Rainy Day

Today's walk was over to the Village for Laundry Soap...I think yesterday's was just to the Post Office...oh...I remember now...I walked back through the Oak Grove yesterday....and then out to Deer House and back over the Creek to the Cabin...I timed it...about twenty minutes with a couple photo stops...so it must be about a three quarter mile walk...I'm often asked how far it is to walk from Last Chance to the Village!..anyway...Grey Squirrel clip is from yesterday's...and ThreeDogwoods in the Backyard pic...rest from today which had continuing rain from last night..Falls are back just a little...very pretty out as the subdued light makes the colors rich...report of two Hawks soaring over Cook's yesterday...I saw one from Creek's End soaring towards Half Dome...good to know they are about!...newspaper report of the birds migrating in the Pacific Flyway...cloudy with rain off and on...cool...too warm for snow on the Rim.

6:00 am

Valley Walkabout, October 27, 2008

6 am Oct 27 2008
To Lower Falls Picnic
To Lower Falls Shuttle Stop
To Flicker Grove
Leaves rustling???
Return and
To Last Chance
Breakfast
Back
To Lower Falls
(Falls Noon
Sentinel Six
Orion 7:30
Half Dome 3:30)
On way
Raven Call
Robin call in the Perfect Dogwood
Ha ha ha ha ha ha haaa haaa dont know bird
(addenda: The smallest of these birds, the California Pigmy Owl, is perhaps the most likely one to be heard, because it begins calling at early dusk and often continues in voice long after daybreak. It is only about seven inches long, has a rounded head without ear tufts, yellow eyes, and a dark brown back. It inhabits sparse woods and is the commonest owl in Yosemite Valley. Its call is quite distinctive, a trilled tooting which lasts several seconds, a pause, then a single note, another pause and then a second note, too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too-too; whoot; whoot. Joseph Grinnell link:http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/grinnell/birds194.htm)
2nd Raven Call
Lots of cars! Hard to hear!!
7:17 am
Lower Falls Shuttle Stop Bench by Big Oak
(Half Dome Noon
Sentinel Three
Lost Arrow Nine)
Cool—wearing gloves
Flicker Call out in Cook’s
Heard tiny birds’ peep crossing footbridge over Creek
3rd Raven Call
Acorn Woodpecker Call Laugh
Blue Jay call
Noisy Traffic
Wispy overcast clouds and blue barely
Pic Half Dome
2nd Blue Jay Call
Grey Squirrel call
7:30 am
On Oak Grove Path opposite schoolyard
(Falls Noon
HD 4
Sent. 8)
Small flock small birds high atop oak pic
1st Acorn Woodpecker several laughing
2 ACWP pecking
7:45 am
Visitor Center
Humming machine sound from Center
(Indian Canyon noon
Falls ten
HD five)
1st Blue Jay and second! Pics
Little Peeps call
Cold and sleepy
1st Raven and 2nd
G. Squirrel call
Yellow rump warbler tried for pic
Upper Falls in sunlight
8:17 am
Grey Squirrel
Ahwahnee Meadow at Broken Oak
(HD noon
IC Nine
Glacier Point two)
Flicker call
Raven call
Sun coming up over Half Dome’s shoulder
Phoebe? Junco? Flew off oak
8:45 Awhahnee
GP Wall noon
HD 9
Trees in way!)
Raven squeaky wings
Tiki stop
Squeaky call scree scree (from small bird)???
??Bandtail pigeon overhead and found perched atop pine pic
Flicker call on way
Ground Squirrel
8:50 am
Three Arch Bridge Northside
(IC noon
LA 9
GPW 3
HD 2)
Noisy dump truck!!
Little bird peeps
Ouzels! 2 clips
Jays call
Hanq hanq hanq call don’t know bird
Bandtail Pigeons flocks flying over pics
South to North hundreds!
Perch in the pines and disappear!
Robin call
Coyotes calling over in Stoneman Meadow
More Ouzel clips
9:25 am
Sugarpine Bridge south side end by sign
(HD noon
Royal Arches 10
GP 2)
All through walk a veryvery slight breeze
Jays calling
Suns been up
Dumpsters still noisy
Frog croaking
Flicker call
Chainsaws in Curry
Tiny birds too fast!
Pigeons about
10:05 am
Tenaya Creek Bridge to Mirror Lake
(HD 12
Washington Column 10:30
GP 4)
Why red stain on stones in Tenaya Creek??
Ravens call
Jays call
G. Squirrel call
10:30
Clark Bridge (by Stables)
(Falls 12
GP 9
HD 3)
Down WP call
Raven
Grey Squirrels
1 Ouzel pic
10:45 am
Stoneman Meadow
(North Dome 12
Falls 10
GP Rockfall 6
Raven flying
Three very noisy steamshovels (sewer)
Chainsaws Lower Pines campground
Sky full of contrails
Wispy clouds
10:56 am
Stoneman Bridge
(ND 12
GP 6
F 9
HD 2:30)
2 Juncos
1 Flicker pic
Whiteheaded Woodpecker
Fish ripples in Merced
11:10
Dogwood Woods between Stoneman Bridge and A. Meadow
Lots of Robins
Woodpecker???
Jays calling
Hawk calling!!
Robins’ Woods!! Tens of Robins pics
Flicker call
11:45 am
A. Meadow at North Side
(Panorama Wall 12
Falls 6
HD 9:30)
Flicker call
Raven at Picnic Tables
Robin call
On way
California sisters
Bear plop
Flock of Robin size birds??
Warming took gloves off
12:15 pm
Back at Visitor Center
Same bench by Time Capsule (small boulder with plaque)
Jays calling
On way
Picked up sandwich and elixir at Degnan’s
Alice said Hi! driving by
Feel like back in familiar turf where I usually walkabout
1:05
Duck Harbor behind Deer House Garage
(Sentinel 10
Falls 1
HD 6)
Raven clocking clocking
Littletiny birds peeping??
1 Brown Creeper clip
2 Grey Squirrels
somekinda moth landed nearby maybe got pic (did)
Flicker call
Frog croak
1:40 am
Back at Lower Falls Shuttle Stop Bench
Traffic noisy still but not the bangety bang dump trucks!
Warm now and hazy sky
Still sleepy!
2:05 pm
Back at Last Chance
On way
Took pics of Backyard trees light all soft from clouds
No birds in them!
But photog friend Christr running me down on bicycle from behind
Really sleepy!!
5:05 pm
At Creek’s End on farside of Merced with photog friend Armand (Armand took some great pics of Chapel with sun lighting up the Oak behind...leaves all gold)
Mountain Chicadee call
On way
Redbreasted Woodpecker at CAD Beach
Ouzel
Flock of tinier than Robins birds
5:36 pm
Owl Woods
(Falls 12
Cathedrals 9
Half Dome 3
Sentinel 6)
Raven call
Downy Woodpecker call??
2 Flicker calls
Frog croaking
Walking back 6:30 pm or so
Ouzel singing clip from Chapel Bridge
Half Dome backlit by pink clouds pic
Can’t see in dark
Rustling leaves!!
(“I think it’s the Bears!”
I tell a work friend walking up…her name I’ve forgotten…but often see…and oddly she was first person I saw walking by in morning!)
Mama Bear and Cub in Deer House Oaks…they move to the Picnic Benches…make scratching Cedar bark noises…flash pic (all that show is eyes reflection!)
And finally at Lower Falls mini Meadow right where the Path goes to the Lower Falls
Mama Doe and Two Fawns contentedly browsing flash pics

End

Next all day walkabout will be Feb 2…Ground Hog Day (the movie has been on the TV while transcribing this!!)

“It’s still just once a year, isn’t it”

And a note: On this day, Oct. 27, News report of Star with planets near Orion…like an early Solar System…closest planets found yet)

6:00 am

Dogwood Robins

Paddled over to the Post Office...beginning the walk with a stop at the Backyard Dogwoods!....Robins, Flicker, and two Redbreasted Sapsuckers...Blue Jay was there too...forgot pic...report of Coyote chasing Bobcat up a tree....and an Owl 'maybe a screech owl' in Midpines....sunny cool to warm and blue...sleep debt needs to be payed!...curl up early tonight...

Mountain Quail

Another Long Day...with a Long Hike!...up from Glacier Road to Ostrander Lake...much of the trail goes through an old burned over area...lots and lots of snag trees...craned my neck a lot looking for the Great Grey Owl...and Hawk...did see Hawk soaring...two of them...or one twice!...looks like Red Tail...looks like Zeke!...coming back I caught a glimpse of a large bird on the trail that scooted behind some fallen logs...got the new camera ready and the Mountain Quail hopped up on the log...then flew off...I hear of these by the A Rooms...but this is the first one I've seen...neat bird....I thought the Lake would be surrounded by trees....sorta like Dog Lake...as much of the area is forest...Red Fir and Lodgepole...but the Lake was partly surrounded by rock walls...a flock of Ravens was floating on the thermals against them...very distant clip!...heard lots of little birds in the Snag Forest...lots of Chipmunks...clip and pics...on the road back...in the Valley just before Swinging Bridge...Hawk landed in a Cedar right by the road and perched...and we couldn't stop...again!...no where to pull out...as we neared the Chapel we saw a Deer Jam...and we did pull over...Mama Doe with Two Frisky Fawns on the Chapel Lawn...clips and pics...I missed a really neat pic...first one Fawn dashed in front of traffic to the Meadow across the road....putting our hearts in our throats!....and then Mama and the second Fawn slowly walked across the Cross Walk...and traffic stopped!....no pic but can make a painting!...anyway...safe and sound back at the Cabin...I picked up and went to the Backyard for a short Owl Prowl...no whoo whoo...but another Mama Doe and Two Fawns were by the Tiki Temple...I crossed the Creek but too late for the Half Dome show...which has been spectacular lately...tomorrow I'll try to get to yesterday's census taking!....I'm really tired...dozed off while the basketball was on TV...Oaks are all gold now in Cook's Meadow...make time for them too....sunny...cold up high...warmed up...and blue with like cloud strips drifting over....saw one big cloud forming up way out over Tuolumne....clip is from Oct. 28 last year...hard to hear..but Amazing Grace is being played by a Bagpipe Player over at the Chapel....clip is a pan from Creek's End...the branch in the river at the beginning is Ouzel Branch...it's still there...in fact the whole scene looks just like this now...maybe just fewer leaves on the Aspens now...oh....that's the Ostrander Ski Hut...two Rangers were about fixing it up...got to look inside...mattresses on porta ledges looks to be the rustic and tiny accomadations for the Cross Country Skier...the first half of the trail is easy...but then up to the Lake on Horizon Ridge would be a challenge for one's skills!

Long Day

Well...I got out at six am...to start the 'transit'...but it was too dark!...didn't have my headlamp over by Flicker Grove..and the leaves were rustling...so paddled back to Last Chance for breakfast...which had been my intention...breakfast begins at six thirty...after breakfast I started out again with the early light to help...making a written log while I went....and it's too long to transcribe tonight!!...it was to be a three hour walk...and a long afternoon nap...but I was out most all day....and I've been so sleepy all day!....anyway...I'll save most of today's report for when I can work it up....at the end of the day I took the Half Dome pic...and just after..in the gathering gloom...the leaves were rustling again at Flicker Grove...actually across the Path in the Deer House Oaks...and no headlamp again!!....and it was Mama Bear and Cub...they went right over to the Picnic Tables....tried for flash pic...but too far and too dark...then I was over at the Lower Falls MiniMeadow...where the walk began in the dark in the morning...and more leave rustling!...Mama Doe with Two Fawns was right by the split rail fence...very cool..and got souvenir flash pic....it was a fine very long day!...cold in the morning with high wispy clouds...warmed up in the late afternoon...Maple Leaf from a

couple days ago...it represents all the Fall leaves on the trees!...I...I have this odd interest in ripples on water...and found the Ouzels below Three Arch Bridge...Kenneyville...charming...Robin is one of many I found all in one place...saw hundreds of Bandtail Pidgeons...but I'm getting into the report..all for sometime...

Northern Flicker

Went out back and waited for Flicker to show up...took awhile...waited some more after I got these pics...but picked up and went to Creek's End...and then out to Cook's and back along the road...quiet walkabout....sunny warm and blue...turned the heat off in the Cabin!...have to back up and find the Redheaded Woodpecker's name!...Rednapped Sapsucker....but this time the whole of it's head is red...have to check the book!...Oh!...it's a Redbreasted Sapsucker...one I haven't seen before!...the Woodpecker I called a Red-napped Sapsucker back in September might be one of these too...I might spend a lot of time at the Dogwoods in the Backyard tomorrow!!

Well..I surfed about a bit with some new searchwords...found some good Valley stories...I was trying to find where Kenneyville was!....as that's to be the start of tomorrow's 'transit'...I'm trying to repeat the following census walk of Oct. 23...

quote:

YOSEMITE VALLEY, 4000 feet, Transition Zone, forest, chaparral and riparian associa tions; October 25, 1915, 2:35-5:35 P.M.; afternoon to late duck of evening; weather clear; distance traveled about 6 miles, from old Presidio along north road to Kenneyville, to Camp Curry, to village, to Presidio, then to Ahwahnee footbridge and return.
American Sparrow Hawk
1
Audubon Warbler
6
California Pigmy Owl
3
American Dipper
2
Western Belted Kingfisher
2
Sierra Creeper
2
Willow Woodpecker
1
Short-tailed Mountain Chickadee
1
California Woodpecker
6
Western Golden-crowned Kinglet
11
Red-shafted Flicker
4
Western Ruby-crowned Kinglet
1
Blue-fronted Jay
12
Hermit Thrush (Alaska?)
2
Golden-crowned Sparrow
1
Western Robin
10
Sierra Junco
12
Western Bluebird
23
Total: species 18, individuals 100.

unquote

Kenneville looks to have been about where Three Arch Bridge is...Old Presidio I'm guessing is the Soldiers Camp...which was just over there by Lower Falls!...duck is suppposed to be dusk I imagine!...and I'll do this walk in the morning...evening is Owl Prowl time!!

Well...I want to nail down where the 'Old Presidio' was...but search is skewed by the one in SF....in the search the tale of the Tunnel View renovation turned up...some cake left over from the festivities turned up at Last Chance...we gorged!....link:http://sfgate.info/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/24/MN9713N2MR.DTL&type=living

I cant figure out Grinnell's directions...I'm guessing the walk went from Lower Falls out to Three Arch Bridge and from thereabouts to Curry...then back to the Village...but then it's murky...somehow back to the Presidio...and an Ahwahnee footbridge...where was that!?..and 'return' where??...oh...it's not a very good census!! I'll start out with Lower Falls at Noon...Sentinel at Six...and Half Dome at Three Thrity...or so!...which should put me at the Tiki Palace Picnic Tables!!

Dogwood Flicker

Flicker was right out back in one of the Dogwoods at the end of the walk...tomorrow I have to try for some more pics and clips like this...I had had in mind to try and get pic of a Blue Jay in the Sugar Maple when it's leaves changed...too late now!...report the Sugar Maple's leaves are gone...but maybe tomorrow I can get pic and clip of Blue Jay in one of the Broadleaf Maples..or a Dogwood...or an Oak..with the leaves all around like around Flicker!...

Shuttled over to the Post Office...mailed off ebay and bill payments...I got a few of those old NWF Stamp albums with some of the stamps from ebay...and the Bobcat one...which I really wanted!...Shuttled back to Lower Falls and walked out to the Leaning Cottonwood Snag by the Merced...oh...dont know if 'snag' is right word!..it's one that's died and all aged...actually two trunks...it's the one in the pic of the Fall's...have to think of a word...anyway...it's become a favorite spot to plunk and read my mail!....picked up and walked to the Deer House...Mama Doe and One Fawn were lying in the brown grasses by the Path..pics...heard Hawk over the Creek and went to Creek's End...Baby Bear print right in the end of the Creek trickle mud...continued on to the Cabin where I took the Flicker pics...Backyard trees are just phenomenal...photogs all over...

had a discussion about the asphalt path to Vernal Bridge...it is...or may have been..put in to accommodate the handicapped...a large group of very young ones was here just a bit ago...everyday there are handicapped about...see them and help them if need be at work...often the thought comes on the hikeabouts that we are fortunate to be able to do the hiking....I used to play a lot of pick up basektball while a caregiver...once a day four hours when I was relieved...had a little mantra...'got legs..use them...it's what those who cant would want you to do...'

sunny warm and blue...light breeze...Mama Bear and Cub report over in Siberia...

Cottonwood Heron

Sometimes it comes over me how remarkable it is I even find these critters....if today I'd gone to the Deer House instead of Creek's End...but then I'll never know what was about at the Deer House today!...as I spent the entire walkabout, wading sometimes waist deep in the Merced, going tree to tree to tree with Blue Heron....first tree was the leaning pine over Crawdad Point (west side of Creek's End)....which I think I'll now call Heron Point!...pic of Heron in this pine was taken from Lodgpole Point...clip too...Heron walks back into the tree on a branch and disappears...when I sneaked over under it.. I looked..and looked...I hadn't seen Heron fly off...finally I saw a foot!...I had been about to give up and pick up...but realizing Heron was resting deep in the tree near the trunk..which blocked my view...I waded out into the Merced....with some concern I'd take a bath with everything!...anyway..startled, Heron picked up and flew over to where I'd just been!...and took a perch in the Lodgpole...pics of Heron flying...so I waded over there...got a neat Mallard pair pic on the way!...when I finally got there...much concern the noise and big ripples would startle Heron...Heron...was startled again!.... and flew off down to the Cottonwood...and posed beautifully..and posed and posed..I took a hundred pics!..well..they're doubled...jpeg and raw...and filled a card up with clips...high in the Cottonwood...with Lost Arrow as backdrop...Heron was unperturbed....I was tromping all over on the gravel....after the pics and clips...I wanted a flying pic...and shouted out..."Fly!..Fly!"...and flapped my arms!...but to no avail...coulda tossed a river stone...but that's over the top!...worktime came...and I picked up....Heron still sunning...the flying pic will happen...oh...and I got another tongue pic...the continuous shoot mode captures the critters in odd poses...often with their tongues out...Heron has quite a tongue!...sunny warm and blue...the river water is cool!

Sentinel Hawk

Sentinel Hawk clip is from a year ago yesterday...Grey Squirrel up in the Fig Tree from today!...a short walkabout....went out to Creek's End and sat awhile...then out to the Deer House...oh...herbicide spraying the latest effort to get rid of the invasive Bear Clover...little warning signs by the dirt road to the path to Owl Woods....French tourist was bent over trying to read it out to their group...otherwise I wouldn't have noticed!......Owl is whoo whoooing early in the morning in the Upper Creek woods...though the direction part of the report was vague!...have to get up with the birds and check tomorrow!....it's gorgeous weather and the scenery has all the artists and photogs agog...sunny warm and blue with light breeze....oh...the French were in the Backyard too ...and paused while admiring the leaves to inspect the Bus!...wish I had clip...they were talking in French!...Raccoon pic on walk home from work...tourist, I thought, was beside me in the dark listening for the rustle in the leaves...then shined their flashlight...Mama Racoon with maybe all Four...tough to see...turns out the 'tourist' is my new cabin neighbor ...and they got flash pics too!

Oh...I went over and did a Google Blog search (open Google 'more'): Yosemite Herbicide....a curio it is afterall!...and found explanation:
link: http://www.desertusa.com/desertblog/?p=3924

I'll look for NPS site with talkabout...can quote that one freely!

Well...here's one on one of the trouble species...Rubus discolor...Himilayan Blackberry...dont know but it's benefits as food and shelter for the critters in the Backyard might outway it's invasiveness...insomuch as much food and shelter sources have been lost to the invasive asphalt species!!!
link: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/rubdis/all.html

I think they have some of this over in the Fen! by design!

Well...now I have to go find the properties of the herbicide...hmmph...and I was in a good mood!...it's likely glyphosate...and wiki's take says it was better known under the name 'roundup'...and Green Peace says it is low risk...it's an education!

And...well..I'm jealous...a blog page in French...from a day hereabouts and they have pics of both Bobcat and Bear...the Bobcat one very unusual...vive le francais...dont know but I spelled that wrong...but one gets the idea!..
link: http://www.vincentolivier.fr/blog/?p=70

Backyard Leaves

It's Owl Day...this day last year I saw Sentinel Owl...see clip!...if I had permission, which I hope to get!, I'd post up the Great Grey Owl pics, as they came in email today...for sometime...

Paddled over to the Post Office...tried to get some leaf pics right out back...light wasn't quite right for some of the trees...it is really neat out back...rode the Shuttle back to Lower Falls...hopped off and found a picnic bench to sit awhile at the Deer House...earlier by the Woodpecker tree I saw Mama Doe and One Fawn...they were gamboling about...picked up from the bench and got pic of Grey Squirrel at Duck Harbor...a bookend for the other one I posted...like to get paired pics...and triptychs!...finding the Owl clip I found my Sentinel Hawk clip...it was the same day too..that was quite a day!...will post that one up tomorrow if nothing is stirring about......sunny cool to warm and blue...breezy in the afternoon....report of 'big bear' over in Boy'stown...'eating a pumpkin' !!

Budd Lake

All day up in Tuolumne on hike to Budd Lake...it's between Cathedral and Unicorn...climber is atop Cathedral....some other hikers were at the Lake...and they had pics of a Great Grey Owl they took yesterday aside the road to Glacier Point...they were great pics and maybe I'll be able to post a couple here ...got back almost in time for an Owl Prowl....but too late...the leaves on the trees in the Valley are like doing their Fall thing like right now!...sunny warm and blue.

Oh...may have seen a Pine Martin...but may have been Marmot...but it was arching it's back as it ran...Marmot sorta scurries...no pic...the Beaver Dam was in Lundy Canyon..a day I wasn't along!

Ouzel Branch

A quiet walkabout day...critter wise...but the leaves are all changing...so very pretty flora wise....paddled over to the Post Office...book came...Canyons of the Eastern Sierra....got my tuna sandwich lunch and went to Owl Log...sat a long while...then walked along the Merced to Ozone Beach and over to Last Chance...took a TV break at the Cabin...then out again to Owl Log...I might have heard one whoo whoo whooo while filming Ouzel...but otherwise quiet...Ouzel and Robins the only company at Owl Log...very pretty sunset on Half Dome...report of Bobcat at Sentinel Bridge Sunday evening (this from web blog!)... Bear visited Last Chance Friday night...and the Cabin again the next..."3 am"....apparently there was a Beaver Dam at Magee Creek...(I stayed at the car)...but I have to check this tomorrow!...hike to Budd's Lake in the works...been reading "Indian Life of Yosemite Region"....interesting how the Indians hunted the Deer...mostly by traps...long nets across well used trails....used long nets to snare ducks too...I've studied out how Indians hunted before...but it has a different tone to it now having taken so many pics and clips of the critters...doesn't surprise me they valued highly Flicker feathers!....oh...some more Grey Squirrel Pics...at...the Grey's Cottonwoods!...this midway between Sentinel and Chapel Bridges on the North bank of the Merced...it's right by Zeke's Cedar Apple Tree....

To record where I see a critter, I've thought of way...borrowed from SCUBA diving...to remember where a location is underwater...one looks to shore and finds at least three landmarks...and then one orients like being on a clock face...at noon a lighthouse...at two o clock a pier...at nine o clock a buoy...puts you over the shipweck....or something like that...here's one....at noon North Dome...at one Lost Arrow...at four thirty Sentinel Rock...that's Owl Log's coordinates!

Ouzel on Ouzel Branch was in the Merced at Creek's End just upstream, thirty yards or so, from Owl Log.

Oh...Mama Doe and One Fawn were settled in for the night at Half Stump Isle...pics and clip....sunny cool to warm...blue...maybe a few clouds..didn't really notice!!...but very blue sky contrast to reds and oranges and pinks of the leaves!

Oak Squirrel

Heron clip is from last August 3....report today of Heron by the Ozone Beach by the Merced...hope I can see it tomorrow!....went out to the Deer House and sat awhile...then over to the Twig that was...sat awhile...picked up and to Creek's End ... backtracked for piece of forgotten gear...my handerchief!...went back to the Deer House where Ground Squirrel was sitting on the Oak...pics and clip...new camera did much better than the 12x..'cept for the clip!...it was light shade...dark shade and dusk are the problem light for the new lens...sunny with clouds...cool to warm...it was overcast yesterday...misstated that it was blue!...Ding Darling was one of the founders of the National Wildlife Federation..bio is on web..and a good tale...he made the painting for the first Duck Stamp...and the Duck Stamp tale is a good one too!

Pine Needles

Took the Shuttle over to the Post Office...was going to take it back to Lower Falls...but waiting on the bench I turned to my left to see a camera focused on me...a friend was trying to sneak a pic!...Well, I said, if you want to take pics..lets go!...so we paddled out to the Sugar Maple...and then over to the Deer House where my friend spotted Hawk in the Pine above the Picnic Benches...tried to sneak up...both of us...oh...I have to teach how to walk...one sneaks like walking over the half submerged stones of a snow melt full High Sierra Stream...and now and then pause...just like Marmot!....anyway...Hawk flew off above the road and Lower Falls stop...no pic...just the Grey Squirrel clip thereabout....all kinds of people popping up here and there...we walked out Lodgepole Point...photogs focusing on Creek's End...more crossing the Creek...then out in Owl Woods..of all places...two more Friends relaxing on log...we all agree something should be said about the tour buses letting their engines run...tough to find a place for a break in peace and quiet!!....split up and back to the Cabin...work time...

I happened on an interesting site last night...National Wildlife Federation...the Grinnell story book I got came in a package with a two cent Bobcat postage stamp...trying to study this out I happened on a conservation stamp book of 1942 with a really cool Bobcat painting reproduced on it's cover...looking into this further I find that the NWF has been putting out these books for their conservation stamps since 1938...and the art is really cool...but another neat thing they have..or do...is 'certify' backyards!...someone who can show that their yard is a place for wildlife...can be certified...and I'm wondering if this is a possibility for hereabout!......but hereabout isn't my exclusive domain!....that two cent Bobcat stamp I cant find for two cents!(oh..it's a two dollar stamp!)...it has some value...I'll post it up tomorrow..and the other conservation Bobcat stamp pic too...and add some more to this thread as I find some more this evening!!

Mystery Bird Call

Well...after going offline last night...2am..on the way to the Bath Without...Bear was there..behind the Cabin!...went back and got the camera...but lost track...paddled about looking in the flipflops...Moon out and bright...

Went out through Owl Woods after breakfast...thought to go to Owl Log..and just sit...but the Mystery Birds were calling....both of them...the nasal "hanq hanq hanq hanq" one...and the "haa haa haa haa....haa....haaa...." one...the second one can be heard on the clip...the first one is there too...but barely...on hearing them I followed about a bit...then just sat down in the Woods...'Maybe they'll come to me..." I thought...but they fell quiet...report of Doe with a large Fawn and Small Fawn...maybe an adoption!...I think this is group I got clip of yesterday...report the Sugar Maple is in color...couple days old report of Bobcat out at Happy Isles (one of my Jamaican friends was very pleased to see it.."it has a teeny tiny tail!")....Coyote report "barking like a dog"...clip of Coyote in Frontyard is from Oct. 9 last year...that was a big day!...took a lot of clips then!....another short walk today....sunny warm and blue with a little smoke....I gotta get some speakers for the computers...there's a lot of incidental stuff captured in the clips...sounds...and too while I seldom focus on the flora...it's there in the clips...and the pics too...as background...Dogwood pic is from today...only pic I took!

Pileated Woodpecker

Walked over to the Post Office...book I ordered came..."The Naturalist's Field Journal"..."A Manual of Instruction Based on a System Established by Joseph Grinnell"....by Steven G. Herman....it's...it's full of advise on how to keep a journal of Nature watching!...a scientific journal I should add!...I opened the book to read about this system under the Apple Tree by Zeke's Cedar...some Grey Squirrels were scrambling again up and down the Cottonwoods and Ponderosas...and Tourists of course were about!...I picked up...worktime approaching.... and went to cross the Creek behind the Deer House..oh...at the beginning of the walk Two Does and One Fawn were out front of the Cabin...and when I got to the end of the walk at the Cabin I saw a large dark bird amongst the Cedars...but hidden by the parked cars..and the Bus!...oh..I thought..Hawk!...but was delighted to find Pileated Woodpecker!....we played hide and seek from Cedar to Cedar...near the parking lot out front Woodpecker surprised a couple sitting in their car...and they took some flash pics...from inside their car!...then came out and followed about as I was...learned from the Hawk pics of a few days ago to be more aware of the background...and the light..but try as I might I never got a really good pic...Pileated is always moving...lots of sharp body and blurry head pics!...and what a neat bird!....said to be the inspiration for Woody the Woodpecker!...and these the only pics and clips I took today..aside from the Deer....another short walkabout...I need more sleep!!...the book has a little slogan..refrain..."No Journal this Day...No Sleep this Night"...oh...that's just fine...it's as I feared...once one starts one of these things one doesn't stop until one drops!...but it's fun...and may even have some meritorious uses for others present and future....surprisingly the blog format here is not far off from the Grinnell's method of keeping a journal...the emphasis by the book's author on doing things by hand is a point well taken...one will see more into things with a hand drawn sketch...and words fashioned to relate what's seen...why hand drawing is taught in military academies!...it exercises and sharpens one's perception...anyway...one thing missing hereabout is the species list...it would be very time consuming to list out all the species I see...I've thought to make a printed out list...the list on one side..and the Map on the other...the Map gridded...and recording a species sighting would just be a matter of checking its box...noting the grid coordinates...and the number seen...but...recording too much detail might lead to a Bloomsday Journal...a very thick book of the occurrences of one day's walkabout!!....which may be what James Joyce intended...as Ulysses has a cultural following that preserves the Dublin of Joyce...kinda like the Dashel Hammit walks in San Francisco!...Novels as Naturalist's Field Studies!!...I like the scene in the Frida Khalo bio on PBS...she's in bed...again..layed up...and the camera watches her thumbing through her journal...which was beautifully illustrated...and then she folds it up...and it rests closed on her chest..I have still to read the Delcroix journal I acquired...bits I'm familiar with are really good...anywayanyway....the blog isn't scientific...it is the 'close observation' I pursue!...which is 'superlatively unscientific"!!...sunny warm and blue....oh...Canon is indeed coming out with a counter to Nikon's D90...the DSLR with video...Canon's will have 21 megapixels..video...and cost five times more!....sigh...oh...oh...and Nikon has come out with a mini 50 mm FieldScope...weighs only a pound...and can adapt for digiscoping...that...that I must acquire!!

Well...I went and watched a Woody Woodpecker cartoon on YouTube...and then found story of baseline study done hereabout in 1993...they went about and stood in Grinnell's shoes sortaspeak!...link: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/science/20031119-9999_1c19yosemite.html

Survey of Yosemite wildlife draws telling comparisons with naturalist's early 20-century journals
By Neal Matthews
November 19, 2003
San Diego Union-Tribune

Someone, I'm guessing, might have gone and stood at Creek's End for seven minutes!...

Well...I happened again on the census lists I mentioned in another post...it was part of Grennell's transit that was being repeated in '93....link: http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/grinnell/census.htm

I will have to walk awhile in the footsteps Oct. 25...or close to that on my day off..and see what I see!...can tell right now I see a different menagerie!!...and Grinnell mentions the Birds are about at different times of day...the morning and evening hours best for Birdwatching...I'd like to find one of those Pygmy Owls...do have one report of one in the A. meadow...but awhile ago..like years!...and all the little birds they saw are a bit of a mystery!...and where are the Ravens back then!!

Mama Bear with Cub

Well...Animal Planet has a show on about Yellowstone's Grizzly Bears....took the Shuttle over to the Post Office...picked up the big prints of Hawk...kindof impressive, I'd say!...the technology I mean....how it all comes about...and just Hawk...Nature's wonder...my effort in clicking the shutter seems kinda insignificant!...took the Shuttle back to Lower Falls and hopped off...walked out to the Merced...Coyote on the other side...in the sights of a photog with a very long lens...went to Deer House...acolytes busy off loading Tiki Temple Offering Cans...they migrate back to storage in the Winter...though just why they are stored at the Deer House is a curio....tour groups are learning to use the picnic benches for their lunch...went to Creek's End...YIs showed up...sat down in a circle on Lodgepole Point...picked up and happened on Grey Squirrel chattering up on a Ponderosa stub branch...French tourist showed up chattering at the Squirrel....picked up and sighted on another Squirrel atop one of the Temple Pipes stored thereabouts...and French tourists showed up walking right into the pic...ahead of me now they saw the Squirrel and started taking pics...miffed I walked up and past them...Squirrel stayed posed...really miffed I got back to the Cabin without much of a pic for the day!...will post up the Squirrel on the pipe tomorrow so one can see what this was about!....walk was too short...that was the problem...I have to go out earlier tomorrow!...sunny warm and blue...some smoke coming through...probably a proscribed burn....clip is from last year...a favorite!...pics from yesterday on the East Side.