This just in. The sun is shining, the trees are green and the snow is fine.
Blitz signing off .
Whoop…..Whoop!
Reporting Live From The East Woods
17
Tag Archives: photography
Girls Day In The Woods
After a break from going for a ride along to the woods, the girls got to go yesterday. Up in the mountains of Western Shasta County, Blitz and Teka were in dog heaven.
Blitz would prefer to ride up front.
Western Shasta area.
Blitz loves the snow.
Blitz enjoys a fine piece of wood.
Blitz
Teka Playing in the snow
Blitz and Teka having a romp in the snow.
It’s a race.
The girls are loaded up and ready to roll.
View to the West of the Trinity Alps.
The perfect end to a perfect day. A fiery Shasta sunset.
The Birds of Spring
Our weather has been reaching the 70’s during the last week. The grass is growing and buds are beginning to swell. Around the Mill Site there is another sign of Spring. Pairing off and searching for nest sites, the birds are all around.
A killdeer scouting for a gravelly nesting site.
Goldeneye couple on the river.
The cororants relaxing.
A pair of mallard soon to be nesting.
A beautiful pair of Canada geese.
Teka stares forlornly at a beautiful pair of Canada geese.
The empty osprey nest waits for it’s builders to return. They should be here in the next couple of weeks. Truly a sign of Spring’s impending return.
Spooky Woods
Don’t go walking in those spooky old woods alone.
Coyotes Attack! Oh, nevermind.
The deer herd feeding in the hay field.
Something caught my attention, while cruising around the North end of the log decks. Lots of animals were running in the hay field. The mill property has a couple hundred acres of hay fields and ponds on the North end of the log yard. Each afternoon a large herd of deer comes into the fields to graze. This morning, they were already in the field and running all over the place. This is odd behavior for the deer because they weren’t leaving. They usually wander randomly around the field feeding. If anyone gets too close they just leave the field for the cover of the nearby Valley Oaks. This time they were running helter skelter around the field, but not leaving. I was about a quarter mile away and could not discern what was going on. I pulled out my camera and zoomed in on the action. Then I saw the three coyotes. This is what happened next.
Enjoying the sunny morning, the deer placidly graze. They seem unconcerned about anything going on around them.
Moving in on the deer herd, this coyote was intent on having venison for breafast.
The coyotes non-chalantly move closer and closer to the herd.
The big buck spots the sneaky coyotes.
Two does and the big buck aren’t going to tolerate the coyotes stalking the herd.
This brave doe takes the lead in dealing with the interlopers.
The two does surround the lead coyote. The coyote was not expecting this.
The second coyote decides not to stick around. No loyalty amoung coyotes.
The coyote is having second thoughts and a venison meal.
Deciding it isn’t worth it the coyotes back off.
No venison today for this coyote.
Perhaps a nice field mouse would be good instead.
With the threat dealt with, the herd goes back to a leisurely breakfast.
Otter At The Mill
This handsome otter was swimming around our log pond at the mill in search of an afternoon snack.
This otter and the rest of his clan are regulars around the mill site. The pond where I took these pictures is smack in the middle of the entire complex. They visit the log ponds, canals, and the river depending on what is on the menu. We have a floating platform that suspends a water intake into the pond, but the otters seem to think it was put there for their personal sun basking pleasures. One of my crew members insists that it is their private restroom, while he complains about all the “otter poop!” Those are my words, not his.
On the menu today, fish!
Up periscope.
As he swam around the pond the lighting was constantly changing. He turned out to be a very curious and co-operative subject.
Otter on golden pond.
The old log pond….otter pond.
Sun and Moon
Sun obscured by the fog.
Waxing gibbous moon.
Red Neck Security System
Just keep driving…nothing to see here. I don’t think she’s kidding. I stopped only long enough to take this picture.
Hey, You Aren’t Supposed Be Here!
Who is the brightest of them all?
It is a new year with new pictures to take, and new art to make. I’m back at work and it is a beautiful, cool and sunny day here in Northern California. I spend part of my time at an industrial mill complex. When folks think of an industrial site they rarely think of doing wildlife photography. Although, it seems counter-intuitive, this site is a magnet for wildlife. There is water all around the site and the wild areas here, get little disturbance. This morning I took a few pictures of some of our residents. I have taken so many pictures of wildlife here at the mill that I am going to start a new catagory called Wildlife At The Mill.
I’m not sure they are speaking to each other.
Mist forms as the icy logs begin to warm
The Great Blue Heron, also known as “The Fly Up The Creek”.
Sunrise Curtain
- Mary and I always rise before the sun. It is the time of day that we solve all the world’s problems, over a cup of coffee. This morning old Tom dog asked to go out. When I opened the front door, God poked me right in the eyes with a spectacular sunrise. As the sunrise curtain was lifted, our morning guests were revealed.
- The sun serves us glorious notice of it’s pending arrival.
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The trees are ablaze.
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- A mysterious visitor sneaks by at sunrise.
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A male Common Golden-eye visits our pond.
Our constant guest the American Coot.
- A pair or Ring Neck ducks have take up residence.
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- The morning rendezvous.
Striking a pose.
THE FORESTER ARTIST 