Sunday (01-August-2021) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Mourning Dove, Blue Jay, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal.


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

Flowers of the day: Black-eyed Susan, Burdock, California Poppy, Canna, Catchfly, Cosmos, Gladiolus, Johnny Jump-up, Marigold, Nasturtium, Poppy, Sunflower, Zinnia.


Flowers of the day. 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.

Insects of the Day. Bumble bee in Nasturtium, Honey bee in a Sunflower, Monarch caterpillar on a Milkweed leaf, Monarch aphids on a Milkweed leaf.


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (41.4 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (27.7 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Mostly cloudy. A deficit of 13.7 kWh.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (413 kWh) from Sense. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (418 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. A surplus of 5 kWh.

Tuesday (02-June-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

First Butterfly of the season — an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail feeding on the Rhododendron flowers.

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly feeding on Rhododendron flowers. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 70-300 mm lens (ISO 500, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly feeding on Rhododendron flowers. Image taken with a Nikon Df camera and 70-300 mm lens (ISO 500, 300 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Birds of the Day — Gray Catbird, Northern Cardinal, House Finch, and Eastern Phoebe. The large nestling, in the Eastern Phoebe nest was finally convinced to jump out of the nest. The now fledgling spent the night on a cardboard box just under the nest. I suspect the fledgling is a Brown-headed Cowbird (later confirmed by the reviewers from eBird).


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


Eastern Phoebe Nest with a Brown-headed Cowbird chick. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Spring flowers of the day — Red, Pink, Icelandic, Oriental, and California Poppies. White Allium, Foxglove, Bachelor Button, Cornflower, Baby Blue Eyes, Spiderwort, Johnny Jump Up, Love-in-a-Mist, Evening Primrose, Daisy, Sweet William, Lance-leaf Coreopsis, Beard Tongue, Baby’s Breath, Rhododendron, and Tulip Tree.


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


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


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


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (40.5 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (48.6 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of clouds during the day. A surplus of 8.1 kWh.


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Saturday (30-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the Day — Gray Catbird, House Finch, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Eastern Phoebe. The Eastern Phoebes are feeding the two remaining young chicks in the nest.


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

Spring flowers of the day — Oriental, Red, Pink and Icelandic Poppies; Foxglove, Johnny Jump Up, Daisy, Bachelor Button, Cornflower, Rhododendron, Tulip Tree, and Sweet William flowers.


Poppy flowers — Landscape. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Poppy flowers — Portrait. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Spring flowers — Landscape. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


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


Poppy flowers — Landscape. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (62.3 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (85.8 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of Sun. A surplus of 23.5 kWh. Note that the geothermal HVAC system was turned on to cool the house for the first time this year.



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Wednesday (27-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

While taking the trash out for the weekly pickup, one of the tiny hatchlings from the Eastern Phoebe nest jumped out of the nest. It could barely fly, mainly a controlled landing. I got some pictures of the bird on the ground. I have a strong suspicion that it is a Brown-headed Cowbird. The remaining two birds in the nest are much smaller. Also, the Eastern Phoebe parents didn’t seem to be too concerned about the bird down on the ground and continued to feed the two birds in the nest.


Eastern Phoebe or Brown-headed Cowbird?. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Birds of the Day — Brown-headed Cowbird, House Finch, Northern Cardinal, Chipping Sparrow, Carolina Wren, and Red-bellied Woodpecker. Many of the birds at the feeder these days are young and are trying to figure out the pecking order.


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

Spring flowers of the day — Poppies (California, Oriental, Red), Allium, Cosmos, Forget-me-not, Rhododendron, Baby Blue Eyes, and Johnny Jump Up.


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


Poppies of the Day – Portrait. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Poppies of the Day — Landscape. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (43.0 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (58.6 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Fog in the morning, Sun and clouds in the afternoon. A surplus of 15.8 kWh.



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Monday (25-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the Day — Brown-headed Cowbird, House Finch, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal, Gray Catbird, Black-capped Chickadee, Mourning Dove, Carolina Wren, and Eastern Phoebe. Many of the birds are young. 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, Babies Breath, Grass Lily, Forget-me-not, and Tulip Tree.


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


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


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


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

While watching the birds, I caught a squirrel running across the backyard with a black walnut it burried last fall.

Squirrel with a Black Wallnut.  Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Squirrel with a Black Wallnut. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Squirrel running with a black walnut. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (47.1 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (55.0 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Sun and clouds. A surplus of 7.9 kWh.


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