Raven Take Off

Made a morning walkabout..then did it again on the cross country skis in the late evening...the snow is crunchy...and I didn't see many critters...a glimpse of Hawk from the Deer House Picnic Tables...Antlered Buck on the way to the Post Office....and finally Ravens way over by Swinging Bridge...where I took this pic...nice day though and enjoyed the sights...no owl...sunny and even too warm in the morning...but later a light overcast and cooler...glimpsed Coyote trotting on the bike path by the Cabin...report of Bobcat looking in the Visitor Center windows...hmmph...wrong places wrong times for me today!!...bit like going 0 for 4 at the plate!!...but Ravens are neat and I got some good clips.

Bobcat Walk

Well, the Chargers were driving while I was gearing up...and scored!...tied the game seven seven...and I had to decide to watch the game with a few hundred million other eyes...or go for the walk...kind of a no brainer...but I was tempted...got to the Tiki Outlet Pond and thought to take another icefrost pic...but caught glimpse of Bobcat strolling in Owl Woods...started following and taking hand held clips...Bobcat followed the same identical route used before...across the Creek, behind the Deer House and over to Cook's and then across the road to Lower Falls...I had time so was able to follow along the paths all the way over to where the boardwalk begins through Cook's passed the Elm...this was a long stroll!...got Deer in the clips too...Antlered Buck looking and looking at Bobcat...and Young Antlered Buck..which I haven't seen in awhile...actually goes after Bobcat...they were all on the Bike Path...and this all happened right in front of two tourists...tourists are in and out of all the clips...and on the soundtrack...Bobcat pretty much strolled down the main drag from the Creek to the Village!...Bobcat settled down for nap when I picked up and walked home to get ready for work...there was Spotted Skunk in a corner all day at Last Chance..got to see Skunk after closing when Skunk was carefully persuaded to walk out the entry doors!...should have went home at lunch and got the camera...shoulda shoulda!...very very pretty critter... Deer Mice tonight are making a ruckous in the cabin...sunny and blue...but cold nites are freezing solid the day melted snow...very slippery!...heard Hawk overhead at Lower Falls.

Antlers

Touched base at Owl Log...logs really...sort of an old log jam...found a dry spot and sat awhile then crossed the Creek over to Cook's and walked the bike path and over to the Deer House picnic tables...had a seat..and finally saw Antlered Buck over on the road to the Deer House pawing the ground for food...I could have gone around in front but stayed put and just took a couple pics...this one cropped in when Buck raised up...heard Hawk call once...and a bird or squirrel or something calling but couldn't find it...it was a new sound...cloudy then sorta sunny...snow is getting slushy.

Ice Crystals

Dont know what happend...wrote up the post...try again!...Wore the Boots on the walkabout today..followed my own snowshoe tracks...which made it easier...made it easier for Deer too as Deer tracks were in the Snowshoe tracks...two days ago Coyote tracks were in my day old cross country ski tracks...so the critters look for good footing in the snow too!...saw Coyote at Ozone Sands at the end of the walkabout...and again at Creek's End...I made a big loop...Creek's End over to Chapel and Cooper's Meadow and around back to Creek's End...Hawk reported over at the Rooms being harrassed by Ravens...cold and blue.

Snow Duck

Saw this duck at Creek's End...didn't see it until it bobbed up out of the water after a dive!...it's feathers have the same coloration as the Duck of a couple days ago...but the head is entirely different...walked to Creek's End on the snowshoes....thought they would be better than just snow boots...and wanted to walk rather than ski so I could hold the tripod on my shoulder... like I do...but the shoes aren't much of an improvement in the soft deep snow...where they help is on slippery icy slopes...took clip of junco at The Great Turf...crossed the Creek out to Cook's..where I took the shoes off at the bike path!..and walked on back passed Lower Falls...Duck was all I really saw...cloudy.... the light dim making for 'noisy' pic...weather forecast says sunny days ahead...I like the snow...but the critters will be about more in fair weather.

Snow Blue Jay

On the bus ride to the Post Office, Coyote crossed the road at the Creek Bridge...heard tell of two Bobcats...and I walked back through Cook's and out Lodgepole Point...where I got this pic of Blue Jay...took a couple Creek postcard pics...and that was it for today!...crossed the Creek and back to the Cabin...this short walk was tiring as I had to trudge through the thick snow!....not too cold...and kinda cloudy...got a Ray Harm print of a Cooper's Hawk with one foot under the chest feathers...just like my pic of Coop!..from ebay...payment reason for the Post Office trip!

Hawk & Duck

I cant remember the Duck's name at the moment!...and this after another photog identified it...saw two Hawks today...the first was Coop!...I had just come upon the Duck over at the Tourist Beach...which I'll re-name here the Ozone Sands!...and I got out of my cross country skis to get closer...and thought to use a tree on the bank as cover...but Coop was there...for cover...and I startled Coop to fly off ahead to another tree....the Duck was new...so I let Coop wait...and got a clip and pic of the Duck...ah...but Coop flew to another tree further off...so I lost a good pic...with the snow and all...for the Duck...and maybe saved the Duck...or ruined Coop's lunch!...I continued on the loop to Swinging Bridge and all the way back to Cook's Meadow...there I'm on the south side of the Merced and I see a photog sighting on Zeke...or another Redtail...got a pic and little clip...but way far away...saw Broken Antleer Buck twice out in Cook's...last pic of day again...one Doe with him...saw Broken twice because I made the big loop twice!...a wonderful day with snow falling...and the photog turned up at Creek's End...takes critter pics too...and we swapped some critter pic stories!....met up back at the Duck...where there were some Brown Creepers...all fuzzy pics..but one good clip...Bobcat seen at the Post Office...photog saw Bear of yesterday tracks by the Rooms...says there's Rabbit tracks about...dont know but these are the ones I think are Grey Squirrels!...when it wasn't snowing...and it was big flakes snow!...it was cloudy...the Falls and Domes behind the clouds or barely seen...which is neat...wore me out...but tomorrow I'll do it all again as it's really cool to be able to cross country ski the walkabout!