Saturday (27-July-2019) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

I went to the local farmers market this morning. I didn’t really need that much since my grow towers are producing more than I can eat. This afternoon while working on my image database, I heard the door bell/motion detector go off. I wasn’t expecting any deliveries so I checked the door bell/camera. There was a doe in the driveway eating grass. I wish the deer would also eat the mile-a-minute vine and the Japanese stilt grass. I have a neighbor that keeps telling me that I need to get a goat. It would mean needing a more substantial fence.

Doe visiting the house. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 500, 200 mm, f/4, 1/300 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Doe visiting the house. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 500, 200 mm, f/4, 1/300 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Doe visiting the house. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 500, 200 mm, f/4, 1/300 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)
Doe visiting the house. Image taken with a Fuji X-T3 camera and 200 mm f/2 lens (ISO 500, 200 mm, f/4, 1/300 sec). (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (57.8 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (78.5 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 20.7 kWh.

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Friday (26-July-2019) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Morning Walkabout with the Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm lens. Tiger Swallowtail butterfly on a Sunflower, Hummingbird Clearwing moth on a Zinnia flower, Four O’Clock flower, and Burma Water Gourd flower.

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Sunflower. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Sunflower. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)


Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) moth. Click on the above image to access the individual slideshow images in my gallery.


Four O'Clock flower covered with Dew. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Four O’Clock flower covered with Dew. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Burma Water Gourd Flower. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Burma Water Gourd Flower. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (51.4 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (80.7 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Daily surplus of 29.3 kWh.

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Friday (26-July-2019) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Afternoon Walkabout with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens + 1.4x teleconverter. Butterflies (including an amorous pair of Silver-spotted Skipper). And of course both Hummingbird Clearwing and Snowberry Clearwing moths. It is a target rich environment right now in my wildflower meadows.

Monarch butterfly on a Sunflower Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens + 1.4x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)
Monarch butterfly on a Sunflower Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens + 1.4x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)
Monarch butterfly on a Zinnia Flower. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens + 1.4x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)
Monarch butterfly on a Zinnia Flower. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens + 1.4x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)
Pair of amorous Silver-spotted Skipper butterflies Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens + 1.4x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)
Pair of amorous Silver-spotted Skipper butterflies Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens + 1.4x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)
Pair of amorous Silver-spotted Skipper butterflies Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens + 1.4x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)
Pair of amorous Silver-spotted Skipper butterflies Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens + 1.4x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)


Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) moth. Click on the above image to access the individual slideshow images in my gallery.



Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis) moth. Click on the above image to access the individual slideshow images in my gallery.


Daily Electric Energy Used (51.4 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (80.7 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Daily surplus of 29.3 kWh.

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Friday (26-July-2019) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Noontime Walkabout with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens (using a monopod because of the weight). Birds, Bees, Butterflies (including a pair of Sulphurs mating). And of course Hummingbird Clearwing Moths. The final slideshow is of Hummingbird Clearwing Moths in flight. It is a target rich environment right now in my wildflower meadows.

Goldfinch looking for a Cornflower for lunch. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Goldfinch looking for a Cornflower for lunch. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Pair of Bumblebees on a Sunflower. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Pair of Bumblebees on a Sunflower. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Sunflower. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly on a Sunflower. Image taken with a Nikon 1 V3 camera and 70-300 mm VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Monarch butterfly Zinnia flower. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Monarch butterfly on an orange Zinnia flower. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Pair of Sulphur butterflies mating. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Pair of Sulphur butterflies mating. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)


Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) moth. Click on the above image to access the individual slideshow images in my gallery.



Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) moth. Click on the above image to access the individual slideshow images in my gallery.


Daily Electric Energy Used (51.4 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (80.7 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Daily surplus of 29.3 kWh.

Current Weather Conditions

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Thursday (25-July-2019) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

One of the wildflower meadows with lots of Zinnia flowers in bloom has attracted dozens and dozens of butterflies and clearwing moths. I set up a Garmin VIRB-360 camera for a time-lapse video of the wildflower meadow. [Note – the post will be updated later with the time-lapse video.] I also took a series of images with a Nikon 1 V3 camera with a 70-300 mm VR lens. Butterflies: Monarch, Tiger Swallowtail, and Common Buckeye. Moth: Clearwing Hummingbird (Hemaris thysbe). While walking back to the house I saw a Ruby-throated Hummingbird feeding on the taller Cosmos flowers. I was happy that I had this camera & lens since I was able to get a series of pictures from 10 meters away without scaring the hummingbird away.


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



Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) moth. Click on the above image to access the individual slideshow images in my gallery.



Hummingbird Clearwing (Hemaris thysbe) moth. Click on the above image to access the individual slideshow images in my gallery.



Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. Click on the above image to access the individual slideshow images in my gallery.



Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. Click on the above image to access the individual slideshow images in my gallery.



Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. Click on the above image to access the individual slideshow images in my gallery.


Daily Electric Energy Used (54.9 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (81.5 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. The amount of Electric Energy used was up a bit, mainly due to a load of laundry. It was a sunny day so the solar electricity production was up for a surplus of 26.6 kWh. Helps to make up for some of the previous very hot (increased usage) and rainy (decreased solar production) days.

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