10); Row G: Osteospermum, Ecklonis Mix, PopCool Seeds (6/11); Row H: Osteospermum,, Whirligs, PopCool Seeds (0/9); Row I: Blue Eyed Daisy, PopCool Seeds (1/8). I will start transplanting the larger seedlings to a regular farm. I have also included a time-lapse video of the Farm O9R seedlings.


AeroGarden Farms 08 and 09. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (121.8 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (27.6kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Solar Panels mostly clear of snow, but the temperature dropped below 10°F so supplemental resistance heating was required. Deficit of 92.4 kWh.