Bobcat's Walk

After Breakfast at Last Chance, snowshoed out to Creek's End...Ouzel was there...pic and clip...on the way back saw Bear's tracks in my tracks...a plop too...so Bear was about!...and during the night as well, as the corner of the Cabin was marked again like last year!...Bobcat clip is from Jan. 1 last year...that was such a great pic clip day!...Bobcat, Bluebirds, Red Shouldered Hawk, Flicker, Ret Tail Hawk, and a really neat clip of the Deer interacting with the Tourists on their walk from the Lower Falls over to the Elm in Cook's....for sometime...Bobcat was the Star of 2008 hereabouts!....Happy New Year!

M&M

Comparing the two Sentinel Rock pics is a bit like those puzzles in the Sunday Funnies....I was standing at the right straight-on-spot...but not as close...I guess...and the camera lenses are different...but I had the same time of day light!!...I think the Hotel was where the Rock Pile is...which in the pic is by the Cottonwood Stump...a tree that broke apart last Winter....but I could be totally wrong and the Hotel was on the other side of the Merced!...have to look at the maps...the Merced is just behind the Alder Aspen Cottonwood tree line...I'm guessing the old photo is stretched to emphasise Sentinel's height...and make the Hotel too narrow!!....paddled over to the Post Office and back...one blurry pic of Blue Jay...took a long nap in the afternoon...sunny blue and cool...Sentinel pic from yesterday out in Two Top....old pic from ebay...Tabor, a famous early California photog...Raven clip from yesterday....Ravens kinda rule the Valley...and insomuch Grinnell notes the absence of them, it's a curio...they're up in Tuolumne too...and I saw that flock up at Ostrander Lake in October...they eat carrion and trash, and what else I dont know!...and in this case leavings of trail mix partly locked in the frozen snow and ice...Raven's wariness reminded me of my own sneak ups to get pics!!

Rainbow Falls

Paddled over to the Post Office...gators came...put them on...then made the Big Loop counter clockwise...sat awhile at CAD Beach...bit snow covered!...but the afternoon sun was at it's best... no Birds about...or any critters really!...bit disconsulating, I'd say...to add, report of dead Deer in the Suburbs...speculation it was Mountain Lion meal...very pretty day, scenic wise, and for the Tourists playing in the snow...Ouzel clip just downstream from Ozone Beach...Ravens near Swinging Bridge...Falls clip from way out in Two Top Meadow...Rainbow colors dont show up to well...sunny bright cool and blue...

Frost Hawks

Top pic is from yesterday at Creek's End...bottom pic is from last Dec. 22, as is the Frost Hawks clip.....walked about out in Cook's today...over Sentinel Bridge and back around to Chapel Bridge....staying on the Path insomuch as the snow is too deep else ware...didn't have time for snowshoes or skis...the second Hawk is right at the end of the clip and hard to see...well...the young Red Shoulder is hard to see too...but this a favorite...as I'd liked to do a painting of Hawk resting in the frost covered branches....sunny and warmed up enough to make the snow rain down from the trees...kinda risky walking under them!...falling snow always finds it's way down the back of my neck!....report of Red Shoulder and Blue Heron...and Deer...but down aways at El Portal!!....pics are to just sorta show how the Shadows from Sentinel and the South Wall play along the Merced...

Ice Crystals

Rode the Shuttle back and forth to the Post Office...then snowshoed out to Creek's End....took a couple pics of the ice crystals on the twig...and that was it for today's walkabout!...pic's kinda blocked out...but the stones in the water are really cool....Bracken Fern Bobcat is from Yesteryear...looked for tracks...saw Coyote's from last night...and a few mice tracks or some small critters...and wonder if the Deer have moved to lower elevation...I think it might be unusual for this much snow in December...and cold...road's frozen 'till noon...then thawed out a bit...tonight all frozen again...and a lot of snow still on the trees...that is unusual two sunny days after a snowfall at this part of the Valley!...Ravens, Warblers, Kinglets, Chicadees, Flicker...seen or heard...and lots of Tourists!...

Broken Oaks

Saw Coyote under the BusPort coming home from work...thought to get a night photo with flash!....reminded me to post Coyote's Hop from Yesteryear...not one of Coyote's more graceful ones!...went to Breakfast before sunup...took pics of the Falls...everything white...all the walls all the trees...every branch...the wind yesterday swirled the snow around and it stuck to everything...curled up after Breakfast.... had time for a short walk to Cook's and the Woodpecker Tree...lots of reports of broken off Oak Branches and Fallen Trees...sunny cool and very blue....and extraordinarily pretty!...two day old report of two Bears at Last Chance...early morning....'sitting back on the snow'....water hexagon mark mars the pics of today!...fixable in photo shop maybe...the 12x is such a great little camera!....took clips with it yesterday in the 'blizzard'....Woodpecker Tree pic was with the new camera...a crop from a long shot...I haven't seen the Tree all white like this before....

Deer Lights

Thought to do a Sunrise SkiAbout...but it was SnowRain coming down...and everything wet and slushy...so went back inside the Cabin and curled up...and when I went out again it was WindySnowy...and low visibility...in SCUBA terms!!..so I had late Breakfast at Last Chance and looked out the window...Juncos about again...it settled down in the afternoon...light snow now and then...cloudy still tonight...took the pic of the Deer Lights at Last Chance after work...have a funny clip of them...I set the 3x on a snow topped post...and it gradually falls off during the clip!....for sometime...Chapel Hawk clip and pic is from last year Xmas Day...a FavoriteFavorite!!....try again tomorrow morning for the Sunrise SkiAbout...cloudy windy snowy...and a regular enough workaday....but a fine Place and Time and People for Xmas Day!!

Snowy Xmas Eve

It snowed now and then all day...kind of a rainy slush tonight....weather report says it will snow more tomorrow...took the Junco clip just outside Last Chance..watched two of them out the window while eating Breakfast...tried to get close outside...but they fly off!...rode the Shuttle to the Post Office..walked back...too dim and snowy for pics..got back to the Cabin..put the skis on...and touched base with Creek's End...Creek's getting too wide to leap across...revisited my Hawk clips from Last Xmas Eve...thought to post them...but for sometime...snug as the Ground Squirrels in the Cabin I am tonight...watching TV...Tomb Raider...few more scenes and Laura shusshes out of the cave being pulled by the sled dogs!...one of my favorite scenes!!...oh!...report of very small Squirrel just outside Last Chance..but not a Chipmunk...have to look it up!

SkiAbout To Mirror Lake

Went out on the Cross Country Skis to Mirror Lake...as far as the Trail Sign to Snow Creek Trail....May Lake...North Dome...I haven't been to North Dome...sign said it was 7.8 miles...and it's a mile or so to the Sign from the
Shuttle Stop...have to set aside a whole day sometime for that hike!....I like the skis...but I'm not too fond of the anxiety of tipping over....especially looking down the narrow tree and boulder and drop off corridors of the trails hereabouts!....the trail out from the Lake is pretty simple...but then so are my skiing skills!....I just take them off when the anxiety is high!....I'm not sure what others do on trails like to Little Yosemite Valley...or up to May Lake...or Ostrander....or the big one...Lee Vining to the Valley!....Raven pics from day before....Mallard and Coyote clips from a few days ago too....sunny blue with the puffy fog clouds...took some scenics....oh...the Appletree Bobcat lotto numbers didn't match....this to say the contest entry...well...it's like the movie 'A Chorus Line'...they email a post up of the winners...hmmph...dont know where manners and courtesy have gone....oh!...I was at the Last Chance Stop...and two tourists looked familiar...and they and I said simultaneously, 'You look familiar..."...they were the couple standing beside me when I did the Bracken Fern Bobcat clip last year this time....dont know if I've posted that...check tomorrow...I had sent them a cd copy...which they got and were pleased with it...I told them I'd send another with Bobcat clips and pics since...really made an effort to find Bobcat today...Shuttle report of Bobcat on the road last two weeks between Happy Isles and Mirror Lake...I didn't see any tracks of note...just Grey Squirrel hops!....Tourists were impressed by the Shuttle Crew...'she handles those tire chains like they're 'noth'n!!'

Winter Deer

Paddled back and forth to the Post Office...by Shuttle and Foot...twice...first trip to pick up the new little printer...it just does four by six...and direct from the camera or sd card...but the paper and ink hasn't come yet!...hmmph...second trip was to pick up fourteen birds!....the little plush Audobon toy birds I ordered up from Amazon just last Thursday...already gave one away...they make nice gifts...but I'm reluctant to part with them!....each one is one I've taken pics of hereabouts....Ski Wax came too...so after late lunch...and a nap...I did a SkiAbout in the fading light....out to Creek's End...and the Inside Loop...the Deer were at Creek's End..and moved just the short ways to Owl Woods...clips...pics from clips...the 12x 'sees' better than I can in the glooming!...yesterday was Winter Solstice..so Winter is here...but the days now get longer!....Mallard was out in the Merced at Ozone Beach...clip...and quacking...once out of sight the quacking was loud...alarming....dont know what that was about...dont know if Hawk or Owl goes after Duck!...took a pic of Raven with the new camera in a different fashion...used the Manual Focus...was close enough to be reflected in Raven's Eye...for sometime....the Manual Focus was one reason for the new camera with long lens..when the little birds are close auto focus has a tough time....especially in shade...and if branches are about it's worse...with Manual I might be able to get their pics...the 12x has manual too...but...but it's like playing a tiny video game!...now...if I can just figure out manual exposure..that on the 12x works very well with the lcd view finder....tough to hold the new camera out and up and look at the screen...I have to study out how to do this bit!!....sunny in the morning...with puffy fog clouds moving over the Rims and Half Dome...very cool...late afternoon the mini packing ball snow...and during the ski about some drizzly snow...clouded over...dark grey sky moving in from the Cathedrals...it's just an awesome place...dont know but BadgerBadger will be put off tomorrow...it's too cool to cross country ski about the Valley!...oh...needless to say, Antlered Buck is once again Broken Antlered Buck!...looks to have lost some Points on the remaining Antler too!!

Gear: MiniDigiScope

Paddled out through Owl Woods...and one Mallard was paddling above an underwater grass patch at Creek's End...had the minididgi set up....and did some clips...and was actually able to pan and follow the Mallard...helps that Mallard swims along smoothly!.....was going to post up that clip...with a Gear comment or two....but when I reached the Creek Ouzel was foraging too...clips...and I post them up to sorta show what the mini digi can do...

Now...the three pics of the the Twin Trunk Pine, are from...top to bottom....the 12x...the new camera...and the minidigiscope....the first two are crops...one can click the cursor on the pics to enlarge them....I took them at different times that day...and at little bit different angles too...the Tree is on the Rim!...about two thousand feet up..another thousand over...pretty far away, I'd say..it can be found to the left of the Falls on the North Wall.....I just liked the Tree..but as it happened, I took a pic of it with each camera...the 12x had the teleconvertor...and the new camera the 70-300 zoom...the minididgi was at it's lowest setting...I could have zoomed in closer...but at the time I just wanted the pic...and the composition shows that in the minididgi one!...I was cavalier with the crops...crops are really difficult...and very important!....oh...the Mallard wants to be in the show...I'll post up that pic clip set ...as it's part of this too!....overcast during the walk...started to drizzly rain all afternoon into the evening...melting the snow...weather report says it will begin to snow again...that's kinda the normal pattern to the storms hereabouts...rain then snow...unusual when it's so cold it starts to snow at the start!..as in the last storm...think I'll stay put in the Valley tomorrow...BadgerBadger can wait 'till Tuesday...really like the Ouzel clip...and will go out with the minidigi tomorrow to try for more close up clips of the critters......time to time I'll do these 'Gear' posts....not to get technical...but one thing the discerning eye will see is the blue purple fringe where the snow meets the rock in the lower right corners...some of that happens when I dont have the scope aligned and centered with the 3x on the bracket...and something to note is that the 3x can zoom in and out...if the scope eyepiece lens wasn't clamped by the bracket, it could zoom too...but as it is I have to release the clamp to zoom out more or less with it...I think it a good thing to have a zoom eyepiece on the scope!...

Young Redshouldered Hawk

Clip and top and bottom pics from last December...middle pic from February....I have some others of Martin, the Young Redshoulderd Hawk....and friends have some too...the Hawks were more about last year this time...though today I have report of a Hawk like call....one sharp whistle that fades...was asked if it could be a Peregrine...'There supposed to be about...", my answer.....reporter once saw a Pygmy Owl...in Arizona!...in 1988!...sitting in hole in a cactus....took the Shuttle to the Post Office...and walked back through Cook's...sat awhile at the Artists' Grove munching croissants....quiet and took no pics...sunny cold and blue....oh...Bobcat on Chapel Bridge from last December too...first time I saw Bobcat...though not the first clip...had one and didn't know it of Bobcat in the Fig Tree being bedeviled by Ravens....Ravens were the only subject, I thought...'till I reviewed the clip...I'll put that up sometime...oh!...the little bird from yesterday...Yellow Rump Warlbler?...was posing beautifully back of the Cabin this morning...but didn't have camera with!!

Mama Doe And Two Fawns

Clip is from last Sunday...took the Shuttle over to the Post Office this morning...walked back through Cook's and out to Creek's End...and got back to the Cabin a half hour early!...it was trying to snow...and succeeded a little at the end of the walk!...pic of Doe on way to Work...Ravens about and heard Flicker....took some souvenir snow pics and clips...sun came out in the afternoon...but was at work...somehow I have to find away to shut off the sound on the new camera's shutter...hmmph...

Snow Junco

Overheard a conversation at the Post Office about the icicles....and went out and about thereabouts looking for them!....thought to look in the Indian Village...and got so wrapped up in trying to take pics of the little birds, which were all about, that I forgot all about them!....managed to get a couple pics...and clips...paddled back to the Cabin along the Road and through the Oak Grove...Woodpecker clip and pic...another!...sunny and cold and blue...report of three Owls hoo hooing between Last Chance and Camp Four...reporter looked frozen!..this about seven pm....think I may have heard Owl walking home...sky's clouded over now...earlier, flopped on my bum just outside the Cabin door...little shoveled path to the WithoutBath melts and freezes, melts and freezes..and is treacherous!....put the shoe chains on the boots...that'll help...sometimes I go out with the hiking poles!...whacked my head on an icicle too!...some of them are over four feet long!...it's less than a week ago the weather was balmy!...oh!...report of a commuter "wish I had a camera" of Blue Heron standing in the Merced among the snow covered boulders...this between 12o turn off and Pohono Bridge...told them I was of a mind to lend them the old 12x!....I get the notion to try and enlist the reporters!...a daily report with pics and clips of the Critters between MidPines and the Valley would be pure gold....but would probably cause havoc among the hurrying-to-get-to-work...a gold mine for traffic control fines!

Snow Mallards

Paddled over to the Post Office...then out to Cook's....scenic pics...more Acorn Woodpecker clips!...went out on Chapel Bridge....and could see far away the Ducks were paddling at Creek's End...wasn't sure what kind...so started to run through the snow down Lodgepole Point...ran for 'bout twenty yards...that's all it took to slow me down to a quick slog!...could have taken my time...when I got there I found the Mallard Quarted had become a Quintet....three males and two females...the Mallards hang around Creek's End I suspect because the Merced is shallow there...and they can reach the bottom...when they bottoms up!...just one small place in particular is often where they are...I can see water grasses there...just opposite Owl Beach...report of small Bear eating a pumpkin at 'Granite Landing'...had a similar report at Haloween!....and the reporter got good pics....jealous of this, I am!....sunny...blue...very cold in morning...but warmed up enough to begin melting the snow...it doesn't last long on the Trees...so for good pics one has to go out early after a storm......oh!..in the clip one can hear the snowplow...one of many...and one of many trade offs!...no plowing no cleared paths and roads...and of course with the plowing...no quiet...unless one gets up very early...and even then...they go all night!

Acorn Woodpeckers

Took the Shuttle over to the Post Office....walked back....had along just the 12x....too much snow to walk easy, except on the paths that the Bobcat Snowplows have cleared....they're very good about this...but the snow's been falling too much to keep up...so I kept to the cleared path through the Oak Grove...back at the Cabin, I thought to curl up...it was early...but took a deep breath and geared up...it's cold out!...and a slog to walkabout!....but I made the Big Loop counterclockwise...the Path along the Chapel Road was snow filled...enough previous walker tracks to sorta make it negotiable...but it was a slog!...finally made it to the Woodpecker Tree, cleared off snow from the little fence, and sat awhile...heard Hawk on my right, and then way over by the Deer House...too close in time to be one, so two were about!...Acorn Woodpeckers were on the Tree, and I set up the minidigi....took a lot of clips...the ones here just a few....I'm starting to get the hang of how to use the contraption...biggest innovation has been not to zoom in until I find the critter....and a constant problem is the tripod doesn't lock in place positively, the weight makes it slip past were I set it...everything works though, and it' a lot of fun to get the close up pics and clips...in the other clips the Woodpeckers pick out some grubs with their tongues...termite larva maybe....and the pecking might have this as a purpose...finding the grubs...I thought they were just making holes to put acorns in!....reports of Bears over in Siberia and Beneath the Arches...and an old Bobcat report...a rock climber bouldering was surprised to be sharing the boulders top with Bobcat!....last Bobcat report I know of was mid November...and that in a web report!...broken up clouds passing through...sometimes a snow flurry...and a little sunlight...and cold!...for California...

Snowy Creek

Rode the Shuttle over to the A. Rooms to take a pic for a friend, and family, posed by the Xmas Tree...I was all set to try out the cameras...plural!...for an indoor portrait session!....but they handed me a little disposable film camera...they wanted to send off copies to relatives and friends in a hurry...so my Double A moment kinda fluttered off!!...I did take one with the 12x...after some persuasion!...and it's good...with out flash...put it on cd tonight and will give it to them tomorrow or the next day...what can I say..it was charming moment...sitting on the floor with the tripod low and all the cameras in front of the Tree in the middle of the hubbub and handed the recyclable film camera...like I often used myself my first years here!...a DavidDavidDavid moment, I'd say!....
Walked back to the Post Office...and out to Cook's...sat awhile at the Artist's Grove...a lot more snow fell overnight...dont know if one can bask in snow...but I was basking!...took a clip at the Woodpecker Tree of the Woodpeckers that live there....apparently the Acorn Woodpeckers are communal...first time I've seen them go in into the Tree...very cool....waited awhile for the one to reappear...but they are all likely curled up!...it started to snow heavy....made it to Last Chance for late lunch...then out for an hour before Sunset on the snowshoes out to Creek's End...pics....Deer clip is from yesterday....still have one more from then to post up sometime....snow off and on, and on big time after sunset....filled in the path I made with the snowshoes...hmmph!...it's a slog when there's no previous snowshoe tracks to follow!...same problem with skis!....wax from Amazon is in the mail...BadgerBadger opens Friday...so next weekend I'll be up and about along Glacier Road....looking for the Grey Owls!!!

Oh!...at the A. while waiting, I viewed Gunnar Widforss's watercolors, as I often have, and realized the Falls painting is from the vantage point of Creek's End!! That's Lodgpole Point in the foreground seen from across the Merced...prints of this can be found in the gift shops hereabouts...another charming moment looking at this, as I've looked all over for old photos of Creek's End...and was delighted to find it depicted by a favorite artist in a painting!!...forget the date...but it was awhile ago!!

Snow Hawk

I walked about starting at daybreak...more about that in a bit...but after Noon I was passing the Woodpecker Tree in Cook's and noticed one Acorn Woodpecker way up at the top...just where Hawk was the other day....digi was set up so did a clip and pic...even a 12x pan clip of the whole Tree with the Falls in background...what I should have done with Hawk the other day!...and I thought the clip and pic an ironic reminder of what could have been!....continued to the Village...Junco pics...but not very good ones...snow background is making all dark features on the Birds hard to resolve!!...I might be able to save them in photo shop...picked up a Tuna Sandwich, Elixer and a Hershy's...and went back to the Artist's Grove and took a seat on the snow covered Long Fallen Ponderosa....the Meadow and Woodpecker Tree are right ahead from here...and I noticed the top was occupied....checked with the binocs...the Acorn Woodpecker was still there!!...a clip and pic from this angle!...and for sometime...just after I took the last pic the Woodpecker flew off...so I sat down...the digi set in front sighted in on the Tree's top...and was eating my sandwich...and another Woodpecker started to land on the Tree...but made an abrupt turn around and flew off...whoooosh!...Hawk landed and perched right on top!...where the Woodpecker had been!...all I had to do was walk over and turn the 3x on...zoom out...and start a clip!...when Hawk is in a pose I'm certain at any moment Hawk will fly off...I let the 3x run...and took some pics with the new camera..and a clip with the 12x...and then...lot of 'and then's' in this report!...I went into sneak mode...and paddled over my favorite snow covered hummocks...fortunately it was just a few inches of snow!...and I got closer and closer...taking pics as I went...until the angle was just too steep...Hawk showed no inclination to leave...so I circled around to the Path...and took pics and clips from the vantage point I'd just been earlier with the Woodpecker!...but Hawk was facing the Falls...so I circled over to the complete other side...so now the sun was behind me..where it belongs for picture taking!...and I started getting some better exposed pics...I was having the same problem with Hawk that I was having with the Juncos!...except now it was the sky....Hawk is a Redshoulder I believe...with very dark feathers...I have to study this out...and something is happening with taking pics with the new camera's optical view finder...with the new camera the exposure of the pic is not the exposure I see through the view finder...unlike the 12x where I'm used to seeing in the lcd view finder pretty much the pic's exposure....this is a misconception with the new camera I have to correct!...anyway...I thought I had enough pics....knowing they were either too far or too dark...but I had them!...and was content...so went back to lunch...turned the 3x off...have a very long clip of Hawk from a long distance!...and looked back at the Tree and Hawk was still there!...heck!...I picked up the digi and jogged all the way to the far side where I had last been!....and sighted in...I was too close!....so I backed up...like it's often said to do!!...and wonderfully the Pines became the Background and Hawk's exposure became good!...what a lesson!....a critter must be the same value as the background...otherwise one or the other is going to be out of wack!...Hawk and the Pines were the same value...so I got some pics...and was able to sight in the digi...which I think is a really cool clip!...I should have taken a still with the 3x...but it takes several steps to do...and I am working with that anxiety Hawk is going to fly off...which Hawk did as all during this a family of tourists gathered under the Tree...and commenced a snowball fight!...this is a very long winded report!...

Now....back before Daylight...I started over to Last Chance for Breakfast...and saw Deer tracks all over the Backyard...I went to investigate...and ran right into Antlered Buck, Does and Fawns, and a Two Point, Four Point, and Six Point...the Deer were all in the Backyard!...and gamboling...I had the 12x with and got handheld pics...all too dark until enough sunlight crept into the sky...I took the chance they wouldn't all leave...and went to the Cabin and geared up...back with the tripod I got some really neat clips...for sometime!

Finally got to Breakfast...and from there with a friend took the Shuttle to the A. Rooms and walked from there over Three Arch Bridge...Sugar Pine Bridge...well..all the way almost to Mirror Lake...and all the time looking for tracks..and too, Birds for the Xmas Bird Count...though it's just a personal count!!...plenty of Bear tracks..and Coyote...and found what looked like Raccoon tracks...and following them took us along the Trail from Mirror Lake to Happy Isles...aside from the Tracks though, we didn't see anything!...the Bird count was a flop until later when on my own I found the Woodpecker on the Woodpecker Tree....my friend went off to dig out his car!....oh...got clip of Coyote being dive bombed by Raven across from Last Chance just before Breakfast..for sometime too!...

After the Hawk pics and clips...and after eating up the Tuna Sandwich!...very hungry by then...kept looking overhead in the Artist's Grove...it was where Hawk flew off too...see clip...after lunch...I paddled over to the Road and through the Oak Grove...I'd seen Flicker and Blue Jay in the Sleepy Owl Woods...I went all the way to Lower Falls...happened on Mama Doe and Two Fawns...and got some more really nice pics and clips...for sometime...I think I've mentioned all the bird species I saw...heard a few more like Chicadees and Kinglets...Raven was the first I heard in the morning...and a flock of them the last I saw back at the Cabin...it was time for work...a long very cool snowy Snow Hawk Day, I'd say!!

And too, for sometime...are some scenics..as the Day was nothing if not Scenic!...it was a perfect snowfall...enough to set everything off...but not so deep one cant walk about without it being a slog!...

Tomorrow more snow coming....and last night...it was really cool...the Moon was on the edge of the North Wall...and it had a rainbow around it..double..tried for pics...but too dark!...dark being a kinda theme through all this!!...but with my imagination I'm going to try to do up a pastel...and one too of earlier Moonbow like this I've seen....

It was clear at Daybreak with a few wispy clouds...temp reached forty degrees...and by the afternoon..about when I took Hawk's pics...snow began falling..hence Snow Hawk!!

Juncos And Ouzel

Opened the Cabin door around ten this morning, and it was snowing really nice...nothing on the ground yet...so it was the first flurry...went back in and dressed...geared up with the 12x and the 3x on the tripod...the 3x is a terrific little camera for bad weather....opened the door and it had stopped snowing!...went to Breakfast...then rode the Shuttle over to the Post Office....it was trying to snow...kindof a frozen sleet and the little packing ball like snow flakes...usually these storms start off with some rain...but, like last year, this one was cold enough from the beginning....walked back through Cook's....and back and forth to Lower Falls (tiki stop!)...and out to Chapel Bridge...Juncos clip and pic...and out Lodgpole Point...Ouzel Clip...and across Creek's End back to the Cabin...by now the packing ball snow was sticking and making the ground white...along the walk I took clips and pics, scenics, with the 3x...Falls pic is one...the 3x has as many pixels as the 12x...eight...have ordered up one of the little printers that kinda go together with it...snowed a lot while at work...

I asked for time off tomorrow to go do the Xmas Bird Count...'cept I was never able to hook up with the folks doing it...emailed but no response...puts me off a bit trying to communicate with strangers on things like this...could have persisted, but just let it go...can count birds any old time...but now I have the day hours off tomorrow...and all the snow to paddle about in!!....forgot to order up ski wax for the Cross Country Skis...the snow is dry and cold enough now that they may work....but I'll likely sling the snowshoes on my pack, and just paddled about in boots where I can, and snowshoes where they would work better....oh...I'd really like to go up aways on Four Mile and get a pic of one of my favorite trees with snow on it...it's a young Fir nestled up against a kinda monolith rock...or go over to Vernal...or out to Mirror Lake and look for tracks...oh...even just the Backyard is must see in the snow!!!.....report of Mama Bear and Two Cubs over at the A. Dorms...cloudy stormy cold....first snow!

Blue Heron And Deer

Just came out of the Post Office and Mama Doe ran by with Antlered Buck in pursuit...then came One Fawn...fun to hear their hooves on the fallen leaves....over across the Road they took a break...then off again!...see clip...was over by Chapel Bridge and saw Blue Heron approaching...went for the 12x...like with the Deer!....didgi was on the tripod...so got a little bit of a clip...kinda cool as Blue Heron crosses in front of Half Dome...took a pic of the Sun Trees...have these pics from every year this time!...one of those irresistible pics that everyone takes!...Blue Jay was posing at the end of the walk....sunny blue and cold enough for gloves...looks from the weather reports that it will be very cold...well...for California...Antlered Buck could be Broken Antler Buck from last year...see yesterday's clip...kids were caroling at the Post Office....pretty neat....