Was slow getting going this morning, but heard Pileated Woodpecker in the Backyard, which hurried me along...geared up, but too late, Pileated off to somewhere....did get a pic of One Fawn by the Cabin after Breakfast....thought to go out to Two Top Pine Meadow and just sit awhile...on the Bike Path, heard Hawk from the Meadow, and hurried along....at the Meadow, like on cue, sighted Hawk flying to perch in the Tall Ponderosa near Swinging Bridge....paddled out toward the Lone Cottonwood to get an angle...but never could find Hawk in the Branches...I circled the whole Tree, which took awhile Snow Slogging...Raven did fly out, and watched my progress from the Cottonwood near the Broken Cottonwood, where I ended up to sit and rest awhile....could hear another Hawk over at the South Wall...and third Hawk over at the North Wall...but too distant...glimpsed fourth Hawk flying in from Half Dome's direction...Hawk flies slow...and I had time to sight the new camera....took two pics of Hawk against the overcast Sky, and then realized Hawk would be flying along the Falls Wall, and I would lose sight...so just tracked along the Wall where I thought Hawk would be, and held the shutter down for continuous shooting...and was delighted in reviewing to see I had a whole sequence of Hawk flying along the Wall, and at last, reaching the Falls...very cool...see clip...picked up after sitting for some more, and crossed Swinging Bridge..oh!...digi clip of the two DownyOrHairy Woodpeckers in the Lone Cottonwood, which they must call home....along the Path beside the Road towards the Chapel at the 25 Speed Limit sign, I heard yesterday's Hawk calling in the the same Pines by the Chapel....I hurried along!...Hawk fell silent awhile, and then I heard Hawk in the Cedars behind me...these are the Cedars that on the trunk's West side at the top are shorn of Branches...not sure why...maybe prevalent wind, like Monterey Cedars...anyway, I backtracked and crossed under the Cedar Hawk was in, Hawk calling, and was able to sight Hawk after a longlook...I had the Sun at my back, and had hopes of a digi pic, but took first a new camera pic, and just as I clicked the shutter, Hawk took off...I guessed on tracking, and held the shutter down for continues shootings...and was delighted on review that I had a sequence of the Young Red Shoulder Hawk in flight...blurry...but, very cool...Hawk flew again over to the Cottonwood Tree Line by CAD Beach, but I lost sight...paddled out along the Cottonwood Grove, stepping in my footsteps from yesterday to Chapel Bridge.....quiet...and quiet in Bobcat Meadow...and sighted Hawk flying from the Meadow to Artist's Grove...couldn't locate...and continued to the Post Office....Shuttled Back to Last Chance...late lunch....and out through Owl Woods to Creek's End in last light...Mallard Flotilla doing bottoms ups in the Merced...like seven females and three males...haven't checked pics and clip yet...sat at Owl Log...kitkat snack...two Mallards, like last evening, flew overhead downstream...heard Flicker over in Chapel Meadow...Ouzel flew by going upstream...and at very last light, a real surprise, Hawk flying low across over the River, overhead, and into Owl Woods...way too dark to sight...tried...and the effort took me on the Path to the Backyard....ended daylight looking into the Dark Pines....overcast, clouds, sun glowing in the overcast, sometimes casting shadow, and warm, winter warm...warm enough to carry the tripod without gloves on the bare metal...another report of Ring Tail Cat at the Train Wreck...and...brb...well, I thought the story might be up somewhere on web...over at the A Rooms this time of year, there's a kinda medieval feast and party to celebrate the holidays, with singing and storytelling, and behind the performers there is a large wreath, decorated with ornaments and lights and such, and in the opening performance, Ring Tail Cat appeared in the wreath, taking a curious interest in the ornaments, and proceedings!...very cool...
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