Owl Atop Zeke's Cedar

Well...it took so much doing to get this clip up!...what happens sometimes I think is that one of my programs wants to update..and it barges in during the upload and messes it up...when I have the patience and time I'll redo this post...and edit out my cough...tummy rumble...and nose blowing!...but what a fine moment it was to see Owl up on Zeke's Cedar last year this time!...Owl is looking out towards Halfdome above the Path in Cook's...right by the Apple Tree...Zeke is Ezekiel..the Redtail Hawk that I have clip of on this tree too...for sometime!....dont know where Owl is presently...haven't heard from them in Owl Woods for awhile..

Buckeye

I think the little bird is a Ruby- crowned Kinglet...a female...I have a clip...but too tiny for the blogs resolution!...(tried to upload a year old Owl clip...but no luck)....pic and clip near the Leaning Snag Cottonwood by the Merced....earlier I made it to the Post Office...staggered more like it!...I didn't get much sleep last night!...one of the Tiki Thrown Sloan Valves on the other side of the Cabin wall was running...and helpful neighbors tried to shut it off and inadvertently turned into a squealing teakettle that lasted all night!...I dont know how I got the sleep I did!...thankfully the fixit guys have fixed it!...and it's quiet tonight....took the Buckeye pic by the boardwalk through Cook's to the Artists Grove...a few Bluebirds about...checked on the Mallards at Creek's End..they are there everyday!...went over to the Deer House and stirred up Hawk...went tree to tree to tree a bit..almost got a pic of Hawk perched up high on a Ponderosa in the Backyard...it flew over the Creek to the trees behind the Cabin!...report of Bobcat across the street from the Cabin!...and Deer about over in the A. Meadow and Cook's...between ten and twenty...and Does...with Fawns I imagine...cool blue with clouds...and that almost daily veryvery light breeze that is almost ghostly...sometime just one bush or branch will be moving!

Creek's End Mallards

Paddled to the Post Office....then out to Cook's...Blue Birds at the Artist's Grove again...more than before!....set up...and actually planned to try and get a pic of one on the splintered stump...I'd seen them there yesterday too!...and one obliged today!....went over to the Deer House...then to Creek's End where the Mallards were feeding...took like three minute clip of them doing this!....then found a place to cross the Creek on the river stones...on the dirt road set up to take clip of three Does....maybe two Fawns..and one Doe...but two tourists happened along and the Deer pronged off...I've yet to get a good clip of them doing that!...tourists told me they were in pursuit of a 'small bear'...so I continued up along the Creek on the look out...but worktime pulled me away!...cold in the morning...warmed up a little...sunny blue with a few white clouds...Bear report from Siberia...'black and brown heavy fur...and big'....Mallards with heads up pic is from the Blue Heron day wade!

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Well...I finally got a pic and clip of these little birds!....I've been hearing them...not just in the Valley...but on the hike to Budd Lake and Ostrander too...and I heard them on the Long Day Walkabout...so I can add the Kinglet to the Species count for that day...and too the Pygmy Owl...web search last night turned up the identity of that call...haa haa haa haa.......haa.....haa......(from Animal Life in the 'valley' link:http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/grinnell/birds194.htm)
in the evening walk I went out to Owl Woods to listen for them...and the big Owls too...but the Woods were quiet....but not without critters!....a little herd of Does and Fawns were gamboling about...some neat clips...a neat clip from this morning when Mama Doe and Two Fawns were on the Paths right behind the Cabin...in afternoon walk went to the Post Office...and then to vote...then to get some lunch....egg salad sandwich and potato chips...took awhile to get to picture taking!...at the Artists Grove the Blue Birds were about...and two Flickers...had hoped to see the Blue Birds...and glad to find them...hard to get close to them too!...though sometimes they fly right up to me!...went out Chapel Bridge and made the Big Loop...big clouds moving through....lots of dramatic light...the Falls are lessening fast...snow up around the Rim...and I suspect it's all freezing cold in the High Country...as it was cold hereabouts...sometimes blue sky...report this morning of Mama Doe with the Three Fawns hereabouts...hope to see them!

Cuff and Link

Paddled over to the Post Office...picked up 99c poster of Grey Owl with little Grey Owls...postage was seven dollars!...Raven pic and Grey Squirrel clip at Shuttle Stop 6?....got a good pic there of four friends sitting on the bench....went out to Chapel Bridge...got there just as the Mallard pair landed...movie Rocky on tonight ..hence Cuff and Link!....followed them downstream to Creek's End...oh!..back at the Oak Grove a mixed group of little birds was about...surprised when a Bluebird flew right over to me...too quick away for close pic!...but got the one on top of the oak protecting wire cage....from Creek's End I went out to Two Top Pine Meadow...haven't been there awhile....nostalgic for the way it was in Spring!!...but got another Blue Bird...and clip of Downy Woodpecker...something with four legs was about..but just got a glimpse!!...to Last Chance for talkabout and late lunch...to Cabin to rest a bit before evening walk...but fell asleep!...stayed put and watched Rocky...grey sky and cool to cold...forecast is for snow!!?...tomorrow will see...Audubon magazine has review of book with Muir's dried and pressed plant specimens...Nature's Beloved Son: Rediscovering John Muir's Botanical Legacy...Dancing with the Stars on while I'm posting...and brings to mind the wonder I have seeing the critters move in tandem...sometimes pairs..sometimes flocks!...there's likely a name for such critter coordination...have to keep an eye out for it!....well...I googled fish schooling...birds flocking...and animals herding...some neat things...but apperently no polysylable scientific term has attached itself...happend on Aristotle's Life of the Animals...and this from wiki:
quote
Herd behavior is an excessive collective behavior, for example in stock market bubbles, riots, and cults.
unquote
People dance.

Creek's End

Well...Owl Log is inundated...and I'm wondering how the Ouzels will fair...this their season to putz about and turn over yellow aspen and cottonwood leaves looking for water grubs...the Creek's risen a bit!....took the same route I took yesterday...except for the wade!...which is out of the question now...seasoned observers of the Valley tell me the water level will drop back down...but for now it's pretty high!...

Like walking to the Cabin after work and being able to hear the Falls!....report of Hawk over in the A. Meadow...atop the Twotop Pine that's over there!...report of Bucks out at Two Top Meadow...and Does and a Fawn?? at A. Meadow...report too that the light is fantastic playing over the Valley after the storm...seen from Tunnel View and driving in...just took scenics today...have ordered a mini scope made by Minox...cheaper than the Nikon...which is said to be better...but the Minox gets good comments....I might end up with a collection of these things!

Rainy Day Hawk

Well...the dishevelment of the Cabin has gotten to the point that I thought to forgo a walkabout this morning!..and clean it up!...however....after talking about pics with Edie at breakfast...I thought I better go out and take pics!...I only had the 3x along...so went back and got the 12x...left behind the tripod...the new camera..and the binocs...a mistake!...after crossing over the Creek at the RipRap I went out on Chapel Bridge...took a scenic pic..and noticed something different...I've looked at things so much that when things are out of place I notice...Oh!, I thought..there's a bird perched by the Twig That Was!...took pics but didn't know what I was seeing!...sneaked out Lodgpole Point to get close..and saw it was Heron...one pic through the trees...and Heron flew off..to Heron Point!...in tow now, I followed almost all the way to Ozone Beach...but didn't see Heron again...but Hawk stirred up across the Merced and flew up into a tall Cottonwood!....I sighted with the 112x and the batteries quit...hmpph...really in a fix..but tried for pics with the 3x....Hawk showed no inclination to fly off...so...once again I waded across the Merced...shoes and all...and was able to circle around the tree...now...I know from experience that once the 12x batteries are gone..they're not really gone...I can wait a few minutes and then start up the camera and maybe get one pic...which I was able to do a few times...and very grate full I am that I was able to!....the pic of Hawk in the rain is knockdown...a new favorite!!...I had taken a pic of the Falls just before seeing Hawk...it and the Creek had become continuous...but at work I looked up from the back dock...and it was like Spring!...and tonight the Falls are roaring...eager to see what they are like tomorrow..and the Creek too!...last year it was snow and the Falls and Creek didn't come back until Spring...the magazine Outdoor Photography has an article this month about six must things a photog should do...and one is just get out...agree one hundred percent!!....the clip is of a Mallard I saw on the way...with the 12x...and the Hawk...with the 3x...the telephoto on the 3x just is...blurry!...dont know if that's all it can do...will have to study the book!...it was again cloudy rainy day and not very cold....and maybe I wont catch a cold from the cold wet feet!!