Fern Mantis

Saw a flutter of wings in the grasses...and found Fern Mantis...Lizard scooted across the Post Office Path....went behind an Oak....found a nearby seat with Tuna Sandwich...while having lunch found Oak Dragon....sitting with my back against Zeke's Cedar....Doe rustling in the grasses...where were the Fawns?!....later Doe was under the Apple Tree....Appletree Doe...for sometime....Hawk above the
Tiki Temple...not to be seen...just heard...found Hawk's call coming from the trees....Mouse?...Gopher?...on the Path through Chapel Meadow....late evening...and quietquiet...

I was out and about pretty much all day...did get two glimpses of Hawk...together they may have added up to one second of flight!...didn't see Osprey...and of course with my attention on the Blue Sky....things at my feet took my attention!....and actually...seeing any of the Critters in today's pics and clips...well the Sisters I see all the time...is even rarer than seeing Hawk....I cant ever have much chance of seeing Meadow Mouse or Gopher alive...too much Meadow cover....sometime just a rustle in the grasses...and a furtive eye and fur ball!....Mantis was totally unexpected...and while Lizard is often about on the Talus rocks...on the Oak with the lighting...well...it's Dramatic Lizard!...the Oak Dragon!...

in the evening I sat a long while by the Merced between Creek's End and Chapel Bridge...gotten to be one of my favorite spots...think the trick with the Digiscope...which I hauled about but never set up!...is to focus on like a branch sticking above the Merced...and wait...I was doing that with the 12x....two Acorn Woodpeckers were flycatching...going out and back...but when I got near they flew up into the Aspens....Doe walked along oppose bank...clip...then went on the Big Loop...and Buck was...on the opposite bank!...at CAD Beach....nearing Swinging Bridge I happened on Fawn..or Fawns..I think...didn't want to get close...Fawns had settled in for the night....lots of Bats about by Swinging Bridge....and looks to be some smoke above Clouds Rest this evening....sunny warm and blue.