Tag: New Jersey

Saturday (01-August-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

My workhorse telephoto zoom 70-300 mm VR lens for the Nikon 1 camera has been acting up. Unfortunately, Nikon discontinued both the mirrorless Nikon 1 cameras and lenses. This lens on the Nikon 1 camera has the field of view equivalent to 189-810 mm on a full frame 35 mm camera sensor. I found a Japanese vendor online that had a 70-300 mm lens listed as practically new for sale. It was a bit more than I paid for the original 70-300 lens, but I felt that I needed the backup in case the original lens failed. The shipment got caught up in customs and I had to pay additional duty because of a tariff on Japanese goods. Thanks twitterer-in-chief for increasing the taxes I have to pay. Many folks don’t understand that it is the US consumer, not the foreign company that needs to pay these extra taxes. Vent over.

I went for an afternoon backyard walkabout with the N1V3 camera and new lens. Harvey the rabbit was out munching on the grass that needs to be cut. It appears that the recent Vultures left the skeleton of a small animal roadkill in the yard. Even though the majority of wildflowers are beginning to die off due to the excess heat, the more hearty Larkspur, Thistle, and Lance-leaf Coreopsis are providing nectar for the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies and Clearwing Hummingbird moths.

Harvey the Rabbit. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Harvey the Rabbit. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Larkspur. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Larkspur. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Dark morph of an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Dark morph of an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Clearwing Hummingbird Moth. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Clearwing Hummingbird Moth. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Robber Fly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Robber Fly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (58.5 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (71.6 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Lots of sun. A surplus of 13.1 kWh.

Friday (31-July-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

The Brown Thrasher is a relatively new visitor to the birdfeed. I like its intense yellow eyes. It comes in just below the Blue Jay in regards to the pecking order feeding rights. I was really surprised to have captured a Ruby-throated Hummingbird. It wasn’t there to feed as I don’t have a hummingbird feeder with sugar syrup — just happened to be in the field of view of the camera.

Morning at the Birdfeeders: Mourning Dove, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, and Northern Cardinal.


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

Afternoon at the Birdfeeders: Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Gray Catbird, American Goldfinch, and Brown-headed Cowbird.


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (56.2 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (35.0 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Lots of clouds. A deficit of 21.2 kWh.

Monthly Electric Energy Used (1897 kWh) from Sense. Monthly Solar Electric Energy Produced (1942 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. A surplus of 45 kWh.

Thursday (30-July-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

There are lots of Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies about even though the wildflower population has been drying out in the late July heat. Apparently, they have been laying eggs in the Broccoli Rabe plants as their caterpillars are munching on the Broccoli leaves. I need to get some BT or Neam oil spray.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Image taken with a Nikon N1V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Morning at the Birdfeeders: Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Gray Catbird, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.


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

Afternoon at the Birdfeeders: Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Gray Catbird, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (63.2 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (61.4 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sun and clouds. A deficit of 1.8 kWh. During these hot days, the solar is not keeping up unless it is sunny all day. Part of the problem is that the Sycamore trees are full of leaves shading the solar panels part of the day.

Wednesday (29-July-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Morning at the Birdfeeders: Mourning Dove, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, American Goldfinch, Chipping Sparrow, and Northern Cardinal.


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

Afternoon at the Birdfeeders: Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Gray Catbird, Brown Thrasher, House Finch, American Goldfinch, and Northern Cardinal.


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (71.0 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (77.3 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. More sun. A surplus of 6.2 kWh. .

Tuesday (28-July-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

The birds noticed a cat lurking below the birdfeeder.


Local Neighborhood Cat Lurking below the Birdfeeder. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Morning at the Birdfeeders: Mourning Dove, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Brown Thrasher, House Finch, American Goldfinch, Brown-headed Cowbird, and Northern Cardinal.


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

Afternoon at the Birdfeeders: Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Brown Thrasher, House Finch, American Goldfinch, and Northern Cardinal.


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (75.7 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (66.1 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. More clouds. A deficit of 9.6 kWh. .