Coyote pup

I’m never surprised to see a deer somewhere along this Folsom path, especially since it’s very near the American River. But this was my first time encountering a coyote here. This young female sat down and looked at me, took a few minutes to ponder, and then doubled back on her trail and disappeared into the brush.

Read More →

Time and timing

It’s been more than a year since I last hiked in this area on the south bank of the American River in Folsom, and I had been meaning to come back long before this. Partly because it’s within walking distance of my house; and partly because I was very curious to locate a mysterious hole in the rocks I had […]

Read More →

Secret squirrel

I was surprised to spot this ground squirrel perched high above me on the rocks, mostly because his position left him very vulnerable to any hungry bird of prey who might come along. But the amazing view must have been well worth the risk — at least to judge from his body language and the parade of expressions marching across […]

Read More →

Killdeer at New York Creek

Last week I may not have found a lot of water in Folsom Lake’s New York Creek, on the south fork of the American River, but I was lucky enough to get some good shots of the Killdeer. Normally, I can’t get close enough for a decent look at these very shy shorebirds. Check out those big beautiful eyes (you […]

Read More →

Life goes on

Due to the drought and the heat, large areas around Folsom Lake are already dry and full of brittle weeds; but on my visit to New York Creek a few days ago I came across a small feeder creek that was still very green and full of animal life. In the morning shade of an old oak, with a cool […]

Read More →

On the wing

These may not be the greatest Canada goose photos I’ve ever shot, but I can’t help liking them. Yesterday morning I went out to Folsom Lake with the Big Guy. It was still relatively cool at at 10 o’clock, and I was sitting on a rock gazing at what’s left of New York Creek, which currently looks like this: Suddenly, […]

Read More →

April trails

Today, with the temperature reaching up into the 100+ degree range, I’m staying indoors and looking back to only two months ago, when we visited Rattlesnake Bar one morning and I explored a portion of the Pioneer Express Trail I had never seen before.

Read More →