Halloween Moon

Woke up late...then fiddled with the digi scope...still trying to attach the waterproof camera....but got out for an hour or so...paddled through the Woods, and over to Ozone Beach, where I sat awhile where I lost the teleconverter...grapecranberry juice and muffin brunch...Four Mallards came by...one male and three females......picked up..time...but heard a scolding Blue Jay...maybe two...and sighted Hawk high up in a Fir (Cedar!)...pic and clip...had longer clip, I thought, but forgot to push record button!....didn't lose too much...Hawk faraway, and back lit...sunny warm blue...Mama Doe and Two Fawns came up on one of the Last Chance patios...'Look!', I said, pointing to them outside the big windows....tourists looked, but co workers pretty blase!...anyway...out to the Woods for the short walk...saw Mama Doe and Two again...clip...and took the Moon pic...quiet otherwise..hoo hoos gone somewhere...

Rock Wall Little Birds

Peddled over to the Post Office...back and around Bobcat Meadow...talkabout with friend thereabout about how to make a brochure they're making that describes how and where to walkabout in one hour and take pics of the Valley....dont know but I do that often enough to know how and where!...and it's around Bobcat Meadow!...and we both agreed...if an hour is all one has...another limitation was staying on the Path....and of course it is very difficult to do much photog wise in one hour...but unfortunately many visitors only have about that much time...continued on the peddleabout over Chapel Bridge to Swinging Bridge and out to the Broken Cottonwood....thought to listen for Hawk...but some climbers were going up Two Top Pine and yakityyakking...sound carries over the Meadow...and their sounds were unpleasant!...but at the Rock Wall, I found some little birds, and became engaged getting their pics...it was a mixed flock..Junco, Blue Birds, Song Sparrows, and Yellow Rump Warblers... those the ones I saw...their pics up...blurry pic of DownyOrHairy Woodpecker....quiet peddle otherwise...sunnywarmblue....lunch walk in the Woods very quiet...but pretty...evenings coolcool....heard Pileated at Creek's End....report of Hawk, Red Shoulder, over the A Meadow....Bear tracks on the River shore at the Rock Wall...and Bear plop earlier on Path in Bobcat Meadow....and report of Bear..5:3o am right in Last Chance parking...friend gets out early for work...and often sees Bears at that timeabout!!

Deer

Up late, picked up danish and orange juice, and paddled out to Creek's End...found a log to sit on at Owl Log...thereabout there's actually a tangle of old logs...found one with dry gravel underneath...quiet...oh...heard Pileated in the Backyard early..too cold, and too sleepy to pursue!...to see Pileated is still a rarity, but not so much now....walked about Owl Woods...quiet..but located some Deer...pics up...except the Bracken Fern one...that one from yesterday...I have a lot of Deer pics!!....sunny warm blue with small very white clouds...clouds turned a pretty pink in the evening...lunch walk quiet too..but located two Does...and the two Young Bucks jousting..clip up...no hoo hoos...no reports of hoo hoos...a quiet day, with breezes through the dry leaves..

Hawk Over Creek

Shuttled over to the Post Office....hopped off at Lower Falls on way back...sat awhile in the sun for warmth in Bobcat Meadow....then over to Lodgpole Point to sit on the Merced's bank....Two Does across the River...clip for sometime...Doe's are beginning to chase one another...behind me, a mixed flock of tiny invisible birds...tried for clips and pics...picked up and followed them up the Creek...not having much luck....and then heard Hawk over by the Deer House...trotted over, and sighted Hawk high in an Oak...just as I was zooming in, Hawk flew to the Creek...and out the Swath on the other side...Hawk is tinytiny flying in clip...was standing in the Creek reviewing, when I heard, and then saw, Hawk straight up over head!...calling and soaring in the Magnificent Blue Sky!...clip and pics up...was on wrong side of Creek to follow, so went around Lower Falls, and then down the Creek...but quiet...went to Creek's End and around about the Woods...hopeful Hawk might be perched...once back at the Cabin, did hear Hawk one more time...had time, and walked out the bike Path aways...and found more little tiny invisible birds...may have missed a small Hawk's swoop...a doubtful glimpse of Big Wings!....sunny warm blueblue....ice on the Fall's Wall...at lunch went to the Woods...Doe and Two Fawns at the Ponderosa....sat a short while in the Diversion Channel...quiet..so walked out to Creek's End...Two Does and One Fawn crossing River...missed that..but clip of them in the Channel...oh...earlier I got clip of Mama Doe and Two Fawns resting in the Bracken Ferns thereabout...and another Mama Doe and Two Fawns by the Lunch Sit Log...during the morning walk, I mean...went back to the Ponderosa to get pics of Doe and Two, and found them among the Reeds...and one Fawn actually balanced up on a fallen log...nosing about the splayed roots...clip for sometime...going to have to have a Deer night!...lots of pics and clips for sometime!....no Owl calls...but report of Owls calling at dusk...and a flyover... way over in the Scorched Forest...CottonwoodAndAspen from the description....oh...still windy...lots of leaves gone...but very Fall pretty everywhereabout!...for certain, at least two sets of Does with Two Fawns in the Woods...and three other Does and one Fawn, I think...it may well be that Owl Woods is a traditional Fall gathering place for the Does and Fawns...

6:45 AM

I had thought to get up around six, gear up, have Breakfast, and out and about by daylight...as it was, I finally dragged myself away from sleep, and got out at six forty five...with everything...I missed seeing the stars, just enough light in the sky to obscure all but one, maybe a planet, to the right of Sentinel... but I was out before first bird call....paddled over to Lower Falls...just before the View Bridge, heard two calls simultaneously....Blue Jay and Acorn Woodpecker...then I got fascinated by a squiggly trail on the Path...it looked like something a big snake would leave...flash pic for sometime...I thought the trail was from water...but on closer look, it was like grit and fine duff...thought it was from someone's leaky water bottle...but it wasn't water..so I dont know what it was!...anyway, when I came back to myself, the little tiny birds were calling in the Tree Tops....I never see them...they're forever the invisible little tiny birds!...clip of the Falls...heard and saw Ouzel thereabout...heard Raven...clip of Blue Jay by the Bench....paddled back the way I came to the Cabin...wanted to get to Owl Woods before too much light....Mama Doe and Two Fawns in the Backyard..clip....at Creek's End heard Flicker...(Robins in the Backyard before...Flicker call too in the parking lot before)...along the Diversion Channel, sighted Owl...pic up and clip....recorded some tiny bird calls...oh...at Lower Falls heard Nuthatch...to Ozone Beach and along the Merced to Swinging Bridge...quiet all the way to the Broken Cottonwood...there I sighted Hawk (Red Shoulder) on the other side of Two Top Pine Meadow...pic and clip...faraways!!...heard Pileated over in the Scorched Forest...continued away further along the Aspen Row...then across the Meadow...scenic clips and pics...to the Scorched Forest....heard Hawk....recorded small bird call I couldn't identify...heard Creeper...crossed Road to Camp 4...clip of Pileated faraway high on Oak...with sound of stirring in tent right behind me!...heard another Pileated...to the Rocky Slope...and looked carefully for acorns...throughout the day along the Slopes where the Live Oaks grow, I looked for acorns...have already noted the Black Oaks haven't any...and now note, the Live Oaks dont either!....talked later with Shuttle driver about this, and they related that their Pecan Tree has good and bad nut years...so I guess nut trees some years dont have nuts!!...nuts!!...a concern now for the Deer and Squirrels and Bears and everything!....acorns a big part of many critter diets...to say the least, the Acorn Woodpeckers!...anyway, back to Rocky Slope..continued to Lower Falls. and around back to the Cabin...dropped off the gear, and went to Breakfast, and back to the Cabin, and back to Sleep!...for four hours!!!....plan was to walk the same route, more or less, that I did last Oct 27, in the afternoon...at 2 pm I opened the Cabin door, and the wind was blowing strong...nuts...I know from experience that the birds are scarce on windy days...but geared up, and out again...back to the Three Dogwoods...losing all their leaves in the wind..and quiet..along the Backyard Dirt Road to the Road at Lower Falls, and across to the Path...little bird, Yellow Rump Warbler I think..clip and pic, at Creek Foot Bridge...at Lower Falls Shuttle Stop...four Ravens soaring above Bobcat Meadow..having great time...clip...(heard a Hawk when I left the Cabin somewhere over in Chapel Meadow)...paddled to the Deer House and back to the Creek...quiet except for the Tiny Birds...Robin calls...sometimes Flicker...to Creek's End, back up Lodgpole Point to Chapel Bridge...along the Merced to the Appletree and Cottonwoods...lots of tiny birds in the Cottonwood tops and in the Fir Tree branches...took pics I have to study...but did get one of Brown Creeper...and Mountain Chickadee I think..at the Woodpecker Tree, one Acorn Woodpecker..clip....out through Artist's Grove to the Road and Post Office and Village..picked up lunch...tuna, kitkat, chips, root beer...(clip of Flicker back by the Library)...at the A Meadow, Three Does and Two Fawns...clip...continued to Sugar Pine Bridge...no Pigeons at Three Arch Bridge like last year...and no Robins in the Dogwood Grove...very very quiet...wind quiet...anyway..found a log to sit on and have lunch at Sugar Pine Bridge...two Ouzels came by chasing and calling...picked up and went along the Path to Backpackers Camp...cut over to the Rocky Slope Trail...to Indian Caves...finally saw Flicker in Dogwoods at the Mirror Lake Path Junction...took Path to Shuttle Stop...and Shuttled all the way back to Last Chance...hopped off with time for Owl Woods walk...really really windy in the Woods...bit hesitant to walk under Trees!!...glimpsed Owl way high, flying off toward Two Top Pine Meadow...taken by the wind as much as flapping!...heard CottonwoodOrAspen...but lost sound when tourists, separated from one another, were calling to one another...think they may have been the same from last night, back to get pics of Owl...not much chance in the wind!...still a bit of light on Half Dome...another alpenglow show...picked up, and back on the Path, happened on Mama Doe and Two Fawns...flash pics...last year it was flash pics of Mama Doe and Fawns in the Little Lower Falls Meadow to finish up!!...but no Bear...no a lot of things...but did see Hawk, Owl and Pileated...which kinda made up for the quietness...didn't take very good pics...too much on the move!...and didn't pause to get close to Hawk, Owl, and Pileated...usually they would have all my attention...Shuttle driver and I agreed that the Fawns in the A Meadows were the ones born in Siberia...and those, and the Last Chance Fawns, may well be the only ones in this end of the Valley...(though I saw a new Mama Doe and Two Fawns the other day...so that would make just six Fawns)....sunny cool blue...some clouds in the morning..and windy all afternoon....not so cold as last year!...didn't need gloves...I didn't sit anywhere hardly at all...except for lunch...and the nap!...for sometime, I'll post up a little map with routes I took on this walk and last year's walk...I think I saw and heard more jets fly over than birds!!...oh...Deer Mousey is bold tonight..after my tv snacks!!...oh!!!...pic up is from Owl this morning...and clip is from a few days back of Pileated....

Red Shoulder Hawk

Pine Cone rolling on the ground under the Cedar when I opened the door this morning...'Chickaree!', I thought, and sure enough Chickaree came around from behind the Cedar to retrieve the Cone....an unusual Cone, as all the Trees nearabout the Cabin are Cedars!....after Breakfast, geared up....Mama Doe and Two Fawns resting in the Backyard...pic and clip...Three Dogwoods quiet...Creek's End quiet...heard Hawk at Ozone Beach, but thought to go back and get the bicycle...when I rode back, Hawk was quiet...and Swinging Bridge closed....and lots of tourists about...so peddled back towards the Cabin.....heard Hawk again back in the Woods...and while peddling along the Dirt Road, Red Shoulder Hawk flew to a perch nearby...took pics while on the bike trying to balance and not drop the tripod from the handlebars...then Hawk flew right towards me, looking to capture something on the ground...pics with new camera...started to reach for the 20x, and Hawk flew off...but very cool sighting!....continued to Lower Falls, and around out to Chapel Bridge, where I heard Blue Jay scolding in the Cottonwoods above Butterfly Flat (and an artist painting!)....searched with binocs....and Hawk, same!, flew up and over to the Deer House Oaks...to the Oaks I went!...pics....some of Hawk in flight....Hawk flew back to Bridge....and I followed...Hawk changed Trees three or four times...finally startled by tourists on the Path, and flew across the Meadow to Flicker Grove...followed on the bike, but lost sight...bicycle is useful going Tree to Tree!....peddled over to the Post Office..and picked up egg salad sandwich, hershy's, and orange juice...and peddled all the way almost to Swinging Bridge...set the bike down off the Path, and found a shady spot by the River to have lunch...Black Phoebe for company...pic and clip...wonderful Fall scenics....picked up and walked the Tree Line...quiet...retrieved the Bike and peddled again to the Village..happened on Tom and Theresa at the Woodpecker Tree...showed off Hawk pics!...parked the bike in the Village and took the Shuttle to Happy Isles...wanted to walk the Pony Path....in the afternoon the sun shines along the Merced hereabout, making for good pics...pics!....hopped on the Shuttle at Mirror Lake stop, and back to the Village...retrieved the Bike and back to Chapel Bridge...long talkabout and pic sharing with friend, related the whole story of the Owls..with the visual aid of the Magnificent Cottonwood!...at Lower Falls, just missed Bear...tourists still had cameras up....left the bike at the Cabin...and checked the Three Dogwoods...three Flickers flew up and away...there's hardly any seeds left....quiet at Creek's End...along the Merced, heard Hawk...hurried along, but then heard hoo hooo...Owl in same place as last night...kept hearing Owl, but with much looking couldn't locate...did locate Mama Doe and Two Fawns....and I could hear CottonwoodAndAspen calling by the Cattails...thought to go thataway, but just then heard another Owl hoo hoooing...set the 20x to record sound, I was hearing all four Owls!!!....Sentinel and Ponderosa were hoo hooing, one low, one high...and CottonwoodAndAspen were making the scrreech screeech calls...this is very cool...as this is how I first heard the Owls back in the Fall of 2007...then there was only one screeching...only one young Owl....and the two Parent Owl hoo hoos...anyway...two tourists came out of the Woods...'are those owls?'...I dont think they ever saw them, but they sat through the chorus....I was luckier...CottonwoodOrAspen perched and I was able to get clip up....and then CottonwoodOrAspen swooped in right overhead and perched...clip and pics for sometime...a very cool flight pic!...never did get to see mama and papa Owl....lost a lot of time with digi...rubber bands all out of alignment!...need to work some more on the contraption....anyway, a fine day with talkabouts, and Hawk and Owls!!...sunny warm blue...few clouds early on...there's another Valley Xmas bird walk count in the works, info courtesy of Theresa...which reminds me that tomorrow is transit day...today took a lot out of me, hope I can make it out at Dawn and do another transit like last Fall!

Link to Xmas Bird Count, CBC, info:
http://mariposa.yosemite.net/audubon/cbc.html

Half Moon

After Breakfast, checked the Three Dogwoods...quiet...and most of the seeds gone...leaves falling fast too!...paddled back to Creek's End....stirred up Kingfisher again...as Kingfisher was there yesterday....a very skittish bird!...and when I got to the little beach at Heron Point, Kingfisher was perched in the Alders, but I didn't see!, until Kingfisher flew off towards Chapel Bridge....continued downstream to Half Stump...found a nice log to sit awhile and listen...and heard Hawk across the River in Chapel Meadow...had the sandals with, and put them on for the wade across....but quiet out in the Meadow...sat awhile there at Four Things Log...pics...oh...Bug pic and clip back at Half Stump...for sometime!...neat Bug....at Four Things, time to go to work, but heard Hawk way over in Two Top Pine Meadow...so took that route...but quiet when I got there too....sunny warm blue....slight breeze...Flicker at the Cattail Pond..pic...was checking for Owl....anyway, at lunch, across the Road looking over the Rooms' rooftops at Sentinel, I saw the Moon...raised the camera for pics...and when I turned around, two or three tourists had decided to do the same!!....continued out into the Woods...and at the Diversion Channel, could hear one Owl's soft hoo hoo, and another Owl's screeech call....hoo hoo hoooo was closer, and I sorta knew which Cottonwood to check...and located Owl near the ground on a Ponderosa snag branch....was just trying to get a pic through the branches...inching forward, up and down, somtimes on my knees, and when reaching full profile view, Half Dome, lit up with the alpenglow, came into view as background....there were some real potentially knockdown pics to be taken!..did the best I could...and Owl flew off...have some of the flight, but my angle was wrong..well..the best I could...it is very hard when an opportunity for an unusual pic like this happens!....can always make a painting!!...Owl, wings out, in dark silhouette, flying towards orange Half Dome...appropriate for Halloween!...on the way back another photog was taking pic of Half Moon over Sentinel...so I took one too...there's about a half hour between the two pics!!...oh...long distance pic of Owl that was screeching...which would be CottonwoodOrAspen...in fact, I may have been hearing both of them...but no time.....oh!...saw Mama Doe and Two Fawns in the backyard in the morning walk... and behind the Rooms at the end of the lunch walk...clips and pics...tomorrow will have to find some more Deer....

Owl And Maple Leaf

After Breakfast, geared up and went back to the Three Dogwoods, set up the tripod, low...and sat on the old paint bucket, and waitedwaited....had the digi with too...but better with the 2ox....they were there...the Robins and Flickers...even a Downy Woodpecker over in the Broadleaf Maple...clip...but every time I'd get close to getting a clip...the Robins and Flickers would fly off!...first disturbance, Two Fawns came pronging out of the Forest right in front of me...Mama Doe just behind...all looking back...and I looked where they were looking...tourists walking their dog!..hmmph...and of course the birds were startled away...I waitedwaited for them to come back...when they did, something else, I dont know what, startled them...hadn't realize the backyard is a kinda thoroughfare!...anyway, did get one short clip up I like....picked up, and with time remaining, made a loop through the Woods....heard Hawk away across the Merced again...much the same place as yesterday...went to the shore, listened, and thought, 'one more call, and I'm wading again'...but there were no more calls...just more tourists walking the opposite shore...sunny warm with odd looking hazy clouds...pic....at lunch, went to the Log with a coffee and sat...before long I heard Owl...and thought to go looksee...Mama Doe and Two Fawns were at the Brier Patch again... tried for pics of all three together...all looking my way, I should add...and meanwhile, I kept hearing Owl....picked up, and walked towards Owl's call...though Owl wasn't calling anymore!....disappointed, and time, I started up the return use trail, and Owl swooped into the Broad Leaf Maple snag just above...very cool...wish I had time to stay...Owl flying off from the snag a wished for pic!!,..but got some good dramatic light pics....

Red Shoulder Hawks

Well, I got up fairly early, determined to have French Toast for Breakfast...afterward, was really sleepy, but back at the Cabin heard Hawk...geared up with the new camera and binocs.... Hawk was somewhere near again the Cattails....hurried, even ran a bit...the call loud....but once there Hawks' call was distant...'across the River', I thought....and I could hear two Hawks!...calling one to another it seemed...once at Ozone Beach, and looking across, I could see two Hawks...and even heard what might be a third...I went upstream to one...first pic up...and Hawk flew off towards Half Stump...and thereabout was surprised to see what I thought was the third Hawk...it was Blue Jay!...doing a perfect imitation!...I didn't have the sound recording 20x with...hmmph...I went back to the other Hawk, which was across the bend in the River...and far away...so I just waded in with boots and pants getting wet to get closer....was able to get sorta close...and glad to get pics of Hawk taking off from the Tree....the second pic up...worth the wet boots and pants!....I could still hear Blue Jay...and went back thataway...and in the Tree line by the Boardwalks, took Blue Jay's pic...but blurry...I was really impressed how Blue Jay could made such a real Hawk call!.....paddled through Chapel Meadow to opposite Creek's End...and waded across the River...shortcut back to the Cabin to change....threw clothes in the laundry, and took a shower to warm up...and was ready for a nap...but heard Hawk again...out in Owl Woods again....followed, and at Ozone Beach located Hawk in a tall Ponderosa...see clip...but when I got close some tourists came by and spooked Hawk...again there were two calls, and I followed the second more distant one...all the way around across Swinging Bridge and to the Ayer's View of the Falls....found Hawk and took faraway pic and clip...was setting up the digi, and Hawk flew off...wish I'd let the 20x run...would have gotten clip of Hawk flying with Falls in background!....continued again the same route as earlier through Chapel Meadow, but this time all the way to Chapel Bridge...and through Bobcat Meadow...heard Hawk once more at Sentinel Bridge...but that was last time...contnued to the Post Office...inks came...and all the little attachments for the waterproof camera...now I've got like seven of the little gizmos that snap into the four mounting holes...spent a lot time fiddling to see how they might help attach it to the scope...right now I have half a dozen rubber bands holding things together...pic of the contraption tomorrow!....a long morning of Tree to Tree with the Hawks..and Blue Jay!...sunny warm blue....saw a new Mama Doe with Two Fawns by Path behind the Rooms...Fawns kinda scrawny, and still have spots..pic and clip..saw the local Mama Doe and Two Fawns by the Brier Patch by the Cattails on the lunch walk..pic and clip....and saw CottonwoodOrAspen...and heard AspenOrCottonwood....Owl swooped in right over head...and clip of Owl flying off...dim and handheld...but always cool to get clip of Owl...especially Owl flying...oh, I'm tuckered out!...but tomorrow want to get out for more Tree to Tree...the Red Shoulders are maybe in mating season..the reason for all the calls...meanwhile, the Flickers and Robins are showing up on the Three Dogwoods...I better take both tripods tomorrow!!

Pileated And Flicker

Couldn't post up last night...posted clip and pic this morning....Pileated Woodpecker was right out back...heard call on way to Breakfast, and got diverted...then while doing clip, heard Hawk, and diverted all the way over to Owl Woods...but Hawk flew off else ware...had Breakfast, then back to the Cabin to set up the digi, which I had wished I had doing the clip of Pileated...spent awhile at the Three Dogwoods, and then heard Pileated kind of over where I had heard Hawk earlier...I'm getting pretty good at judging where calls are!...Pileated was on a Ponderosa by the Cattail Pond Tiki Temple...and I got a neat clip, and would have posted it up instead, but to see Pileated and Flicker so close together is a rare thing!...the other clip for sometime....it was sunny warm blue...quiet at the lunch sit...report of 'big' Bear, as in having a very round and full tummy, over in Siberia....

Owl

Pics and clip from yesterday....slept in, so not much time for walk...checked the Three Dogwoods...quiet...went back to the Creek and sat awhile at the RipRap...two Grey Squirrels and a Chickaree....heard Flicker...and Robins and Raven and..it's really quiet!....sunny warm blue...maybe there were a few clouds..and light breeze...lunch sit was quiet too...two calls from Owls...CricketCricket...Downy or Hairy Woodpecker call...Robins overhead...oh...saw Two Fawns earlier at the Cement Block Clearing...clip and pics...one Grey Squirrel ran across the Twin Fallen Cedars...the other stretched out on the Gravel and took a drink from the Creek..clip....Chickaree had cheeks full of grasses for its Nest....

Owl Woods

After Breakfast, I sat on the bunk awhile trying to figure out some more how to attach the waterproof camera to the spotting scope...I have one of those little gorilla pods...flexible legged mini tripods...and that almost works, wrapping the legs around the scope behind the eyepiece...but there wasn't quite enough reach...so close!...tried rubber bands with it too...and a small camera attachment of some sort...I have things in the junk drawer I dont know from what!...and that almost worked, together with the gorilla pod and the bands...all together it was beginning to look like a fine chindogu...then I tried a narrow mounting plate that came with the little flash for the 12x....a metal strip with a slot, and two knurled knobs with threaded bolts...one that can slide in the middle slot...it's just four inches long or so...I put the camera on it...and used the second knob as a spacer under the eyepiece...cinched it all up with a couple rubber bands...and that worked!.....so pleased that I immediately walked out to the Three Dogwoods...but no birds about...then out to Creek's End..quiet..all I had was the scope and tripod...and anxious to find a critter to sight it all on...and finally in Owl Woods happened on Mama Doe and Two Fawns....and after they finally settled down in the grasses, was able to try the new rig, and it works!...clips for sometime....very pleased, I went back and got all the gear, and with like three hours of daylight, paddled out on the big inside loop...at the Tiki Temple, clip of Ground Squirrel on top of cement pipes....for sometime....through Owl Woods to Swinging Bridge...pics of Mama and Fawns still resting..and one more Doe...wanted to go across Swinging Bridge and look for Hawk in the Chapel Meadow Tree Line...the lighting there now is so terrific!...but now they're working on that Bridge...and have it liked sealed off...diverted..and miffed!...I walked out into Two Top Meadow...to the Broken Cottonwood..neat clip of Flicker..for sometime...diverted by tourists, and wanting to cross the River, I took the boots and socks off...rolled pants up to my knees...but Merced is deeper now than that...and didn't want wet pants...hmmph...I really wanted to look for Hawk...but settled for going back to Owl Woods...two Ouzels chasing one another came by while I was at the shore...and Kingfisher called like right in my ear while putting my socks back on, but gone when I looked up....in the Woods, I got diverted here and there by tourists walking through...and then heard Hawk across the River in Chapel Meadow...went to the shore at Half Stump...and looked longingly across...evenings off this time of year are precious...and one place I like to spend them is in Chapel Meadow with the evening sunlight!...anyway...Owl time approached, and I went into the Woods and sat awhile and listenedlistened...heard Blue Jays scolding at Creek's End...and located them across from the Three Cedars hopping about a Cottonwood's top...Blue Jays sure looked like they had Owl in sight...but no luck...until I turned around, and glimpsed Owl across the little Meadow there...where the Bears played!...Owl was posed in a Ponderosa...got knockdown clip with the digi...for sometime....light was fading, so put the 20x on the tripod...got the beginning of the clip up, Owl flying off...at that point, I thought I'd seen as much of Owl I was going to see...though I could hear CottonwoodAndAspen calling deeper in the Woods...Sentinel, I believe, the Owl I'd seen....so I walked over to Creek's End where Kingfisher, that I'd been hearing, teased my by fling by!...a memory clip!...anyway, I thought to make a try to find CottonwoodAndAspen from their calls, and back at the little Meadow, I sighted Sentinel again, back perched on the Ponderosa...I was a minute or so into taking this part of the clip with the 20x, when I realized Sentinel was eating....Owl caught something on that foray from the Ponderosa....the clip fades in and out because the camera's auto exposure and focus is trying to keep sharp, but cant in the dim light...this often happens, but this time it's almost like it's animated by Owl...which makes for a neat clip, I'd say...though kinda long...as this account!....I did locate AspenOrCottonwood, and got one last very dim clip of the evening, mostly notable for Owl's call...for sometime....picked up and dropped off the tripod at the Cabin...still loaded down with the gear, I went to dinner at Last Chance...were there was a gathering of the bloggers!...and pleasant conversation....sunny warm blue...and a fine long afternoon, inspite of the diversions!!...will post pic of the rig for the digi...bit pleased with that too!!...report of Coyote eating...'just the back legs showing'...of an unfortunate
Ground Squirrel....scenics were everywhere today...just three posted up...

Link of the Day
I read about this site in Audobon Magazine...
http://birdingbabylon.blogspot.com/

Chapel Maple

Shuttled over to the Village...walked back through Bobcat Meadow....and over Sentinel Bridge and along the Road to the Chapel Maple...pics....continued over Chapel Bridge to the Deer House Oaks...sky clouded over and some sprinkles....quiet.....snoozed some at the Cabin...woke up and began fiddling with the waterproof trying to attach it to the scope...wrap will work...but a couple rubber bands comes very close to working very well...but not quite!....I can spend a lot of time exasperating myself over things like this...put it all aside and went out to the Creek for the evening walk...Mama Doe and Two Fawns in the Channel...clip...further on, heard Owl...hooo hoo...Indian walked amongst the Trees..and finally stood still in one place and waitedwaited...Owl lifted up from a Cottonwood...right where I had looked with the Binocs!...and flew by....went Tree to Tree a bit following Owls' calls....but it gets dark in a hurry...Ouzel at Creek's End...report of Bobcat at Church Bowl...tried to get the printer up and running...it just uses so much ink!...and just quits when one well is empty...exasperating!!!....oh!...Bandtail Pigeons overhead at Creek's End...

Forest Hawk

Sat awhile in the Backyard, waiting for Flickers to come to the Three Dogwoods...one did, and several Robins, but too hidden in the branches for pics...paddled back to the Creek...stirred up Mallard at Creek's End..and Mallard stirred up Kingfisher!...missed pic!...went to Owl Log and stood awhile...no where to sit!...clip of the full Creek and River...heard Hawk up by Chapel Bridge...too much water in the Creek to cross...without getting very wet....waited a bit, then picked up and started back to the Woods in the Diversion Channel...and heard Hawk again...went back to the Log and stood awhile longer...skygazing...work time soon, so went back to the Woods to circle to the Cabin...checking for Owl in Owl's favorite Trees!...and at the very last of the Woods...by the Cattails, I saw a Big Wing perched...and thought, 'That's Owls favorite perch, but that's not Owl!'...thought to look with the binocs, but set the camera up, and used the view finder to looksee...and it was Hawk, Red Tail... Zeke!...very cool...and wonderful pose...but too far away!...pics and clip....much enhanced in photo elements...Sun was high and bright behind Hawk, and Hawk was in deep shade...an impossible lighting!...sunny warm blue...later on some clouds came in...made things too dark for lunch walk...missed Rainbow over Half Dome though..had thought to get the obligatory pic of the Chapel Maple at lunch...which would have taken me to good view of Half Dome...must remember that light rains in evening are Rainbow times!!

Owls Preening

Clips are mostly mementos of the day...this to say they're a bit blurry or dim or one cant even see the Hawk in the one!...I can...as I can put them together with memory...anyway....after Breakfast, made a futile Shuttle trip to the Village...cashier lines...2!!...way too long...have in mind to use saran wrap to attach the waterproof to the scope for digiscopeing...I can see it work in my imagination...but will have to experiment!...when I can buy some wrap!....anyway...back at the Cabin!...Mama Doe and Two Fawns were browsing right next door...clip....went to the Three Dogwoods out back to check for birds feeding on the seeds...just one Robin..clip...and only one of the Trees has a full crop of seeds...keep my fingers crossed that things align and I can get some pics like last Fall...paddled back to the Creek..tourists about...and diverted through the Woods and back to the Cabin early...stretched out on the bunk and napped a bit before work...the Village trip miss aligned everything!...sunny warm and blue...and the Fall colors showing off....at lunch, heard Hawk calling loud from the Woods just outside Last Chance's door!...hurried across the Road and took too much time trying to find a quiet route to get to Hawk's location...lots of high grass and fallen trees and things to negotiate in the Woods!...and I wanted not to spill my coffee...found myself in a low spot, and glimpsed Hawk move from one Tree to another...made clip of call...tried to approach, but Hawk picked up and flew high, angling towards me and to a tall snag to perch...that' s in the clip!...but I cant resolve Hawk on top of the snag....so dont know which Hawk...call sounds a bit Falconish!...tried to follow...but not enough time, and with what time left, thought to just sit...still had the coffee...no sooner than I sat, then I heard Owl call...did get a couple sips of coffee...but picked up and located Owl...clip...likely CottonwoodOrAspen...and was calling to likely AspenOrCottonwood....which I located in a tall Oak....both were preening...I think Mama Doe and Two Fawns were below the Oak...did see one Fawn...clip...report of Bear at Lower Falls from tourist on the Shuttle...'lots of video'...bit envious of that...haven't seen Bear in awhile...except in the Dark the other night...heard Bear then very close in the bushes!!

Two Fawns

Woke up too late for Breakfast...grabbed a left over chocolate croissant, and gator aid, and Shuttled over to the Post Office....poster print of Owl came...but too dark....talkabout with returning High Camp friend took up walkabout time, so Shuttled back to the Cabin and to work...did see Chicaree out back....sunny warm blue....came across one Fawn on the way to the Lunch Sit Log...asked tourists on the Rooms' balcony where the second was...'thataway'..the way I'd just came...took just clip of the one Fawn, and sat awhile at the Log...Bluejays were scolding Owl somewhere off in the Woods...didn't pursue...clip had used time...car alarm kept going off, marring an otherwise pleasant lunch...picked up, and turned around to see Mama Doe, now with Two Fawns...clips...and car alarm went off again!...the Cabin's next to the parking lots, and the alarms are always going off day and night...anyway...report of Owl over by the A. Rooms...and I found some good John Burroughs quotes...been reading 'The Art of Seeing Things' 'Essays by John Burroughs' Edited by Charlotte Zoe Walker....lemessee if passages are online..brb...well...I found it in the middle of an eclectic blog worth a looksee in itself!...but here's the one of the quotes I liked:

quote

A man must invest himself near at hand and in common things, and be content with a steady and moderate return, if he would know the blessedness of a cheerful heart and the sweetness of a walk over the round earth. This is a lesson the American has yet to learn, — capability of amusement on a low key. He expects rapid and extraordinary returns. He would make the very elemental laws pay usury. He has nothing to invest in a walk; it is too slow, too cheap. We crave the astonishing, the exciting, the far away, and do not know the highways of the gods when we see them, — always a sign of the decay of the faith and simplicity of man.

John Burroughs, The Exhilaration of the Road

unquote

link to the blog it's posted up in:

link

http://laudatortemporisacti.blogspot.com/2008_03_01_archive.html

Thursday, March 13, 2008
The Highways of the Gods
John Burroughs, The Exhilaration of the Road:

end link

here's the other passage I liked:

quote

Indeed, a race that neglects or despises this primitive gift, that fears the touch of the soil, that has no footpaths, no community of ownership in the land which they imply, that warns off the walker as a trespasser, that knows no way but the highway, the carriage-way, that forgets the stile, the foot-bridge, that even ignores the rights of the pedestrian in the public road, providing no escape for him but in the ditch or up the bank, is in a fair way to far more serious degeneracy.

unquote

the first was for 'near at hand and the commonest things', and the second for 'no community of ownership'

I can take to a phrase like Owl preening a feather....

Sentinel Sunset

After Breakfast, Shuttled over to the Post Office...oh...before the Shuttle, paddled back to the Creek... Creek during the rain must have been fast and furious...high water just long enough to leave a lot of debris on the banks...and to float away the Great Turf Log!...which was a great sit awhile log...took some pics...circled back to the Rooms through the Woods...and then caught the Shuttle!...hopped off on way back at Lower Falls...explored a bit in the Delta...debris swirled around thereabout too...very nice to hear again the Creek flowing in the Delta...the Falls have already gone down a lot...pics....to the Cabin and to work....sunny warm blueblue......at the lunch walk, the sun on Sentinel was knockdown, and walked out aways to gain vantage point...pics...and while taking pics, heard Owl...and sighted Owl up in the Tall Cottonwood...pic...very cool that Owl, Sentinel, is pretty much looking upon the same scene as in the pic up....the lunch walks now are in good alignment with sunset.... in awhile, to stay aligned, I'll need to be taking lunch around four thirty!..last week...cant remember what day!...saw the Violet Green Swallows soaring over the Deer House and above the Path....been meaning to post that up...the noise in the clip...and in several others of late...is a bangity fan on the roof of Last Chance...dont know but a survey of noise making things in the Valley might be in order!....it can be so quiet, and is at night...but during the day it can be pretty noisy...

Falls After Rain

Shuttled over to the Post Office...and walked back through the Oak Grove...just to sort of bask in the Falls roar!...but didn't have camera along...had thought I had time for a short walk, but at the Cabin, discovered the little battery powered clock I depend on has slowed....needs new battery I suppose...fortunately, I glanced down at the gear watch, and realized I only had a few minutes to work...so...so missed taking pics on a gorgeous afternoon!...did get some sleep....at lunch, went to the Cabin, got the tripod and took the little Falls clip up....light almost gone....it is now just a great and unique time to take pics of Yosemite Falls....tomorrow the sky will be blueblue, and the Fall colors will be in the Trees....usually in mid October, the Falls are gone, but there was so much rain, that the Falls should be strong for a few days.....tomorrow I'll be out myself early....promisepromise myself!...actually, what happened, I went to sleep early last night, thinking to make an early walk...but woke up and couldn't sleep...then when I finally did fall asleep, after the talk shows, my usual time!, I was really sleepy!....anywayanyway, sunny warm blue with a few clouds of different sorts going through....one hanging about Half Dome at sunset....back at Creek's End, three Mallards...two females, one male, and Ouzel....I may have missed the little birds too!...hmmph...report of Bear by the Giant Tiki Cans...over in the Scorched Forest....and the Merced in the Canyon is bank to bank....hereabout, water was high enough to flood the Diversion Channel...has already dropped from that high mark by several feet...as the Channel dry with just puddles now...oh!...Mama Doe and Two Fawns right by the Rooms after Breakfast, and the Bear reporter reported them by Ozone Beach in the afternoon...

Hawk And Rain

Shuttled over to the Post Office...and back as far as Lower Falls...hopped off and over to the Deer House, across the Creek, and to the Cabin....pic of Mama Doe and Two Fawns....and it was Raining a bit the whole time....wasn't sure what to do?...paddle out, or spend the afternoon in the Cabin...Bones was on TV...but repeats...so got out the rain gear, and paddled out!...Ouzel and Mallard back by Creek's End...had the 20x with, and the waterproof for the scope, also waterproof....pics with the waterproof....made a slow tour of the Woods, and came out at the Small Fallen Cedar at the Merced....and in some bare tree branches across the River, saw what looked to be Big Wings perched....set up the scope for looksee...and Hawk was in sight!...very cool, and very reminiscent of last Fall's Rainy Day Hawk...almost same tree!.....looks to be the young Red Shoulder Hawk...Martin...but the white on Hawk's head is a bit of a mystery....first clips were with scope eyepiece at it's low setting...I rarely use the higher ones....too tough to sight things...and the light dims...but after moving the tripod...and setting all up again...in a place where I could see Hawk's head without branch in the way....I took the second clips with the eyepiece at high...and was quite pleased!...Hawk was far away!....wanted to take stills, but Hawk flew off just when I took the pic of the digi with the 20x....happy to be out on a walkabout, so I kept walking!..out to Two Top Pine Meadow....quiet...but scenic!...oh...while taking Hawk clips, a boulder came tumbling down Sentinel...nearyby tourist saw it, and related their experience of the Siberia rockfall....and expressed a preference for the Rooms, which are well away from the Rims!.....lots of Juncos about...even with the Rain coming down...Rain fall heavy towards dusk...and Falls falling....Creek up a little bit....cloudy rainy cool...need new rainpants and winter boots need repellant on the boots, snoseal or something....they have rubber toes with leather uppers...and I think the waterpoofing in the leather has given out...the rainpants are just worn out...though the laundry didn't help!....Mama Doe and Two Fawns were near while I was taking pics of Hawk...earlier, lot of Robins in the Backyard Dogwoods...Rain today much like the Rain on the Rainy Day Hawk post up...which was November 1.....

Sentinel Buck

Clip from, and for!, yesterday, pic from a short walk this evening that hardly made it out to the Backyard...Buck was on Dirt Road...leg's getting better, but last two days have been 'down' days, and maybe tomorrow too, if RainRains as much as the weather reports.....would have liked to have paddled about today, as the light was subdued with clouds coming in, and the leaves beginning to turn, and tomorrow the leaves may all get knocked off by the Rain!...but Rain is always welcome, and Rainy days good walkabout days...cloudy sunny warm with wind...report of Big Wings out in Two Top Pine Meadow midday...Owl swooped low over reporter and perched nearby in the Scorched Forest, I believe....first time sighting of Owl for reporter, who, I think, was very pleased to regale me with an Owl report, after hearing so many of mine!!

Young Sentinel Buck

Didn't get out for a morning walk...hurt my leg...tying my shoes, I think...stretched the tendons too much!....been hobbling about, but got through work, and out to the Lunch Sit Log....Young Buck was there with small thin antlers...pics and clips....Buck was pretty much just a few feet from me the whole sit....sunny warm blue...will add clip and pic tomorrow!...

Ouzel Rings

Power outage last night...so no post up....report Ring Tail Cat got into the electrics down aways in the Merced Canyon...Ouzel and White Headed Woodpecker clip is from yesterday's walk....heard Hawk...walk was just out to the Creek and Merced Riverbank...sits and a stretchout...very nice afternoon....keep trying for the little birds...but most pics blurry...some Owl pics and clip at yesterday's lunch walk (heard Hawk too)....and these were to be posted up, but ones up are from this evening's lunch walk...Owls were closer!!....Owl on Ponderoda Branch is CottonwoodOrAspen, I think!, and sighted by following call...Owl on Snag is Sentinel...walked right under on way back to work...and lucky to look up!...took five or six knockdown pics...when I get this close to Owl it's by accident....sunny hot blue, both days, with breeze....very dark walking back to the Cabin after work last night!....oh!...some sightings I skipped during last weeks...and shouldn't have!....a flight of Cranes above 395...would have really liked to have pic...the Elk thereabout in the Pastures....a lizard in the desert road....one Hawk call today too....Bobcat report...(was asked if there are Lynx hereabout)...Kingfisher's call yeseterday at lunch....Bear report, near in Village....trying to remember what else...as they come to mind!!