EISPIRATEN

Yes, Uncle Rico, life imitates joke, as in the old: Two hikers spot a bear across a meadow, which begins to run toward them. One hiker drops his pack to change his hiking boots to running shoes. His partner exclaims, "What, are you nuts? You can't outrun that bear!" "Don't have to,&qu...

The redwoods in Carbon Canyon Regional Park were planted in 1975 when the park opened. They followed a circuitous path to their current grove: In 1970, a bank in Fullerton gave away Redwood seedlings as account promotional items. (Beats a toaster!) After the promotional period, approximately 600 lef...

That DFG info is not up to date. The LA Times also used it, in error, on their story about an attack in Ojai in 2012. Updated info, and story link: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2 ... -dogs.html (sixteen attacks in CA, not twelve) Black bear attacks are rare. The incidence is increasing, but...

Great TR and pics. Sorry about the sharp and wicked anti-personnel spiky-fulness. and yes, RIP Huell. Here is a link to Huell's GT episode at Chapman Univ., available for free viewing. http://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-a ... gold-1006/ Thanks again, Sean. Hope your knee is fine soon. kind regard...

Retrospecting pics from 2013, thought I'd put up some of a certain behavior I had seen but not photographed before. (includes a reveal during an ambiguous posture, too.) Please chime in if any of you have seen this before. For brevity, I'll include only a few comments--no droning on sheep natural hi...

Both articles are much appreciated, Augie.

Please give your son our praise for his fine writing, and for refreshing us with such interesting historical pearls.

kind regards,
arocknoid

Terrific photos, Uncle Rico. What a great time to share with the youngster. How soon they are grown, and how few the chances my become to be out hiking and camping with them. Sure looks like a fine and quiet place of solitude for you two to enjoy. (duotude? ;) Gorgeous photo of the sunrise--looks un...

Pics of the bobcat in my backyard (ref: above): Flashed from about fifteen feet: https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/www.pbase.com/sol28cat/image/154398259/original.jpg Cropped: https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/upload.pbase.com/image/154398725/original.jpg He walked over and sat beneath ano...

Nice camera trap pics, Mike. Poor coyote, especially now that cold weather is upon us. Soon it will be ".. buzzards gotta eat, same as worms." Last year near South Fork/ San Gorgonio I saw one in even worse condition, almost completely hairless, emaciated; like that one mistaken for a Texa...

What a fun encounter, and some fine photos, Frank. Thanks for posting them. I have some photos of a bobcat in our backyard. When observed, it was after dusk; the first photo was taken very quickly as I thought he would flee, so I hadn't disabled the auto flash. That startled him, and I was able to t...

That is a Pacific gopher snake, Pituophis catenifer catenifer.

Probably the most often encountered non-venomous snake species in SoCal. Nice photos.

Thanks for the Ken S. Latrans photos, too. Those furballs are ubiquitous...

kind regards,
Arocknoid

Mark, that is an interesting find and field observation. Most likely you have an owl talon lacking the keratin sheath. Strigiformes generally have large talons which are of lesser curvature than their accipiter and falcon cousins. SoCal birds which prey on other birds (Sharp-shinned, cooper's hawks,...

Great photos and family time, Scott.

This one is a classic for the family album review during high school:



Thanks for the TR.

kind regards,
Arocknoid

Thanks for the photos and TR. Twenty-five years ago I used to spend a bit of time up in the Sespe and Ventana Wilderness areas, and your post brought back fond memories (as well as one with a bit of tragedy). You posted some great pics; Dramatic light and shadow contrast of both sky and earth with t...

Spencer V. Cortelyou on the care taken in planning construction of ACH to avoid visual impact despoilment: https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/www.pbase.com/sol28cat/image/153235129/original.jpg https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/www.pbase.com/sol28cat/image/153235130/original.jpg The road an...

(Small file sizes, 40K, for easier browsing) Numbskulls start young banging heads As always, bear in mind that there are no BIGhorns to be seen hereabouts... move along... https://eispiraten.com/images-archived/www.pbase.com/sol28cat/image/153072044/original.jpg These could be anywhere. I've posted ...

Keen eye hiking, great photos, thanks!

That's a crafty little fellow rarely seen by hikers. Cute.

Research findings specific for Turkey Vulture vs. California Condor sensitivity to lead include : (excerpt from Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 2003, citation of original study : Lead-induced mortality appears to have been a major factor in the decline of the California condor (Gymnogyps californianus...

Nice!

Fun to see the bighorns; not so much the rattler, but you always want to observe them.

Thanks for the pics.

arocknoid

cougarmagic quote: Sage, dogs don't carry parasites that will burrow into your feet. Now you probably would get sick if you hiked barefoot on the Mt Wilson trail, then ate lunch using your feet instead of your hands. They certainly do. The diagnosis is often missed by physicians who are unfamiliar w...

Thanks for the TR, teke.

Good photos, and what a fun encounter with the bighorns.

That area seems to have more or busier bees, with the rich blooms of stinkapin especially. Frendo!

kind regards,
arocknoid

Rico, that was terrific for you to see the dinksters out exploring en masse. Look at the little guy in your first picture, peering out from semi-concealment at the left of the tree. When you see them in that state, with the others browsing or grazing nonchalantly, they are alert but not alarmed. The...

Nice photos, and a bonus memory for your hike. However... Those are sheep, part of a well-known group. I have hundreds of pics and hours of vids of them. They had a good crop of youngsters this year, at least five of which I've IDed for sure. For the ID purposes, this is a deer at the ski hut: https...

All three are likely coyote. Scale reference would be helpful, like the shoe or hiking pole/basket of the hiker-photog, but we get some sense of scale: pic 1: footprint (size unknown and variable, but odds-wise at least an adult size 8 (M) pic two: leaves of the California live oak Size and features...

collection of methods:

Bottle Cap Blues

http://player.vimeo.com/video/42674279

Dang. Wednesday, October 24, 2012 12:24 "A group of hikers discovered the body of a dead mountain lion on Sunday near Newbury Park in Point Mugu State Park, according to National Park Service. Biologists identified the lion as Puma-25, a female one-year-old. They do not believe the mammal died ...

"You're right, Jim," he replied sheepishly. "Consider myself properly chastised and cowed. I promise not to horn in on your threads again." With that, he fled the thread, taking it on the lam over to San Jac. All kidding aside, (Gahhhh! sorry! ;) that was a treat for you to see a...

Hello, frame by frame and vari-speed review show the second buck not in flight, but attacking the first deer. Note the body position, dropped head and shoulders with lowered antlers, and explosive acceleration toward the lead buck. This is not flight from an unseen predator in process of attacking o...

Very good, Jim. I figured you wood get the visual pun. Especially for you, there are two more visual juxtaposition puns : The first is fair game, as the guitar wood type is readily apparent ( koa ) and I made reference to the users for whom the axe is made. (left for your satisfaction and solution ;...

Another superb travelogue. Thanks for sharing with the SGMDF denizens the tale of Daddy Jim's and daughter's first backpack overnighter. Sixty pounds is a hefty slog, but the preciousness of the cargo lightens the load. Talk about lifting one's spirit--Yay! Someday she will treasure the memory as mu...