I only have to walk a few blocks away from my house to find vernal pools; in the early springtime when they fill with rainwater, I can hear the Pacific chorus frogs singing their breeding calls, even with all the doors and windows of my house shut. This tiny pool is another matter. We happened upon it as we hiked […]
I always have a tough time staying in one spot long enough for wildlife to come to me; I feel better when I keep moving and appreciate it all the more when I’m lucky enough to stumble upon some wonderful surprise. But recently I’m learning that if I can manage to sit still in my backyard for more than a […]
I was out in my back yard earlier this evening when I happened to glance up and noticed that our next door neighbors were enjoying the colorful sunset. Although I didn’t have my big zoom lens, I was still lucky enough to get a few halfway decent shots of this pair of house finches. Hopefully I’ll be seeing more of […]
When I arrived with the Big Guy at the trailhead on Monday morning we were sure the rain would start falling before much longer — but instead the sky seemed to gradually clear. By the time we were headed for home at 3:30 the sky had become blue with only a scattering of clouds.
If you take a drive along Auburn-Folsom Road, which roughly parallels the north fork of the American River, now part of Folsom Lake, you’ll find both small ranch properties and gated communities. This portion of the lake is located in Placer County and adjoins the growing communities of Granite Bay and Loomis. Most of the really posh multi-million dollar houses […]
We took a short trip back out to Folsom Lake this morning — a last chance to get outdoors ahead of a big storm that should be hitting our area before long. Though the skies were blue and cloudless as the day began, it wasn’t long before grey took over; and while the south wind wasn’t gusting too strongly yet, […]
I’m quite used to spotting Rufous-crowned Sparrows along the bike trail at Lake Natoma; and apparently they are also used to seeing people using the trail, given their fairly bold behavior and willingness to pose for pictures. Out at Folsom Lake, along the north fork of the American River, the birds are much more shy — so I was pleased […]
A few days ago I posted a photo I shot at Folsom Lake showing a high curved rock wall. I took my initial pictures from a distance and didn’t have a chance to explore the wall more closely — but when I got home and started looking at the area on Google maps, something odd caught my attention. The screenshot […]