A Mist Filled Morning!

Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus

It rained on Friday morning for about half an hour, for a total of a little under .25"!  We were THRILLED to get it!!!  Everything was damp and glistening and nature's camphor filled the air!  It has been 153 days since it last rained!  The next few days are supposed to be cold and cloudy with a chance of light rain and snow showers.  More of the same weather is predicted for later in the week.  It looks like the "storm door" has possibly opened up for us!  Yahoo!

Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus

I went out this morning into a heavily misted landscape!  It was so, so beautiful!  I walked down to the bridge to see if any wildlife was around.  To my astonishment there was a Bald Eagle perched in a nearby tree!!!  I've only seen a Bald Eagle on the river once before, several years ago!  It was scrutinizing the river from its perch, probably looking for fish. I watched it for several minutes, until it took off downriver.  I thought it might perch on that dead tree where I've seen Ospreys and a Merlin perch, so I hotfooted it down the highway to check it out.  Sure enough I lucked out and there it was!  Wow!!!  How lucky to see this imposing raptor in our neighborhood!  I was amazed!

Bald Eagles are LARGE birds, measuring 31" in height, with a wingspan of 80" (6.5 feet!)!! Fish, waterfowl, and mammals are their main prey. They are uncommon in our area, and it's a rare privilege to see one!  I have written about Bald Eagles in previous blogs, most notably in my March 30, 2019 blog.  

Columbian Black-tailed Deer - Odocoileus hemionus columbianus

I also saw two Columbian Black-tailed Deer on the gravel bar in the river!  They were young bucks!  Deer season ended November 1st, so glad these two made it!

Sharp-shinned Hawk - Accipiter striatus

At the end of my morning wander I was delighted to see a Sharp-shinned Hawk perched above our garden again!  Yahoo!  What and incredible morning!

Sierra Buttes Fire Lookout

Hiking to the Sierra Buttes Fire Lookout

My friend Nancy and I hiked to the top of the Sierra Buttes (elevation 8,587') last Wednesday!  She had never been there before, and it has been several years since I hiked it.  It was a beautiful blue-sky day, warm and breezy.  The views were amazing even though the sky was a bit hazy!  I should have taken more photos, but being photographically biased to natural scenes I didn't!  (Just Google "Sierra Buttes Fire Lookout", and you'll find a lot more photos!) This may have been our last hike up in the Lakes Basin for the season, as the weather forecast is for snow!

 

Informational sign at the base of the lookout stairs

The fire lookout was originally built in 1915, but was not accessible to the public until after the summer of 1964 when the metal stairs, with 178 steps, were built.  This lookout was manned until 1995 when it was decommissioned by the Tahoe National Forest.  If you suffer from vertigo don't climb the stairs. They are sturdy but you can see the drop below you as you ascend!  

Another informational sign at the base of the lookout stairs

The Sierra Buttes with the Fire Lookout being the highest point

Young America Lake (detail)

Young America Lake and Upper & Lower Sardine Lakes

 

I first went up to this fire lookout back in the early 90's.  At that time you could 4WD up to about 1/2 mile from the lookout.  I'm not sure how close you can drive nowadays.  I would highly recommend hiking the trail (not driving) to the lookout, as there are beautiful views along the way. It is an uphill hike of approximately 2.5 miles, with an elevation gain of approximately 1600'.  It was a bit of a workout, but well worth the effort.

 

We Still Need Rain!

Even though we got a little rain, I am still sending out a "Call for Art" in celebration of rain. My intention is to focus on the need for rain, and through collective positive energy invoke rain to fall. It is just a wish, a thought, and a hope. If you would like to submit some art, or writing, or a photo please check out my blog at dampearthart.blogspot.com. I will be posting new art weekly.

You can view what was submitted last year at dampearth.blogspot.com.
Check it out and pray for rain!

Are there still Fall Colors to see?

Will it freeze this week?

Will the birds stick around?

Check back next week for the answers to these questions and more!

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