New Jersey - David Mathre Photography

Thursday (01-August-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

From the three underused cameras yesterday, I narrowed it down to one — Leica CL with a 55-135 mm zoom lens. More Sunflower, Butterfly, and Snowberry Clearwing Moths. I also captured some images of a Goldfinch feeding on a Sunflower. The Goldfinch have graduated from the Cornflowers to something with larger seeds. My favoriate image of the day is the first one shown — two Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies, one in focus and the other out of focus.

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 55-135 mm lens (DAVID J MATHRE) — Two Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 55-135 mm lens (ISO 100, 135 mm, f/8, 1/400 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Sunflowers. Click on the above image to access the individual images from the slideshow at my Photoshelter Gallery.

Tiger Swallowtail, Common Buckeye, and Silver-spotted Skipper Butterflies. Click on the above image to access the individual images from the slideshow at my Photoshelter Gallery.

Snowberry Clearwing (Hummingbird) Moth. Click on the above image to access the individual images from the slideshow at my Photoshelter Gallery.

Goldfinch feeding on Sunflower seeds. Click on the above image to access the individual images from the slideshow at my Photoshelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (est. 52 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (64.8 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The amount used is an estimate because of some technical problems with the Sense monitor. Not as cloudy so solar energy production was up 24 kWh for an estimated net surplus of 13 kWh.

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Wednesday (31-July-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

I decided to take some cameras out that I haven’t been using much. Looking at the images I can see I need to spend more time using and practicing with theses cameras. Some of the images are not tack sharp. I can’t just use the cameras in auto mode, need to slow down and make sure I have the settings right. The large sunflowers next to the house were up to the roof edge, but got so heavy they bent over. The field of sunflowers in the back wildflower meadow are attracting lots of bees and butterflies.

Sunflowers. Image taken with a Leica T camera and 18 mm f/2.8 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Leica T camera and 60 mm f/2.8 lens. Click on the above image to access the individual images in my Photoshelter Gallery.

Leica TL2 camera and 35 mm f/1.4 lens. Click on the above image to access the individual images in my Photoshelter Gallery.

Sunflowers. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Tiger Swallowtail. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (49.7 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (41.1 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Cloudy most of the day so solar energy production was down 32 kWh. A bit cooler so the Geothermal HVAC system didn’t have to work as hard so the overall energy used was down nearly 20 kWh, for a net deficit of 8.6 kWh. The monthly stats for July are electric energy used: 1841 kWh, solar energy generated: 2075 kWh, for a monthly electric energy surplus of 234 kWh.

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Tuesday (30-July-2019) — New Jersey

Backyard Summertime Nature in New Jersey.

It’s hot outside so only a short walkabout with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens. Lots of flowers. The sunflowers look amazing. Butterflies including Monarch, Tiger Swallowtail, Silver-spotted Skipper, Common Buckeye, Painted Lady, and Peck’s Skipper (?). Only one Snowberry Clearwing Moth.

Purple Thistle Flower. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (David J Mathre)

Red Coreopsis. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (David J Mathre)

Sunflowers. Click on the above image to access the individual slideshow images.

Butterflies. Click on the above image to access the individual slideshow images.

Snowberry Clearwing Moth in Flight above a Zinnia Flower. Image taken with a Fuji X-T2 camera and 100-400 mm OIS lens (David J Mathre)

Daily Electric Energy Used (68.8 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (73.1 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The temperatures have been going up outside, resulting in more energy (~29 kWh) needed for the Geothermal HVAC system to keep the house cool. Also, ran a load of laundry (3.3 kWh). Still a small daily surplus of 4.3 kWh.

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Monday (29-July-2019) — New Jersey

Something Different.

Visited the Sheep Shearer for my annual haircut. I’ve been going to the same barbershop in Highland Park for over 30 years.

After visitng the sheep shearer. Image taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (63.6 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (72.2 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The temperatures have been going up outside, resulting in more energy needed to power the Geothermal HVAC system to keep the house cool. Daily surplus of 8.6 kWh.

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Sunday (28-July-2019) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

The local lawn crew was out early (05:40) trimming the grass. The images are noisy since it was still dark out so the ISO was increased to 3200. Early evening (~19:00) another crew came by. It looked like one doe was left with the responsibility to watch four fawns. There was a bit of friction between the cousins. Captions for the 2nd slideshow.

1) Early Evening (19:00) lawn crew — Twins fawns with spots.
2)`Fawn Running Away.
3) Alpha Fawn.
4) Alpha Fawn telling the cousin she doesn’t smell good.
5) Alpha Fawn telling the cousin to go away.
6) Cousins running to mother.
7) Cousin telling Mommy “he was mean to me”
8) Alpha fawn — who me.
9) Cousin sticking her tongue out — Mommy said you shouldn’t be mean.
10) Alpha fawn — I didn’t do anything wrong.
11) Alpha fawn — Really, I didn’t do anything wrong!
12) Alpha fawn telling Mommy “She told a fib, I wasn’t mean”.
13) Mommy telling Alpha fawn to stop being a bully.
14) OK — Everybody play nice.
15) OK, Its time to move on.

Early Morning lawn crew. Click on the above image to access the individual images in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Early Evening lawn crew. Click on the above image to access the individual images in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (64.6 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (76.7 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The temperatures have been going up outside, resulting in more energy needed to power the Geothermal HVAC system to keep the house cool. I also ran a load of laundry and the dishwasher. Daily surplus of 12.1 kWh. Weekly energy usage 409 kWh, solar energy production 488 kWh for a surplus of 79 kWh.