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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Thursday (23-April-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Daily bird images. Early morning: Chipping Sparrow and Dark-eyed Junco at and under the bird feeder; Mid-morning: Brown-headed Cowbird and Tufted Titmouse at the bird feeder; Noon: Mourning Dove, pair of Northern Cardinals, Chipping Sparrow, pair of American Goldfinch, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, and Red-bellied Woodpecker at and around the bird feeder.

Chipping Sparrow. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/50 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Chipping Sparrow. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/50 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Dark-eyed Junco. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Dark-eyed Junco. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female Brown-headed Cowbird. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female Brown-headed Cowbird. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Tufted Titmouse. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Tufted Titmouse. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Mourning Dove. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Mourning Dove. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male Northern Cardinal. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male Northern Cardinal. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female Northern Cardinal. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female Northern Cardinal. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Chipping Sparrowl. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Chipping Sparrowl. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female American Goldfinch. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female American Goldfinch. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male American Goldfinch. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male American Goldfinch. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Black-capped Chickadee. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Black-capped Chickadee. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Tufted Titmouse. 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)
Tufted Titmouse. 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)
Red-bellied Woodpecker. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Red-bellied Woodpecker. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (57.7 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (45.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of clouds. A deficit of 12.2 kWh.


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Friday (06-March-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds at the bird feeder. Northern Cardinal, Mourning Dove, and House Finch.

Female Northern Cardinal eating sunflower seeds. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 600 mm, f/4, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Female Northern Cardinal eating sunflower seeds. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 800, 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 lens (ISO 1400, 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 lens (ISO 1400, 600 mm, f/4, 1/1250 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male and Female House Finch eating sunflower seeds. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/4, 1/800 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Male and Female House Finch eating sunflower seeds. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/4, 1/800 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (72.6 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (8.6 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Cloudy all day. A deficit of 64.0 kWh.


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Saturday (15-February-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Winter birds (Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, and Mourning Dove) at and around the feeder on a cold morning. They all left when a couple of Turkey Vultures landed in a nearby tree to warm in the morning sun.




Daily Electric Energy Used (96.1 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (51.0 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Sunny most of the day. Another high for the most solar energy produced this winter. Still not enough to completely power everything in the house especially since was really cold out and the Geothermal HVAC system was running almost continuously. A deficit of 45.1 kWh.

Current Weather Conditions


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One-Year Ago (29-January-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Carolina Wren, House Finch, Black-capped Chickadee, and Mourning Dove.

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Carolina Wren at a bird feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens (ISO 1100, 500 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec).
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House Finch at a bird feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens (ISO 2500, 500 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec).
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Blacked-capped Chickadee at a bird feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens (ISO 800, 500 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec).
alt_title. (David J Mathre)
Mourning Dove below a bird feeder. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens (ISO 2500, 500 mm, f/4, 1/500 sec).