Frog

Rode the Bus early to Siberia for breakfast...then back..but didn't see much critter wise!...curled up until the afternoon...then peddled about almost all the way to Mirror Lake...had lunch...tuna sandwich...at Sugar Pine Bridge...and when I picked the pack up...Frog hopped out...only way I'd likely find Frog!...took clips..... a little further on at Frog Meadow neat clip of Frogs croaking and Half Dome in view...saw two Flickers together in the morning...and a Bandtail Pidgeon...in the afternoon got clip of Brown Creeper...it's the deee deee deedleedeeee Bird!....in the evening went down to Creek's End...Duck Pair was there....nice day...cool and sunny and blue with some fluff clouds....at daybreak Skunk left scent behind the cabin....put clips up maybe later...laptop hasn't enough memory!

Rainy Morning

Early breakfast...and then went for the walk...to the Oak Grove and around Cook's....raining all the while and early enough I had the paths to myself!...Grey Squirrel looks to be trying to eat the worms in the Cedar branches like the Woodpeckers earlier....curled up and slept 'till work...but that works...breakfast then a walk...then back to sleep!

First Twig

Wish I'd focused better on Blue Jay!...they often choose impossible places to build nests....walked about a little...once around the Oak Grove....report of Deer there in the morning...and four Coyotes....clip is the missing section from yesterday's post!...cool...and overcast...

Lost Acorn

Well...I messed up...the high point of the little clip is when the Ground Squirrel with the acorn pulls it out of it's cheek!...I panned back...and didn't remember...I'll have to fix it tomorrow!...cool and grey day...the basketball backboard fell off the Deer House garage...that's how I came to study the old garage...and then saw the Squirrels...Judge has put the hold back on the Creek road project...only a temporary reprieve likely...stories in San Francisco Chronicle and Fresno Bee today...

Crowded Valley

I'm going to have to get up before daybreak!....if I want to see critters without getting bumped or run over...maybe I'll start going to breakfast at Siberia...that would work...forgot how crowded it gets...and how perilous riding the bike...paths are shared with pedestrians...there's just not enough room!...anyway...clip is from the other night when I listened to the frogs...I looked at the South Wall with the Eagle Rock in mind...the Walls are covered with a dark lichen that takes a long time to make the patina they have...there's a section to the right of where I was that has a rock fall "scar" that is darker than newer ones...and maybe that's where it was....the fall of Eagle Rock during Muir's earthquake...there's an Eagle Peak atop the Three Brothers...now I have in mind to paddle up there as I haven't done that hike!...cold this morning...and high overcast.

Eagle Rock

Pic is the "perch" where I was yesterday...and I got to thinking if it is where Eagle Rock was....Eagle Rock is said to have fallen during the earthquake that John Muir wrote about...I had read about it awhile back...didn't realize until I re read the story that the earthquake happened on March 26...today...well...the same date as today!...brb...

quote

At half-past two o'clock of a moonlit morning in March, I was awakened by a tremendous earthquake.... I feared that the sheer-fronted Sentinel Rock, towering above my cabin, would be shaken down.... The Eagle Rock on the south wall, about half a mile up the Valley, gave way and I saw it falling in thousands of the great boulders I had so long been studying.... After the ground began to calm I ran across the meadow to the river to see in what direction it was flowing and was glad to find that down the valley was still down.

John Muir and the 1872 Earthquake: Where was Eagle Rock?
by Ron Limbaugh

http://sierraclub.com/john_muir_exhibit/frameindex.html?http://sierraclub.com/john_muir_exhibit/john_muir_newsletter/where_was_eagle_rock.html

unquote

Upper Falls had a Horsetail today!

The little bird with the white and black head has coloration just like the stuffed toy Badger I have by the TV...it's a souvenir of Badger...which I was remiss in not getting up to this winter!...too preoccupied with the Creek!

quote

That leaves us with the vicinity of Black's Hotel as the best candidate for the site Muir occupied during the earthquake. Since Muir was operating as caretaker during his stay at Black's, his "cabin" must have been very near the rest of the resident rooms, which were constructed in an L-shape at a site in the old Lower Yosemite Village area on the south side of the river southeast of the current swinging bridge. A detailed site map showing Black's Hotel and Muir's earlier and later cabin sites can be found in the National Park Service Historic Resource Study, Yosemite, v. 3 (Sept. 1987).

unquote

dont know if that study is on web...brb...it's on ebay!...will have to try and acquire it...if not...look in libraries...that detailed map is a must have!

Views from the Perch

I gulp air like a goldfish...and walk slow as a tree sloth...but I manage to get there!...first uphill hike of 2008...and I wanted to get a pic of the Creek before the leaves come back to the trees and the meadow grasses grow...the even cloudy day light helps too...it rained a bit on the way down...and I had to negotiate some snow tongues over the trail...was really hungry as I didn't eat much all day yesterday or this morning!...after dinner I walked about Cook's and then sat by one of the Ponds to wait for the frogs...I'm never going to get their pic!...they're always under the hummocks...their singing is like the big spaceship in Close Encounters....first one...then two..and three...then they all chime in...and then fade out back to one or two!...and then in the distance other Ponds start up...a few bats about...cloudy in the afternoon but not cold...long two days!

addenda: C.C. Pierce pic from USC Digital Library....and the two views look to be identical...next time try to find the Rock....at it's base in the old pic is Creek's End...I've looked and looked for this pic...I dont know what year...the Apple Orchard where Lower Falls stop is can be seen...and Hutching's Cut...Cook's Meadow reaches the East side of the Creek...but it almost does now too...so not that much is changed...I'll have to acquire a copy print...Pierce will have used a view camera so the detail might be very good!!

Hite Cove

Spent the day at Hite Cove...lots of flower pics and attempts at Butterfly clips!...did get a couple Butterfliy pics and clips..took a walk down to Creek's End at sunset...Ducks were at CAD Beach...it's getting that I miss the Creek hiking elseware!...the unfamiliar surroundings make everything foreign...at the Creek I look here and there and remember what I've seen here and there!...very sunny...very blue and hot down there by the Merced...expected to see critters...but just one Ground Squirrel....though I could hear Woodpeckers and Ravens and Song Sparrows...

Easter Squirrel

Got up early and peddled over to the Village...had some coffee and visited...then went over to the postcard view that looks out to the big beach at the bend in the Merced...report of Bobcat yesterday in this area...crossing the footbridge...I'd forgotten this spot...as it is just wild enough for critters...kinda like the Creek...anyway...all that was there was Mallard Duck...and of course the knockdown view of Half Dome...used to be one had to bushwack to get to the shoreline...but some picnic tables are there now...it's a famous spot...a postcard view on postcards going way back...back at the Village I tried to get clip of rainbows on Upper Falls...and did a little...saw Humming Bird...sillouet pics and clips...then over at Lower Falls...right at the benches..heard and found Flicker...clps and pics...then Ground Squirrels were suddenly all over playing...more clips and pics!...and then Grey Squirrel posed...made the whole morning...Happy Easter!...sunny and blue and warm.

Ruffled Feathers

Peddled over to the Post Office..then back and out around Cook's...beautiful sunny morning...and lots of tourists...parked the bike at the Chapel Bridge and walked out to the Creek..at Lodgepole Point I startled up the Mallard pair....after drifting out into the Merced from right at the Point, the male flapped wings to smooth them again I think...and this happened just when I got the camera on them...so got lucky pic...I need to be more watchful!...several times now I've startled up a critter...like Hawk at the Woodpecker Tree...and Heron here at Lodgepole Point...which is a very nice place just to sit...

Green Grass

Picked up Owl print at Post Office...I'm running out of wall space...which isn't hard!...saw One Fawn with the Doe in the Oak Grove...peddled all around Cook's trying to get Coyote pics...twice!...bike will come in handy for Hawk pics...blue tags on the Tree in the Door's Woods...and the big Ponderosas at Last Chance...they'll saw them all down...the Cedars and Ponderosas....and build a road...and a new bridge over the Creek...for the tour buses and all manner of traffic....for what I dont know...a dramatic promenade to see both upper and lower Falls?....easily done by walking out to Cooks...or the best...Ayer's view at Swinging Bridge....trees obscure the Lower Fall here at the Cabin anyway...it's just a catchy view as the tourist unloaded from the busses get their first on foot view here....the Creek will be gravel banked and channeled...just short of being cemented....I've seen it all before...the Santa Ana River is cemented now from the canyon to the ocean...flood control....was going to do a blog on that...years ago now...but it was a sometime...sunny blue and warm today...holiday crowd.,.moon bright and full tonight.

Hard headed hardhats
Come to only know the feel of the Earth
With a bulldozer blade.

One Fawn Resting

One Fawn was in the Oak Grove with the Does...there's a wound on the inside of the leg...so it looks like maybe a bite wound...and looks to be more painful today...sometimes this "close observation of Nature" pursuit is heartbreaking...got up before sunrise and went to Cook's Meadow...where the Song Sparrow clips and pic are from...Ducks where there...flying about...and floating in the same ponds..the ponds even dryer...Bobcat reports...mostly about successful Squirrel catching!...walked about with a photog friend...hoping to find something spectacular...or at least Bobcat!...but did see...and mostly hear...a lot...a Mountain Chicadee...always plaintive and sad....the ones here go deee da da...ones in Idylwild go daadeedaa...heard a bird I couldn't find yesterday that went deee deee deedely deeee...just like that!...heard too either Owl or Bandtail in the Oak Grove with that soft quiet hooo hoo....sunny and blue and cool.

One Fawn

I think it's a nest...I've been looking for nests...especially with the leaves off the trees...but haven't found any...maybe one in the Aspens by Owl Beach...but this looks like a nest...and I thought I heard Owl hoo hooing very softly...will add it to the places I keep an eye on!..



One Fawn was in in the Village with two Does...Ouzel was below the Chapel Bridge...nice day...balmy evening...clouds look like the surface of the ocean crossing the moon tonight.
Oh...the behemoths have arrived at the Deer House...big work trucks with complicated gear for the Tiki Temple's Pipe...it begins in Siberia...crosses under the Merced at the bend to the road and then along the Merced through Cook's to the Deer House..from there it has to go under the Creek!...which is what the commotion is about I think...and then...then it passes right behind Tree in the Door...

Raven Moon

Went to Mariposa yesterday...took Raven and Moon pic while waiting for Bus....

took Robin and Moon clip on the walkabout today in the evening...didn't see much...then when going to dinner I saw Raccoon run across the road...unnoticed by everyone...just a quick darting shadow...but after tromping about in the dark amongst the trees I found Raccoon in Cedar just beside the road...and the Moon was behind the branches...so I'd have a Raccoon Moon pic to go with the other two!..except it was too dark...and all I have is the flash pic...on leaving the Valley yesterday saw the Does with One Fawn crossing the road...One Fawn was limping..which isn't a good thing...so 'am a bit anxious to see them all again...couldn't find them this evening...cool sunny and blue...with some horsetail clouds and this evening a little cloudy.

Oh...and I wanted to remember this: in the fading light I took a seat at Four View Log...there's a fallen old log out in Coop's Meadow...where I sit sometimes and can see All Four Things...Half Dome, The Falls, Sentinel, and The Cathedrals...and for a long while while sitting there, the moon in hazy clouds, two Ravens were flying around and around in wide uneven circles for the longest time..very romantic they seemed and maybe they were courting.

Turkey Vulture?

Peddled over to the Post Office...then made the big loop...Ducks in their pond in Cook's...water went down..must be the cold....and this high flying Buzzard..I think...flew over from the Falls out towards Mirror Lake...nary a wing flap...and close up it has a tinge of red on it's head...so blurry cant tell much!...but I think it's a Buzz Bird...neat if it's an Eagle...they look similar underneath, the guide books say...sunny and very very blue...notice the strong vignetting from the teleconverter lens!...not it's best feature...Deer were back at the Deer House...resting...some nuzzling the leaves for acorns.

Hummocks

There's a Blue Bird there in amongst the meadow hummocks...which I've stumbled over more than a few times...

thought to again...but too far away!...made a quick bikeabout of the Big Loop....Does with the One Fawn at the Oak Grove....I haven't seen more fawns since the snows....report of Hawk flying in the Backyard...bright sunny blue day and cool.

a poem

The Valley crowded today,

Lots of tourists from far away--

The Falls full with the wind play.

Actually, I made that up at work...yesterday.

Two Ducks

Found the Ducks in one of the Cook's Meadow Ponds...a handsome couple!..there were two more flying about...




saw Coyote and took clips and pics...followed but lost sight down by the Creek where more slush is floating on down...took more clips and pics of that!...an iron support for the new footbridge is up over the Creek...so that photo view is gone again...but up at Tunnel View they sawed off some of the Pines that blocked the view!...win some lose some!....real tiny flake snow showers all day...and cold...turned the heat up...clear tonight.

Creek's End Morning

I got up before dawn!..I do that..

sometimes...

and on the way to breakfast noticed the clouds and thought there might be a colorful sunrise...so I stumbled along the muddy Tiki Temple access road to the Creek..and along to Creek's End...which is changing fast...water is filling in the diversion channel...I took some dark clips and pics...heard Ducks over by Chapel Footbridge.. and Owl...now I'm thinking if I can find Owl in the morning!....walked along the Merced listening to the birds waking up...mostly Robins and Redwings...and to breakfast and back to Cabin to curl up...later went to Post Office to get Appletree Bobcat pics from Kodak...many Deer at the Oak Grove...report of Bobcat gathering in Squirrel in front of Shuttle...cool day...a few moments of snow...but clear tonight....that's slushy ice from the Snow Cone floating along the Creek.

New Footbridge

Slept in..it was raining...this pic from yesterday...work begun replacing the Creek Footbridge.

Cook's Pond

Made a quick peddle over to the Post Office..and out to Cook's Pond...there are ponds now...but this is the big one just by the Boardwalk...will try to report it's changes...

Buzz Bird

Dentist day in Mariposa...apparently a sign of Spring thereabouts is the Buzzards!....got a pic of a Bluebird...bigger than the ones hereabouts I saw New Years...another dentist day next week...so maybe more pics from thereabouts!...grey day out...cool...Bluebird was by the Little Golden Gate on the Merced...thought I saw the Eagle...but on close study in photoshop...just another Buzz Bird!

Hoo hoo hoohooo hooo hooo

Well...at the end of the day I heard the Owls in Owl Woods...I made one last walk to Creek's End at dusk...took pic of Oak bole earlier which reminded me of an Owl's face...didn't get to Hite's Cove...miss understanding about departure time...and I was late...with the whole day ahead thought to go up the Falls' trail...but tummy rumbles thwarted that..and I curled up until after noon..then peddled about all over the meadows...looking for Hawk mostly...a feather was found..red and black striped... might be Coop's...day started out blue and cool..and later looked to be clouding up...watching Cook's meadow change with Spring is going to be neat!...Redwings and Robins about in the evening at the Cook's Ponds...saw Ouzel fly under Chapel Bridge and on down towards Creek's End in a hurry...chattering all the way right on the Merced's surface.

Oh...and there's frogs all over croaking...but always hidden under matted turf!

Coyote

Got up too late..time change!...made a quick peddle loop...no pics..this from the Bobcat day...report of Bear Cub in Village at night...a Bobcat up on one of the trails...dont know which one!...sunny and blue out...tomorrow Hite Cove.

Oh...and report of three Ducks...one by Chapel Bridge...and two in the Water Lily pond out in Cook's...which was frozen over two days ago..have pic to show it!...thought to follow the progress of this pond taking a pic now and then...sounded like they were all the Mallard sort..have to see them though.

The Butterfly

Peddled about over to the Post Office..and then around Cook's and the Big Loop...at the very end Ground Squirrel popped down this burrow..and I waited and waited for Ground Squirrel to pop back up...didn't happen..but The Butterfly landed a couple feet away...and while ragged...at least resting on leaves....over at Last Chance when I went to work Ground Squirrel had the paparazzi entranced...and it was a great lost pic!....I was on way to work with no camera...I need to get one I can keep in my pocket that does the sixtforty video and at least six meg...photogs have the same motto of the Boyscouts...Be Prepared!

The Deer House

I was up early...had pancakes...and

back at the Cabin I hopped on the bike and pedaled over to the Oak Grove...then around C00k's....the Deer House looked grand in the early sunrise....and the Cabin is one of the little cabins in Owl Woods that was washed away..or damaged in the '97 flood...which should be called a "flash flood"...as the water receded rapidly...Cabin pic is courtesy of Ernie, who I met out on Chapel Footbridge (okay...it's the Superintendant's House and Bridge on the maps!)....the Deer House...where the

Deer haven't been since the heavy snows...but close over in the Oak Grove...was boarded up after the flood...and has been that way since...though water hasn't risen that high since...three Spring's ago it came up to within about six feet of high water...then Cook's flooded and I got one pic of Half Dome reflected...the Deer House looks out on Half Dome...and thought to go out the next morning and get more reflection pics...but the water had gone back into the banks of the Merced...so "flooding" ...high water...can be a one day thing...should be pretty high this Spring...one of my first attendance at the free art classes was to the left of the Deer House..slightly behind it...we all set up...and went back to the Creek to get water....my first experience of the Creek!...I still have the watercolor sketch...half done...I wanted to get the Oak branches...I'll have to dig through my old film pics...first two or so years were all with disposable cameras!..and it was mostly reference photos for painting...the ride about was short...and I went back...curled up in the bunk until work!...cool grey day...showed off the dvd of Bobcat I made...everyone seems to have seen Bobcat get Squirrel!...I dont need to see that....

Coyote And Bobcat

Didn't go to sleep until like four am....


wondering about the road!...now a rumored report that Tree in the Door is to be "upgraded"...dont know if it'll continue to be a dwelling for the current dweller!...but that's encouraging...meanwhile...instead of just curling up until work I peddled over to the Post Office...passed by Ground Squirrel beeping...but couldn't locate...and on way back...this right by Lower Falls benches...I hear again Ground Squirrel beeping still...and went back aways on path....and looked up and startled myself seeing Bobcat...Bobcat looked surprised too!...but stayed put in the tree...the source of the beeping...I got like two and half gigs of pics and clips of Bobcat trying to get at Ground Squirrel...whose anxiety is...I dont know...intense!!...and Coyote showed up on the path...settled in and watched...now and then getting Bobcat's attention!...this all went on for a good half hour...I finally had to pick up to go to work..but without regret...I couldn't bear to see Ground Squirrel caught...Bobcat's persistence almost guarantees it...I sat and just watched quiet so long that both Bobcat and Coyote disregarded my presence...the clip is the final ones I took...I got so bold as to just stand right under the tree...it's hand held...some of the others on the tripod...and there's some great poses and action...in one just the tail of Ground Squirrel is out the split in the branch...one of the pioneer Apple Trees I think...I had report of little Bobcat in same area...and maybe this Bobcat is it...doesn't look as big as Chubby...but more filled out than the lean Bobcat I have pics of...heck of a circumstance for Ground Squirrel to wake up to!...small Bear report at Lower Falls...overcast and cool...wore two layers and the knit hat...why no tourists showed up...and no traffice noise...well...the Valley is that amazingly quite right now!...I imagined some would finally come along...

Ground Squirrel in the Sun

Well..hooey..wrote up the post

and blogger didnt auto save it...

and too wanted a second sign in!...what's up?..lemepost this much...working okay now it seems...again....Really nice day for a walkabout...which was a bikeabout...doggon that's annoying!...as I cant capture the flow of the first post!...I hopped on the cruiser...tire's still had air...and went over to the Village to check mail and pickup the catchmalive mousetrap...but now dont have the heart to use it...Deer Mousey can stay...incessant chewing and all..for now!...saw one Deer...one Butterfly...and one Ground Squirrel...Ground Squirrel was snoozing and snacking in the Burrow all during the Snows...this the first sighting...friend got a close up pic of Coyote with a 3x...wondered how this could be?...and learned it was from the car at a turn out...Coyote has learned to sit or walk and entertain the tourists...but is very dignified about it!...the Deer wont seek handouts...but will take acorns...dontdothis!...Ground Squirrel will hop on the tabletops and join the repasts!...friend has a pic of an Albino Deer...and a talent for critter pics!....heard report of Bus hitting Owl last Fall...sigh...oh...there's a new Valley Plan...and maybe online somewhere I can find it for news of the future of the Creek...on the big Loop I stopped over at CAD beach...and got some nice postcard pics...Valley is quiet...few tourists and no construction noises today....boy this is just not the post it was!!

Two Ravens

Bobcat was all over today...nearly

everywhere I walked..when I wasn't there!...got a good pic of the Butterfly...or so I thought...dismayed to see tonight it's sitting on some plops left under snow...and this way over on the way to Bigger Rooms for Rent...where I seldom visit...but I really like the view across the meadow to the Glacier Point Wall....saw the Bucks there...the Does where at the Oak Grove....in the evening I went to Cook's by the Arch Oak and sat awhile...Robins all over...and their calls and the Red Wing Blackbirds' carried over the evening meadow...a little windy...walked to the Village for dinner and these Ravens were posing...worked very hard to put title to clip of them...and transition fades...but got stuck...deleted everything...and will try again...sunny and blue and warm...made the big loop too...trying to break in the new boots!

Heart

Started out the morning walk past Lower Falls...where the Heart carved on the Ponderosa is...and took a seat at the Bus stop to tie my bootlaces...two Bucks where in the Oak Grove path..ears up...looking left...oh..they see Bobcat...and I waited and thought how to approach...but then some more Bucks came from the trees...and I thought...oh..just the other Bucks...and then of course Bobcat showed up!...and I was too slow and blocked out by other people...Bobcat went off into the Lower Falls delta..later reported crossing the road at the Creek Bridge...a good bet would be to sit at Lower Falls between ten and two...and Bobcat will likely show up....didn't see many critters today...but heard two good stories...one about young Bucks getting tangled with their antleers while jousting...another about Raccoon: "The door was open a little on a neighbor's wob (cabin), and Raccoon went inside..came back out with a bag of chips...and...closed the door!"

Went to Curry and bought new boots and some gators...I had this silly thought that I could wade the Creek with just the waterproof boots and gators...went to the Creek at Duck's Harbor...it's rising fast now!...and tried it out...of course the water went up the gators and down the low top boots...I dont know what I was thinking...sandals not on sale...have to web search for a lightweight pair with good straps...there will be a lot of streams to cross in the High Country this Summer!...I might need a raft for the Creek!...

In the afternoon I went to Ozone Sands and snowshoed along the Merced to Creek's End...the sunlight late in the day is just great here...of course all the birds were on the other side...I thought to make the big loop but was tired...and snowshoed back...snowshoes are a lot of work in any kinda snow! Sunny warm and blue...saw the Butterfly at Lower Falls again..got a blurry pic...all the pics today except the Postcards were...kinda blurry!!

Coyote Doesn't Detour

Slept too long!...grabbed breakfast...

and walked over to the Oak Grove...
and Coyote came up the Deer House road and crossed to the asphalt and over the Creek Bridge...at the Grove there were a lot of Jays...and mixed in Juncos...the Jay clip is a treasure!....Bobcat report over in the village...Bald Eagle report along the Merced at the base of the climb up to Mariposa!....there's a bridge there that's a miniature of the Golden Gate...I've become so enamoured of the critters in the backyard that I hardly have any inclination to go out of the Valley!...but a Bald Eagle!...time to get the Bus in shape!

Coyote Crossing Creek

At the start of the walk...on the Creek detour bridge...



I caught a glimpse of what I thought was Bobcat..and I mean just a glimpse!...I'm amazed sometimes how I see these critters!...but on closer looking Coyote came into view and crossed the Creek...thought to get ahead...but lost sight...further on were the Deer...all Does I think...some of the same I've been seeing..seven all together...heard a couple of Red Wing Blackbirds...their calls are now part of the ruckus of Jays and Woodpeckers...oh...and I saw a Butterfly...one of the small orange ones...right by Lower Falls path...too a tiny bugs that hangs from it's wings like an umbrella..and they flutter like a helicopter...cool today with some clouds...pics not too good today!...snip from clip...Coyote crosses the Creek with the same trepidation I do!