Tag: lilac

Tuesday (12-April-2022) — New Jersey

Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed in the backyard: Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, Brown-headed Cowbird, Northern Cardinal.


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

Indoor hydroponic flowers of the day. Orange, Yellow and white Iceland Poppy (Papaver nudicaule). Pink Corn Poppy (Papaver Rhoeas). Red Turkish Tulip Poppy (Papaver glaucum).

Pink Corn Poppy. (David J Mathre)
Pink Corn Poppy (Papaver rhoeas). Indoor hydroponic garden. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and Sigma 70 mm f/2.8 macro lens. (David J Mathre)


Iceland Poppy. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Turkish Tulip Poppy. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Outdoor flowers of the day. Many Daffodils still blooming. Several other flowers/wildflowers in the yard including Claytonia virginica (?), an unidentified tiny white flower, Blue-eyed Grass, Grape Hyacinth, Lilac (buds soon to flower).


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


Outdoor Springtime Flowers and Wildflowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (71.9 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (67.7 kWh) from Sense. Sunny. Deficit of 4.2 kWh.

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Wednesday (13-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds for the day included Blue Jay, Mourning Dove, House Finch, Northern Cardinal, Red-bellied Woodpecker, and Eastern Phoebe. The pair of Eastern Phoebes nest is above the front door. I wonder if the parasitic cowbirds managed to lay an egg in the nest? The Eastern Pheobes now guard the area around the front door. Spring flowers for the day include Prunella Vulgaris (also known as Self-Heal, Heal-All, and Woundwort), Jack in the Pulpit, Five-spot, Siberian Wallflower, Crimson Clover, Allium, California Poppy, and Lilac.


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


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

Eastern Phoebe nest. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 280, 105 mm, f/1.4, 1/250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Phoebe nest. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 105 mm f/1.4 lens (ISO 280, 105 mm, f/1.4, 1/250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (48.8 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (90.1 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of sun. A surplus of 41.3 kWh.


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Sunday (03-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Morning birds: Blue Jay, Chipping Sparrow, and Turkey Vulture. Afternoon birds: Chipping Sparrow, Mourning Dove, House Finch, and Eastern Phoebe. I believe that it is the Eastern Phoebe that has built a nest above my front door. During my afternoon walkabout I continued to document the early May flowers: Daffodil, Johnny-Jump-Up, Blue Forget me Not, Plum Tree, Siberian Wallflower, Five-Spots, Prunella Vulgaris (also known as Self-Heal, Heal-All, and Woundwort), wild Violet (Viola), Jack in the Pulpit, Lilac (two varieties), California Poppy, Allium bud, Yellow Tulip, and Italian (red) Clover.


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


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


Early May Flowers (pt 1). Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Early May Flowers (pt 2). Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (42.5 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (57.1 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. A surplus of 14.6 kWh.

Weekly Electric Energy Used (348 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. Weekly Solar Electric Energy Produced (336 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. A small deficit of 12 kWh.


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Saturday (02-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

More birds at the feeder today. In the morning: Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, and Chipping Sparrow. In the afternoon: Northern Cardinal, Brown-headed Cowbird, and Carolina Wren. The Carolina Wren actually was on the roof with a grub in its mouth. It was also calling out letting folks know it had a grub. I’m not sure if it was trying to attract a mate, or to get a young bird to fledge and get out of the nest. In the afternoon, I mowed the lawn for the first time this year. The grass was getting to be ankle high. I hadn’t mowed earlier because a tire on the lawn tractor was flat. While mowing, I noticed a number of small wildflowers already blooming. I haven’t planted andy wildflower seeds yet this spring, so these are either native, or have self-seeded from last year. Later in the afternoon, I went for a walkabout in the yard to document the early May flowers: Johnny-Jump-Up, Blue Forget me Not, Grape Hyacinth, Plum Tree, Siberian Wallflower, Five-Spots, Prunella Vulgaris (also known as Self-Heal, Heal-All, and Woundwort), Baby Blue Eyes, wild Violet (Viola), Jack in the Pulpit, Lilac, California Poppy, Allium bud, Star of Bethlehem, Strawberry, Yellow Tulip.


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


Birds in the Afternoon and Early Evening. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Carolina Wren with a slug. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 320, 80 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Carolina Wren with a grub. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens (ISO 320, 80 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)


Early May Backyard Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Early May Backyard Flowers. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (45.9 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (69.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Sunny, but the power was out for a couple of hours in the afternoon. A surplus of 23.6 kWh.


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Friday (01-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Afternoon May Day walkabout looking for flowers. Just had some heavy rain. While in shutdown mode, I haven’t used the front door that much. When I went out today, I noticed a bird nest has been built above the door. The door is splattered with mud. I need to figure what type of bird built the nest. Last year, a House or Carolina Wren built a nest in a hole where the doorbell button used to be mounted. The Plum tree is still in bloom, the Japanese Maple tree has filled out with red leaves. The last Tulip to bloom this spring is yellow. The first outdoor California Poppy flower opened today. Also, one of the Lilac shrubs planted last spring has started to bloom.

Birds nest above the front door. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 1250, 60 mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Birds nest above the front door. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 1250, 60 mm, f/2.8, 1/125 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Plum tree flowers. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/3.5, 1/320 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Plum tree flowers. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/3.5, 1/320 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Japanese Maple Tree. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/3.2, 1/200 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Japanese Maple Tree. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/3.2, 1/200 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Yellow Tulip flower. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/4, 1/640 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Yellow Tulip flower. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/4, 1/640 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
California Poppy flower after the rain. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
California Poppy flower after the rain. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Lilac flowers. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/3.5, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Lilac flowers. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens (ISO 100, 60 mm, f/3.5, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (50.9 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (51.1 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The sun was out after the rain passe. A surplus of 0.2 kWh.


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