Three Pics

I saw the Broken Antleer Buck towards the end of the walkabout...which was actually a ski about...as the ski wax worked and I made it out to Swinging Bridge and then all the way through Cooper's and the Chapel Meadow to Cook's Meadow...where the pic is from...in the morning I got the pic on a walk to the Post Office of Coyote...another Coyote Hop clip!...and Junco on the ice was at Duck Harbor at the beginning of the skiing in the afternoon...the snow was great...soft and smooth...it's not very often that the Valley has enough good snow to cross country...just a few days during a winter... heard Hawk...and found yellow snow at the corner of the Cabin this morning...Bear payed a visit...tried to follow the tracks...taking clips...but lost them...until at the end of the morning walk when I found them over at Lower Falls stop all about the Tiki Cans...then I found them again at the Lower Falls meadow path...wish I could have found Bear!...blue and cool...with a few late clouds for a sunset over the Cathedrals...guess Bear was telling me whose backyard it really is!!

Postcard Day

Top pic is from yesterday...Zeke on the limbless tree....and the bottom one is Creek's End..I was able to hop across today... I made the long loop...lots of snow for the Valley...I dont know...eight inches I guess...in the morning before it melts it's just gorgeous everywhere... oh...the

Elm on the news with Half Dome in the back...Cook's Meadow...a hop out pic!...quiet weather tomorrow...and I dont know what to plan!!...Badger usually lures me to the slopes and cross country trails...but the snow in the Valley is unique...I'll get some wax on those skis and see how far I get!!...saw Blue Jay hidden in some snowy branches...heard Hawk way over on the snowy Glacier Wall...and the little invisible birds peeping....and Ouzel...got a nice clip of Ouzel in the snow and ice bound dark water.

Creek's End Hawk

Got an early start on the walk...went over to Lower Falls first...to make sure I could believe what I was hearing last night!...made the loop there and came out by Cook's.... and then back across the Upper Creek...which is so different!...to the Rooms and Last Chance for breakfast...using the umbrella and keeping the hood adapter on the 12x works...back at the Cabin I picked up the tripod and went down to the Merced...what can I call this area?...the Tourists' Beach I guess for now...and went along the Merced to Creek's End...there I framed and took three pics...first Lodgepole Point...then across to Half Dome through the trees...then Sentinel...when I took the middle one I thought...wait a minute..there's something there...and it was Hawk!...Zeke I believe...how often I've looked over the Merced through these trees of late at the sun setting on Half Dome wishing for Hawk or Owl to land in those trees!...got some nice clips...and pics too...though too far away for detail...thought to post a few of them...in fact the whole walkabout!...but this still from the video will do...saw Coyote at Lower Falls...and Doe and Fawn...the Chapel Minister shoveling snow from the Chapel steps...lots of postcard pics...another Coyote across the Merced going up Lodgepole Point...earlier at Creek's End the walk was detoured as...I cant get across the Creek!...one log block I tried to step on wobbles...and I gave it up...all the ponds now are joined...at that point I backtracked and went on the big loop over Swinging Bridge...hoped to see Coop....it was on that leg that I got the Chapel pic and the second Coyote...I was getting tired...and was grateful to finally sit on the picnic bench at the Deer House and rest...I was able to cross the Creek behind the Deer House by Duck Harbor...and I took a final clip of the Bridge from the Twin Fallen Trees...a long walk!...three and a half hours!....very few people about...the rain yesterday sent many down the hill...but it was wonderful today...and will be again tomorrow!

Oh...there's a little pond of slush and icy water under Owl Log now...hmmph...dont know where I'm gonna sit...and not being able to cross at Creek's End is going to make a lot of long walkabouts!!

Rain Heron

It was raining this morning...and after breakfast I thought to just curl up back in bed...but I had an hour before getting ready for work...and I haven't missed a touch base at Owl Log since the snow fall...so off I went with umbrella and the 3x...at Owl Log I took a little clip...pan of Creek's end over to Sentinel...and I think Heron was standing right across the Merced...too grainy to see in clip...but when I put the camera away and started to leave Heron flew by and landed by the Carp Pool...the Carp seem content to spend the whole winter there!...so I paddled up Lodgepole Point...sighting Heron through the trees...hoping to get close...finally I had to flop on my stomach in the slushy snow...and got the best I could get with the 3x...this a crop from pic...I might have to get one of the small point and shoots that fit in waterproof cases!...camera was cold or something...things would stop working like the zoom!...but it got something inspight of being soaked...I started to pick up and walk away but one eye was blurry...and after some thought...I had been sighting through raindrops on the view finder and condensation on my glasses...realized I'd lost a lens from my glasses!....so I had to flop in the snow again..and luckily it was there....back at the Cabin the Deer were in the backyard right next to the Bus...it's been raining all day...and now slushy snow.

Oh!...FORGOT TO ADD...THE FALLS ARE BACK...I CAN HEAR THEM!

Incense Cedar

Backing up pics is taking up the time tonight!....so this pic of Coop is from Xmas Eve...took only two pics today...one of little worm tracks in an old cedar limb on the ground and the other just of Creek's End...got to talking on the Bus on way back from Post Office and missed the Creek's stop...skipped shower two days now to get to Owl Log!...smelly cat...smelly cat...anyway...lemego see if I can find what those woodpeckers yesterday were eating...here's a link...all about the Sierra Incense Cedar...

http://www.na.fs.fed.us/pubs/silvics_manual/Volume_1/libocedrus/decurrens.htm

Where the woodpeckers peeled off the bark there is like little white splotches..the limbs were healthy...an old one broken off on the ground had the worm tracks.

There are birding blogs, as I've found...and there are bug blogs...as I've found...

Somekinda storm is coming...the Cedar was creeking when I came home tonight...I didn't see anything on the walk...Bobtail seen over at A....and another way over at El Cap...that's too far away...and another Heron sighting.

Cedar Woodpeckers

Walked through the Creek to the Village...overdue book and late Xmas card....and came back over the Boardwalk through Cook's Meadow...and Hawk...again!...flew up from the Old Woodpecker Tree and perched in The Cedar...dropped the mail and tried to set up...but Hawk...Zeke...flew to the Giant Ponderosa by Chapel Bridge...I was under the Cedar and heard calling and wood pecking and got clip of these two White Headed Woodpeckers working in the lower branches of The Cedar....in looking at the clips tonight it's interesting what they do...they peel off bark and then go after something...a larva?....in those white areas...I gathered up the mail and picked up and went out to Owl Log...tied my shoes...and found what look to be Bobcat tracks...taking pic of these I looked up and saw Zeke in the leafless trees that frame Half Dome...flew off before I could get pic...took the Tiki Temple road back and got clip of Coyote....kinda cloudy...kinda cool...kinda blue too!....during break at work I saw through the windows the Young Redtail Hawk perch in a pine...Look!...clearly I've gone mad...as I got up out of my seat and went to the window to see better!....this Hawk has been showing up at the Rooms....some concern that it's not well like the one in the Summer....a small skunk reported at Last Chance...Bobcat seen at the Indian Village....I need to go back and look at that branch the Woodpeckers were on. Oh...the big bird of last evening is likely the Heron as Heron was reported by the Creek a couple days ago.

New Year's Day

When I first got to the Creek I saw Bobcat on the other side just behind the Deer House Garage...Bobcat sat there a long while and I took clips and pics...finally Bobcat started walking and went out towards Cook's Meadow....I picked up and followed and lost sight but Bobcat surprised me coming out from behind a pine right in front...I set the tripod down...took the camera off and got a close clip with pics...this one...and took clip of Bobcat going up the road and them make a right into the Oaks and Pines right across from Lower Falls...cool clips but didn't get any really good pics...Bobcat settled down in the Bracken Ferns again and went to sleep...I tried to circle around but couldn't find Bobcat again and didn't want to wake Bobcat up...meanwhile...Hawk flew over and was over by the Chapel Footbridge...I caught up with Hawk over by Pine Grove past the Woodpecker Tree...got clips and pics...Hawk flew off finally and I picked up only to see a photog on his knees taking a pic of one of those little pines!...I had to take a pic and introduced myself and told him and his friend if I had their address I'd send it!...neither of us had a pencil...I have to start carrying a little journal and writing materials along!...went up the boardwalk and took pics and clips of Blue Birds...got something to eat later at Owl Log in the village and on the way back heard Flicker's call like right in my ear...they can be loud!...and I craned my neck looking at the trees...but then I remembered they like to be on the ground...and I looked down and Flicker was right at my feet!...I kinda amazed the tourists who were watching!...pics are all blurry...Flicker is always moving...someday I want to get a good pic as Flicker is colorful...back at Cook's, Hawk landed in the Elm..got clip and pic...then I circled around to see if Bobcat might still be napping...and saw Hawk's shadow...and overhead Hawk landed atop the Cedar...and was taking in the view of Half Dome...this is very cool as I've seen Owl do this twice....went over to Chapel Meadow and Cooper's Meadow...but couldn't find Coop...sun was fading and I went around back over the Footbridge to Owl Log...ate the food I got at the Village...I was hungry!...and a family showed up enjoying the views...and I picked up and left them the best seat in the Valley there at Creek's End for seeing the sun set on Half Dome...now with leaves gone it is!....was on way back to Cabin...too early I thought as I had wanted to wait for Owl...but the Deer were parading around the Fall's restored meadow...got clip of them going past the view of the Lower Falls...tourist about...I followed them...lost them...then had tourist point them out to me...they were beside the road causing a Deer Jam and tourists were in amongst them trying to get pics and clips and even offering them acorns...I dont take clips of the tourists...but did this time from aways off....even warmer today, sunny and blue...a lucky day to see Bobcat, Hawk, Bluebird, and Flicker...got clip of Robin at Creek's end...and Ouzel...and the clip of Hawk on the Cedar with Half Dome in back...that's special!...I call the Redtail, Zeke, now...it looks to be the same Hawk I first got pics of at the Tiki Temple Outlet Pipe....and..and I may have seen an Eagle...at last light a large bird with long wings...thought it might be Heron but didn't have the long beak...flew over in the fading light... it was just a glimpse!!...but it looked like the bird I saw up in Tuolumne...the way it flew I mean.