Eight-Years Ago (21-August-2011) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Hummingbird Clearwing moth as a meal for a Praying Mantis. Image taken with a Nikon D3x camera and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 320, 105 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5.

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth as a Meal for a Praying Mantis. Sourland Mountain Preserve, Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 320, 105 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth as a Meal for a Praying Mantis. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens (ISO 320, 105 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). (David J Mathre)

Eight-Years Ago (21-August-2011) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature at the Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Hummingbird Clearwing moth on Thistle flower. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5.

Clearwing Hummingbird Moth on Thistle Bloom. Sourland Mountain Preserve, Summer Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Hummingbird Clearwing Moth on Thistle Bloom. Image taken with a Nikon D3s camera and 300 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/500 sec). (David J Mathre)

Monday (20-August-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Daily Walkabout, today with a Nikon D850 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens. This is the highest resolution camera in my collection, and the 200-500 mm VR lens light enough to shoot handheld for some time. The Hummingbird Clearwing Moths are back. Feeding on Zinnia and Bee Balm flowers.


Feeding on Zinnia Flowers. Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.



Feeding on Bee Balm Flowers. Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.


Daily Electric Energy Used (62.3 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (61.2 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The WaterFurnace geothermal HVAC had to work hard (25.6 kWh) because the temperature outside went to 90°F. Daily net deficit 1.1 kWh.

One note — the WaterFurnace Symphony software indicated the system used 14 kWh, however the Sense Energy monitor indicated that the geothermal heat pump used 25.6 kWh. I tend to believe the Sense numbers since they more closely the energy being recorded at the external power company (PSE&G) meters. I’ve asked the WaterFurnace folks in the past about the discrepancy, but they didn’t have a good answer. The Sense folks told me they thought that the WaterFurnace/Symphony system was only measuring one phase of the energy even though the system is powered by the 220V circut (using two phases). I wish an electrical engineer that understands this better would correct me here.

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Monday (19-August-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Daily Walkabout, today with a Nikon Df camera and 70-300 mm VR lens. The thing I like about this camera is that it light for a DSLR, and has the same full-frame 35 mm sensor as the Nikon D4 camera. I have to admit that the camera failed on me once while in Antarctica when the shutter failed. The 70-300 mm lens is also relatively light. Yesterday, I said it had been some time since I had seen a hummingbird moth. Well, today the Hummingbird Clearwing Moth (Hemaris thysbe) returned. And I took a lot of pictures. Feeding on Bee Balm flowers, Cosmos flowers, and Zinnia flowers.


Hummingbird Clearwing Moth Feeding on Bee Balm Flowers. Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.



Hummingbird Clearwing Moth Feeding on Cosmos Flowers. Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.



Hummingbird Clearwing Moth Feeding on Zinnia Flowers. Click on the above image to access the individual images in the slideshow.


Daily Electric Energy Used (66.1 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (65.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Fewer clouds and more sun. The WaterFurnace geothermal HVAC had to work harder (25.6 kWh) because the temperature outside went above 90°F. Daily net deficit 0.6 kWh.

One note — the WaterFurnace Symphony software indicated the system used 16 kWh, however the Sense Energy monitor indicated that the geothermal heat pump used 25.6 kWh. I tend to believe the Sense numbers since they more closely the energy being recorded at the external power company (PSE&G) meters. I’ve asked the WaterFurnace folks in the past about the discrepancy, but they didn’t have a good answer. The Sense folks told me they thought that the WaterFurnace/Symphony system was only measuring one phase of the energy even though the system is powered by the 220V circut (using two phases). I wish an electrical engineer that understands this better would correct me here.


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Friday (02-August-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

Daily Walkabout. Today with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/4 VR lens. Lots of activity in the wildflower meadows. Part II. There were a few Hummingbird Clearwing Moths out, feeding mainly on Zinnia flowers. A couple of Bullfrogs near the pond. One of the frogs is blind in one eye. It has been around for a while so obviously able to survive. I haven’t been able to get close to the really big Bullfrog in the pond. Someday, I will set up a blind near the pond. Finally, the deer family passed through around dinnertime.


Hummingbird Clearwing Moths (Hemaris thysbe) Click on the Above image to access the images in the slideshow in my Photoshelter Gallery.



Hummingbird Clearwing Moths (Hemaris thysbe) Click on the Above image to access the images in the slideshow in my Photoshelter Gallery.



Hummingbird Clearwing Moths (Hemaris thysbe) Click on the Above image to access the images in the slideshow in my Photoshelter Gallery.



Kermit the Bullfrog. Click on the Above image to access the images in the slideshow in my Photoshelter Gallery.


Fawn with spots sticking out its Tongue. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Fawn with Spots sticking out its Tongue. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (51.8 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (61.4 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Net Surplus 9.6 kWh.

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