Monday (29-June-2020) — New Jersey

Early Summertime Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the Day: Blue Jay, Gray Catbird, Northern Cardinal, Tufted Titmouse, House Finch, American Goldfinch, and Turkey Vulture.


Summer Birds of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Flowers of the Day: Purple Allium, Red Poppy, Blanket Flower, Teasel, Four O’Clock, Garlic Scapes, Delphinium, Larkspur, Garlic Scapes, Black-eyed Susan, Sunflower, Pink Poppy, and Foxglove.


Summer Flowers of the Day (portrait). Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.


Summer Flowers of the Day (landscape). Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Critters of the Day: Squirrel, Spots the Fawn, Rabbits, and Red Fox. This was the first time since last winter that I have seen Rabbits in the backyard. Within five minutes, the Red Fox showed up and the Rabbits disappeared.


Critters (mammals) of the Day. Individual images in the slideshow can be viewed at my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (66.0 kWh) from Sense. Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (83.9 kWh) from Sense and SolSystems. Lots of Sun. A surplus of 17.9 kWh.


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Monday (25-May-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Birds of the Day — Brown-headed Cowbird, House Finch, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, American Goldfinch, Northern Cardinal, Gray Catbird, Black-capped Chickadee, Mourning Dove, Carolina Wren, and Eastern Phoebe. Many of the birds are young. There continues to be lots of action at the Eastern Phoebe nest with both parents feed the new hatchlings.


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

Spring flowers of the day — Poppies (California, Oriental, Red), Dame’s Rocket, Five-spot, Rhododendron, Johnny Jump Up, Babies Blue Eyes, Bachelor Button, Cornflower, Sweet William, Dianthus, Siberian Wallflower, Daisy, Foxglove, Babies Breath, Grass Lily, Forget-me-not, and Tulip Tree.


caption. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


caption. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


caption. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.


caption. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

While watching the birds, I caught a squirrel running across the backyard with a black walnut it burried last fall.

Squirrel with a Black Wallnut.  Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)
Squirrel with a Black Wallnut. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 VR telephoto lens. (DAVID J MATHRE)


Squirrel running with a black walnut. Individual images in the slideshow are available in my PhotoShelter Gallery.

Daily Electric Energy Used (47.1 kWh) from meter readings the Sense Home Energy Monitor. The daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (55.0 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Sun and clouds. A surplus of 7.9 kWh.


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Tuesday (17-March-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

Squirrel on the patio.

Daily Electric Energy Used (60.4 kWh) from Sense Home Energy Monitor and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (30.2 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Lots of clouds during the day. A deficit of 30.2 kWh.

Current Weather Conditions


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Wednesday (15-January-2020) — New Jersey

Backyard Wintertime Nature in New Jersey.

There have been a number of comments in the local neighborhood site about the lack of birds (or squirrels) at bird feeders this winter. I am still seeing some, maybe not as many as last year. It has been warmer, so maybe some of the birds are finding other sources of food. Today, the following birds (and a squirrel) have been feeding on my patio and at my bird feeder: Black-capped Chickadee, Dark-eyed Junco, House Wren, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse.


Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.


House Wren. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/4, 1/320 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
House Wren. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/4, 1/320 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)


Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.


Squirrel with a black walnut. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/4, 1/320 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Squirrel with a black walnut. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/4, 1/320 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Squirrel with a black walnut. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/4, 1/320 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)
Squirrel with a black walnut. Image taken with a Nikon D5 camera and 600 mm f/4 lens (ISO 1600, 600 mm, f/4, 1/320 sec) (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (77.3 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (36.1 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. More sun. A deficit of 41.2 kWh.

Current Weather Conditions

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Wednesday (25-December-2019) — Florida

Gone to See Florida — 2019 Road Trip.

Christmas Day walkabout in an Urban Garden and Farm. I went out three times during the day with three different camera & lens combinations. Fuji X-H1 camera with a 200 mm f/2 lens and 1.4x teleconverter, Fuji X-T3 camera with a 80 mm f/2.8 macro lens, and Nikon 1 V3 camera with a 70-300 mm VR lens. The Hens were still feasting on the broccoli leaves I brought them. Cardinal, Blue Jay, and Red-headed Woodpecker at the bird feeder. A squirrel in the Carambola and Mango tree. Many flowers (Flame Lily, Canna Lily, Chinese Lantern, Rossle (Hybiscus), Purple Bengal Clockvine). Also Bananas and Figs.

Hen eating broccoli leaves. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens + 1.4 x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)
Hen eating broccoli leaves. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens + 1.4 x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)


Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.



Click on the above image to access my PhotoShelter gallery with the individual images in the following slideshow.


Hen. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens + 1.4 x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)
Hen. Image taken with a Fuji X-H1 camera and 200 mm f/2 OIS lens + 1.4 x teleconverter (DAVID J MATHRE)

Daily Electric Energy Used (52.2 kWh) from Sense and Daily Solar Electric Energy Produced (31.8 kWh) from SolSystems and Locus Energy. Overall a net deficit of 20.4 kWh. Most of the hydroponic gardens were off or only on for fewer hours. Also, the thermostat for the Geothermal heater and hybrid heat pump hot water heater were set for vacation mode.

Current Weather Conditions

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