Saturday (15-January-2022) — New Jersey

Wintertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Downy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, American Robin, Northern Mockingbird, Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadee, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Common Grackle. It is really cold out and the birds have their feathers fluffed. A couple of new birds for the year.


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (104.5 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (32.2 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sunny, but really cold outside. Whenever the external temperature drops below 10°F, the resistance heaters kick in to assist the Geothermal HVAC heating the house. Deficit of 72.3 kWh.

Monday (20-December-2021) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

The temperature dropped to the low 20’s (F) overnight. The solar powered pump for the birdbath continued to pump water part of the night leaving an ice sculpture.


Birdbath Ice Sculpture. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Mourning Dove, Northern Mockingbird, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco.


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

Time-lapse Little Planet videos of the day. The concrete for the inner sleeve posts was allowed to set for 48 hours. Combination rain day, and colder temperatures. Eight of the eight foot outer sleeve posts were installed with the appropriate hardware (bottom brace band with eye bolt, middle collar with eye bolt, and top brace cup). The 2nd video shows eight more post holes being dug by Red Rover. Will wait for warmer weather to install the inner sleeve posts and Quikrete fast-setting concrete.

Daily Electric Energy Used (81.1 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (32.9 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sunny. Geothermal HVAC heating the house, much of the day stage 2 since it is cold outside. Deficit of 48.2 kWh.

Tuesday (14-December-2021) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Mourning Dove, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, European Starling, Northern Mockingbird, House Sparrow, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco. I think this is the first time I have observed a House Sparrow at my house.


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

Nervous fox checking out the patio. Hope it finds some of the rats.

Daily Electric Energy Used (53.0 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (31.3 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Mostly sunny. Geothermal HVAC heating the house. Deficit of 21.7 kWh.

Monday (13-December-2021) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Colorful Clouds at Dawn. Composite of eleven images taken with a Leica CL camera. Images were processed with Capture One Pro 22, including the panorama stitching. This is a new feature in the just released update to Capture One Pro. Previously, I would have stitched the images with AutoPano Giga (a program no longer supported) or PTGui. The stitched image size is 16309 x 5365 pixels. At 300 dpi, the print would be 54.4″ x 17.9″.

Colorful Clouds at Dawn. (David J Mathre)
Colorful Clouds at Dawn. Composite of three images taken with a Leica CL camera and 23 mm f/2 lens (ISO 800, 23 mm, f/8, 1/30 sec). Images processed with Capture One Pro 22. (David J Mathre)

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Blue Jay, Carolina Wren, Northern Mockingbird, House Sparrow, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal. I think this is the first time I have observed a House Sparrow at my house.


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (60.2 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (31.6 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Mostly sunny. Geothermal HVAC heating the house. Deficit of 28.6 kWh.

Monday (11-October-2021) — New Jersey

Autumn Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the day viewed at the birdfeeder and in the backyard: Eastern Phoebe, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Northern Mockingbird, American Robin, House Finch, Chipping Sparrow.


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

Flowers of the day: Cosmos.


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

A really scrawny buck with its ribs showing was just outside the patio fence.


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (39.8 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (23.0 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Clouds and some sun. Deficit of 16.8 kWh.