Half Dome Owl

Warmed up today...walked to the Post Office...rode back and had early lunch...went to the Creek with drawing board and pastels...made a rough sketch...can work from the photo later...everything still and quiet...at twilight I found the Deer by the Deer House...the Antlered Buck has lost part of one antleer...was gonna go to Owl Log and sit...but it was occupied by "Garth" (a guitar player)!...so paddled back to the Deer House..heard Owl over that way anyway...and revisited the Deer..and Owl came out of the Deer House trees and perched in one out in Cook's...Owl sat, I stood, there a long time...the two of us...watching the alpine glow on Half Dome...easy to forget there's others about...but it's a view...and place..to share.

Will I see them all again in weather like this??...tomorrow this time the first winter storm should come..dont know if the snow will reach this altitude...but I imagine the Creek will rise...

Jumping Deer

After breakfast I walked to the Post Office...didn't take any Creek pics...just some Acorn Woodpecker clips in the Village....went out again after lunch and browsing Amazon online...which I can do for hours and hours!...and walked out to Owl Woods by the Merced and saw the Does over in Chapel Meadow...I've started wearing my winter boots which have high waterproof tops...and with those on I waded across the Merced to where the Deer were...I kinda lost them until one came bounding by...and then the fun began...the Young Buck was there...but it was the Antlered Buck that was causing the excitement...they ran all about and literally all around me...I was next to some Aspens and around them they went...The Does came close by and stood by me...so I guess they think they're safe with me about!...glued toghether these clips will be really neat...in one a Doe comes racing out of the Aspens right at me...and then by...crashing hooves on leaves!...then comes the Antlered Buck...more crashing hooves on leaves!...and then they circle around the tree...which coincidentally had the initials CAD carved into one!...maybe the title of the clips when I finish with them!...could hear Owl in the distance by Chapel Bridge and picked up when the Deer quieted down...got a little clip of Owl sitting and flying off a single tall leafless...just a snag really...tree top...unfortunately...Owl plops...something the Nature photogs dont reveal is the number of plop footage they get!!

A fine evening...warmed up and melted the ice...but snow is said to be coming!

Twilight Owl

Slept in to eleven...after breakfast went down to Creek's End and sat awhile...the Does and Fawns showed up and followed them about awhile...thought to do that all day...but they kept browsing in one place too long...picked up and walked to the Post Office...and took long way back to Swinging Bridge...some Grey Squirrel clips...and lunch...then went to Owl Log and waited...oh...saw Hawk in Cook's fly off the Woodpecker Tree!...I'd just gotten off the bus...would have been great pic...when twilight came I could hear Owl...and after chasing about with no luck I just went back to Owl log and sat...Owl obliged and found a tree on Lodgepole Point and I got some clips and pics...but light was gone...still..the calls they make are cool and I got that!

Blue and sunny all day...warmed up in the afternoon...more ice on the Creek and Merced.

Grooming

I think the Ravens may have been romancing...went for a long walkabout..almost two hours...which made for a long day with work included!...cold to start out with an Ice Fall for Falls...which was falling off during the walk with distant roars...not much about until I saw the Ravens by Swinging Bridge...and then some deer...the Little Buck...then some more deer...the Antlered Buck...then on the way back along Bobcat Lane a parade of the Deer House Does with their growing up fast Fawns...some fun clips of Gray Squirrels by the Deer House...kinda cloudy but then cleared up...oh...there was ice on the edges of the Creek Ponds and the Merced...more I expect tomorrow!

Coyote Ramble

It's getting cold!...walked to the Post Office and back...got this still in Cook's Meadow....sat awhile and enjoyed the quiet at Owl Log with ever present Ouzel.....a few clouds with dark bottoms...but I hear it's going to warm up...no storms in sight...with all the leaves gone it's like everything is waiting for the first snow...saw Hawk fly up past the floor to ceiling window at work while on break...all I could do not to break loose and start the chase!!

Thanksgiving Hawk Visit

What an odd morning!!...on the way to breakfast the Cooper's Hawk landed in a tree in the Front! Yard...and posed....not since the Creek Hawk has this happened...and stayed posed in spite of friends and tourists walking by and talking...so got some good pics...but clips were handheld...Hawk flew off to a Ponderosa...high up on a branch...the more usual pose!!...after breakfast and without much time...slept in again!...I retrieved the tripod and went off into Owl Woods in pursuit...as I could hear Hawk calling..but just as I started I saw a group of Ravens in a tree making a ruckous...and...I really missed here...when I viewed this clip tonight I see the wagging tail of maybe Bobcat, or Raccoon, or Ring Tail Cat, or ??? in the tree...I dont know..as I passed on moving in closer!!... the Ravens were doing the alarm thing...how could I be so dumb?...Hawk was calling and I did find Hawk high in a tree...but another friend popped up...so I tried to call them over to see., and looked down to put the lens on...and when I looked back there were two Hawks flying near one another..then off separate ways!!...so I missed that too!...at the end of the walkabout Coyote showed up...and got a clip and pic...of Coyote stretching and just laying down to take a rest...when they hold still it's easy!

Overcast, not quite so cold as yesterday...and almost quiet...maybe the fewest tourists about in a long long time...at least with all roads open!

Lodgepole Point Heron

I walked out through the Creek and Cook's to the Post Office...and didn't see much...on the way back took nice clip of young deer near the Deer House...then when I reached Lodgepole Point a large bird flew out of the Lodgepole and Ponderosa (they're right next to one another) and off I went wondering if I was pursuing Hawk or Owl...or, I thought, even Heron...turned out to be Heron and got good clip and pics up in a tree in Owl Woods...almost gave up on things and thought not to hop off the bus at Lower Falls!! Cold and smoke from a control burn making everything orange.