Pinnacles

After Breakfast, I packed all the gear, loaded Silver, checked out, and rolled off to Borders Bookstore I saw last evening...thought to get guidebook, and mocha, and afterwards a visit to Town to sightsee, but I got lost finding the Bookstore, and when I did find it, spent some time browsing, and after getting gas for Silver, the time window was narrowing, so I rolled off towards the Day's Destination, Pinnacles National Monument...sightseeing for another time...nat geo guide book for California I bought will help!....the Pinnacles has a Road that goes to the East Side, and one to the West, and they dont connect...which kinda crimped my notion of crossing thereabout to the Central Valley...but anyway, I hiked up the Juniper Trail...1.8 miles...with hopes of seeing Condor...climbers at the parking lot reported where they see Condors, and climbers were the authors of book about climbing routes at the Pinnacles, which they proudly showed me!, and they live near the Valley...neighbors!...at the start of the hike, I heard, than glimpsed, California Quail...tried for pics, but Quail hid in the Elfin Forest...continued on the Trail, and it was quietquiet...Park is far from any busy Roads and Town sounds too...but it was quietquietquiet for Birds...Flicker call across a Canyon, Blue Jay, call and glimpse, Raven call..glimpse of Turkey Vulture when I first stepped out of Silver, glimpse of Juncos, and Warbler, and Little Birds in the Elfin Forest....if I knew calls better, I could maybe id....at the Peaks, I sat on the View Bench awhile, a bit disconsolate, picked up, and when I paddled down and reached the Parking Lot, I took a gator aid over to the Picnic Benches, sat, and thought, 'I can't leave until I take a Bird pic.'....a daunting project, as I was really tired, and the sky was darkening, and wind picking up....but I heard Quail again, and was quick enough for a glimpse pic...and with some cautious effort, flushed a Pair of Quail to fly up and perch on a Snag...hard to see pic up...'I can leave!', I thought, and going back to Silver, heard, and then saw, Two Mountain Blue Birds...pic...and More Bluebirds, and then more Little Birds...a Mixed Flock was swooping through, checking out the Picnic Bench Area....and I got pics of Oak Titmouse, and White Breasted Nuthatch...New Birds!...very cool...Scrub Jay pic too...on the long ride back to the Valley, Rain held off until I reached MidPines, and then only sprinkles...more on the way, weather report says, and a lot on Sunday...got back late, and sleepy...I have more to report on the Pinnacles...though I didn't see Condors, I did see where Condors perch, and it's of interest!...for sometime...oh!...Quail are a New Bird too!...and web has it, enough Snow, and Badger Pass is opening early tomorrow...I think just for the weekend...but, BadgerBadger!!