Mystery Track

Track pics are from other day's morning when I skied out to Lower Falls View Bridge....in fact, that's where I was standing....dont know but the View Bridge might be a good place in the early morning to wait and see critters!...the Tracks look like a little Bobcat's...or....a very tiny Mountain Lion!....dont know though...I've heard two reports of a 'small cat' in the Lower Falls area....and that's where I walked to after Breakfast this morning, and sat awhile...picked up and went out to Creek's End, and stood awhile...took the Aspen pic...clip is Yosemite Annie...my hiking friend's cat...Annie was abandoned hereabouts in a shed outback with a litter of Kittens....they were all found homes...and Annie too!....cool and patchy high clouds...rain maybe coming tomorrow....I put up the Followers widget...not sure how all that works!...thought it would be a long que like over at Flickr...but it's compact...and looks okay there on the mast...and works neat!...thanks Robin!

Creek Bridge Bears

Paddled over to the Village...on the way took note of the ominous signs at Creek Bridge...one on each side...the Rangers put these signs beside the Roads where accidents with Bears and Automobiles happen...later the reports at Last Chance confirmed my worst fears...two of the Creek Bears were hit...(an update: report today, 3/1, has it that one was hit, and the two signs were put up to warn drivers that Bears were in the area...I dont know if the one hit survived...that seemed to be the case in the report....needless to say, I wont feel at ease with this until I see the Creek Bears again! )....at the Village I picked up the mat cutter and a box of 16x20 mats....boxes too big to carry...I was all geared up and had thought to go through Cook's....but took the Shuttle back to the Cabin...just as I got there, Chickaree was on the roof of my neighbors' Cabin...pic and clip...still had time for a short walk....and headed out to Creek's End...the snow is melting fast!....looked for tracks at the Three Cedars...may have been one fresh one...hard to tell...sometime a track is shaded and stays crisp...pic of Tortoise Back Butterfly...sunny blue cool with hazy clouds...

Lackaday

Oh, at Creek's End, I stood disconsolate by Owl Log,
The snow melting, and no new tracks by the Three Cedars
And your wild play ground.

Chapel Cottonwood Owl

At Lower Falls, after Breakfast, I thought to go left to Sunnyside and the Rocky Slope....with a hope to see Bobcat...but remembered my Owl hope from yesterday...so went right...at the Creek Footbridge, I heard Ouzel singing beautifully....the one song bird of the Sierra, I've read....and thought to get clip..though I have several!!....'but Owl'...I reminded myself!...and continued to Chapel Bridge...checking the gear, I noted I'd forgotten the binocs...'that can't help'....anyway...I slogged through the snow out in Chapel Meadow...without much hope insomuch it was sunny bright blue and warm!...surely Owl would find some shady forest nook!....and then I saw a patch of bark high on a tall Cottonwood that didn't look Cottonowoodish!....the sun was right in my eyes...and a long distance...so I took a pic with 12x....and shaded the lcd screen to see what it was I was seeing....the screen is really hard to see in bright sunlight...."are those feathers?....oh...that is Owl!"....grainy pic is the one I took...I gave the Tree a wide berth....didn't want to wake Owl...and set up the didgi...and got some clips...the one I post up is typical....except for the small disturbance to Owl's sleep!....kindofa bookend clip to Sleepy Owl!....I got some wonderful pics with the 12x and the new camera...the didgi clips not so good...I just couldn't see the screen too well to focus for the didgi clips...the second pic is with the didgi 3x....I hesitate to post up the new camera pics as they give away Owl's location!....it looks to be a permanent perching spot for Owl....and my How to Find Owl books says one shouldn't disturb such Trees...leave Owl be...and I think that sound advice!...Owls may have been perching in the Tree for generations!...time to time, of course, I'll check for Owl with the binocs...I check all the 'perch' trees where I've seen Hawk and Owl and Heron and Flicker....oh...I too found another active Acorn Woodpecker Hole high up in an Oak...which makes three I know of now....I'd like to see them raise their young this Spring...I'm having a very hard time finding nests...though I always keep a lookout for them....

checking Canon's new cameras coming out, I notice they have a 3x coming that does HD video...and a 12x that does...and the 20x I mentioned...I'm content with the video resolution I'm getting now....it's okay for small computer screens...and is easy to mpeg for the web....but friends with big HD tvs are asking for copies of the Bears playing, and I'm having to explain the clips might not show up too good on large screens...actually, I know they dont, as my nephew has a theater like screen that comes down from the ceiling!...on that, Two Top Pine Meadow Deer looked pretty grainy...but we were sitting pretty close!...way too big a screen for a living room!!...oh...the whole video thing is becoming problematic!...not too mention the long lenses!....but those new cameras look to be wonders of the age!

oh...and here's a link I just found...about UC Merced fellowship...a summer in Wawona....http://ecomail.blogspot.com/2009/02/ecomail-snri-scientific-visualization.html

dont know but I'm unqualified with my superaltively unscientific observation!!

Creek Bridge Deer

Paddled out to Creek's End....checked on the Three Cedars for Bear...the Cedars, by the way, are where Owl sat perched above my head looking down while I dug out the 12x early last Summer...and flew off when I looked back up!....and with this in mind, and too some other pics and clips I've taken near these Trees...I was standing at Owl Log...hoping maybe to see Blue Heron..and heard Owl!...hoo hoooooo hoo hoooo hooo....somewhere upstream toward Chapel Bridge...and on the opposite bank...what to do???...with the didgi scope along I hoped to find Owl...and scanned all the trees up and down on the opposite bank with the binocs like Brown Creeper!....but nothing...I needed a better vantage point...and could just barely hear Owl...and the hooing was becoming less frequent....so..I waded across Creek's End, and up the bank to Lodgepole Point...knee deep...and cold...and tried as I might..no luck finding Owl...last place I looked from, was Butterfly Flat...just below Chapel Bridge...and I thought...before picking up...to vocalize a few hooo hoooos....maybe Owl would answer!...no one was about...or so I thought...until I turned about, and seeing a photog on the Bridge, said..."There's an Owl over there in the trees..."...oh...if I could have found Owl it would have been a great pic...with the rain mists, and snow....tomorrow I'll check all those trees in Chapel Meadow!!....back at the Cabin my hiking friend was about to go back to the Cedars to see if Bear was about...'Be Careful!'...I said...and later at work she came by with a clip of Bear!...'I kept thinking about what you said, 'Be Careful' '...seems she lost track of Bear amongst the trees...and I know how that uncertainty of Bear's whereabouts can make one anxious!...along with Bear, she had a clip of Bobcat on the Rocky Slope, not far from where I was yesterday..and it's a great clip!..'cept the camera is an older 3x...video is grainy like my old Coolpix...Bear clip is good too, but Bear too far away...well...properly away far enough!....my old 12x sits in the drawer, and I'll lend it to my friend; partly for the safety the long lens affords when filming Bear and such!....partly because she enjoys photography....and partly I want copies of her clips and pics!...she has a talent for finding Critters!...a light rain at the beginning of the walk...then cleared a little..some blue between the clouds...which was when Owl went quiet!....nice to cross the Creek, even with the wet feet...and make my favorite loop up Lodgpole Point to Cook's and back through Lower Falls...I've seen all-in-one boots with leggings, and will have to acquire those...it will be days before the boots dry!...fortunately I have the mickey boots...and even the cross country boots...Canon is coming out with the new generation of the 12x...which will be a 20x with high definition video...and I think it has 12 megabytes...and an improved cmos sensor...on Amazon it is available for preorder...for sometime is a proper report on the camera gear I use...pic and clip of Creek Bridge Deer from yesterday....

Rocky Slope Bears

Well...it's difficult tonight to get a post up!....after Breakfast and a Talkabout...showed my photo prints to my hiking friend....I curled up!...and slept 'till two!....made a quick Shuttle to the Post Office and Village...mat cutter on order...I want to be able to custom crop the photo mats...rather than be limited to the standard dimensions of pre cut mats...wish I could do custom frames too...but that's beyond....walked back through Cook's...oh...short clip at Post Office of Deer...and then when I reached the Creek Footbridge, I could look out over the Creek and a small herd of Does and Fawns led by a Young Buck crossed the Creek...I didn't have the tripod along, but used the Bridge Handrail Posts...got a really neat clip..for sometime....would post it up, but got a neater one...the Bears playing again...this time just where the Trail begins from Lower Falls to the Upper Falls trail head...most of the time they were wrestling behind branches and boulders...and I watched a lot more than I filmed...and it looks to be Oak Bear and the Bear I thought was Oak Bear yesterday...the one with a collar, red tag, and yellow tag...it is the same I saw yesterday, as a loose wire or thread or something is hanging down from the collar...see pic...and the number appears to be 41....I'll call this Bear, Rocky Slope Bear!....they were having a great time...and the Slope is, as I mentioned before, a great Backdrop!....I would have continued watching them...with so much cover, it was easy to stay distant and hidden...but I was on my to El Cap and the Horsetail Show...and had an appointment to keep with my hiking friend...to be at the road block at four thirty...and it was ten after four!...so I left off from the Bears...and made it to El Cap by four forty!...it's not as far as I thought!...we set up right there at the Road Block and waited for the Firefall...by us were only three other photogs...and it was very nice to watch the sunset....but there were clouds...and they came across the sun just when they shouldn't!...so no Firefall pics...back in the Car, we looped around through El Cap Picnic area...which the Rangers have made available to Horsetail fans...and there was a gaggle of photogs there on either side of the road...like a gathering of ancient Egyptians at Abu Symbal for the Solstice, I thought!....oh...on the news a rescue at Half Dome...seven climbers from Korea...well...they had nice weather...it was really warm today!...I was remiss, I felt, to sleep away the morning and most of the afternoon of a Blue Sunny Warm day...but Providence smiled when I happened on the Deer..and again when I happened on the Bears!...Horsetail was cool too...a fine evening!....walking through Cook's, I looked for Hawk...and noticed how few Birds were about...at El Cap I saw a flock of Bandtails...and at the view sight of El Cap and Bridal Veil, two Ouzels on stones in the Merced...pic...a wonder is the relationship of Oak Bear, Fir Bear, and Rocky Slope Bear....they may be flirting, or brothers or sisters and mama bear...or maybe Black Bears when young...they all look young...play with one another like this!...

Three Cedars Bears

After Breakfast, started the day with a to and fro Shuttle to the Post Office...harmonica came...I might be able to actually play it...the Pan Pipes are proving problematic!!....after a few notes...paddled out to Creek's End...the routine!...fresh Bear Track...but no Bears....went back to the Cabin...then walked to the Village....wanted to get the little book with animal tracks...but it wasn't there...I have it somewhere!....anyway..the mystery track is still for sometime...picked up lunch and Shuttled to Lower Falls...was going to go back to the Cabin...really tired!...but walked past and out to Creek's End again...had lunch....a very different sort of day at Creek's End with the rain and mists...the little birds about...and one Flicker...paddled back to the Cabin around four...and curled up...an unusual time!...usually I stay out on days off until sunset...little did I know!....I was so sound asleep...and my hiking friend knocked on my window...'David, the Bear is out back!'...geared up and out I went!...and Deer were out back!...pics and clips...then my friend explained, the Bear, Fir Bear, was at the Creek Footbridge, looking around where the Buck had lain, and then Fir Bear went under the Road Bridge, and headed down the Creek....I left off with the Deer...and almost stepped in fresh Bear plop...found the track...and went again to Creek's End by the Three Cedars, hopeful...and Fir Bear was there rolling about and having a good time!...I set up, and Bear began gnawing on the remaining carcass bones..this was expected, as I have clips of the Bears chewing on the bones of the first Buck....most of the clips I was taking were dark because Bear was under the Cedars...and looking more carefully in the dark areas, I saw a second Bear!....I needed better light!...and went through Owl Woods to a better place with the fading sun behind me...set up, and by good fortune, Fir Bear went out into the open, and the second Bear, which I strongly suspect is Oak Bear, came out from the Cedars too...somehow Oak Bear has acquired a red tag and collar since two days ago when last seen!...I think!...they began playing, and playing, and playing...it's a wonderful group of clips...I've posted up just a little bit...I picked up when the light was nearly gone...and made one small noise as I was leaving that got Bears' attention...other than that, they never knew I was there...at least they didn't look my way...I suspect they can identify my smell easy enough!...but I dont think the Critters have the same wariness of scents as they do of sound and motion...I couldn't wait to show my friend and her husband the clip....and thank them, they were at Last Chance for dinner...where everyone was very appreciative!....a fine evening and talkabout!....I've posted up Bear clips on eight evenings I think...and the Bears playing tonight is the icing on the cake, I'd say!...cloudy misty with light rain now and then...cool....

a note about the Blog, as it became a topic during the talkabout:...I was asked over dinner, so often, to post up the Bears to Utub and such...that I finally just owned up to having the Blog where I do post up...which was a surprise to my friends!!.... I dont as a rule, talk about the Blog, or seek attention for it...friends I have that have blogs I feel comfortable mentioning my own to...and sharing web addresses and such...they understand blogs....but for those who dont have blogs, or haven't read them, yet, .....or like one friend (James, the poet) I have, who doesn't like blogs!...(he prefers batch emails...which I find bedeviling!!)...I just dont say anything...the web, computers, the blogs, they are all something one more or less has to work out for ones own self...to make a long thought short...well...heck...I cant even think how to make it short!....anyway, I do post clips to the Blog nightly, but I dont, as a rule, go about bedeviling people to read it, nightly!...and most Bloggers are like that I suspect!....and of course, in consideration, is that I live and work in the preeminent Park in world....there are concessionaires, and administration, with their Blogs....and that's where folks go when searching for Valley things...and rightly so....it would be inappropriate for me to do business here, sell things and such....or even offer trail recommendations...there are Clubs with ancient Sierra traditions for that!...I must say, as a means of communicating with friends and family, sharing one's life, as Google's Blogger blurb puts it, Blogger is a good choice...oh...I envy the Bears!....they knocked one another down for a knockdown clip!!

Creek Bears Dustup

Paddled out to Creek's End...rainy and wet slog...but with the poncho I stay dry okay...again, fresh Bear tracks...but no Bears today...sat awhile near the inland end of Owl Log...a little perch under a Cedar above it...from prints, I could see Fir Bear seems to like to sit and lounge about there on the Log!...have clip from other day of this too...for sometime...stirred up a Mallard pair from the Creek when I arrived....the Carcass is reduced now to just bones......the Creek Bears and Coyote seem to be the only tracks...but not sure on that...wanted to go up to the Three Cedars and investigate...but a fellow on skis was about....never know quite what to do when my solitude is upside someonelses!...solitude is hard to come by in this big and crowded world, I was thinking!...picked up and went through Owl Woods on the service dirt Road and to the Path...no snow on it!...walked over to Ozone Beach...and stood there awhile...with solitude!...except for an occasional bangitybang trash truck emptying Tiki cans behind at the Rooms...the mists were moving through the Trees...and along the South Wall...and, quiet and grace full, Blue Heron came by flying along low over the Merced...and away up stream before I could get the 12x sighted...tried....see pic... imagine Heron flying there slow over the water as the floating mists!!....report of bangitybang throwable noisemakers being used to shooo Bear away over in the Village in the morning... report from friend of the Buck carcass being transported...Rangers told him Buck may have been sick...and missing some of it's teeth...I have a pic of the little Buck's jaw with teeth in tact...but the back ones kinda black...have to study it a bit....clip is from yesterday....rainy all day cool...

Creek Bears And Coyote

Well...it's gotten to be a routine!...paddled to Creek's End...and just as I got there, Oak Bear and Fir Bear came walking toward the Three Cedars where the Deer Carcass lies...clip...lots of clips!....Bears growl at one another in one...short beginning of the clips for tonight...the rest for sometime...and Coyote showed up... twice!....some friends too, Tom and Theresa, who were there before me...and got some good pics of the Bears playing... we're all scratching our heads on how to get sharp pics in low light with the telephoto lenses!....the male Hairy Woodpecker was busy over my head while doing the Bear clips...blurry pic...Ravens were about too...tomorrow I want to get clip of Ravens bathing in the Merced....couldn't pull away from Bears and Coyote today!....overcast hazy cool....

Oak Bear And Ravens

Paddled out to the Creek...snowshoed, actually...snows not so deep as during the storm...looks to have melted...then frozen...picked up some old Bear track... followed it to Creek's End....was going that way!...didn't expect to find Bear with all the noise the plastic snowshoes make...but Oak Bear was in much the same place as before....with the Ravens...pics and clips...it would be nice to get a good pic of Bear!...but I dont see how I could ever get close enough...pics I got are okay...some of the clips too...Bear was mostly just relaxing...and keeping close to the Deer carcass...that may be what Bears do to keep food away from other critters...report of Coyote's howling in the Backyard this morning...and I saw their tracks...Bear came from across the Creek at about the Swath...I set the new camera to medium...and used the background trees for the focus and exposure...pic was light...so I darkened it in Elements...I kneeled in the snow back under some trees with tripod down for like forty five minutes!...I could watch Bears all day...legs went to sleep...and with snowshoes on it was tough standing up!....one of Bear's eyes looks closed...or puffy...or maybe just winking!!....sunny blue cool day...Bear would look up and glance about...once, startled, dont know by what, wasn't me!, Bear started climbing up a Cedar...Bears seem very timid, with their own unique kind of wariness...I kept looking about too...for Fir Bear!...a fine morning!!

Creek Bears

Well...I needn't have fretted about having to pick up and leave off from the Bears yesterday when work time approached!...they were right were I left them yesterday when I started the walk today..... I came up on the Creek Footbridge, and a gaggle of photogs were all in a line..and a Ranger was keeping them in line!...preparations were afoot to shoo the Bears away, and recover a Deer carcass..a large Buck!...it must have been under the Tree that Bear was under yesterday..and the Bear under the Tree yesterday was 3563...thought it was 6...who I learned today is really 9!...but when I uploaded the didgi clip from yesterday, I could see it was 'yellow tag' Bear...I actually saw two Bears yesterday, but didn't realize it until I uploaded the digi clip!...hence forth 3563 is Oak Bear...and 9 is Fir Bear!....anyway, I had time to set up the 12x...the clip needs some explaining...at first the Ranger goes over to the Peninsula between two branches of the Creek...a fine stage for the Bears!...and easy to see from the Footbridge...and soon as he got there, BangityBang stick in hand!..the Noisemaker I hear now and then!...both Bears scurried up a Tree....from where I was, I couldn't see very well...all the good spots taken by other photogs!...so I went over to the other Footbridge...there's several going over the Creek hereabout...and another Ranger was doing crowd control...and everyone was enjoying seeing the Bears...from there I saw them take up the Carcass...like four of them with a stretcher...it was heavy and hardly eaten...and to be relocated out of the way of the tourist's pathways...I sighted one Bear up in a tree...with a lot of help from the tourists!...it was Fir Bear...after Fir Bear was back on the ground, the best spot to view was way over by the Tiki Palace... there I went and got pic and clip of both Bears on the bank...and Fir Bear on the log...through all this I missed a lot of great pics...indeed, some of the photogs were getting the 'best Bear pics ever'...did the best I could, but was all thumbs, and bit out of sorts being surrounded by other photogs with very expensive long lenses...lots of photogs about...some for the Valley scenics...others for Horsetail...quote of the day...'I just got here, and already filled up the four gig card with Bear pics, now what!'...well...I've been there, and Double A Gallery has cards...though a bit pricey!!...didn't do much of walkabout!...the Post Office had been the destination in mind...did do a lot of back and forth as the Bears kept going from one side of their 'stage' to the other!!...one brief part of the clip shows them wrestling...the photogs on the Footbridge at the time had a clear view of the play...and I'm envious!!...mixed report on Horsetail...'it glowed a little'....something of a mystery what brought the Buck down...dont know but I have a notion..but I have to find out what that miniature track was from I saw two days ago......sunny cool and blue...and the Paths treacherous again with ice!...oh...while on the Footbridge, from out of the Blue!...a great glob of snow fell out of the Treetops on the photogs!!

Bear Six in the Fir Tree

Paddled over to the Post Office...snow's melting fast!...came back through Cook's...pic of Chapel from Chapel Bridge...when I came to the Creek Bridge, some slow tourists were ahead...sorta made me want to stomp my foot!...and some more came up from behind...so I backtracked and went over the other Creek Bridge that's back amongst the Trees...from there, I glimpsed Bear 6 up ahead...and thought a thank you to the tourists for the diversion!...some clips through the Trees...all I had until Bear went up the Fir Tree...I went along the Creek Bank until I found a spot to see...same spot I took Fern Doe and Two Fawns pics!....it was a very pretty scene!...Bear up in the Tree..and I'm not sure what the other Tree is...Bear finally came down...and started in my direction...and did a foot stomp!!...see clip!...I was a bit chagrined...thought I was far enough away...tried for a didgi clip, but Bear came down from the Tree while I was putting the didgiscope together...all the still pics with the new camera are blurry...Bear swinging in the Trees too much...even still, I would have thought the light bright enough to stop motion...the 12x took the one pic in the Tree which I like...I'm thinking I should maybe set the new camera to a lower level resolution setting..it's at highest...have to experiment a bit...Bear went down the Creek to the other Bridge and started to cross it....thought different, came back, and found a spot under a Pine and lay down...tried for didgi clip, but too many branches...had to pick up...work time..made it just under the buzzer!....with time, I would have waited for Bear to move about again...sunny blue...some few hazy clouds in later afternoon...cool...warm really, as everything melting...out of the clear blue sky, under the Oak with the Arch Branch Over Half Dome, I got clunked on the head by good size chunk of snow from high up on the Oak...rattled my noggin!!...report of Raccoons at Granite Landing...and too, report of two Mountain Lions hunting them...(should note report is from the Brazilians!)...Coyote sighted at night in the Village...I didn't see, or hear, hardly any birds on the walk...just the Acorn Woodpeckers come to mind...and the ever present Kinglets and Yellow Rumps invisibly peeping...

Bear 6 In The Fir Tree

Bucks And Does

Got up for before sunrise for Breakfast...French Toast...and planned to cross country ski behind Sunnyside...but saw right away I could ski the Path to Lower Falls View Bridge...this is a real treat!....no one had been on the Path yet..and it had just the right thickness of snow for skiing...pics...at the Bridge I found the track of what looks like a miniature Bobcat's print..I'll post it up sometime...and will get a book on tracks to see if I can figure it out...the Lower Falls Path makes a loop that comes out at the Shuttle stop...on the way, came upon four or five Bucks...the Bucks and Does now are staying in small separate herds...excepting Oak Cedar Buck which was accompanied by a single Doe...went to the Village for errands, then Shuttled back...had a second Breakfast!...then to the Cabin for a nap...slept 'till Two!...put the snowshoes on, too much snow for the skis!!...and paddled out to Creek's End...pic...Bear was about again there!...but track was likely an hour or so old...could only see it under the Cedars...heard Ouzel...then saw Ouzel going by diving in the Merced...hand held clip...thought to just sit awhile...found a place on the up slope end of Owl Log...and Ouzel came back, and after diving awhile, hauled out on the new Creek's End Twig...clip...I went down to water's edge, and set the tripod low, and made a concerted effort to get clips of Ouzel...got like ten minutes of clips!..but Ouzel always tiny...it was snowing...it snowed all day!...and is still snowing!...sometimes it's real light.. about a foot and half on the ground...soft...I sank right down with the snowshoes..and it was a slog...easier going back in my own prints to the Cabin...took the Shuttle to Village for pizza, and saw the Buck herd again in Sleepy Owl Woods...oh!...at the beginning of the afternoon walk, the Doe herd was by the Dish TV antennae in the Backyard..pics and clips...I had a pic from yesterday of one Doe next to the Dish that I almost posted...today's is better!...

more snow on the Valley floor than one normally sees in a storm!...and it's wet as the temp isn't that cold...can look forward now to lots of water in the Meadows for the Ducks!!...Falls will be knockdown too, of course...saw the first Deer of the day when I opened the Door in the morning, Doe was right across the road...too dark for pic!

Snow Flicker

Cleaned house a bit in the morning...paddled over to the Post Office and back...Flicker clip....and after a late lunch at Last Chance, geared up and headed out through the Backyard...three Does about...clip...and again, fresh Bear track...Bear went out through Owl Woods...but try as I might on the cross country skis, I couldn't catch up...and snow was filling in the tracks!...followed all the way over to Two Top Pine Meadow...kind of fun!...snow falling, negotiating the trees and hummocks, losing and finding the track...the Meadow was beautifully snow covered, and I skied out into it just to enjoy the scenics...Sentinel pic...continued over Swinging Bridge...Falls pic...then out through Coop's and Chapel Meadows to Sentinel Bridge...and back around through Cook's, Lower Falls, finally reaching the Cabin in darkness...glad I went out in the afternoon...almost went back to work cleaning...'Can do that when it's dark!' I thought....a snowy day, cool...MuirGlorious!, I'd say....hiker said they saw a 'little bear' with 'red tag'...so I suspect I was following Bear 6...

Bear 3656

After Breakfast, I paddled back to the Creek, all geared up...with poncho, as it was snowing, and the camera lenses cleaned!...good thing!...Snow Oak Bear was exactly at the same spot, doing the same thing!...munching on the Deer remains....I got the first two clips...then lost Bear in the Cedars....worked around and found a place out of the snow to sit and wait for Bear to come out...I waited and waited...now and then hearing a little noise...finally I picked up...and finished the circle I made around the Cedars looking for Bear's track...I hadn't seen Bear come out!...but didn't know for sure Bear was there...I found the track leading into the Cedars...and sighting along it took me right to Bear framed between two trunks...set up the didgi...and got some clips...Bear finally came out...and went over to the other side...where I had been waiting!!...so I made the circle again....I set up with a long long view...and out of the woods comes...well...one must know that hearabout people say one another names in greeting with intonations...often humorous....so..anyway...with my eye up to the viewfinder, I hear out of the woods..."dAYvid!"...shhh!...I told my friend, who was under their umbrella, and carrying a point and shoot film camera!...they'd found track too...work time was approaching, and I'd been about to leave off, but together we worked over to the River and up the Creek along the bank...and by just creeping up to the bank's ridge, we were able to see Bear pretty good...and pics and clips...all the pics, because of the low light with Bear moving, are blurry...this is a real problem that I'll have to think on...a way to take bad weather low light pics would be nice!....I must say, I can be pretty bossy telling people to be quiet, and where to sit!...must be from refereing basketball....Bear 3656, think that's it...got number from the clip still....is really cool..and this the third day running for pics and clips of Bears!!!...the Deer carcass is almost gone of course...found the jaw bone, and examined it a bit...from the tracks, a lot of people have been out and about Creek's End...and I think I found Bobcat's track in the Backyard...pic...snow in the morning...cool...cleared later....made it to work without shaving and under the buzzer!!...pics and clip of Chestnut Chicadees...

Snow Oak Bear

After Breakfast, I headed through the Backyard to the Creek...with all the gear!...though I neglected to clean the 12x telephoto of water spots from yesterday...regretably!...Bear track was going through the Backyard to the Creek...but looked to be from last night....as a little snow fell and filled in prints...but!...when I got to the Creek at the Swath...there was a very fresh track...headed out to Creek's End...I went kinda slow!...and came upon a young Buck carcass; skin, a few bones, and head and antlers, just a bit away from the Cedar Tree Bear had been under yesterday...I thought maybe there was a carcass then, because of the Ravens...and they were about when I came upon it today...but not Bear...I passed by into the little clearing just before Heron Point..seeing the Track going into Owl Woods by the Cattail Pond...and glimpsed Bear...pic...from way behind I followed the track...these woods are thick...and Bear was heading toward the Bike Path...two cross country skiers came from the right...and pointed ahead to where they saw Bear go....I left off the tripod. and got the new camera ready...and worked around to the Diversion Channel clearing...and waited...and not for long...Bear came out of the woods, glimpsed me, and started up the Oak....but came right back down..see clip...and trotted off towards Ozone Beach....having gotten a couple pics and clip, I was content, and went back for the tripod...showed the pic to the skiers!!....there were quite a few tourists about...here and there..some snowshoeing..skiing...making snow men...it wasn't worth it to follow Bear's snow track....best to let Bear figure out how to find some peace and quiet!...hemmed in by the River and Tourists and Rooms, I'm not sure where that could have been!...I went over to Ozone Beach to look about...told a few tourists Bear was over 'thereabouts'....showed the pic again!!....and the Mallards were out for a paddle and bottoms up!...pic...and didgi clip...


Today's walk was even more compact than yesterday!...I was back again at the Cabin with more time on the clock!...

If not for the NPS rules, I would have gatherd the Antlers for a souvenir...as it is, I dont know if the carcass being where it is, is the best thing...it's on the Path that, while it gets seldom used, 'cept by me!, does see enough traffic that its problematic hikers will come up on Bear feeding on the Deer!...I think...I dont know!...it's the Natural thing for it to be there....but it can have the same effect in the tourist environs of food or trash left in the open....anyway...I'll go check it again tomorrow...and maybe find a Ranger for guidance...

My thought when I got back and looked at the Bear pic is that the Branch ruins it...it's soft too...but that's the new camera long lens...it just doesn't like the haze light...why I wish the 12x teleconvertor hadn't been waterspotted!....oh...but in the pic the Branch leads the eye in a way...and gives a kinda tension...pics have tensions...balance....they interplay...oh... I wish the branch wasn't there!...will make a painting or pastel without it!!

"Bear" of Man Against Wild is on...Snake River...dont know but he showed how to cross Creek's End...a sturdy pole to pole vault across!!...oh!...he's going up the gully!!

Sunny with hazy clouds...cool...a bit more snow fell...weather report has it a lot more is on the way!!...the Deer was likely the same one of two days ago, and dragged from Lower Falls..

Snow Bears

I was on the Shuttle at Lower Falls, coming back from the Post Office, and Coyote crossed in front...clip...and I could see Coyote was headed for the Backyard...so when the Shuttle finished its roundabout to arrive at Last Chance, I hopped off...and sure enough, on the snow covered dirt road to the Tiki Temples, there was a fresh Coyote track....I followed it out to the Creek...Coyote took the same route I do!...and at the Diversion Channel near Heron Point...well...here's an excerpt from email to my sister describing the rest!...

"Last few days have had snow fall...it was falling this morning, and I found a Coyote track, fresh, in the backyard...I followed it to Creek's End (I have names for everything!)...and it went under a Cedar....the snow is falling a lot, and I peeked under the tree...and, crash!, Bear stirred up and climbed the tree!!...I had the S5 along and tried to take a clip...thinking, well, knowing!, I was too close, I backed up a ways, and waited, snow falling heavy all the while...and right behind me I hear a couple grumpy growls, and another Bear scrambled up the Cedar right behind me!....a bit disconcerted, I found another spot to sit....kneel...I'm getting snow covered, and wondering how I'm going to recover my mail that I dropped!....I'd just come back from the Post Office with no thought, or preparation, for critter hunting, but I'd found the fresh Coyote track....I waited, and tried to get pics and clips through the snow, and finally Bear 6, (has a red tag), came down, wandered down near the Merced, and glimpsing me, climbed another Cedar...this time I got some clips, the first Bear, no tag, came out too...I must have like ten minutes of clips of Snow Bears!....6 got comfortable with me just sitting and watching, and kinda rolled about and played in the snow...the other Bear stayed under the tree, and I think had something to eat there...couldn't tell! Work time came, and I had to leave, but got some nice clips...pics were hard to get as so much snow falling and low light."

I should have stayed another twenty minutes!...when I got to the Cabin there was still time on the clock...but I was getting cold and finger tip numb...though when I'm photographing I dont notice!...it's when I pickup that I begin again noticing this and that, cold fingers and such...

But a fine walk!...especially considering I was on my way to the Cabin to just deal with the dishevelment (clean house)...and take a nap!....it was snowing wonderfully!!...tomorrow I'll go see what the Bears had that was interesting to the Ravens!....while all this, three Mallards paddled by on the Merced, quacking...pic...and after some editing, I'll post up Bear Red Tag 6 rolling about in the snow!

Horsetail

After Breakfast, and after a nap, went over to Lower Falls to check on report of Deer carcass....actually I'd seen distant pic friend had taken on walkabout..they saw Bobcat on the walk too!...which if I hadn't napped, I could have tagged along on and seen also!!...they got a really nice pic of Bobcat...hope to get copy for postup...back to the Deer....needless to say it's grim when the Deer are brought down(Coyote)...and I was curious to see what tracks were in the snow...a Coyote had been seen limping from the location...I have clips of a Coyote that limps going back to last year....from the Viewbridge, one could see the location, and I went back down the trail and attempted to get out to where it was...I say tried because I postholed into the Creek on the way!...a posthole is when one leg goes through the snow, which leaves one in an awkward position!....one leg was in the water, and the other was bent and under my chin....I had to kindof flop back, roll over, and crawl over the snow to dry land!...that being a nearby Cedar...the Creek's not deep, so no danger, but one boot was soaked...so I headed back to the Cabin...but before, I took a nice clip from where I was of the Falls and the Bridge...three Japanese girls were posing and smiling, a pic I missed, as I didn't realize it was for my pic!!...back along the Path, I happened on the Does and Fawns...pics and clips...and while making the clip, the Path got kinda crazy with a house cat on a leash being mobbed by ohh and ahhing tourists...the tripod was low, and from the Deer I swiveled to get the Cat!...it's a neat clip, and the Cat gets stuffed into a carry bag....and then to add to the oddity, a gaggle of photogs were down at the Path beginning ...clip...and all together they picked up and headed towards me...oh!..I had to give up on the Deer..see clip..it was interrupted just when the Deer were posing good and beginning to all walk my way, a way that brought them across the Path...the commotion spooked them back up into the Rocky Slope...but not before being photographed by the mob of photogs!!..more clip...I'd post it all up, but too many people didn't realize they were being filmed...the 12x does that...it looks like it takes only stills... back at the Cabin I changed boots....and the time was nearing for an exploration up Four Mile to see what could be seen of Horsetail Falls and the El Cap Firefall....took everything, poles, snowshoes, yak traks, and late lunch....chicken salad, hershy's, orange juice, chips...everything I didn't take with yesterday!!...over at the trail head, I found the trail nicely groomed by two snowshoe tracks that appear to have been made by Hikers coming down from Glacier Point...with the heavy MickyBoots, I made a slow slog up the long early switchbacks...didnt need the shoes...overgeared I was, as usual!!...four or five switchbacks up, after the fallen Ponderosa and Oak that one has to crawl under, I came to a stop with a so so view of El Cap...I know there are better ones higher up, but I dont know if they have a better view of Horsetail, I was where I was, and too tired to go higher, well, too tired to race higher, as I was Chasing Light!...I sighted in the minidigi, clips, and switched back and forth with 12x, clips, and could see a little of the Falls...and a lot of the Clouds moving about El Cap...I made a seat in the snow, and had lunch, and when nearly done with the sandwhich, which was still being masticated in my hurry, I started the didgi to take the clip of the cloud rising up El Cap...very cool...after that clip, it looked like the light was gone, it was about five pm, so I picked up, and headed down...when I came to the one other spot I'd passed earlier with a view through the trees, I could see a glow starting....sighted the didgi...and thankfully got a little clip of Horsetail glowing that reddish orange...it may not seem like much, but one must realize the next few days will be stormy, and it may not clear again on my days off...or anyone's for that matter!...one of the charms of Horsetail is it's unpredictability!...got back to the Cabin in the late dark of evening, feeling sad about the Deer....oh!...another group of Japanese girls were at the Swinging Bridge, I said 'hi', as everyone does here in passing one another, and they all said 'hi' together like a little song chorus...and I laughed...and they giggled...sunny blue and cool, fresh snow from last night...with the after storm Cloud show about the Rims...and another fine Winter up hike...though on the way up on these, I might express a different evaluation!...Junco pic was from the View Bridge...in low light the 12x takes the better pics...but all three cameras performed well, considering the didgi falling in the snow at the Posthole, and always perched on the tripod in the snow falling from sky, and trees, and snow falling into the pouches for the 12x and new camera!...cold doesn't seem to bother them either, just the batteries go faster...

Cloud Climbing El Capitan

With a little imagination, one can see my favorite critters manifest in the cloud....

Sentinel Raven

Oh!...an after Breakfast walk to looksee for Critter tracks behind Sunnyside led to a hike up to the Falls view just beyond Omigosh!!...I'm very timid about doing up hikes in the Winter...in fact...I just dont do them!....but when I got to the Upper Falls trail start, I saw all these footprints going up...and the fresh snow was squeaky...good traction...so up I went...loaded up with the gear...which is to say, the ten pounds of tripod and minidigi over my shoulder!...and it was easy going, until nearing Columbia Point, where the trail was so smoothed out and slippery, and a little steeper, that I dreaded coming back down it!...and the owners of all the footprints were at the Point...the YIs...and one bivouacked backpacker, who I suspect got wore out the the day before..and camped there...bit envious of that!...one can't camp on the Walls...and camps have to be some distance back from the Rims...there were more YIs at Omigosh overview of the whole Falls...no..I didnt go there...been there and seen it...I passed and set up around the turn that brings the Falls into full view...or would have if not for the clouds!!...see clip....picked up and headed back...content that I'd finally done a Winter up hike!...and tippytoed down trying not to tip over...nearly all the trail was just fine...in fact...squeaky snow is the best condition to walk on the trails...especially after it's been smoothed a bit by foot traffic...see old report of going up to Vernal last winter...it's like the trail is groomed...but the trail today in places was ungroomed...because of so many feet!...the trail middle in the steeper part was a slip and slide...the kids were negotiating fine, they think sliding the thing to do!!...but their half my size!...I'm about two hundred pounds with the gear...oh...I was grumbly with my thoughts the whole time coming down, as I really envy those with good balance!...back at Columbia Point I did tippytoe to the railing...pics..and the Ravens were flying by...pics....on way up I saw Juncos...pics...Blue Jays, Acorn Woodpeckers, and heard the Kinglets?....and heard one brief Hawk call...report from the Yahoo groups of 32! Redtail Hawks, and a lot of other raptors in the vicinity of Mariposa...I'll put link to this group on the blogs link page...broken clouds day...cool (overdressed warm on the up part!)....evening dinner in Siberia...special event with good company and talkabouts!!

Cedar Grey Squirrel

Paddled over to the Post Office...and made a walkabout on the Trail under the Royal Arches...it's just a short section of Trail, but I like it...and thought to look for Critter tracks there too..a lot of snow has melted already, and there were lots of People tracks!...did see Bear track, but that was back by the Village!...had picked up lunch there, egg salad, cranberry grape drink, chips, kitkat bar....and found a sunny log to sit on at Indian Cave and have lunch...saw the Bandtail Pigeons high up in Pines by Washington Column...they live there it seems...blurry pic of Kinglet...maybe a Ruby......returned as far as the Backpacker's Camp...and went across there to the Stables...and took the Shuttle to Last Chance for a late snack....back to Stop Nine, and hopped off....over to the Road and Cook's...over Chapel Bridge and made the Big Loop...evening coming on, and watching the Clouds' show the whole while...Grey Squirrel was by the A. Rooms...an addition to the Greys collection...added to the Acorns at the Woodpecker Tree...looking out, and coming and going from their snug Tree Nest!....bit envious of that!....report of Bobcat seen from the Shuttle at Housekeeping...report of young orphaned Bear being returned to a den and the wild some unknown somewhere....report of seeing the 'big' Bear whose tracks I followed yesterday...report of seeing 'lots of Hawks where we live'....which brings up an important aspect of the walkabouts...all the Critters here can be found in abundance else ware...animal life in the Sierra is thinly distributed....one day, I may see a critter that I have only seen once before!...which often brings it to the fore to be a subject of a post...I could post up Ravens everyday, or of late, Grey Squirrels snacking!...but the nature of conversation is to remark on the remarkable...today I got a clip of Tent Cabin being moved with a large earth mover tractor on the Road by Stoneman Meadow...humorous to see!...here...dont know but I'd be content with a plot of Sierra mixed Oak Pine Cedar woodland with a Tent Cabin!....bright sunny blue early on, later clouds moving in...puffy ones scattered at sunset...cold...finger tips inside the gloves cold!...oh...second clip is at the confluence of Tenaya Creek and the Merced...another Creek's End, and which I seldom visit... bit crowded in the summer!!!

Snow Woodpecker

Snowed during the night!...got out and about before the Sun reached the Falls...about seven thirty....after Breakfast, Shuttled over to the Post Office...had to wait a bit and had a coffee....PanPipes weren't in yet...(but later they were at Village!)...paddled back through Cook's...and Acorn Woodpeckers were home in the Woodpecker Tree...pics and clips...slogging through the snow tired me out, so back to the Cabin for a nap...power was out all night, and still out when I returned...Cabin a bit chilly...woke up when the TV came on by itself!....after quick Shuttle trip to and fro for the Pipes, geared up for an effort to find Critter tracks along the Rocky Slope at Sunnyside...found some..see clip...and...no..Bear wasn't in the little Cave...I circled around and picked up the track further along!....it led up into the Trees and Boulders...and I thought best not to follow where I couldn't see very far ahead!...it was a fresh track!....a second was nearby...but from earlier....continued on the Trail....Rednapped...or RedBreasted (Redheaded), Woodpecker...clip....went past and behind the Camp, and picked up the Road...followed it out to El Cap....I think I saw just a little bit of Horsetail Falls light up orange...but didn't get a pic...it was just a tiny section out from the wall as I got near....and when I got closer to El Cap, there were clouds and no light...I dont know if this is the time or not...no one about, so I think not...saw maybe Bobcat track...pic to check with....some Deer tracks here and there...otherwise a quiet day and walks....except for the Scenics!....thought to call the post up...WildPlace!....climbers probably know what the outcrop with the bent tree on top is called....might be in the book I have...report in email from Yahoo groups Yosemite birdwatcher of Siskens, Evening Grossbeaks...and another I forget...Crossbills!....up at Badger by the Parking Lot...maybe go there tomorrow...and maybe snow hasn't moved them!....broken after storm clouds, cool....a snowfall much like the first one this Winter...easy to walk on for the most part.....Squeaky Snow....tomorrow it'll melt a bit and ice will be about again.....but weather report says more coming!...very cool...