snowy curves + bonus: Mumday interpreted

 

Just 2 of the delightful snowy shapes we spied yesterday whilst snowshoeing up at Badger Pass, Yosemite. YUM.

A few more...

Did I ever mention that I'm a minimalist?

biobabbler

blizzard 24hr time lapse: Dec 2010 craziness!

  
From neatorama.com:

December 2010 Blizzard Timelapse from Michael Black on Vimeo.

"Michael Black set up a camera to photograph his back yard in New Jersey every five minutes for twenty hours during yesterday’s blizzard. He assembled those photos into this 38-second time lapse video. Note how the clock had to be lifted and lifted higher -until he finally gave up and just dug it out of the snow between pictures. -via Laughing Squid"

AWESOME!

snowy curves

  

=)

bb

My pulse is still racing...

  
Today, Christmas, started out mildly, with a beauty of a sunrise.

Very nice.

Later, I commence to cleaning (guests arriving). Taking a break at the kitchen table, I see through my window that the chickens are playing statue--they are all standing stock still.

Knowing this may mean there's a predator around, I go outside to take a look. I step out, barefoot (since was cleaning the floor), and walk out onto the grass, looking up into the trees for a raptor.

I notice our Rhode Island red, perched high on a cement block, staring west, is the one issuing the call for "statue." I follow her gaze.

A movement from underneath the huge oak tree 25 yards to my left catches my eye.

A gray cat.

I start running after it (yes, in bare feet). I make some distance, then I see it dash across grassy opening between the oak and the manzanita thicket that is the back of our property (i.e. "safe" for any wildlife I'm pursuing).

This time, in better light and in full profile, I realize, woah, that's no gray cat, that's a gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)!

This increases my motivation, as our first chicken "loss" was due to same.

I run faster, but it disappears in the manzanita maze. I mock it, yelling "Yeah, right!" (creative, I know), and head back to the coop.

The time for chicken play in the outdoor chicken runs is over. I lock them up tight and take a picture of our hero, Fanny.

Incidentally, she FINALLY is molting. She's 2.5 years old and has never molted. And wow, now that she's begun, she's not foolin' around. This is the most naked I've seen a chicken. Here's her side of the coop, with the attendant red-feather explosion (pardon the poop).

Then, chickens secure, I walk back toward the house, and what do I see?

Apparently, the chickens and fox are not the only things experiencing turmoil, today...

=)

Who said life in the sticks is dull?

xoxobb

black and white bufflehead beauty

  

I'd encourage you to click on this pup--it's a fatty.

Inspired by The Weekend in Black and White (via Count your Chicken!)

b&wbb

Wintry kisses from Mt. Rainier days of yore

  

 Happy Holidays =)

biobabbler

P.S. We're hoping to go sledding sometime this weekend. I hope I hope I hope!
P.P.S. This is my 400th post! =) Ho, ho, ho! =)
P.P.P.S. Check out this adorable invertebrate holiday celebration. =)

Yosemite Valley in winter

  

(Feb 2010)

The waterfalls are crankin' at the park right now, more so than in this picture, which is from a colder time of year. AND we went there last weekend with friends (no camera as water and my Nikon don't get along) and because it was and had been raining (LOTS), we discovered so many tiny white-thread waterfalls that normally aren't there, pouring down sheer 2000+ foot granite cliffs. Wonderful treat.

Yet another experience in nature which says "If it's stormy out, venture forth ANYhow." =) And it was deserted at Yosemite NP, so that was nice, too.

Well, except at the Ahwahnee 'cause they're having their annual Bracebridge dinner, so that's the first time I ever saw a tuxedo and red sequins in the Ahwahnee bar. Two different people, of course....

And me, in fleece and rain gear. How gauche. =) (drip, drip, drip...)

xo

bb

P.S. in the next few days it's supposed to stop raining (for 2 days) so maybe I'll take a peek at my "winter garden" and snap a few shots? =)
P.P.S. FYI: in the above photo, the waterfall on the right, Bridal Veil, is the same as the fall in yesterday's post. =)

Tuesday Mumday

   

bb

the calm between storms...

  

(Merced NWR)

We are between rainstorms today (phew). No sun expected, but drizzle vs. torrential flood-causing rains. We have a friend who, like Rapunzel, may be stuck at her house 'cause the driveway connecting her to the main road is occasionally under water when it's really rainy. She assured us, a few days ago, though, that she's stocked up, so she can wait.  =)

Yesterday a frog decided our back porch (which was 40% pond) was his new home, and an nice place to sing a song. Very cute. I love that during some of the most intense downpour when you think "Wow, it's awful out there!" you then hear a froggie singing so happily. All depends upon your perspective.

=)

biobabbler

decoyed

  
Having been fooled by decoys in the past, I can now spot them, at least usually, sometimes informed by the fact that there's only one (if a very flock-y species), and it's in a place handy for folks to see (to lure flocks so folks can see them, too). Not to mention very, very still. =)

This is a classic example. Note flock circling.

Flock still circling (out of view), deciding to land.

The decoy waits, advertising the delightful, suitable, safe nature of that particular location.

Click on this one, and tell me what I was then thinking.

=)

biobabbler

Shriked! plus Phriday photo quiz 28

  

Two shrike meals my coworkers found along the fence...

Skewered centipede

Tangled tarantula

Who, me? I'm just sittin' here, lookin' cute...

Phriday photo quiz

Who am I?

bb

The 12 days of plankton...

  
Thanks to Dr. Bonnie Becker for alerting me to this delightful series of photos... Ho ho ho!

=) biobabbler

Unedited edition of editors' edits ...

  
Some heart felt reactions to manuscripts "peers" are reviewing ...
  
bb

ladybug soccer

  
Found this on Bug Girl's blog. She noted the ladybug discovered sprinkles have sugar AND static electricity.


(Double click on it if you don't get the full view...)

Fancy footwork! Seems holiday appropriate.

=)

bb

P.S. Back from fieldwork, a little sore and bruised, but good.

AND Christmas bird count was rescheduled to today 'cause of impending sheets of rain for days and days (and today is sunny tho' cold) and I cannot attend, but am glad they're adjusting to the weather. Otherwise I imagine the birds deep in the trees and shrubs, giggling, watching us lumber around in the mud, rain dripping from our noses, squinting to find even ONE bird. One bird elbows its neighbor, nods at us, and says: "Yeah, like we're coming out in THAT." =)

fieldwork

  
I like this shot 'cause it's a good indicator of what I do/like/require

At the top is my suitcase with field clothes galore (rain, no rain, cold, not cold, all possible weather), my computer backpack (love), field guides, water bottle, rain gear and mittens, backpack, jumbo boots, "cosmetic" bag (not a lot of cosmetics in there), and giant thing 'o' water (left over from something else, don't normally buy water). Oh, and you can just see my yoga mat at the top, and my camera is in there somewhere.

Add food, and this is all biobabbler needs. Although, it looks like a lot.

Here's a lovely loggerhead shrike that I saw while I was "riding fences" Monday. They have a more variable song repertoire than I'd thought. Super cool creatures, and my next post will feature a few of the gnarly meals this guy or a neighbor'd jammed onto the barbed wire. Serious birds!

Weather's been amazingly nice. Only rained last 30 min. of work day yesterday, so that was great, and I learned some parts of how to assemble an electrified fence and a wildlife barrier fence.

My favorite part was being a runner (for electrified fence). You take a big spool of orange thread (that has a VERY fine metal thread within it) stuff it onto a pole so it can spin, then run around the enclosure, clamping the thread at every T post, and that's it. So, paid to be a hyper spaz and run/speed walk all around the site, twice. Fun!

Anyhow, today is the last day for me then I'm out.


Flooding predicted at Yosemite NP (the valley) so that may wreak havoc with the Christmas Bird Count. The evening meeting (the tally) is in the valley, so we'll see if that happens.

=) Either way I've pledged to make a lasagna for all the birders, so I will, even if I have to hand it off to someone in a boat for delivery. =)

biobabbler

genetic doppelganger...

 
I am supposed to be, generally, 1/8 the same as my cousin, genetically speaking. Re: one particular cousin, by chance, the percentage is clearly a LOT higher than that.

Evidence:
Was just up in my cousin's empty kitchen (6:10 a.m.) making coffee. A man I've never seen before walks into the kitchen, hugs me by way of greeting, chats idly about the cats, then leaves.

This is my cousin's uncle-in-law; I'd been told he'd arrive last night.

=)

Yes, I look a lot like her.

bb

P.S. Building electrified fence in the pouring rain, today. Wanna' come help? =)

'tis the season...

  
Got this from Cakewrecks, but it's a creation of the a-MA-zing people at Highland Bakery in Atlanta, GA.

I am posting this because it's slightly biological (marine theme is always near and dear to my heart) and it's incredible and might inspire folks to try something OUT there (or even just get a piping bag for cookie decorating) for the holidays. =)

Mostly, though, it's just freaking cool.

 

Check out the (amazingly realistic) octopus gluing on shell roof tiles with a piping bag. WOW!

Not your ordinary gingerbread house, eh?

Am in the field next week so may post little or none. However, have had NO GUESSES so far re: the photo quiz. Anyone? Anyone? =)

biobabbler

This is what I want...

  
... for Christmas. And I live near the San Joaquin valley, so there'd be TONS of fuel. And even our little hens could get in on it!

AWESOME.

bb

Phriday photo quiz #27: variant...

 
This is different because I have what I think is a good guess re: the right answer, but I am not certain, and would certainly, once my guess is revealed, gladly entertain counter-proposals.

Who am I?

biobabbler

Coyotes think Chicago is their kind of town...

  
Pretty great story of urban coyotes living largely under the radar (tho' their collars map their movements), probably eating lots and lots of rats and mice along the way.

Yay!

cloudy, rainy, but filled with birds yesterday: Merced NWR

  
I forget how great the soundtrack is at this place in the winter. So many delightful honks and whistles and flapping sounds.

Cloudy darkish day, but nice. It did rain about halfway through, but the ducks and geese didn't seem to mind a bit. Click on this next pup to see lotsa geese.

BirdzIsaw

black necked stilt

green-winged teal

cinnamon teal

blue-winged teal (well, I think I did, not certain....)

mallard

northern pintail

northern shoveler

white-faced ibis

snow geese/Ross' snow geese (hundreds)

white-crowned sparrow

golden-crowned sparrow

song sparrow

black phoebe

red-tailed hawk

red-shouldered hawk

somekinda sandpiper

somekinda dowicher?

Not the best pics, but SUCH a stylish bird!

What I did NOT see was a single sandhill crane, strangely enough.


Ooh, check out this "Nature's calendar" for figuring out what arrives when so you can plan your visit. Too cool! =) I think that's a GREAT idea for any public land where people go to check out "the nature."


Sometimes the simplest things are the most brilliant.

The calendar says large #s of cranes are visible in January, and in November says they arrive, and hang out in the grasslands, so until then they're apparently not super visible from the "auto route" at Merced NWR.

Ah, now I know.

New Year's Plans
I'm hoping we can do our New Year's drive down this old, old, narrow back road between Mariposa and Merced.

Last time we did this, we got down to these low, rolling hills, where pretty much each little hill was topped by either a bald eagle or a golden eagle. I thought my head would explode. It was INSANE!

So, we'll try and do that this year, and bring da Nikon. =)

Winter-only stuff to see where you are
Do you have any winter birding opportunities where you live? Other wildlife, plant or other nature viewing opportunities that are specific to this time of the year?

Picture from First Light

Our toyon (one of my favorite latin names of all time, Heteromeles arbutifolia) berries are out, so maybe I  should grab some and (gasp!) decorate with them to perk the place up.

=)

By the way, I SERIOUSLY need some real lens so I can do more than take miles-away shots of, say, geese? And recommendations for a Nikon D50 owner hoping for better wildlife pics?

=) biobabbler

Wanna watcha clouded leopard cub or two?

 
Check out this web cam. Beautiful!

bb

people w/ parking perspective problems... biobabbler's first Dork Award

 

Message to driver of the vehicle below: You are not the only person on the planet.

 

You are parked BETWEEN NO PARKING SIGNS and one is pointing right at you. (And I might add I was kind enough to crop out your license plate... See? Consideration. Try it, sometime.)

You really, truly could not have parked more in the way of EVERY SINGLE PERSON who will use this trail today. Well, I suppose if you'd parallel parked, but that'd probably be more work for  you. The front bumper is actually plowing into the access point. (sigh)

This is the only place people access the trail from the parking lot.

The above picture also reveals another point: you are a park or park concessioner employee, so you do not even have the non-excuse of ignorance. You know better.

 You literally (and I'm pretty sure it's literal) have MILES of empty parking spaces to use.

Thus we have our first biobabbler Dork Award Winner. Or, alternatively the inaugural YANOPOP (You Are Not the Only Person On the Planet) Award.

I'm hoping it's the last, but this extraordinary act must be commemorated somehow. The only excuse I can think of is that this is a psychological experiment and there is a camera posted nearby to film people's reactions. But I consider that possibility unlikely.

=) So, there you go. The story I promised I'd share.

That said, we had a great time and saw NOT ONE PERSON on the trail. Delightful. More pictures later.

=) xobb

snowy Yosemite Mumday interpreted

 

Just loved this beautiful round rock.

Bear enjoying the view.

Our little jaunt started out with some cool clouds.

Oh, YAY, the potty is still open this season.

It's the little things that can make your day. =)

Tall, gorgeous tree.

The flash went off so I shut it down for the next shot, but this one with the flash on the bottom branches I liked best. Just slightly weird lighting made it more interesting.

Love the dark dark bark and chartreuse (reindeer?) lichen that was everywhere.

Noticed half way through the hike that I was dressed just like the trees.

Dark background (black/ultra-dark brown), w/ chartreuse fuzziness on top.

=)

Deer hoof prints by my snowshoes, right at the beginning of the trail.

Nice!

It was super deserted. Literally miles of empty parking space.

The extreme empty nature of these lots emphasizes the amazingly self-centered oblivious nature of the parking job of a car there which I'll share in another post. It was so extreme it was funny. And the car had a park sticker so is a park employee, either NPS or a concessioner, so they should know better...

=) Anyhow, a nice trial run of wintry fun, just a short trip, and about half way through I noticed my body relaxing, getting used to snowshoeing, and that's a good thing. Now, I'm officially ready!

biobabbler