Monday (07-June-2021) — New Jersey

Springtime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds viewed in the backyard: House Finch, Mourning Dove.


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

Squirrel under the Birdfeeder.

Squirrel. (David J Mathre)
Squirrel under the birdfeeder. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR lens. (David J Mathre)

Daily Electric Energy Used (68.6 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (55.5 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Sun, clouds, and hot. A deficit of 13.1 kWh.

Friday (09-April-2021) — New Jersey

Springtime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Morning visitors to the backyard and patio birdfeeder: Chipping Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird. Squirrels kept busy in the Daffodil planters and birdfeeder.


Daily backyard visitors. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Daily backyard visitors. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (43.4 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (39.2 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Cloudy. A surplus of 28.5 kWh.

Monday (22-February-2021) — New Jersey

Wintertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

I know I am a fat Squirrel, but you forgot to fill the birdfeeder and it is snowing out. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 500 mm f/4 VR lens.

Squirrel. (David J Mathre)
Fat Squirrel at the Birdfeeder. (David J Mathre)

Visitors to the birdfeeder: Tufted Titmouse, House Finch, Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal.


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

Daily Electric Energy Used (88.7 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (2.0 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Snow and sleet. The solar panels partially covered with snow. Geothermal HVAC system on. A deficit of 86.7 kWh.

Wednesday (02-September-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

A local squirrel spent much of the morning under the birdfeeder trying to crack a peach pit. Turned out to be too hard to crack.


Squirrel trying to open a Peach Pit. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (54.7 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (26.5 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Lots of clouds. A deficit of 18.7 kWh.

Thursday (16-July-2020) — New Jersey

Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Anti-Gardener — This squirrel is eating a Daffodil bulb in the cloth pots. Probably thinks it is one of the black walnuts it hid last fall.

Squirrel eating Daffodil bulb. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)
Squirrel eating Daffodil bulb. Image taken with a Nikon D850 camera and 200-500 mm f/5.6 VR lens (DAVID J MATHRE)

Birds of the Day: Black-capped Chickadee, Gray Catbird, Northern Cardinal, Brown-headed Cowbird, and House Finch.


Birds of the Day. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Butterflies of the Day: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.


Butterflies of the Day. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

There definitely are two types of Clearwing moths were present. They prefer pink to purple flowers (Bee-Balm, Lemon-Mint, Bergamot, Larkspur, Delphinium). The Clearwing Hummingbird moth (Hemaris thysbe) is larger, and has light-colored front legs. The Clearwing Snowberry moth (Hemaris diffinis) is smaller, and has dark/black colored front legs. I am trying different camera lens combinations to see which is the best to capture images of these moths.


Clearwing Hummingbird Moths (Hemaris thysbe) captured with a Nikon Df camera and 300 mm f/4 VR lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Clearwing Snowberry Moths (Hemaris diffinis) captured with a Nikon Df camera and 300 mm f/4 VR lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

I noticed Yellowjacket Wasps hunting both Butterflies and Clearwing Moths. Possibly to lay eggs in the victims.


Yellowjacket Wasp attacking an Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly captured with a Nikon Df camera and 300 mm f/4 VR lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Yellowjacket Wasp attacking a Clearwing Snowberry Moths (Hemaris diffinis)captured with a Nikon Df camera and 300 mm f/4 VR lens. Individual images from this slide show can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

NOTE: IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS VIEWING THE SLIDE SHOWS PLEASE TRY A DIFFERENT BROWSER AND LET ME KNOW WHICH BROWSER YOU ARE USING. THANKS!!!

Daily Electric Energy Used (47.5 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (55.2 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. More clouds. A surplus of 7.7 kWh.