Owls Can Fly

Got out early, and Shuttled over to Siberia for Breakfast....then out to Happy Isles....to visit Ouzel Dome...but they were all gone..the Nest looking forlorn......continued on the Pony Path to Mirror Lake stop...North Dome was beckoning...but I had too much gear with, so hopped on the Shuttle...and once back at the Cabin...curled up!...napped until afternoon...twoish!...ate the lunch intended for a longday hike...and set to work on the boxed up dishevelment some more...dents getting bigger...but still only a dent!....didn't mind too much being inside...outside too crowded!....once out on the evening walk, I happened on Three Mallards at Ozone Beach...preening...clip and pics...Female Merganser out on the Opposite Bank Log...sleeping..pic and clip...bit further on the Use Trail, White Headed Woodpecker busy, and nicely framed, on a large Ponderosa...clip...out on the Path along Two Top, Bluebird perched on railing post...clip...hurried when footsteps approached from behind, but too slow to get good exposed pic...from the Road, framed Deer browsing in Coop's Meadow with Falls as background...clip...another by the Path and Road railing..clip...and on reaching the Chapel, I started scanning Trees by the Merced for Owl with the binocs!...all I had with were the binocs and 20x...and tripod...made the turn and at Chapel Bridge, made one last scan...with wan hope...and...and saw something white on the Burned Snag...through the binocs, I saw and thought, 'that's a white Owl!!'...and realized it must be one of the Young Owls with new feathers....sighted in the 20x...clip...and digital zoomed in 40x!!!...I was a long way aways!...took a pic while doing clip just to document...and in reviewing tonight, I discovered I captured the second Young Owl flying up from lower down on the Snag!....I used the Trees to sneak up closer...located the Young Owls in a Cottonwood...thought the one (didn't know the second was there then!) had swooped to ground...sighted in the 2ox, and while doing clips, glanced at the Snag...'oh..there's Mama Owl'...and so got clips and pics of all Three!....clips up are the avis....the hds are knockdown, but too much to process to post up...I took some pics...and wanted to take more when Blue Jays were on the attack...but the hd clip running was so animated, I dare not stop it....for sometime, I'll extract some stills from it...the Young Owls looking all about at the Blue Jays is very cool...picked up and was quiet as could be leaving...Owls saw me, but the Young just curious, and Mama's seen me many times!..made the little loop around Bobcat Meadow...Halfdome framed by a pink sunsetsky over the High Country...Deer at the Boardwalk past the Artist's Grove....sunny hot blue...with some clouds in the evening....it wasn't my usual Half Dome trek, but a fine Memorial Day walkabout!