Four Mallards

The Deer were at the Lower Falls miniMeadow...at the start of the walk to the Post Office....the miniscope came...almost blinded my right eye accidentally pointing it at the High Sierra sun...in just an eye blink I got zapped...took about five minutes for the after image to fade...one has to be careful with cameras and binocs and scopes to stay away from sun...sometimes looking up at Hawk I've had to be careful...with the lcd view of the 12x it may not be a problem...but dont want to try...optical viewfinders for sure are a hazard...but what a neat little scope!...I hope it works tomorrow with the 3x camera...what I'll do is use the Barska bracket...oh...and the Wildlife Federation stamp books came...1938 to 1951...they are really cool...and a good introduction to some wildlife artists...and I like the 40's look...I'll scan some in and post them up to show what I mean...at the very end of the walk I happened on the Four Mallards which were at the Creek near the Bridge...clips and pic....the pics are interesting technically because of the problems I was dealing with!...the females were in a light patch...this often happens with the sunlight falling through the forest...and the males more in shade...and then the depth of field of the long lens is so small I could only focus on the males or the females...not both...and then they kept moving!...I thought to get all four with heads up...but kinda like the ones I got...when the critters do one of these one in a million poses..well..I come a bit unglued!....got another clip of another Doe with Two Fawns over by the Village...thought to include it but would be too long...the Roadside Deer clip is with minimum editing...I just glued the clips together...the Deer told the little story!!...sunny blue cool and a very bright sun!!

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!