Cottonwood Owl

Paddled over to the Post Office in the morning walkabout...then back through Cook's...and out around the Big Loop....clouds moving through...but very warm...and a warm wind....got pic of the Falls out by Four Things Log...Meadows tuned brown....sat awhile at CAD beach...White Crowned Sparrows are about in the Valley too!....at Swinging Bridge my hat blew off...and it took some doing to recover it!....as it kept slowly drifting out of sight...finally it grounded and I had to take my boots off to get to it...sandy bottom not so painful!...Half Dome pic by where I lost the Teleconvertor...losing the hat reminded me of it!...and thought to look about for it with the Merced so low...it is really low!!...but it was a wan hope....had my afternoon lunch at Last Chance (my days off in the Valley often fall into this routine!)....and then took a nap...out for the evening walk I went out through Owl Woods....not expecting to see Owl...as it was early...like six pm....but whooo whooo...greeted me...Owl was in the same area...almost called the post Appletree Owl...as one is near the Cottonwood...I think it's a Cottonwood...have to check!.....I think the other Owl was about too...as over aways the Ravens were scolding...and Owl kept looking over that way....I had trouble with the clips' focus...I thought the 12x was focused in...and left off to shoot with the new camera...but on looking at the clips I see it latched on to the leaves just behind Owl...I stayed put where I was and didn't try to get closer...this to say I didn't approach to the point Owl picked up!!...I'd done this earlier with a Ground Squirrel sitting straight up on a slender stump...took a pic...moved forward...took a pic...moved forward...repeated until Ground Squirrel scurried off...with Squirrel I'm okay approaching like this...but with Owl...Hawk...Bobcat...Bear...I often just stay put...and pic up and leave off.... losing maybe a closer pic...which is what I did with Owl this evening...I went over to Owl Log and sat awhile...kindofa happy clam I must say to have gotten the pics and clips!!...then out to Cook's....Does by the Appletree....lot of Apples on the ground...cant imagine Bear passing these up!...and no recent Bear report may indicate they are else ware...a fine evening...maybe too early to be Fall...especially with the warm wind...but it had that feel to it.