Boggs Lake Preserve

I’ve visited Clear Lake quite a number of times in the past several years, and I find myself gravitating to the familiar spots — especially Anderson Marsh State Historic Park at the south end of the lake and Rodman Slough in the north. So on this trip I tried to discover something new to me; and that led me to […]

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Lake Natoma morning

This morning I finally got outside to play with my brand new Canon 100-400mm lens. I planned to take a walk along the bluffs overlooking Lake Natoma and head out early enough to find cooler temperatures and fewer people. As you can see by the image above, there were plenty of folks — including a few Canada geese — already […]

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Animals with attitude

Note: This post contains NO snake pictures, although there are fence lizards and a couple of insects! The animals around us may be quietly going about the regular business of living, but sometimes it’s tough not to imagine a bit of an attitude in their posture or in the way they pause to check us out. I shot these images […]

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Lizard love

I can always be pretty sure of spotting Western Fence Lizards (also called Blue-bellies) on my outdoor adventures during the spring, usually perched atop sun-warmed rocks orĀ  old logs. Sometimes it takes sharp eyes to spot their camouflage. Still, for all the many times I’ve seen and photographed these little guys, I never knew until today that they have the […]

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Small surprises

Even on a trip to an area with beautiful scenic views like Eagle Lake in Lassen County, my favorite photos usually end up showing the small details and tiny creatures that also abound. I probably shot more pictures of butterflies than anything else during my stay! But I had a feeling it would have a good camera trip just as […]

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Rock and rollercoaster

Hiking the Pioneer Express Trail from the parking lot at Sterling Pointe Equestrian Staging Area is a seriously up-and-down experience. There are some great views of Folsom Lake — but this time of the year, you’ll be too busy avoiding poison oak, watching swallowtail butterflies, and navigating up and down the horse-sized changes in altitude to notice the view. No […]

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On the rocks

On our coastal trips back in the “old days,” the Big Guy used to fish exclusively on sandy beaches for ocean perch; but at some point he made the transition to fishing from rocky cliffs and points, where he mostly catches rockfish and cabezon. And while he’s busy with his rod and reel, I’m usually off wandering with my camera […]

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