Junco

Went for a short walkabout...lots of Blue Jays about...while trying to take their pic this Junco landed in the tree..and I got fuzzy pic...which is best to date...the little birds are really tough to get pics of...they're always moving in and out of the branches....cloudy awhile but cleared...lots of the Creek ponds are frozen...heard Hawk over in Chapel Meadow...no Deer about...the pink shoe keeps showing up...so I finally gathered it up and took it home...also saw an odd clump of hair on the use path...on reflection I realize it must be from a Grey Squirrel tail...if still there tomorrow I'll gather it up to make a little brush!.

Green Grass Deer

Walkedabout pretty much all day...talked with friends...heard their critter stories...this pic from the twilight walk...saw two ducks...a pair...fuzzy photo of the female...twice nearly got bowled over by Does in full gallop with a Buck in pursuit...both when I least expected it...walking on paths beside the roads...found three other groups of Does with their Buck...clip of Does bouncing...one I've been trying to get!!...pic is Young Deer on Merced bank where the control burn was...the green grass that came up is providing for the Deer...clear cool and pleasant all day!,,,one story was of Bobcat mom with baby Bobcat...other Bobcat sightings too...hope to get pics and clips!...saw Hawk briefly in the evening...no Owl.

Frost

Walkedabout before lunch...got pics of frost on leaves...a plein air artist!...little clip of Coyote....on the twilight walk got a good clip of Ouzel...almost visible walking on a Merced pond bottom...really nice postcard pic of Half Dome...finally found the Deer...in their usual place by the Deer House...not all of them...and two Young Bucks I hadn't seen...the Buck with Broken Antleer was with them...and one Doe looks to be pregnant...clear, blue and cold...cold enough to wear the thin gloves.

Frozen Ground

Went for the walkabout after early breakfast...wanted to see the frozen puddles on Bobcat Lane...then heard the Hawk and was off...and when paddling over the Diversion Channel I noticed the ground was nice and hard to walk on...usually it is a slog in loose gravel and sand...crossed over and found the Deer near the Bridge Road...which they crossed and I followed...and on the other side...almost another Creek it is so different because of erosion and fallen trees...I was taking a kinda neat clip of them walking up above me on the bank...I had gone down in the Creek bed in the hopes of seeing them walk through Creek Bridge...which would have been great clip....as it is I heard footsteps in the leaves and panned over and included in the clip the Buck with all it's antleers still...and as I followed his progress..and ahead to the Does who did some leaping over a gap...too bad resolution is so low when they move...focus doesn't keep up either...but still a neat clip....I counted nine or ten does...but didn't see the Broken Antleer Buck, or the Young Buck....off tomorrow so will see if I can find them all again...Hawk too...who was calling all over the Creek Woods. And Owl...

Clear and cold in the morning...I guess the Creek wont really rise until Spring!...but it is up a tiny bit.

Bucks and Hawk

Morning was kinda hectic what with a plumbing problem and making an itunes download for a friend and with just fifteen minutes for the walkabout I went to the Creek and right away saw the Young Buck resting...set up the camera and took some pics (all blurry as the focus grabbed what was behind him) and then just happened to look to my right...and there was the Broken Antler Buck resting...about six feet away...almost stepped on him!!...and normally I wont try to get anywhere this near the critters...that's what the long lens is for!!..but I took some pics...and from different angles as the background was blocking out badly..but got a couple I can work with in photoshop...and I was happy with these...went back and got dressed for work...and on the walk over I saw a photog next to the tourist dwellings low to the ground with a really long and likely very expensive lens!...and I just said, "Oh, I know what you're doing, leme go home and get my stuff!....and I got back in time to get some pics and clips of young Redtail Hawk...tourist and photogs kept coming by...and I must say I can be a bit like a fussy movie director demanding quiet on the set!!

Clear a bit this morning...got pics of snow up on the rim...a wisp of a Falls now..kinda neat really as it gives scale to the Falls Wall...snowed a little later..nice to look at through the big windows...and coming home tonight the wind kicked up...the Cedar makes the Cabin creek...

Snow Buck

Had breakfast...then caught the bus to the Post Office...walked back with large photo tube under my poncho...the Lodge Hawk pic,,,and it was raining with a little snow...got to Lodgepole Point to see if the Creek had risen..which it hasn't inspite of all night rain...think what is happening is the low spots..the ponds..have to fill up first...there was some water coming over the Lower Falls...went back by way of the Deer House and the Deer were there romping about...three tourists in the midst of them...took clips and pics...somewhat marred I suppose by benches and fire hydrant and cars and roads and tourists...but the Deer seem to be able to block it out...though they all turned their heads and ears towards me when I showed up...a blue apparition in my head to toe poncho!...and while filming them it really did try to snow a bit...the usual Valley snow that melts when it hits the ground...tomorrow morning the Rim should be dusted with Snow...and I'll have to get up early to get pics before it melts.

Another Antlered Buck was in amongst the Does and Fawns...but the one with the broken antlers is in charge...that's him in the pic.

Merced Reflection

This pic from yesterday...when the Merced in many places...like the Creek...was a pond...with Mirror reflections...Mirror Lake has silted up...but along the Merced in Late Fall there are plenty of reflection photo ops...but tomorrow after this evening's rain I imagine this wont be the case...both the Creek and the Merced should be flowing again...have to wait and see at sunrise...there's snow falling higher up...but the Valley is too warm for it...it's a steady rain which has tapered off now...10:00 pm.

I really look forward to the first snowfall.

Oh!...almost forgot...I got to the Creek for a short walkabout...took a little video of raindrops on the water...but drops get on the the camera and it's worrisome...with my old 3x I've taken pics while being drenched by Vernal Falls...but this one doesn't look to be so water resistant...on wet weather days I'm probably goin g to be limited to the 3x.

Ravens were about..Blue Jays too...heard the Flicker...but otherwise everyone was cuddled up warm at home I imagine.