River's Wind Notes

Red Tree Vole and Fisher Captured on Camera

2012-01-17T15:26:00.000-08:00

After over 2 months my friend Chris Wemmer returned to Humboldt County to check his Camera traps.

We were both excited about the possibilities of capturing on camera these sought after mammals as we drove to the Green Diamond Wildlife Office in Korbel, California less than 15 minutes from my home.

Chris used his GPS to find the exact spot that each camera had been previously set. Upon arrival at the first set which was the large Douglas Fir tree on the slope below the dirt road adjacent to the Mad River, we went to work gathering the necessary gear, ladder and this time Chris put on a climbing harness to secure him to the tree while removing the camera. He climbed the tree and removed the camera in less than 10 minutes and lowered it down in a canvas bag attached to a rope.
He uploaded the photos into his PC on the tailgate of my pickup and realized that he had captured the prize.

There it was the Red Tree Vole (Arborimus pomus) one of the main prey species of the Spotted Owl caught by camera trap. Excited would be putting it mildly because to Chris it was more like winning the lottery.

We were off to the next set to see if our luck would continue and even more excited now that we had our first prize.

Chris Wemmer setting a cameratrap in hollow stump

The next set was in a hollowed out Redwood stump that measured 38.5 feet in circumference and had an inside diameter of 12 – 15 feet by 7 feet. The floor inside the stump was 7 feet below the outside surrounding soil due to years of organic detritus buildup.
Upon checking the results Chris found that he captured a variety of species including, Bobcat, Grey Fox, Black Bear, Virginia Opossum, Brush Rabbit, Wood Rat, Deer Mouse, Shrew( sp. undetermined), and a Hermit Thrush. Since some of the photos were not the best Chris decided to set up two cameras at this set to capture the quarry at different angles.

The new set would face into one of the 3 openings hoping to frame a mammal
entering the stump.
The third set would be even more exciting because it would be another first for Chris in his attempt to get most all of the California mammals by Camera trap.
In fact it is a mammal rarely seen by humans due to it's reclusive nature.
The Fisher (Martes pennanti) is a medium size mammal with a tail as long as it's body in the Mustelid family. You will be able to see it eventually by going here.
While Chris was here he fixed my camera trap and found a short in the circuitry.
Thanks to him I am back in business.

The Quest for the Red Tree Vole

2011-11-07T14:26:00.000-08:00

My old college friend Chris Wemmer recently visited the Pacific Northwest here in Humboldt County and was our guest for a couple nights. Chris was here to check some camera traps that he set 3 weeks earlier in Green Diamond property with the help of Lowell Diller.

I jumped at the opportunity to go out in the field with Chris who is an expert on camera trapping and mammal behavior. We set out in Lowell Diller's official company vehicle to locate the traps. Unfortuately one of the traps which had been set 30 feet up in a tree was destroyed by a vegetation cutter used to clear the sides of the road.

Vegetation cut by the "Masticator"

The parts were found with a metal detector by Green Diamond staff earlier shown here.

The traps were checked and none of the sought after targets were captured other than a Bobcat, mice, chipmunk, rabbit and a Thrush.

Lowell Diller and Chris Wemmer checking camera trap results

Chris was disappointed but undeterred in his quest as we drove to another site where Chris and Lowell had located a Red Tree Vole nest on their last outing. The nest was in a Douglas Fir on a 60 degree slope between the road and the Mad River below. Lowell was the first to climb down to the trees base and test the ladder.

Chris went through the boxes of equipment to gather the tools needed for the job at hand. Watching him prepare for the task ahead of him was like watching a young enthusiastic biologist about to discover something new to science. Although he has done this many times before with other species this tiny specialized mouse was one mammal he wanted badly. Chris first tied a rope climbing harness from his crotch and around his waist to secure him safely to the tree.

I watched him with admiration as he climbed upwards from limb to limb with the ease and grace of an Orangutan making his way 30 feet above to the nest.

I must addmit that I felt some trepidation hoping that It would not be necessary to pull him out of the cold waters of the Mad River 80+ feet below.

"Yoga exercise is beneficial" C.Wemmer

It was my job to climb the ladder and attach the bag with equipment to the rope which was pulled up by Chris.

Camera trap pointing at a active Red Tree Mouse nest

He attached the camera to the limb 2 feet from the nest with hopes of getting a Red Tree Vole peering into the lens or peeking out of it's nest when he returns in a month to check his cameras. Patience is definitely a virtue when it comes to camera trapping and maybe a little luck. The most import ingredient for success is knowledge of the biology and behavior of the animal that you seek to photograph.

Chris setting trap in hollowed out redwood stump

Chris holding the predator bait

While driving along the road Chris spotted a large stump hidden in the underbrush and he asked me to stop the car so we could check it. The stump turned out to be a very large hollowed out old growth redwood with a 8 foot deep opening and 15 feet wide at its base. Chris thought this would be a good site to catch a predator such as a Fisher. He used a partially frozen roadkill squirrel that he had picked up for this purpose and attached it securely to the tree.

By now it was raining and there were still other traps to check. We spent the whole day out in this beautiful country and I look forward to seeing the results the next time the Camera Trap Codger returns.

River Rat Reunion

2011-08-26T14:03:00.000-07:00

River Rat Reunion
On August 20, 2011 I was privileged to attend a reunion of people who grew up along the Russian River in the 50’s.
It was back in the 40’s and 50’s when I lived in Guerneville, California on the Russian River.
Things were simpler in those days with no TV’s, Computers, or Cell phones. The town was quiet and it seemed like you knew almost everyone. There were no homeless folks living under the bridge or hanging out in town. My Grandfather Newton Lark opened the only Drugstore in town in 1910 and his oldest son Warne Lark bought it in the late 40’s. I along with my cousins worked in Larks Drugstore in the summers at various stages of our lives. I began working there the summer of 1949 after graduating from Guerneville Elementary School. At first I stocked shelves,dusted,blew up inflatable swim tubes for display and eventually became a clerk. I spent many hours swimming and fishing in the river when not working. I worked in my Uncles store while going to college through the summer of 1956. In those 8 years of summers I have wonderful memories of dancing to the music of Les Brown and his band renown at the Grove, hiking into Austin Creek above Armstrong Woods with my buddy Tom King, Parties at Goat Rock,Swimming at Reins Beach and dating a Bohemian Grove member’s daughter named Noreen Doyle.
There have been many changes in Guerneville since then. I remember that there was a small Bowling alley in Gori’s Tavern where today’s West America bank stands. We had a couple of skating rinks that are gone now and the “River Queen” used to cruise people from Johnson’s beach to the old Russian River Inn and back. If you were so inclined you could rent a horse in Guernewood park. The Shad and Steelhead fishing on the Russian River was legendary in those days but has declined since.

54 years have passed since I left Guerneville to pursue my life’s goals, sometimes struggle with relationships and the death of loved ones.

I never really left the river at heart and visited my mother many times while she lived there until 2008 when I had to place her in a Convalescent home in Santa Rosa.

On August 19 I returned again to play golf at my favorite and most beautiful golf course ”Northwood” with the River Rat Reunion contingency the day before our reunion.

The River Rats have had other reunions over the years but the last one I attended was 20 years earlier.

On this occasion most of us in our “Golden” aka “Rusted” years gathered at Cliff Eckert’s resort to once again celebrate old friendships and acquaintances, talk about old times or catch up on people who most of us have lost contact with.
Upon arrival I decided to document the event with my camera and spent most of the time doing so,but paused often to enjoy interactions with old friends and acquaintances and sitting down to eat with old friends Herb and Kathy Genelly.

The setting was perfect with towering Douglas Fir and Redwoods bordering and shading our celebration.

The smell of barbecued Chicken wafted in the air as we sipped “two buck Chuck” wine and listened to oldies music played by our MC Herb Genelly III.

Seeing people for the first time in over 50 years can be a reality check for some of us who refuse to admit we are old Codger’s.

From left to right: Ms.Markaroff,Barbara McGee,Terry Schulz,Lauretta Higgins (Ratcliff)Miss Sonoma County 1955,Dolores Markarian(Gori),Barbara Hoffmann(King),Dianna Phillips(Culazzo)

Herb Genelly a friend for over 65 years still runs the Guerneville "Antiques aka "flea" Market.

Barbara Mcgee was our Life Saving Instructor when we were Boy Scouts and she most likey precipitated my "wet" dreams era. (Pardon the pun)

Yes there have been changes in our faces and bodies but we are the same people who in most cases have evolved intellectually and spiritually as a result of life’s experiences.
I noticed some people with vision deterioration bending close to read name tags because physical changes and memory loss can be prevalent with those of us who have lived this long.

My cousin Ray Lark was there in his 1933 Ford Roadster which he built.
Ray has driven his roadster across country as far as Pennsylvania and florida for over 130 thousand miles often in pouring down rain with no top. No he's not crazy and say's "the rain just blows over my head unless I stop".

It’s been a good life and the memories and friendships will always be cherished.
To veiw all of the River Rat photos gohref="picasaweb.google.com/102217592620585974844/RiverRatsReunion">

Chasing Birds

2011-05-17T11:37:00.000-07:00

In November of 2010 Gary Lester and his wife Lauren discovered a very rare
bird while out walking Clam Beach in Humboldt County, California
Gary is a local highly regarded birder and professional biologist was scanning the large ponds that are east of Clam Beach and south of the highway 101 Vista Point overlook.
He noticed a bird that was definitely not an endemic species and later reported it to the Humboldt County Birder alert as a Brown Shrike.

In the ensuing days word got out to the bird community as fast as lightning and the Shrike rush was on.

Birders from all over the country began to show up to get a glimpse of this very rare bird.

Even local birders became addicted to it as they returned sometimes daily or weekly just to see it again or photograph it.

People who chase birds must be reasonably successful in life because it requires time and money to travel great distances to add a new bird to one's life list.

According to an article in USA Today American birders spend over 32 billion annually on their hobby and 18 million to travel inorder to see birds.

A 2001 study by USFW found that the average age of birders is 49 with above average income and education level.

I met several birders while looking for the Shrike who had traveled from as far away as Boston, MA, Washington State, Arizona and Oregon.

Most were equipped with the best and most expensive binoculars and /or spotting scopes
on the market and clothed in Gortex raingear and waterproof footwear.

Most were friendly but serious and dedicated to their passion of chasing birds.
Birders are collectors in a sense because each new bird is another notch on their lifetime list.

Many bird chasers are also competitive as well and each new bird gives them bragging rights to their peers.

I have observed birders when they see a new bird for the first time display a keen sense of accomplishment
often with "High Fives", handshakes, and even Tiger Woods like fist pumps.
Others may calmly display a sigh of relief for all their efforts and move on to the next challenge.

The second time that I was out looking for it I ran into a legend in Humboldt County by the name of Dr. Harris a retired professor at Humboldt State University.
He was there with his adult son sitting atop one of highest foredunes scanning the leafless alders hoping to add this bird to his list of Humboldt County birds which tops all other birders.
Neither of us spotted the shrike on that day even though we scanned the habitat patiently for well over an hour.

On the third time that I went out to look for it there were several people who had it in their scope making it easy for me.

While talking to a lady from Sonoma County I mentioned an old friend (Mike Parmeter) who greatly influenced me when I was a boy scout in Guerneville, California. He became a Medical doctor and one of the best birders in California and co authored "Birds of Sonoma County, California" with the late Gordon Bolander. She knew Mike and we talked about him and birds briefly while walking toward the birders who arrived before us to see the Shrike.

I mention this to point out that birders often meet new people while chasing birds and it becomes a social gathering of sorts.

Brown Shrike photo courtesy of Wikipedia
As I write this the Brown Shrike has stayed put for over 6 months and apparently finds the area a good place for food and cover.

This bird has undoubtedly affected our local economy in a positive way since birders who come here most likely use a local motel and restaurants if they stay more than a day.
This years annual "Godwit Days" celebration was a huge success with most all birding trips sold out.

One of the big drawing cards was the possibility of seeing the Brown Shrike and to add it to their Life list.
A good friend of mine and highly regarded naturalist and birder Wayne Laubscher who works with this years keynote speaker Scott Wiedensaul banding Saw Whet Owls in Pennsylvania came out for Godwit days.
Wayne was excited about the possibilties of seeing many new birds and ended up with 20 including the Brown Shrike and Spotted owl.

In constant rain we followed by car our leader Keith Hamm a Associate biologist with Green Diamond up a mountain road for several miles.
About 12 enthusiastic people in rain gear trudged up a slippery slope in riparian mature forest to get a glimpse of the owl that has created controversy amongst environmentalist and the logging industry for over 30 years.
Mr. Hamm explained eloquently the background research that he and others have been conducting for over
20 years. He told us that most all the owls in this large area owned by Green Diamond have been banded and he knew exactly where to find the owl that we were about to see.

He first mimiced the call of the owl with a dog like barking described by Sibley as "whup, hoo-hoo, hooo".
Within seconds his sharp eyes picked up the owl that most of the group didn't notice because of it's cryptic coloration making it almost invisible.

He then placed a white lab mouse on the end of a small twig and held it up high above his head.
Within seconds the owl swooped in so close that we could feel the breeze of the silent wing beat as it snatched up the mouse and took it to a nearby branch. One gentleman from Southern California was almost in tears from the overwhelming emotion of seeing the owl for the first time.

Photo of Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis) by Wayne Laubscher

Wayne who is an accomplished photographer brought his camera inspite of the wet conditions and I held

an umbrella over him as he photographed the owl.

Mr. Hamm being a father himself next allowed a young boy his sons age
hold the stick with another mouse on it.

Someone should have gotten a photo of the boys expression when the owl again swooped down and deftly plucked the mouse from its perch and flew to a nearby branch.
It was priceless!
An experience that this boy will likely remember the rest of his life.

We signed up for the Brown Shrike trip on Waynes last full day in Humboldt County which was guided
by Gary Lester who originally found it.

Gary Lester with a trip participant looking for the Brown Shrike.

The ponds where the Brown Shrike has remained for nearly 6 months in Mckinleyville, California.

Wayne Laubscher scanning for the Brown Shrike
The Shrike was found and all the participants excluding Gary and myself had added another bird to their life list.
I had a great time and it was good to see a friend from our days living in Pennsylvania once again.
I must add that I am not a "Bird Chaser" and most likely would not fly across country to see a new bird. However, I love seeing new birds and appreciate them from a different aspect and marvel at their diversity, beauty and the many adaptations that have evolved through natural selection.

Hawk slams dove against my window

2011-03-23T14:37:00.000-07:00

Recently while working at my computer I was startled by a loud slam against my window and looked up and saw some feathers stuck to it.
I jumped up out of my chair and saw an adult male Sharp-shinned Hawk mantling over a Mourning Dove on the deck below my window.
I ran for my camera as the hawk flew down below about 20 yards away and with it he carried the dove clutched firmly in it's talons.

The dove was eating chicken feed that I put out periodically for them and Quail.
Feathers near the chicken scratch indicate that the dove was hit first on the ground
then it must have escaped toward my window when it was caught again.

The Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) is a bird a little larger than a Robin that often hunts near homes with bird feeders.

While concealing itself in the forest canopy it waits for the opportunity to surprise it's prey.
It is "lightning quick" using the ambush technique to it's great advantage.

On this occasion it was successful and I watched it hold on to the
struggling dove until there was no longer any movement.

It flew to a branch of a Redwood tree and plucked the feathers to the skin
and devoured it's meal piece by piece.

For me it was a unique and rare opportunity to witness nature in action at its most defining moment.

Watching Snowy Plovers

2011-03-02T14:15:00.000-08:00

Western Snowy Plover and Sanderling

On some days while walking along Clam Beach and Little River State Beach I am fortunate to see the tiny Snowy Plover crouched low and motionless among the beach debris or in a shallow depression such as a human footprint in the sand.

When I walk past them they will often move away slowly walking as though they are stiff from sitting like an old man who has been glued to his chair for hours. During the winter months they can often be seen in loose flocks.

I watched 25 Snowy Plovers recently fly before me in synchrony flashing their wing markings along the surfs edge first south then turning abruptly in unison and flying back the other way.

They all landed abruptly like leaves dropping from a tree and instantly became invisible to the untrained eye.

The above is a photo just after landing showing how well they blend in with their background appearing as beach debris.

The majority of the individuals that I see have been banded by local biologists Mark Colwell, Matt Johnson and their students at Humboldt State University who are studying them to learn more about their biology, behavior, and movements.

The Pacific Coast population of the Western Snowy Plover has been listed as threatened since 1993 by the Federal Government due to declining numbers and decreased habitat as a result of introduced invasive vegetation such as European Beach grass. The Plover lays its eggs in depressions in the sand or river rock in open areas along the coast from Washington to Northern Baja, Mexico.

The threats to this “cute” sparrow sized plover are many and include natural predators like falcons, raccoons, coyotes, owls, fox, crows and ravens. The later has been determined to be the cause of most nest failures due to predation of the eggs when the parent has been disturbed.

However one of the major threats to the plover is human disturbance including Horses, bikes, vehicles, kite flying, and dogs running loose in the plovers nesting habitat.

Each time the tiny plover takes flight when disturbed they use valuable energy and often abandon their nest site making the eggs more vulnerable by increasing the opportunity for nest failure due to predation.

Much effort in cooperation with USFW and other Government agencies has been given to protect and improve the plover’s habitat.

The California Conservation Corps has been working on invasive

European Beach grass removal west of the highway 101 Vista Point overlook by digging the grass up and burning it.

The above photo looking north toward the mouth of the Little River shows the roped off area that has been restored by mechanical removal of the European Beach Grass and then restoration with native plants.
.

This work allows native plants to compete and provides a more open
foredune habitat for the Snowy Plover.

The signs at the perimeter of the roped off area at Little River State Beach
do not keep unleashed dogs from running into their habitat.

Recently my wife and I were out photographing and observing Snowy Plovers.
We observed a middle aged woman and her unleashed dog walking along the roped off area. The dog took off into the Snowy Plover protected habitat and I waved to the lady to indicate that her dog should not be there.

Her pace quickened as she approached me and she shouted "you better have a badge!" Then before I could explain why we were concerned she blurted out "I'm tired of this shit, and I'm calling 911." As she walked past us we heard her say pointing to the restoration area, "look what they've done already!"

She phoned someone while we watched her looking back at us as if we had ruined her day.

This is the challenge those of us concerned about protecting this tiny plover have when trying to educate people who simply don't care or refuse to listen to the facts. I personally feel that most people are willing to listen and learn and hopefully change.

There are volunteers who often hand out educational material but I doubt that it changes those who just don't care.
Anyone reading who would like to volunteer go here.http://www.westernsnowyplover.org/volunteering.html
I would like to hear your ideas on how best we can protect this beautiful tiny plover whose numbers are declining. Should people who ignore signs and allow their unleashed dogs to run through Snowy Plover habitat be ticketed?

Looking for Dead Birds

2010-12-19T12:29:00.000-08:00

Photo by Kimberley Pittman-Schulz

My wife and I greatly enjoy our proximity to the Pacific Coast and walking along the many beaches here in Humboldt County.
We are volunteers with COASST as citizen scientist looking for dead beached birds that have washed ashore.
We've been involved with the program for a little over one year now and both of us look forward each month to our purposeful walk on "our" beach.

The way I found out about the program is interesting indeed.
I was checking out the mouth of the Mad River in early Febuary of 2009 and found a bottle with a lid and picked it up to see if there was a note in it.

There wasn't so I decided to put one in it and threw it into the river nearly 400 meters from the mouth. Perhaps I thought someone far away in some exotic place would eventually find it.

Gary Lester a local highly regarded birder and COASST volunteer found the bottle with the note and notified me by email the very next day.

Shortly after that I met Gary and his wife in person and he told me of the COASST volunteer program.
I took the COASST training class held in Trinidad, Ca and was assigned Clam Beach south.

It includes the area from the southern parking lot of Clam Beach County Park south to the Vista Point overlook approximately 1.7 Kilometers one way. It is a very flat and wide beach with the mouth of Strawberry Creek intersecting it about a third of the way.

Turkey Vultures and Ravens scavenging a dead Marine Mammal on Clam beach.

We sometimes find dead Marine mammals that have washed ashore including this scavenged Dolphin.

The purpose of the project is to monitor the marine ecosystems health in the Pacific Northwest. It is a cooperative effort by hundreds of volunteers from the Aleutians south to Humboldt County, California.

Assigned beaches are surveyed each month and data is collected on special data sheets. The data is analysed by scientist at the University of Washington and assembled into an annual report.

Data from all of the beaches surveyed reveal patterns which may help biologist make future decisions on the conservation of species of concern.

We enjoy the project for several reasons which include doing something outdoors together as a team and contributing in a small way to our knowledge about the Marine ecosystem.

Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)

During our surveys we also enjoy getting close veiws of live birds that frequent our coastal beaches.

Western Sandpiper(Calidris mauri)

I must admit that it isn't always fun when you're hunched over a badly decayed specimen that falls apart at the slightest tug while trying to measure and Identify it in a cold wind.

The majority of birds found have been scavenged to some extent by other birds.

When we find one it is measured (tarsus,wing chord, bill) and identified when possible with the use of a key. We then mark it with color coded plastic cable ties and photograph it. Marking a bird prevents recounting it if it is found again by us or someone else. Thus far we have not stumbled upon anything rare or unusual like an Albatross or a Flesh footed Shearwater.

We have not experienced a "Wreck"* yet either and when and if we do we will be sure to call out the troops for help.

Most days we try to pick up as much litter that we find washed ashore.
Below is an example of a days find that we carried back to the dumpsters.

If I were younger and looking for a job it would be interesting to put this experience on my Resume and wait for a curious response by the potential employer during a interveiw.

*A wreck is a large number of single species, or group of species washed ashore sometimes resulting in 10 to 100 times normal.

Trash along roads

2010-10-26T13:10:00.000-07:00

Every time I see trash deposited along our beautiful roads it makes me sad even sick to my stomach. Why I ask would a human with a brain do something so stupid?
Perhaps they are brainless but I'd rather think that they are people who have no respect for the environment or concern for their community.
Yesterday while driving home along Murray road I saw this and stopped to photograph it.

I am thinking about putting up some camera traps along this road to catch the idiots who disgrace the human race by their behavior.
>

I hope to catch someone eventually and turn them in. When caught they should be required to clean up the trash along the same roadway for at least one year or go to jail for a year.

This must cost taxpayer money that could be used for better purposes.

The trash was gone today apparently picked up by a local agency? Thank you to whoever cleaned up the outrageous mess.

Anyone out there with any suggestions that might help?

Sussi & Chuma Lodge on the Zambezi River

2010-09-28T16:20:00.000-07:00

The last part of our Africa trip to Zambia was booked specifically to see Victoria Falls and wildlife along the Zambezi river.

Upon arrival at the airport near the northern border of Botswana we were met by a polite African gentelman and driven by cab to the rivers edge. Along the way we passed hundreds of large transport trucks waiting in line to cross the border.

Our driver explained that sometimes the wait was several days or over a week. This is because there are only two ferries and they can take only one semi trailer at a time.

We were told there is huge problem of prostitution with the truckers while they wait to cross the border.

Our connections were impeccable as we were met within 5 minutes by the person who would take us to the other side and crossed the river into Zambia by small motor craft.
The walk from the boat was over uneven terrain requiring at least a moderate amount of agility to get to the mobile office where our passports were checked taking only a few minutes and then proceeded to ride in a Van to our lodge.

We would stay two more nights at Sussi & chuma lodge on the banks of the Zambezi River.

We were greeted once again by very friendly and smiling hosts who led us along a platform walkway built on stilts to our room overlooking the river.
The entire lodge except the dining area was built on stilts to prevent flooding and to minimize the impact on the environment below.

Our room was at the end of the walkway and once inside it looked like this.
The view from our room was amazing and for the next two days we would soak up every moment. Looking out from our deck was a powerful humid ambiance showcasing the beauty of the Zambezi and it's richly diverse riparian sounds. We listened with reverence while the birds, insects and Hippos serenaded us to the tune of a swollen river as we soaked in this once in a lifetime experience .

It didn't take long for us to grab our binoculars and walk out on our deck to view the area and look for birds. There were many and one fine example was this beautiful little Bee-eater.
White-Fronted Bee-Eater (Merops bullockoides)
My faithful companion and fellow adventurer always with binoculars ready for anything that moves, crawls or flies.

She found a frog in our bathroom and we eventually released it to the outside and photographed it on the deck railing. Perhaps someone who knows African amphibians can identify it for us?
The first afternoon we chose to take a boat ride on the Zambezi where we encountered a family of Hippos that greeted us with disdain for our intrusion upon their space.
The Hippopotamus is one of the most dangerous animals in Africa and very territorial when in the water. They put up a very impressive argument that convinced everyone that we were close enough.

Brown-Hooded Kingfisher (Halcyon albiventris)

The bird life along the river was phenomenal and one example is this beautiful little Kingfisher(above).
That evening we enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere at the Main lodge with a glass of wine and excellent food and a superb view of the Zambezi river. The Staff entertained us with music and dancing and invited us to join them. We did and below is Kimberley feeling the African groove.
The next morning we were visited by a family of Vervet Monkeys near our room and immediately went out to observe, enjoy and photograph them.

These monkeys are undoubtedly curious by nature and very unafraid as they approached us closely.

As we gazed into each other's eyes I wondered what is going on in her mind? I think she wanted to be friends and at that moment we became friends.

The male Vervet monkey showing off his colorful genitalia while a female grooms his fur.
I thought to myself now why didn't Homo sapiens evolve such a colorful scheme?
Although the adaptive significance of the colored genitalia may not be well understood, it is thought to aid in visual communication among male Vervets to reinforce the dominance hierarchy.

The Bateleur (terathopius ecaudatus) is one of the most striking and easily identified eagles in Africa. We saw these beautiful eagles at every place we visited while in Africa.

This large Rock Monitor moved quickly away from us as we approached it.

The Red-Billed Oxpeckers (Buphagus erythrorhynchus) were busy keeping ectoparasites at bay on the backs of these Impala (Aepyceros melampus).
White-Crowned Lapwing (Plover) (Vanellus albiceps)

Driving along bumpy roads in a Land Rover not far from our lodge we were consumed with the many birds and mammals and keeping our eyes wide open hoping to see the Pel's Fishing Owl. It was perfect habitat but this is one bird that I would only get a fleeting glimpse of in the Okavanga.

On our last day in Africa we visited Victoria Falls and felt its awesome power and the deafening sound as we walked in its drenching rain along the trails .
A beautiful rainbow created by the falls mist .

High water at one of the "Seven Wonders" of the world. We waited a long time for this adventure and it will remain one of the highlights of our lives.

Chobe Nat. Park, Savute

2010-06-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

Our flight to our next lodge in the Chobe National Park was a little over an hour. We were met at the airport and driven about 30 minutes to the Savute Safari Lodge where we would spend the next two days. Our room looked out over a water hole that had Elephants drinking from it and the odor of elephant dung wafted in the air.

The Chobe is known for having one of the worlds largest elephant populations and is

the second largest national park in Botswana encompassing nearly 11,000 sq. km. renowned for its uniqueness and abundance of wildlife.

The African Wild Dog has large rounded ears a "Hyena-like" head and beautiful
mottled black, white with shades of light yellow brown patches of short hair giving it a
very distinctive appearance.
This beautiful dog-like animal is only a distant relative to our domestic canids.
A small pack of four adults were found napping under a tree in the late afternoon.
We waited patiently until they arose to begin their evening sojourn and watched them eagerly as they trotted slowly away.

They are exclusively carnivorous and like the North American Wolf, hunt for their prey cooperatively. They can run up to 35 mph and as long as 3 miles making it difficult for their prey to escape.
We were thrilled to experience the sight of these rare animals since they are considered endangered with only 5,000 of them remaining.

The Blackbacked Jackal reminded us of the North American Coyote by the way it moves.
It has a distinctive black and silver "saddle."
An interesting habit of laying on Elephant dung to mask its odor also hides it from predators.

Our guide was a big African gentleman named Ngande with a deep voice and keen sense of humor. I found out early that he was not into birds as much as we were but he quickly caught on when I was stopping him frequently to take photos.

A common resident throughout Botswana is the beautiful Lilac Breasted Roller.

The Kori Bustard (Ardeotis kori) is the largest bustard in Botswana and have become extinct in some areas due to habitat destruction from agriculture, development, hunting and a slow reproductive rate.
They are mostly terrestrial and one of the heaviest birds capable of flying.

The Southern Ground-Hornbill (Bucorvus leadbeateri) is also threatened in many parts of its range and confined to reserves and national parks.

The Plains Zebra (Equus burchellii) was present in great numbers grazing in the Savute marsh where the grass was lush and not far from water. To see them in such high density in this vast savanna, each with their slightly varied markings was truely one of the heights of our experience.

Hundreds of Cattle Egrets(Bubulcus ibis) followed the herd

Our guide was constantly in touch by radio with other guides and learned of a pride of lions found a few miles away. We arrived within minutes to see two male lions loafing in the shade in the late afternoon while other members of the pride were a few yards away near the water hole.
It was like watching a National Geographic episode on TV in HD but this time we were actually seeing the drama before us as it took place.

There less than 20 yards away were three 5 month old cubs drinking and playing near a water hole.

The cubs attacked their parents playfully and generally ignored us and the
sound of our cameras clicking away.

The cubs went to their mothers side periodically for comfort and affection which they received with licking and rubbing.

We were immersed in the action before us for nearly 45 minutes but these precious moments would remain in our memories the rest of our lives.
On the way back to our lodge we saw dozens birds unfamiliar to us.

The African Sacrid Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) are common here but all of the wildlife in this wonderland were new for us.While passing through a grove of trees the stricking African Hoopoe (Upupa africana) posed briefly for a photo but didn't flair it's crest for us. Back in the open grassland a Northern Black Korhan (Eupodotis afraoides) appeared walking cautiously away from our approach.

Another amazing sunset on our last evening at Chobe as we headed back to our lodge with thoughts of the next adventure on the Zambesi River.

A NEW "LEASH" ON LIFE

2010-06-04T13:10:00.000-07:00

It was the first day of June and for a change it wasn't raining. My wife was on state mandated furlough due to the budget crisis in California.

We decided to take a walk along the Mad River near it's mouth which is a short drive from our home.

The mouth of the Mad River in Mckinleyville California is a great place to enjoy the spectacular views of the river where it meets the sea.

While sitting in the warm sun on large log eating our lunch we realized that we were the only people in the area.

We scanned the area with our binoculars and observed over 90 Harbor Seals hauled out on the west shore of the Mad River where it makes a 90 degree turn from North to West before it reaches the Ocean.

Then we noticed in the distance that we were not alone anymore as a couple with two dogs were approaching along the rivers edge.

The dogs were running exuberantly, unleashed and one of them stopped and defecated near the waters edge.

I didn't observe their owners pick up the poop even though there are plastic bag dispensers at the trail head for that purpose.

On most beaches with a few exceptions dogs are required to be on a leash, but most people ignore the law. After all dogs need to run, play and get their exercise, don't they?

As we sat in the warm sun munching away, one of the dogs (Siberian Husky) came running up and nearly swiped the granola bar from my hand while shaking his wet body on us.

Although slightly irritated, we dismissed the incident as just an overly friendly and excited dog greeting strangers.

The dogs owners ignored its hyperactive behavior and the fact that it had just accosted two people minding their own business.

I personally don't mind if people allow their dogs to run, play and get their necessary exercise.
However, I don't appreciate dogs that are out of the control of their owners command either by voice or whistle.

On another occasion I witnessed a bloody dog fight in the same vicinity when two dog owners allowed their dogs to roam freely. It was a good reminder why dogs should be leashed in public areas.

We finished our lunch and walked past the couple and their dogs, which ran at us brushing against our legs while their owners yelled in vain for them to stop and come back.
The woman had a whistle which she blew as if there where a fire.

A few minutes later my wife and I were both checking out birds and the Harbor Seals when we were blindsided by both dogs as they jumped up and slammed against our backsides nearly knocking my wife off her feet.

This time I hollered to the owners asking them to "get their dogs under control". They whistled and called for their "puppies" but didn't say anything to us and avoided eye contact.

A few minutes passed while we were looking for a way to cross Widow White Creek when we heard the incessant loud screaming by the woman and her whistle blowing.

One of the dogs was swimming across the river and heading directly toward the beached Harbor Seals.

Now the drama had begun as I quickly took my camera from its backpack and headed toward the scene.
The dog owners were frantic, and the dog was ignoring their pleas to come back.
Here the current is deceptive, it looks calm, but is very strong and cold.
However, the Husky was on a "mission" and refused to be deterred.
I later found out that this Husky was a year old "puppy", and it was merely responding to its strong genetic impulses.

Apparently the owners either didn't realize or ignored the fact that their Husky breed tends to be hyperactive, impulsive, stubborn, and have an overactive prey drive.

On this day they discovered their Puppy's "inner dog" and perhaps will never forget.
As the Blue-eyed Husky neared the shore where the Harbor Seals were resting, they rapidly plunged into the water like dozens of Depth charges.

The obviously distressed woman, with her other dog now leashed, loudly pleaded, screaming and whistling for her dog to come back, while the man paced back and forth along the shore, helplessly calling "come here puppy."

Harbor Seal heads bobbed up several feet from the dog surrounding it. The Husky, I later learned, was swimming for the first time and seemed to intent on pursuing its intended target.

The dog showed no signs of letting up as it changed directions each time a different seal's head bobbed to the surface.

I asked the fellow if he wanted me to call for help but his attention was on his dog and he ignored me. I was concerned that the dog was in danger of drowning and also the stress on the Harbor Seals which are protected by law.
The Siberian Husky turned toward us several times but was quickly diverted by Harbor seals popping up from another direction.
A half hour had passed, and the dog was relentless in its pursuit though now beginning to show signs of tiring. He was working his way against the current, moving upstream nearly a half mile from its entry into the cold waters of the Mad River.
At this point , I could no longer watch this without taking some action, so I told the man that I was calling for help. He asked who I was calling, and I responded "911"!

I'm uncertain whether my action prompted him to remove his outer clothing with the intent to rescue his dog.

This, I thought to myself, could end up in tragedy, so the call was made.
I was concerned that he would swim out, not realizing how strong the current and how cold the water. I told his companion that I'd made the call, and she responded abruptly, "I wish you hadn't!"

In the meantime the now desperate owner stripped to his underwear, got as far as his waist and stopped in his tracks, realizing that the water was too frigid for a rescue.

I had been throwing sticks at water's edge trying to divert the dog's attention, without results.

Then finally, after nearly 40 minutes, the Husky, beginning to struggle, seemed to respond to the flapping of my hat as I knelled down at eye level to the dog.

Two officers from the McKinleyville Sheriff's office appeared on the trail overlooking the river at the same time the dog was nearing its relieved owner, who had dressed and was wading toward the bedraggled pup. As the man grasped his dog , I heard him say, "no more beach for you puppy."

The dogs now leashed, their owners took off in the opposite direction of the officers, while my wife and I ascended the trail toward the 911 respondents.

I answered their questions concerning what had happened and they seemed content that the situation no longer required their presence.

I wondered to myself why they didn't at least ask the dog owners to use a leash in the future.

Perhaps they decided that the near loss of the beloved puppy was better than any lecture they could give?

"Leash laws" generally require dogs to be on leash and under control whenever they are in public property. In some citys leash laws are strictly enforced. Apparently they are not enforced in Humboldt County.
Leash laws are made for good reasons including: Protection of humans, wildlife and other pets, prevention of predation or disturbance of wildlife, prevent transmission of diseases from dogs to wildlife especially fox, coyotes and deer, and prevent contamination of local water supply.

We were relieved that this story had a happy ending and hope that the dog owner's learned a very important lesson.

Okavango Delta 2 Xugana Island Lodge Botswana

2010-04-27T10:26:00.000-07:00

Our guide Frank Mochaba(photo above)at Camp Moremi was assigned to take us halfway by boat to Xugana lodge which is a 3 hour trip. We traveled through sometimes narrow channels of permanent swamp and open waters surrounded by dense stands of Bulrush,Common reed,papyrus, and dotted with blankets of Day waterlilys and Water Chesnut along the channel fringes.

It is believed by geologists that the Okavango River once reached the sea. Tectonic movement created a series of parallel faults (Graben faults)collapsing the earth which led to the formation of the inland delta or alluvial fan.(1) The Okavango delta is one of the world's largest inland water sytems at 16,000 sq. km.

Along the way we observed many new birds and insects as the channels narrowed bringing us within close view.

The African Darter(Anhinga rufa)or locally called "Snake bird" because of its habit of swimming with only the neck and head above the water.

The Little Bee-eater fly's off its low perch on Papyrus to snatch butterfly's and other flying insects and is one of the many striking and beautiful birds seen in Africa.

The Woodland Kingfisher is a summer migrant from central Africa that doesn't fish as the name implies but rather preys on large insects and small reptiles.

At midway we were met by our next guide named "Losty". While saying farewell to Frank I caught my only glimpse of the unmistakeable Pel's Fishing Owl as it glided out of and quickly into dense canopy across the channel.

Losty slowed down when his sharp eyes caught a glimpse of something that blends in well with its background. An example is this large Crocodile floating on the waters surface.

Water Monitor is a large aquatic lizard that feeds on just about anything it can handle including crocodile eggs,frogs,crabs,etc.

The African Jacana has extremely long toes which enables it to walk on aquatic vegetation such as water lily leaves giving it the name "Jesus" bird.

We arrived at our destination on a small island greeted by the the staff of the Xugana lodge with warm smiles, moistened towels and a cool drink.

After a brief orientation we were led to our room overlooking the water where we had time to relax,write notes and take in the many sights and sounds.
That afternoon we went out on another boating excursion to look for more wildlife.
We passed through very narrow channels that are maintained by Hippos and some by the staff at the lodge.

It was a beautiful sunset on this evening and we were surprised by a special dinner setting that the host's prepared for both Kimberley and I celebrating our year of "Big" birthdays.

Our trusted guide "Losty" proved that he could dance with the best of them and ignite the urge in all of us with the help of the wonderful beat of African music.

The next day we explored the delta in the rain and visited a small island and saw the large African(Cape)Buffalo,Elephants and Vervet Monkeys.

Later in the afternoon the sun came out and we saw many more beautiful birds including this splendid Great White Egret perched in a tree along the water.

In the evening we were enthralled at the sight of several Hippopotamus keeping a close eye on us.

This Bat was determined to be a Tomb Bat (Taphonzous mauritianus) and was photographed roosting near the dining area. Other bats were observed flying out from under the eves of our room at dusk.

We walked around the lodge area before departing observing many birds and a Marsh Mongoose. This Greater Blue-eared Starling was dazziling to look at and posed briefly for this photo.

It was a brief two days at this unique setting on the waters edge of the incredible Okavango delta. We barely scratched the surface of its many wonders but
the memories will linger as long as we live.
Thanks to the dedication of all the warm and friendly staff we had a great adventure and enjoyed excellent food and accomodations.

Some of the Staff at the Xugana Lodge.(Arnold,MPHO,Obie and Candy).

References: Butchart, Duncan. 2000. Wildlife of the Okavango,
126 pgs. Struick Nature.
Sinclair,I. et.al. 2002. Birds of Southern Africa.
Struick publishers.

Okavango Delta at Camp Moremi

2010-04-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

On the 21st of March we left Deception Valley Lodge on a Bush plane for a 45 minute flight to our next lodge. Within minutes we could see large areas of water and marsh below. We landed at Camp Moremi which is situated in the Xakanaxa lagoon in the heart of the Okavango delta at Moremi Wildlife Reserve. This area was the first to be set aside by tribal people rather than colonial pioneers. We rode in a Toyota Land Rover for 15 minutes, sometimes through flooded roads to Camp Moremi where we stayed in fancy tents on wood foundations overlooking the riparian woodland. On our first game drive we felt that we had come to the land of Oz with animals we both had only seen on TV or at Zoos previously. Here they were wild and free in their natural habitat.

The Hippopotamus with eyes, nose and ears protruding above the waters surface watched us closely as our vehicle drove slowly by and paused for a photo.

These huge aquatic mammals play a significant role in maintaining the many channels in the Okavango delta. The Okavango was teeming with wildlife and our knowledgeable guide (in photo) Frank Mochaba gave us our “money’s worth” which added greatly to the experience that was beyond our greatest expectations. Red-Billed Hornbill was one of the many birds that got our attention. Exotic birds everywhere, unfamiliar sounds reminiscent of Jurassic Park and the Elephants that we have become so familiar with from our early childhood days appear as never before like some giant prehistoric creature out of the past. African Fish Eagles with their snow white head and chest and rust brown body are conspicuous as they perch on large branches in trees overlooking the water. The Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) is a large "shaggy" antelope with short legs and a white rump ring and long heavily ridged horns with points that curve forward. The African Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) is a common resident of northern and eastern Botswana in islands and estuaries and grasslands. Savanna Baboons in small troops appear in the open wooded Savannah. The female in estrus shown here was pursued by the dominant male below.

A female Greater Kudu above. The Lodges that we stayed at served the meat of Kudu and Impala but the Kudu is not as common due to habitat loss and hunting. The Impala were the most numerous antelope we saw and the rutting season had begun. During the rutting season the male establishes territories and spends much energy chasing off rivals who vie for females in the herd. We were thrilled to get close to a pride of lions in the late afternoon and watched them lying lazily in lush grass licking their fur and paws fastidiously. At night the loud "contact" calls of the Spotted Hyaenas woke us. While awake we were entertained by the deep grunting sounds of the Hippopotamus that come out of the water to feed after dark. It was a symphony of African sounds and we lay in the dark enjoying the music. The Nile Crocodile lay resting in the evening light not far from the waters edge. A family of Banded Mongoose appeared near their den in a large termite nest. Banded Mongoose(Mungos mungo) are highly sociable living in packs of up to 40 and are active durning the day when they forage for insects,mice,reptiles, amphibians, ground nesting birds and their eggs. It was time for our "Sundowners" and what a perfect place we thought to sip a glass of wine, relax and realize that we were actually in this wonderful land of Africa so far away from the redwoods and our cats. Next blog: Xugana Island Lodge.

Kalahari,Botswana part 2

2010-04-09T08:54:00.000-07:00

On our last night at Deception Valley Lodge (Deception comes from the mirage affect seen when looking at the dry surface of a pan from a distance giving the appearance of water until one approaches more closely) we went on a walk with two San Bushman. We watched them demonstrate survival methods used by their ancestors and talk in their native language dressed in their traditional clothing of animal skins and plant fiber. Archaeologists believe that the San people lived in the Kalahari over 50,000 years ago making them the oldest race on earth. We were taken back in time as we watched them dig deep in the Kalahari sand to reach the root of the Bie plant. They chipped away small pieces from the root then squeezed water out of it. They demonstrated how an Ostrich egg was used for food and water storage. After the egg is scrambled in the shell by using a stick through a half inch hole the contents are poured onto hot sand where it cooks. The egg is filled with water and plugged with a plant (Kalahari Currant) which acts as a preservative. The egg is buried a foot deep in damp sand and marked so that they can find it at a later date. The bushman used poison on their arrows which is obtained from the pupae of a “Flea” beetle. It requires 8 pupae per arrow head and “can remain active for 50 years”. The Aardvark hole is often used by African Porcupines and Warthogs which the Bushman hunt for food. The Bushman stand outside the hole with sticks probing inside and making noise to irritate its occupant. When the Porcupine is irritated enough it comes out of the hole while the Bushman wait to spear it. We watched mesmerized in the evening stillness while the sun slowly disappeared below the horizon as the Bushman demonstrated how they started a fire by friction of stick to sand and stick using straight pieces of Corkwood and dry grass. After the fire was going they danced to an ancient rhythm and hand made musical instruments.
Today only about 3000 out of a population of 95,000 San continue to follow a totally traditional lifestyle of gathering and hunting.
Land that the San used to hunt is being increasingly lost to cattle grazing by farmers. Wildlife that the San depend on are changing their migration patterns due to the fences constructed to protect cattle.
The issue of fences is very contentious between the cattle farmers and environmentalists and San people.

Kalahari Desert, Botswana, Africa

2010-04-06T13:56:00.000-07:00

After 2 days of flights from San Francisco to Frankfurt, Germany then on to Johannesburg, South Africa totaling over 20 hrs. in the air we landed in Maun, Botswana.
It took us only 10 minutes to go through the line showing our passports then a quarter mile walk to a Bush plane where we were met by the Pilot and his Co pilot.

Bush Pilots
Within an hour of flying over arid and semi arid land below we landed on a small dirt airstrip near the Deception Valley Lodge in the Kalahari desert.
It is situated in a landscape so vast and untouched by civilization or as another author wrote “one of the last places on earth to be corrupted by humans”.

It is not a true desert but rather a semi-arid land covered by drought resistant plants such as the dominant Acacia Thorn bush and several grasses.

We were pleasantly surprised to find that we were the only guests during our 2 night stay. As a result we were treated like special guests by our guide Adriaan his future wife Wanda.

Our room was reached by a boardwalk and had an enclosed outdoor shower and a deck overlooking the water hole 50 yards away.

Just outside our room I photographed exotic birds never before seen by either of us.

Crimson-Breasted Shrike

Fork-Tailed Drongo

Shaft-Tailed Wydah
On our first evening we went on a “Game drive” in a beat up Toyota Landrover with Numsi a Sans Bushman descendant as our point guide/tracker.

Numsi sat in a small seat mounted in front of the Landrover where he astutely looked for tracks and listened for sounds that would alert him of something nearby. Adriaan a South African of Colonial descent and ex professional Cricket player told us that he always wanted to be a guide and here he was in his prime proving that he knew his subject well.

We stopped at a large water hole for our “Sundowners” (South African Sauvignon Blanc). I had just sipped my first taste of the wine when Adriaan said “Get back in the Land Rover, Lions!”

I quickly sucked the entire glass of wine as I scrambled back into the vehicle to grab my camera. Kimberley calmly got back into her seat with full glass in hand filled with joy and excitement to see her first Lions in the wild.

Before us less than 20 yards away were two huge Black manned adult male Lions. According to Adriaan they were 7 year old brothers. They sauntered by us on their way to drink side by side then came back and lay down to relax and were completely oblivious to our presence.

What a beginning we both thought of what would turn out to be a continuing adventure of a lifetime.
On our return to the Lodge we saw a Nightjar in the middle of the road and stopped to get a closer look.
Rufous-Cheeked Nightjar
We were in the vehicle when a heavy rainfall hit and lasted for about an hour.
While enjoying good food with our hosts a large African Porcupine entered the dining area giving us a chance for photos.

The next day our expert guides were attracted by the sounds of alarm calls by birds that told them something was up nearby.
It turned out to be one of the most poisonous snakes in Africa and it was apparently not welcome by the birds. I photographed it as it slithered up into the bush.

The Boomslang is active during the day and feeds mostly on birds and chameleons.

Boomslang (Dispholidus typus) Large green eyes indicate juvenile

Helmeted Guineafowl
The Guineafowl were plentiful usually on the road and would run fast (25 mph)in front of the Landrover for well over 2 minutes before escaping into the grass.

Tawny Eagle
We were never without a new bird or mammal to look at or photograph. I was snapping away at every opportunity but would find out later that many of my photos were out of focus despite the fact that I was using a lens with optical stabilizer and usually automatic focus. Fortunately I did manage to get a few good photos.

Southern White-Faced Scops Owl
I am particulary grateful to the owner of The Deception Valley Lodge for pointing out the owl that was perched during mid day near our room.
The water hole near the lodge was visited by Warthogs,Kudus and Impalas.

Greater Kudu

Warthog running with tail straight up are reffered to by the locals as "radio Botswana".
I will continue this in another post soon and talk about the Bushman and our adventures in the Okavango Delta and Victoria Falls, Zambia.

We found Paradise in Fiji

2010-01-23T11:20:00.000-08:00

The Fiji islands was not on my "Bucket" list but I can honestly say after having been there that it should have been.
I "won" a 3 night vacation at the Koro Sun Resort at our annual Watershed Stewards banquet. My wife and I realized that flying such a long distance would be hardly worth it for only 3 nights so we booked another 4 nights in the summer of 2008.
There was much trepidation on my part because of the expense and deep rooted guilt that I should use the money for more important things.
My wife convinced me otherwise with the widely stated philosophy that "you only go around once"!

Our destination would be the smaller Island of Vanua Levu, heart of the "friendly north". To get there we flew from the LA International airport by Pacific Air on a 10 hr. flight which provided excellent service by native Fijians. Our first landing was at Nadi, Fiji's "gateway" city where we changed planes for our flight to the mill town of Labasa on the island of Vitui Levu.
We flew on a much smaller 18 seat plane on this trip which was most likely a factor that keeps the majority of tourist from visiting this part of Fiji.

We were greeted at this small airport by a KORO SUN employee named Vijay who welcomed us enthusiastically and was very friendly.

Because the small airport on the other side of the Island was closed due to reconstruction we were driven for two and half hours by Vijay over the mountains through Sugar cane plantations passing numerous trucks loaded to the brim with cut canes. The winding road took us through hundreds of acres of commercial Pine forest while listening to Vijays colorful description of Fijian history and land use. We stopped along the way for photos of a beautiful view of the Savusavu bay.
Savusavu Bay from road to Koro Sun Resort

Beautiful grounds at Koro Sun

Ocean veiw from Koro Sun property

Upon arrival we were greeted by woman dressed in Fijian traditional attire who gave each of us a foot soak and foot massage accompanied by a tropical drink.
The food was outstanding in both taste and presentation and each evening was a time to meet folks from other places over a tropical drink or a glass of wine.

Two of our Fiji hosts drumming the dinner call

Posing at entrance to the Koro Sun Resort

Our favorite activities included Kayaking and snorkeling in the crystal clear waters.
The Blue Starfish (Linckia laevigata) is beautifully striking and easily seen in the bright sunlight shallow waters of tropical coral reefs.

Banded Sea Krait (Laticauda colubrina)
This highly venomous snake is one of the most plentiful and widely dispersed family
(Hydrophilidae) in the world. It's venom is more virulent than any known land snake but it is also extremely docile and many Fijians play with these snakes. It frequents shallow waters of tropical coral reefs and was here probing the holes for prey on the volacanic rock of a small island outcrop near our resort.

Here you can see (click on photo to enlarge) the laterally compressed tail which is an adaptation the sea snake uses like an oar to swim efficiently in water. This snake is in a group of sea snakes that lay eggs on land. All other sea snakes give birth to live young in the ocean.

We snorkeled in deeper water with Spinner Dolphins and White tipped Sharks bigger than us.
The shark swam by us lazily only 15 feet away causing our adrenalin to peak at very high levels. It didn't deter our excitement as we continued our amazing veiws of dozens of beautiful and diversely colorfed fish.

Spinner Dolphins
The town of Savusavu is a short bus ride from the resort and had great shopping opportunities for locally made crafts.
We met this wonderful and friendly lady, Natale weaving baskets in the town of Savusavu.

Young women gladly posing for a photo in Savusavu
Our Burre with a beautiful veiw of the ocean.

Gecko (Lepidactylus lugubris) in our burre

The geckos are common here and are rarely seen during the day. They come out after dark to prey on insects. I was told that many native Fijians are terrified of geckos. Mili

We both agree that the people at Koro Sun were very friendly and greeted us each day with" Bula Terry" and "Bula Keemburlee". Our favorite host and waitress was Mili with her cheerful personality and million dollar smile.

We had a great time on a optional fishing excursion with two other couples and I caught a nice hard fighting Baracuda. A Mahi mahi and a Tuna were also caught by the others and we shared the Mahi mahi that evening for dinner which was cooked to perfection by our chefs at the Koro Sun restaurant.

Looking at Fiji shoreline from our fishing boat

Rainbow seen from our boat on our way to shore.

We enjoyed birding in the jungle behind the resort and added several species of new birds to our life list.

We hiked to the secret waterfall over the mountain and down into a canyon not far from the resort where I cooled off below a waterfall.
It doesn't get any better I thought while cooling off but it did. On our hike back over the mountain we had spectacular views of the resort and pacific ocean below.

The resort has a 9 hole "Adventure" golf course which is truly an adventure. The fairways are littered with land Crab holes which can swallow up golf balls. In the evening we walked along the golf course and saw giant Fruit Bats flying from the Banana trees and hundreds of Toads everywhere you stepped.
The introduced Giant Toad (Bufo marinus) called "Cane Toad" in Fiji.

We were entertained one night by local native Fiji dancers and were amazed by the
talent and enthusiasum they had.

This young man had the stage presence and talent of a young Michael Jackson.

The food at the Koro Sun was incredible,delicious and each evening there was something different.

We met some nice folks each evening while dining and our favorite were a young couple on their honeymoon from Canada Isabelle and Phillipe.

Each evening we walked out to the beach and enjoyed the sunsets and realized that we were very fortunate to be there at that moment in PARADISE.

Earthquakes and Cats

2010-01-10T10:14:00.000-08:00

We decided to go see the movie Avatar in 3-D in Eureka on Saturday Jan.9,2010 but when we arrived it had been sold out. So we decided to go home and see the movie on another day.

Fortunately we were home when the Earthquake hit. The cats were on our laps as we relaxed and sipped wine while reading or watching football. The day before my neighbor cut some redwoods down that were very close to his home.

When the earthquake hit it sounded much like the trees did when they hit the ground. This time it felt like he had cut one down and it landed on our house.

The cats flew in different directions and My wife said calmly it's an earthquake get over here under the door jam.

The quake went BAM,CRACK then rock and rolled the house for a few seconds during which we heard glass breaking in our bedroom. It was a framed photo of our cats and a couple of owl artifacts that fell from the bookshelves.

At this point the adrenalin rush was at peak levels and I was in high gear thinking about what to do next.

I immediately went out and turned off the main gas line from the propane tank then went over to check on our neighbors to see if everything was o.k. at their house.

We looked all over for the cats and found one of them crouching under the Futon and the other trying to break through the window in the Sun room.

They were "freaked" out and it would take a while for them to recover.

My wife told me later that she noticed our female cat which had been resting and purring on her lap to sitting up abruptly and acting very alert and frightened.
The cat had sensed it coming before it hit!

That night the cats stayed close to us but didn't sleep well and were very alert.
Another aftershock sent them under the bed at least once early in the morning.
They continue to act wary this morning perhaps they feel the small aftershocks that we don't.

Just before I woke up the male cat was walking nervously on my chest and legs but finally settled down between us. I stroked his head and noticed that he seemed tense and wary of what might come next.
Cats know more about some things than we do.

Arcata Marsh

2010-01-07T10:25:00.000-08:00

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

On any day there are many birds and sometimes wild mammals that can be spotted at the Arcata Marsh in Arcata California.
There are trails that traverse the entire area and if one is handicaped Klopp Lake may be accessed by car. We chose to walk around the north west trails and ponds on January 2 on a overcast day.
Double-crested Cormorant(Phalacrocorax auritus)
This trail offered good veiws of many species of birds and we were also fortunate to see 3 River Otters foraging in the Northwest pond.
River Otter (Lutra canadensis)
The River Otters were seen from a distance of approximately 80 meters with 10x30 binoculars and then photographed with a 400 mm telephoto lens. They were actively foraging and stayed on the surface for only seconds at a time.

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
This egret is much smaller than the Great Egret and has a black bill and yellow feet. It is usually observed in shallow water while foraging for it's prey. I was lucky to get this photo as it caught a small Stickleback.

Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus))
This long-billed Curlew stands alone amongst Marbled Godwits,Northern Shovelers,Green-winged Teal and Dunlins.
We walked across the road to a trail that leads to the visitor center and were treated to great veiws of Black-crowned Night-Herons with their ruby red eyes. Dozens of them were roosting in trees a short distance from the center. They are active at night when they fly off their roost to forage.

Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
If you happen to be here at twilight you may hear their short hoarse calls as they fly overhead on their way to the mudflats nearby.
The local Audubon chapter leads bird outings here every Saturday morning 0800 at the end of I street in the parking lot at Klopp Lake.

Exploring the South Spit Humboldt Bay

2009-12-29T09:35:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we drove to a new area for us and it turned out to be a great day for wildlife veiwing on the South Spit including Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge and Humboldt County Park. The South spit is approximately 4 1/2 miles long with sand dunes on the ocean side and marsh and mudflats on the bayside.
Brant (Branta bernicla) are common in the winter months at Humboldt Bay.

The long wave and wind swept beach is scattered with driftwood and an ocassional birder.
Coastal Black-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)Observed here on the lee side of the dunes. The succulent red colored plant in the foreground is non native ice plant (Mesembryanthemum sp.)

The South Jetty with it's manmade cement monoliths can be reached by foot on slippery footing and sometimes dangerous waves crashing over it. It allows boats like the "Molly Ann" to enter the sea safely.

Brandt's Cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus)

Black Turnstone (Arenaria melanocephala)

Common Loon (Gavia immer)

Brandt's Cormorants, Black Turnstones and a Common Loon were some of the birds seen on this trip.
We also saw Northern Harriers floating low over the grassy areas between the dunes and the bay and a White-tailed Kite perched high on a conifer in the distance.

White-tailed Kite (Elanus caeruleus)
For those who enjoy the outdoors and all it has to offer this area should not be missed.

Life in Humboldt County

2009-12-22T11:10:00.000-08:00

We absolutely love this area because of the climate,redwoods,proximity to the ocean,mountains and 6 great rivers. In addition the area is blessed with multitudes of music venues,culture, Farmers markets, art shows and great people.

My best friend,companion,wife and I took part in the coast cleanup day this summer
and in 2 hours we carried out approximately 25 lbs. of litter of all description at Clam Beach County park.

Kimberley with bags full of litter found on Clam Beach.

On the same day we attended the "North Coast Fair" at the Plaza in downtown Arcata.
We were glad we did because there were rows of tents with local artists selling their
creations.

Local artists playing for the people of Arcata.

We were entertained by the local "African dance team" on the Plaza.

This dude was strange but willing to pose for a photo.

A beautiful example if some of the local artwork. I would love to have this
wood inlay of Yosemite and wildlife hanging on my wall but it was very expensive.

The Cactus man with his hat of many feathers at the Farmers market.

A young man playing the Didgeridoo for entertainment and extra change
It was another great day in Humboldt county. I invite you to come up and visit next summer when the Plaza is full of sun and action.

Wanderings at the Mouth of Mad River

2009-11-30T15:26:00.000-08:00

Giant Driftwood left by the last high seas waiting for next one as they glow in the setting sun near the mouth of Widow White Creek.

A 10 minute drive from my house gets me to the Hammond trail near the mouth of the Mad River.

It is a place to unwind and enjoy the sea and the ever changing saga of how it affects the landscape.

I continue to look for anything unusual such as the Burrowing owl that I reported in November.

On this trip the tide was very low.

A Herring Gull with a crab walks away from other gulls that would snatch its prey
if given the opportunity.

The river cuts through the layers of sand west of Widow White Creek on it's final
stretch toward the sea.

A couple walks at the far edge of low tide where the river meets the sea.
A lone Marbled Godwit trots along the edge of the surf.

The silhouette of the temporarily closed Pulp Mill 15 miles south can be seen through
the seas mist.

The head of a Harbor seal appears at the waters surface as it glides quietly toward the sea then disappears abruptly.

A immature Red-Necked Grebe foraging in the river is an uncommon bird in the area.
I will return to this place many times or as long as my legs allow me and there is air in my lungs.
It is a local treasure that is mostly unappreciated by the majority judging by the few people I see on most days.

Mad River Estuary After the storm

2009-11-14T14:16:00.000-08:00

Heavy deposits of Driftwood looking west toward Mad river Mouth

Driftwood along the north shore of Mad River looking east.

Looking east toward the mouth of Widow White Creek

Today my wife and I hiked out to the mouth of Widow White creek to see if the Burrowing owl continues to remain in the area. Lauren Lester saw one after the storm recently. I had been here a couple of times since and could not locate an owl.
The storm has left it's mark on the area by discarding tons of driftwood and changing the landscape.
It was a crisp clear day with temperatures around 45 degrees farenheit and we scanned the general area with our binoculars but failed to locate owls.
Then as we walked toward the ocean crossing the newly relocated mouth of Widow White Creek a Burrowing owl flew out of the debris toward the base of the vegetated cliff east of where we were. A few seconds later a second owl flew from a few feet away.

The Burrowing owl is known for it's site tenacity. These owls tolerated a storm that moved their logs and dozens of people with dogs who walk roughshod over their site on a daily basis.

High tide and Big Surf

2009-11-07T10:53:00.000-08:00

Photo showing flooding at the mouth of Widow White Creek and Mad River.
Trinidad Head in the background.

I drove down to the Ocean to check on the Burrowing owl (see last post) yesterday and was amazed to see the highest tide that I have personally seen since moving to the area.

The waves were washing up against the sandy shores on the north side of the Mad river causing major erosion and flooding the driftwood area where the Burrowing had been a couple of days earlier.

Mad river beach on the south of the mouth was completely inundated and large driftwood debris and foam were being tossed around by the heavy surf.
Expect even higher tide this afternoon.

It will be interesting to see the changes and objects that will be washed ashore after the high tides recede.
I will be pleasantly surprised if the Burrowing remains in the area.

Burrowing Owl by the Sea

2009-11-03T14:20:00.000-08:00

A gorgeous day in Humboldt County near McKinleyville,California compelled me to go out to the Mouth of the Mad River. Clear sunny skies with no wind and a very high tide flooding the beaches along the river. As usual I checked to see if the burrowing owls had returned and to my joy and surprise while scanning the driftwood area along the west edge of Widow White creek there standing on a large log was the familar bequilling owl that I have become so familar with.
I had my camera with SigmaDG telephoto lens and was anxious to get my first digital photo of a Burrowing owl.
I have hundreds of owl slides taken while I was in Davis long before the digital era.
This is not typical habitat for Burrowing owls but I documented them previously in the same area earlier in the year between Feb. and April. They have also been observed along the coast previously in the winter by local birders. Could this be one of the same birds that was here before I thought? Unless someone bands them we may never know the answer to that question.
CLICK ON PHOTO TO ENLARGE

I eventually walked out to the mouth of the Mad river and a few hundred yards north along the beach and spotted some shorebird activity.
I was rewarded with large numbers of Sanderling's and Marbled Godwits foraging along the surf's edge for invertebrates.

One can become absorbed watching the Sanderling run toward the receding surf to prob the sand then they all turn, rapidly retreating just ahead of the waves rolling in.
It's their familiar "dance" that they have done for generations feeding along the surf's edge Their white feathers giving the illusion of foam.

When startled they rise in unison in a compact flock only to land a few seconds later nearby to continue their feeding activity.

Homeless in Arcata

2009-10-22T16:03:00.000-07:00

The first time I visited the Arcata Plaza I immediately noticed that there were “homeless” people hanging out in front of the bars and in the park across the street.

I later found out that it is not uncommon to see a homeless person here. In fact the area is a “magnet” for people who are homeless either by choice or from unfortunate circumstances.

I couldn’t help notice a wildly bearded guy standing in the sun. He looked like he hadn’t bathed or slept in weeks. I talked to Christopher who said he had been homeless for 8 years, “drank a lot and was in jail on and off for stupid stuff “.
He said that one time he “waved at a cop” in Fortuna and was thrown in jail”. When asked if the city of Arcata has a good program for people in his situation he responded that “it’s a good program and that he has slept in a church” but usually sleeps “under a tree”.

I asked him how he ended up homeless and he answered that his dysfunctional parents “threw him and his belongings out and he started hanging out with “gutter punks”. He had trouble speaking clearly and most likely in need of rehabilitation which is a resource available in nearby Eureka.
One guy said he “Fly’s a sign” to make enough money to keep him alive and buy gas. His signs read “Traveling Broke” or “Traveling Hungry” and he usually makes $20 per day and tries to keep his car with no less than a half tank of gas. He said he knows a guy who made 50 k one year “flying sings.”

The gentleman with the nice smile is a war veteran and I donated $5 to help him.
Like many he had "fallen on hard times".

A gray bearded guy named “Big Al” is a fixture on a corner that "he owns" in Arcata “Flying a sign”. When I took his photo as I drove by he turned and gave me the bird and shouted obscenities. This person must do pretty well because he keeps coming back day after day. The rumor is that he isn't homeless and this is his profession.
The last time I saw "Big Al" he was on the corner of Giuntoli and Valley West Blvd. and had added a grocery cart full of his stuff and a dog.

I drove up to Redwood Park and talked to a few Young homeless people hanging out at the picnic area cooking up a pot of Coffee.

They all greeted me but seemed wary and were not immediately forthcoming as I began my 2 hour conversation with them. The first guy who opened up was obviously ‘brain fried,’ his sentences incomplete with scrambled thoughts from his long history using alcohol and drugs.

However, some of these young people were obviously articulate and wanted to share their stories with me. When I posed the question to the group “what do you think of the future”, they all broke out in uproarious laughter which was so infectious that I laughed also.
They said that this way of life was a choice because they don't want to be obligated or responsible and would rather enjoy life by living for "the moment".
This could very well be the best times of their lives.

After a while they warmed up and perhaps even trusted me as they told stories about the “park maintenance” crew that repeatedly take (“steal”) their stuff and discard them in the trash. Because of this they set up camps hidden far back in the forest where most people wouldn’t go. Some of them carry their possessions on their back to avoid losing everything they own.

The encampments in the park are considered illegal by the city and have no qualms about clearing out these “forest dwellers” and their belongings.

Jeremiah told me that the park maintenance crew took 20 lbs. of dog food, tarps, and his sleeping bag. When he confronted them they called the cops and he was arrested because they uncovered a record that occurred six years earlier in Southern California when he did a “Dine and Dash”. This is when a person eats at a public restaurant but leaves without paying he explained.
He said he was hungry and desperate then and knows how to survive now.
Jeremiah sleeps in his car and makes change selling his rock jewelry.

A young woman named Tavia left an abusive relationship recently and had nowhere to go so she decided to live with the “Forest dwellers” for the last 3 days. When I asked her how it was she answered “it’s scary”! The reason it is scary she say’s is because “you don’t know who to trust and there may be mountain lions out there”. She had a job but quit it because she feels safer here than where she was before.

There were some talented musicians in the group and they entertained me with some of their favorite songs. They had to go far back in the woods to retrieve their instruments which were hidden. It was worth the wait because these guys could earn a living playing gigs around town. They told me that they enjoy playing music in the plaza occasionally and even make some change from donations by appreciative listeners.

Jester and “The Lloyd” play the Harmonica, Ben plays the Banjo, Max plays the Guitar and they all sing. They have a good sense of humor noted by their quick answer to my question what’s the name of your group? They pointed to a sign laying on the table and said “right now we’re called Help wanted” followed by spontaneous laughter.

Their songs included “Coffee, God and cigarettes”, “Drags”, and “I’ll be there in the morning if I live”. Their music was earthy,folk and very good.

These people need basic things including; food and shelter but Jeremiah say’s “we need help with gear, sleeping bags, tarps, tents, boots, socks, plastic bags for dog poop , and a sustainable place to camp where we won’t be harassed and a restroom”.

I thought to myself there must be someone out there who can at least provide a portable john for obvious reasons.

Some say the problem with giving them a sustainable camp area is that it would attract homeless from all over the country and exacerbate the local problem .
Other members of the community complain that they don’t use the trails in the park because they’re afraid of being panhandled or intimidated by the homeless people’s dogs and they litter the forest with garbage and feces.

An article in the Times-Standard by Donna Tam raises the question of safety, citing that “Homeless camps in Arcata forests raise a fire risk”.

The homeless people that I talked to claim that “the junkies that pass through ruin it for others” and that they are willing to police their camps and keep them clean and would even work for a hand out.
That’s what I wanted to hear but I found out later from talking to members of the Native Plant Society that the state park officials won’t allow volunteer help because of “liability” issues.

Further research indicates that “homeless” issues have been at the “crisis” point for years in Arcata.
The Arcata Endeavor has been helping the poor and homeless with food and “Extreme” weather shelter for over 32 years but the City would rather have them relocate because of the problems they cite as public health and safety as well as nuisance issues. The city apparently feels that if the “Endeavor” would go away the homeless would also.

I think that the community needs to be more understanding and compassionate and perhaps the City of Arcata should use the “Hand up hand out” approach to see who is truly homeless and who are just choosing to make it a life style.

On April 9 I attended a conference on Poverty and Homelessness at the Arcata Community Center. When I walked in I noticed a young man sitting in the back of the auditorium near the door with his back pack. He had a cloth head cover and a dark bushy beard with a tubular braided section in the center below his chin about a foot long. He appeared to be dozing in and out as he sat there and responded when I said good morning to him.

At the first break I went back and sat down next to him and started a conversation. Bret was apparently the only "homeless" person there and was very articulate.

He told me many things but mainly that he prefers to live outside because he doesn't like the toxic chemicals that are in most homes. He spoke of how the chemicals come from the carpets and noted that they are a culprit in destroying the ozone.

Until recently when he was banned from HSU campus for loitering after hours he liked to spend time in the library where he sometimes fell asleep. When that happened he would be told to leave while others (students) who also slept were not bothered.

He was ticketed recently for sleeping in public and was told by the judge that he would have to do community service.

During our conversation a lady who works with the homeless came over and said "hello Bret I want you to know that you will get 5 hrs.toward your community service obligation for attending the conference today".

When she left Bret told me that he comes down to the Community center often to use their restrooms and wash. He just came in to get warm on this day.

Bret is an Eagle scout but says his parents pressured him into the program. The best thing he liked about it was the summer camps which got him outdoors and away from home.
I invited him to eat during the lunch hour and he noted that the food was much better than the food provided locally for the homeless and poor. His plate was filled to the brim but he ate it slowly as he talked to me about his diagnosis as a "paranoid schizophrenic".

Some of the homeless that hang out around the Arcata Plaza have mental issues.

I've learned many things about homelessness and realize
that it is a very complex issue of which I have barely scratched the surface. In todays economic environment homelessness will only get worse if society doesn't join together to solve the many issues.

From the journal of an ole cantankerous codger

2009-08-31T15:41:00.000-07:00

It’s been a while since my last blog. To be honest I have not been very motivated to write during the last 5 months because there have been other priorities.
First we finally sold our home in SW Washington during a period when the prospects were grim. The market in Clark county was saturated with about 40% of homes in foreclosure forcing us to get realistic and drop the price dramatically to even have a serious chance.

During that period we were looking for a new home and had initially made an offer on a home in McKinleyville. In retrospect it was good that the deal fell through.

The house that we were fortunate to find is perched on a ridge only 4.5 miles from the pacific coast in an area that was once graced by old growth redwoods.
The area was logged at the turn of the last century and today large stumps (some 12 feet in diameter) remain as monuments with second and third growth Redwoods growing from them. These giant monuments blackened by fire are testimony to their resilience and persistence.
Our home on a sometimes windy ridge in Fieldbrook, California

In the meantime I was concerned about my mother who has been in slow decline due to her age and condition. Driving down to help her for up to a week at a time and seeing her struggle with pain caused by multiple compression fractures in her spine due to osteoporosis was difficult.

This photo was taken of her last spring just weeks before she could no longer get out of bed on her own.

I recently had to make the toughest decision in my life when it was obvious that she could no longer live alone. I spent a day checking out the options and placed her in a convalescent facility in Santa Rosa where she is close to family and friends.

Now there is no doubt in my mind that I made the right decision because I have observed a positive change in her. The people caring for her at Creekside Convalescent and Rehabilitation have been nothing short of compassionate, respectful and conscientious. My mother likes them and has not mentioned a word about going home. I am now relieved knowing that she is in good hands 24 hours a day.

In the meantime we went through the moving process yet another time all the while my right arm incapacitated by what I would soon find out was worse than expected upon initial diagnosis. Finally after 6 months from the initial injury to my shoulder I now know why I have been in constant pain.

When I eventually found a Orthopedic surgeon (John LeBlanc),in Arcata he recommended surgery after an MRI showed a 5mm tear in the supraspinatus muscle (rotator cuff).

I decided to opt for physical therapy to avoid having my arm in a sling for 8 weeks and being unable to do much of anything which I knew would make me even more cantankerous.

Unfortunately my fate was sealed on the day I fell while outside on uneven terrain exploring potential camera trap sites. The physical therapy had improved my range of motion nearly 75% and I felt that I would eventually cast a fly line, golf and chop wood again.

After the fall I could not even lift my arm so there was no other option but to have the surgery.

The surgery took place on July 15 and lasted over 4 hours because when the surgeon got into the injured site he found that the fall had torn the entire Supraspinatus muscle/Tendon and it had retracted.

The physical therapy has been no picnic but then you know what they say “no pain no gain”! So each day I must extend the arm to at least 90 degrees to prevent the arm from “freezing” thus making the prognosis limited.

When my arm was in a sling I noticed how people tried to help and one person came over and helped me put items in the back of my pickup and referred to me as “sir”. I thought maybe I should hang on to this sling for awhile because I don’t get that kind of sympathy at home. Just kidding of course because my wife has
Always been very helpful and compassionate.

My problems were not over after the surgery because the pain medication (Norco) that was prescribed caused severe side effects. Without the medication for the first month the pain would have been unbearable but after about 6 weeks I began taking only 2 per day instead of one every 4 hours. I was extremely constipated, lethargic, depressed and woke up in the early hours with back pain that felt like a truck ran over me.

Upon researching the drug I learned that it is essentially "Vicodin on steroids".

If one checks the internet there is much anecdotal information on Norco withdrawal problems and it’s addictiveness.

It was then that I stopped taking the drug “cold turkey” and the first night was the beginning of two weeks of very uncomfortable withdrawals.

The symptoms included night sweats, extreme insomnia, restlessness, agitation, pain, involuntary leg movements and listlessness the following day.

I feel better now but my once active body is rusting away and all of the aches and pains of aging are magnified more than ever.

Over the 9 1/2 months since my initial shoulder injury my muscles have atrophied and my strength diminished.

The condition made it necessary to hire a young man to help with weeding and mulching, staining the deck rails,cleaning the roof and drains.

I was fortunate to find a great person Mark O'Hare an Eagle Scout from New Jersey who is also a musician and plays in a local group called "Papa Houli and the Fleas."

He and his friend Rebecca also a musician (Steel drums) and part of the group have helped me greatly.

I have been getting out for limited periods to work in the yard caring for the garden and pond and planting new plants and generally improving our beautiful Zen garden.

We have enjoyed very much letting our two indoor cats wander in our fenced garden watching them chase grasshoppers, butterflies, chipmunks, and birds.

Now they are spoiled and everyday follow me around to tell me they want to play outside.

I am fortunate to have two wonderful cats and a wife who know me and my sometimes cantankerous moods but love me anyway.

"Four Twenty" in Arcata

2009-04-22T15:30:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day in Humboldt County with clear blue skies and temperatures in the low 70’s.

On April 20 I observed hundreds of people walking, some with backpacks headed up the hill toward the Community Redwood Park in Arcata. Where was everyone going I wondered? My curiosity got the best of me so I headed up to the park.

I drove around near the park and realized that getting a parking place would be like winning the lottery. I eventually parked downtown a mile away and walked up the hill which I thought would be good exercise and it was.

A policeman parked along the sidewalk with his window opened gave me an opportunity to ask him what was going on up in the park.
He said that there was an “unsanctioned activity with very large numbers of people and the only services provided are the city police.”

I found out later that there was one portable latrine and no food being sold and the folks selling bottled water for $1.00 were doing it illegally.

Entering the park was like night and day from the sunny house lined streets to the fern lined winding trail leading to a large grassy open area.

I could hear the drum beats and the increasingly louder murmur of people who had gathered there to celebrate this unforgettable occasion.

The annual Cannabis Festival attracted people young and old,from far and near and it brought back memories of a similar event that I experienced in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco in 1967 called the “Human Be in”.
The S.F. event was more spectacular with 100,000 in attendance. The Grateful Dead appeared there along with Timothy Leary and Allen Ginsberg.

Over a thousand gathered in Redwood park, Arcata CA. Photographer Nick Nichols on ladder in the center of the crowd. (above person with red shirt.) CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE.

The distinctive odor of “grass” wafted through the smoke filled air giving new meaning to “second hand” smoke.

I worked my way to the center of the activity where the bongo drummers and dancers were entertaining the crowd.
The beat was infectious but the crowd was mostly subdued, laid back, and the majority were stoned.

The dancers had endless energy with free and extemporaneous motion for over an hour without a break.

A person in a Redwood Tree Costume moving to the beat of the music paused for a moment to pose with a pipe smoker.
A guy in a “zone” dancing wildly in his underwear and a young girl and a old codger each with moves that flowed freely to the cadence of the drums.

A couple of people asked me what I was going to do with the photos and I told them that they didn’t have to worry because they definitely wouldn’t be on the cover of National Geographic Magazine.

Little did I know that the professional photographer I had been taking photos of while he covered the event was an award winning National Geographic Wildlife Photographer named Michael "Nick" Nichols. "http://michaelnicknichols.com/">/a>

He told me that his photos would appear in the October issue of the magazine in an article on the Redwoods. I followed Nick for awhile photographing him during his relentless pursuit of that special moment for people all over the world to see.

This guy was feeling the scene and posing for the camera.

Meanwhile the local police were keeping the peace!

My guess is that they had nothing better to do and happy that it was a peaceful event. Having said that, I would add that they were very effective in controlling those that were inebriated before they arrived and thus prevented a unfavorable disruption of this otherwise peaceful event.

Nick Nichols (Kneeling below)continued his quest for that memorable shot from a different angle.

It was a "people watchers" dream featuring a wide range of folks making a statement with their appearance.

"Four Twenty was a unique cultural event that I was glad to have made the effort to experience and document.
Nick Nichols checking his photos on one of his Canon Digital SLR cameras.
Perhaps one day when the people of California realize the tax benefits that would come with the legalization of Marijuana this event will become "sanctioned" by the city. Vendors could then sell art,food,juice,tea and water.

One of the benefits of my career

2009-04-06T15:34:00.000-07:00

I was privileged during my career to have the opportunity to work with and guide young students and volunteers at the UC Davis (California) Raptor Center in the 80’s and early 90’s.

Some of them have gone on to distinguished careers in Raptor Biology, Veterinary Medicine, Education, National Park Rangers and administration, etc.

Recently my wife and I attended the Redwood Region Audubon chapter’s annual banquet in Arcata. It was a reunion with one of the Raptor Center's “Outstanding Volunteers of the Year," who was the guest speaker at the banquet.
I had not seen him since the early 90’s shortly after my retirement when I was invited to give a talk at the center on owls. He honored me then by driving up from S.F. to be there.

When he saw me at the Audubon banquet, I was greeted not unlike a father and son who had been separated for 18 years. A total of 3 enthusiastic and very sincere “Bear" hugs from a person who would make any man proud to be his father.

Allen Fish has been Director of the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory(GGRO)since he graduated in the early 80's.

He has taught hundreds of volunteers in the intricacies of Hawk identification in flight and developed the program at GGRO www.ggro.org to the prominence that it deserves today.

His talk on the value of Raptor migration counts and summary of the results over nearly 25 years was informative, humorous and never dull.

Allen’s knowledge of Raptor migration and biology earned him an opportunity to teach a course in Raptor Biology at UC Davis. After hearing him talk I wished that I was a student again taking his course.

I felt proud knowing that I may have had a small part in sparking a young man’s passion for Raptors that led to such an outstanding career.
It was an honor to see him again and meet his great family for the first time.

(A photo of Allen in his younger days at the Raptor Center will be published here at a later time.)

Trinidad State Park Trails

2009-03-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful day drew me back on the Trinidad State Park Trails which are within walking distance from our rental. The veiws from the numerous outlooks are some of the most beautiful anywhere in the world in my opinion. Today the sea is relatively calm and there are a few people down on the beach with their dogs enjoying this lovely day.
People bring their dogs on the trail and allow them to run loose and mark their territory. I don't mind dogs without a leash unless they chase wildlife, jump up on me with their muddy paws or go after another dog who is on a leash.

A young lady named Sally on a beautiful horse trotted by so I asked her if she would mind me taking a photo.

I met some college age guys who had been fishing off the rocks below and they proudly showed me their catch of a half dozen small "Rock" fish.
I'm dying to go give it a try but my fishing gear is in storage.
I get my kick just exploring this wonderful place on the Pacific Coast.
Looking south at Trinidad Head

Friendship

2009-03-06T11:10:00.000-08:00

Friends are always comfortable together (ABOVE)

I thought that I understood what friendship means but as I've grown older it occurs to me that I know much less.

I have known people for years who I've felt were friends, but if you should ask me if I could count on them or even hear from them, there would be no guarantee.

In the years I've been around I have noticed one thing that stands out among most of us. We eventually go on with our careers and essentially forget about people that don't "fit" into our lives anymore.

Emerson states: "Friendship may be said to require natures so rare and costly, each so well tempered and so happily adapted,and it cannot subsist in it's perfection".

One of my greatest regrets is that I didn't keep close ties over the years with people who I consider a privilege to have as friends. A couple of whom I have rediscovered and it has made me realize how important it is to keep in touch with those that have made a mark on your life.

An old lost friend "rediscovered" is like putting on your slippers. They're comfortable and they still fit.

The fact is, friendship requires energy, effort and motivation even when it is relatively simple to email or call a friend compared to the Poney Express days or "Snail" mail today.

Friendship requires a desire, perhaps even a "need" to have a close relationship with another person.

It is someone that you connect with and share similar interests with. Friendship always has the key ingredients of sharing,compassion,understanding and faithfulness.

Friendship is built on a foundation of respect,trust and loyalty.

A lasting friendship is mostly non-judgemental,supportive,reliable and forgiving.

Few of us are priveliged to have friends that give the "gift" of staying in touch.

But let's face it not everyone makes a good friend. There must be some mutual "connection" or "chemistry" that binds them together like "iron fillings to a magnet". Whether it be similar interests such as hobbies or professional ties as well as respect for each other's character.

Thoreau wrote: "I would that I were worthy to be any man's Friend."

My wife has had a couple of "friends" who she continues to send cards, emails, etc. but she never hears from them. In my humble opinion it is their loss.
Are they a lost cause or is there something that she doesn't know that could be a contributing factor?
One can only speculate when there is a lack of communication.

I have always felt that true friendship is something in life to celebrate, embrace and to cherish.
The loss of a friend either through death, distance or differences can be devastating to one's soul and spirit.

I have been fortunate to have a few friends who have greatly enhanced the quality of my life and at times have lifted my spirit. People who I've shared memorable adventures and innermost "secrets" with.

The thought of a cherished friend and memories of special adventures together is always a good moment in my mind.

(These Two CATS are best friends)

Most everyone including friends have their imperfections and idiosyncracies which may add greatly to their character and unique personalities.

I clearly recall my first impression nearly 40 years ago upon meeting a certain friend in my life who made me feel like I found a kindred spirit.

Here was a person that instantaneously lifted me in some intriguing way with his magnetic personality and I was focused on his story.

His story came from the heart with passion and sincerety, like a kid who had just discovered something new and is excited about it.

I felt like an old friend and
all at once we were friends.

This person I thought,could "Sell Ice cubes to Eskimos".

A person with a great sense of humor,intelligence,laid back but outgoing personality, a genuine good guy and I might add obsessive compulsive.
But who's judging?

Sadly I don't hear from this person anymore,
evidence that there is no lifetime warranty on friendship.

I guess some old friends just fade away?

Rain,wind and huge waves

2009-02-11T19:11:00.000-08:00

It has been coming down all night with some loud Thunder waking my girlfriend(KPS) and I up in the middle of the night.

This is much needed rain and as I peer out the window I can see huge waves crashing against the large rocks off the coastline at Trinidad State Park. I think that I should grab my rain gear and go down to the coastline to photograph these tremendous crashing waves. The sound from here with the window cracked open is immensely powerful much like subdued thunder. I'm out of here as soon as I wrap some chores up.

When I drive down to the parking area at Trinidad Beach overlooking the Surf I am mesmerized by the violent, powerful waves crashing against land, their sound, smell and energy immersing me deep into the moment. Today at least the beach is devoid of surfers and no one else is in sight. Just one "old fossil" feeling like a kid again or as I imagine an adult butterfly emerging from the pupal stage, Taking flight for the first time.

A few crows join me here almost unnoticed as they walk and hop along the surfs edge foraging for morsels. This is the kind of moment that makes being alive so precious and fullfilling.

This is one of "The" moments that keeps my attention for a long period of time lost in reverie and the amazing and beautiful visual display before me.
This "high" I feel could not possibly be enhanced by anything else unless I shared it with you.

I stopped above at the "Memorial" Lighthouse and took this photo of the fishing boats bobbing up and down in the harbor below.

click on above photos to enlarge them to full screen.

It was difficult to drag myself away from nature's
show today but I'm happy to share it with you.

Fox in our woods

2009-02-08T10:51:00.000-08:00

My camera trap had been out below our rental home in Trinidad, California for a week so I checked it yesterday. I was pleasantly surprised to find a Grey Fox had visited the site and this marked my first of this beautiful mammal. Here you see the fox in an alert posture apparently listening for sounds nearby,
The fox visited the site three different times on the night of my wife's birthday (Feb. 2). The first photo was caught at 7:32 P.M.. The fox returned at 10:18 P.M. and again at 2:30 A.M.. We felt that it was a great birthday gift for both of us.
The Grey Fox is a member of the dog family (Canidae) which includes Coyotes and Wolves. They are the most omnivorous of all North American canids. Their diet consist of small mammals and birds as well as wild berries. They are a little larger than a domestic cat and their tracks (prints) are similar except the fox print shows claws. The fox is Nocturnal and crepuscular and is considered a habitat generalist. It appears that the Grey Fox is not found north of the Columbia river which explains why I didn't get any photos of them during my camera trapping along the East Fork of the Lewis river in Washington State. Each time I get a new species with my camera trap I thank my mentor Dr. Chris Wemmer for introducing me to this fascinating hobby.

Gray Jays at Patrick's Point State Park

2009-02-04T17:22:00.000-08:00

Click on the above photo to enlarge.

Yesterday we hiked the trails in Patrick's Pt. State Park on a beautiful afternoon. The highlight of the day was getting close looks at Gray Jay's that were active in the park. These are birds that we have seen at higher elevations previously and today we counted more than a dozen along the road leading to agate beach. They were extremely tame as they flew to within a few feet allowing me to take photos with my 55 mm lens.

We hiked to the top of Ceremonial Rock and enjoyed another spectacular view of Agate beach all the way to the Big Lagoon.

Exploring the Redwoods

2009-02-02T11:28:00.000-08:00

My wife and I are taking advantage of our time together before she starts her new position at Humboldt State University by exploring the coast and redwoods. We recently spent the day exploring the beach near Redwood Creek at the Redwood National Park information center and then drove to Lady Bird Johnson Grove Nature Trail.
It was a crisp clear day and the sea was moderately calm.

We walked along a beach strewn with weathered drift wood as well as some recently uprooted deciduous trees, and numerous mussel shells and crab carapice. Our short walk takes us north along the beach to the mouth of Redwood Creek where we observed a Harbor Seal foraging. The seals head rises above the surface of the water then abruptly disappears for over 2 minutes before appearing again. The water is clear and the seal is lingering where the sea meets the river. Gulls line the mouth of the river's bank where tons of tiny polished rocks glisten in the sun, remnants of years of tidal wave and sand scouring action.

Next we drive north to Lady bird Johnson Grove Nature trail in Redwood National and State Park.
Lady bird Johnson's campaign to preserve America's natural beauty led to the dedication of this 300 acre grove in 1969 in her name by the then President Nixon. It was enlarged in 1978 and included more of the Redwood creek watershed much of which had been clear cut. This area underwent much needed restoration in the coming years to preserve less than 4% of the remaining old growth forest.

As we walk through this magnificent forest of giant trees some 600 to 800 years old we are struck by the silence on a windless day when we stop and listen.
Only the faint sound of a Kinglet high in the canopy or the distant tapping of a woodpecker is heard by the discerning ear.

Today crystal blue skies peer through tiny windows in the canopy high above these majestic and ancient giants
which humble us by their incredible size and dimensions as we gaze up from their base. We both feel privileged to be here and look forward to "scratching the surface" in further explorations of these incredible forests along the northern California coast.

Migration to Northern California

2009-01-22T12:05:00.000-08:00

We arrived in Trinidad 6 days ago and still adjusting to the change. We chose to box our belongings and marked them carefully with "Fragile" if they contained something like glass or woodcarvings. However,we noticed that all boxes were treated the same and it apparently didn't matter if they were fragile or not. We were fortunate to have neighbors who have been through the moving process and were empathetic enough to bring us food and invite us for dinner during the last couple of days of our move. We were just getting to know our new neighbors Bill and Sue and will miss them and our friends Bryan and Kelli and their beautiful boy Corey. Of course we will also miss the other people who we came to know during our 5 year adventure on the East Fork of the Lewis River.

On the last day while our household was being moved onto the moving van we cleaned each room and stayed up late that night to complete the cleaning process. The house looked so much larger with everything gone. We didn't sleep well that night in our sleeping bags and I woke up at 4:00 AM and took my last shower in our Chalet. Then I began the task of loading my truck in the dark at ambient temperatures of 27 degrees F with the things that we would need at our "vacation" home.
Kimberley got out of bed and waxed the floors then made certain that we didn't leave anything behind.

Our bewildered cats seemed to handle the roadtrip pretty well but Muir layed low most of the way under the back seat full of boxes. The trip took us a little less than 8 hours and we arrived at our rental home in Trinidad at 4:00 PM greeted with a beautiful sunset over the Pacific ocean.

We had many tasks to take care of in the ensuing days ahead and now with most completed I am finally sitting down to write my first blog since Christmas. One of the first things on our agenda was to explore our beautiful surroundings and so we walked the trails at Trinidad State Park which is within walking distance of our home. The weather was clear, sunny and in the mid 60's and the Ocean was spectacular.
I look forward to setting up my camera trap to see what may be lurking in our woods surrounding the house.
We both look forward to new challenges and continuing adventures in Northern California.

Christmas Eve

2008-12-24T13:17:00.000-08:00

This is the most beautiful Christmas one could dream or hope for. Our Quadrafire wood stove is keeping our chalet in the woods warm and cozy. I went out earlier and split some wood that our new neighbors and now great friends gave us earlier in the year when they cleared their property for a home. Although we are in the midst of preparation for our move to California, today we will just relax and enjoy the ambiance and joy of the season. I walked out to the river and took these photos to share with all of you and especially my Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren. When I was standing in the shallow edge of the river a Kingfisher's rattling voice reverberated in the canyon and I watched it fly upstream and land on a snow covered branch sending a waterfall of snow tumbling to the ground.The rocks in the river above the water line are covered with snow and the water is crystal clear.

The temperature has warmed to 3 degree's above freezing. As a result large snow bombs are dropping here and there from the trees some breaking into smaller pieces as they hit branches on their way to the ground. Even limbs are falling now and then from the weight of the snow.
This is truely a winter wonderland.

We are fortunate to be here at this moment in time to experience such a glorious white Christmas.
Merry Christmas to all of our children and those we sponser through the "Christian Children's Fund.

Now it's time to enjoy the company of my wife and two cats and warm up in front of the fire.

White Christmas

2008-12-22T11:12:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since my wife and I have experienced anything like it but this year we are having a White Christmas. We're busy packing to move to Northern California where my wife will continue her outstanding career at Humboldt State University as Director of Planned Giving. We feel like we're getting a wonderful sendoff with the snow. It is a soft fluffy snow and today I went out to record it and look for animal tracks.

The entire Pacific Northwest has been hit by an arctic blast and it looks like it will be with us for at least another week. Hopefully we will not get a rapid thaw which causes rivers to rise rapidly as well. Some people look at this kind of weather as a problem but to us it is beautiful and we plan to enjoy every moment.

Above are the tracks of what appears to be a cottontail rabbit. While I try to enjoy the moment as I step softly in the snow I can't help feeling the sadness of leaving this place we have grown to love so much.
It has been another memorable chapter in our lives and although we will miss our friends here and the many places we have hiked we look forward to new and most likely challenging adventures.

We hope that someone who appreciates the beauty of nature will find this place and live here harmoniously
with the outstanding riparian woodland and the sight and sounds of the river from their deck and the upstairs loft.
Wishing everyone who reads this a very happy holiday season and a merry Christmas.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-21T08:58:00.000-08:00

Time to head em up and move em out. rolling, rolling rolling.... This is the time of year when I look forward to being with my mother, children and grandchildren and their children. All of my cousins and many of their children and grandchildren and so on.
My dear uncle Eddie will be there too and he is one month away from reaching the ripe ole age of 97.

Rose and Eddie caught in a camera trap

Eddie is a great human being who served in the Navy during World War II and was a Lt. Commander. He has many stories to tell and he loves to tell them. Not many years earlier it was my mother alone who hosted this gathering and did all of the cooking and it was delicious to say the least.
This year we are having a potluck dinner in which everyone will bring a dish or perhaps just some nuts to nibble on while we sip our wine and greet each other warmly waiting for the turkey which I will be cooking. There are at least 40 coming this year and it will be loud and crazy with a lot of warm hugs and conversation. When the main dish has been eaten the desert goes fast and before you know it people are leaving already, but it seems like we just got started.

Each year I wish that there was just a little more time to talk to everyone in more depth about life and other things. We have been gathering here at my mother's for over 40 years now and somehow deep down I hope it never ends, this magical day when everyone just relaxes and enjoys each others company. This day in particular reminds us of those loved ones that previoulsy gathered here but are gone now and will be with us in spirit always.

Gertrude and Warne Lark, Randy my beloved son, Denby Lark, my step father Jimmy Britt, Our sweet Auntie Marion, and my dear cousin Lynne's daughter, Robin.

Fish in Trees

2008-11-16T12:11:00.000-08:00

It was only last week that my friend Ben Dennis and I stood on the river shelf gazing down at large Salmon spawning upstream. This was a good sight realizing that this once plentiful species still returns at least in smaller numbers to it's ancient beginnings. Then the storms began. (See previous post).

After the river receeded I walked out our trail with rubber boots and noticed more sand filtered through the native plants. Nootka Rose, Vine Maple, Red Osier Dogwood and other vegetation bent 90 degrees facing downstream. Flotsam of trash tangled in limbs have traveled in high waters from somewhere upstream .

The odor of dead fish everywhere, some in trees left there to dry and decompose. This is where these fish began. First as eggs deposited in a gravel "redd" by their spawning parents, protected by surrounding gravel from being eaten by predators. In a couple months they rise up as small fry to feed on tiny insects that have been nurished by the decaying flesh of the adults before them. It's miraculous in a stream full of organisms that would feast on them if provided the opportunity that they made it to the ocean and returned as adults to spawn and die. I ponder their survival as I gaze at their putred smelling bodies hanging in the trees before me. I use a stick to pick them up and place them in the stream to add nutrients which will help the next generation to repeat this amazing life cycle.
I rejoice at this time each year when I catch the drift of decaying salmon and see their dead remains in the water or stranded in the vegetation.
It reminds me that the cycle continues to thrive.

The ups and downs of living on a river

2008-11-12T15:44:00.000-08:00

It has rained a lot lately as it usually does this time of the year in the Pacific Northwest. Our raingauge has collected 7.3" in 6 days and more rain is predicted through the week with possible let up by the weekend.
The USGeological Survey Water data at Heisson bridge on the East Fork of the Lewis river in Clark County, Washington recorded: 4,020 CFS and a gage height of 16.59 at 1500 yesterday. The photos below show the difference a day makes after continous rain for 24 hrs.

I stayed up this night watching the river rise, hoping that the rain would let up. The sound of the powerful river was like the roar of the large rapids that I remember while rafting the Colorado. Fortunately, the rain subsided by 20:00 and by 24:00 the river crested at 20 feet gage height, and 10,700 cfs. WHEW! Fortunately I recovered my beaver camera trap just in time.
.

River Poetry

2008-11-11T14:12:00.000-08:00

My wife Kimberley Pittman-Schulz is a Poet and several of her poems have appeared in magazines and periodicals including: Avocet, Cairn, the Oregonian, Rosebud, The Merton Seasonal, and The Sun. I share with you here a poem she wrote for me and is included in her recently reworked manuscript for her book of poems entitled :
MOSSLIGHT.

River’s Wind

For Terry

Late light on the river
shows us where the beaver lifts
his dark face
from darker water,
willow leaves in his lips, willow limbs
stripped and bare as bones
at our feet.

At the end of the day,
we feel the ending.
Two kingfishers rattle
in the firs and fall silent;
a single, yellow alder leaf
spins downstream,
sinking into dusk.

I look into your eyes
and see they are not pebbles.
The river moves in them—
both fixed and flowing, they are alive
in this moment, two blue flowers
caught in the river’s wind.

The beaver drifts
toward us, just forehead and wet eyes
glinting on the surface, so that
in the dimness he could be
nothing more than water
folding in on itself.

A coolness lifts and
the sky bruises purple,
a dozen bats suddenly above us,
licking into the night. All we want
is here, now. I lean into your left arm,
each of us holding on
as long as we can.

Another Beaver shot

2008-11-04T16:18:00.000-08:00

I checked my camera trap today in pouring down rain and found 4 more beaver photos taken on 10-28-08 between 11:15 and 11:30 PM. These photos show more of the beaver since I removed some vegetation that had obscured part of the big fellow last time. No activitiy for the last 8 days.
It's amazing how excited I get each time I check my camera trap with the anticipation of catching a new and different veiw of a beaver. Old men are really just kids at heart!

Catching a Beaver.

2008-10-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

I was fortunate this year to participate in a camera trap workshop with three former San Francisco State University Biology students of the 60"s era.

Photo by R.Tenaza

One of them Dr. Chris Wemmer (above center), a retired Smithsonian scientist, who lives in the Sierra Nevada foothills was our mentor and camera trap expert. Chris writes an outstanding blog on camera trapping: http://cameratrapcodger.blogspot.com/ We spent 3 days learning how to build a camera trap, how to use them and put them in the most productive sites.
There was much to learn and Chris had a captive audience of 3 old Biologists who were looking for new adventures capturing wild animals on a digital infra red camera. Just spending time with these great gentleman with storied careers as scientist and educators was a privilege. Dr. Richard Tenaza, Professor of Zoology at University of Pacific,
and Dr. Reno Taini, Outstanding Teacher awardee in California, were the other members of our codger group.

The photo above shows, from left to right: Tenaza, Taini and Wemmer.
Since then I have tried to get photos of the animals in and around my property here on the East Fork of the Lewis river. Until recently I have managed to get some good photos of opossums, racoons, birds, squirrels, mice and deer. This month I finally got the beaver photos that I was hoping for. I set my camera near a Big Leaf Maple tree that had been worked on by beaver for nearly one year. The tree with a base diameter of 2 feet had been cut but did not fall. Instead it's canopy of large branches got hung up on another larger Maple about 25 feet away. The beaver returns on a irregular schedule to continue chopping off chunks ("bullets") on which the bark has been stripped and eaten. To this date there are 4 "bullets" about 20 inches in length and the 5th shown in the photo below about to join the others.

This tree is more than 20 yards from the river with a well worn path through the vegetation leading to it.
The beaver eats the bark and cambium as well as leaves,twigs and roots of mostly deciduous trees. However, my wife and I have watched a beaver from our bench over looking the river eating the bark of a fallen Douglas Fir.

Because this river is undamned it's velocity and height fluctuate dramatically during the rainy season and sometimes wipes out the beavers bankside lodge.

This photo shows the broad paddle-like flat tail of the beaver which is used as a rudder when swimming. Obviously beavers can cause major damage to sensitive riparian areas but in some cases their activities can be considered beneficial. For more detailed information on Beavers see:

Stay tuned for further adventures and more beaver shots.

Close calls

2008-10-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

In the early 70's while Murray Fowler was on sabatical leave I worked with Dr. Roy Hendrickson on Zoo rounds at the Sacramento Zoo. In those days the Zoo was a mish mash of farm-like enclosures for many of the Ungulates and Camels. We needed to restrain a camel to check it's foot for a problem noted by one of the keepers. It was roped around the neck and then tied to a large post in the ground. As we moved in to check the foot the camel reared back and the post came flying out of the ground. The camel more frightened by the post began turning in circles and the post became a flying missle which nearly wiped a couple of us out as it circled the entire enclosure.
Everyone luckily got out of the way but it was a very close call on that day.

While assisting Murray Fowler get a young camel into a cattle scale to weigh it the camel became nervous and got one of it's legs between the outer rail. As I grabbed the camels foot to push it back into the chute it turned and grabbed me by the back of the neck. Murray saved my life by punching the camel squarely on the nose which caused it to release it's hold on my neck. Had it shook it's head with my neck in it's teeth I wouldn't be sitting here writing about it today. I've always appreciated that Murray did what he had to do on that day. For the next week or so I walked around with my head slightly tilted and a very sore neck.

Murray Fowler and I were inside the Giraffe Barn at the Sacramento Zoo trying to get a long stomach tube down the throat of a recumbant Giraffe. During the procedure the Giraffe began thrashing it's long legs as if running on it's side. As it continued to thrash on the straw covered floor it became clear that we were cornered and the legs were getting closer and closer.

I realized that if hit by one of the thrashing legs it would be all over so I instinctively dove over the animals body and tumbled on the floor reaching safety. When I got up Murray was still cornered and I shouted to him to jump. I remember the look on his face was one of a person faced with a do or die decision. He soon dove over the giraffe also realizing it was the only way out. Another close call!

A young male elephant was delivered to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital for castration.

Dr. Murray Fowler would be the first person to successfully castrate an elephant. Male elephants go through a musth period not clearly understood physiologically but characterized by restlessness and aggressive behavior. Castration was indicated in this particular 8 year old male named Delinger due to it's recent history of destructive behavior. After the elephant had it's Testicle removed and was recovering in a outdoor enclosure it had to be medicated with large doses of Antibiotics on a daily basis. I was given the responsibility to deliver the antibiotics with a 30 cc syringe.

This responsibilty turned out to be not only difficult but treacherous. Although the elephant was tethered by chains to a metal fence it still had the inclination to slap at me with it's tail and trunk as I injected the very viscous antibiotic slowly into it's body. I learned to bob and weave while injecting with one hand using my other to deflect the attack. It was like defensive boxing which I had learned years earlier from my step father Jimmy Britt who was a former professional out of Tacoma Washington. I also learned quickly not to get between the elephant and the fence or it would squeeze you against it. It would additionally try to step on you if you were not careful.

A good friend and Zoo keeper at the Sacramento Zoo the late Tony Peters was seriously hurt by an Elephant. The elephants legs caught him as it attempted to get up from a recumbant position and knocked him to the ground. Tony recovered from that incident but his body was never the same.

Snakes in my life

2008-10-04T15:28:00.000-07:00

I have always been curious about nature and as a boy I often brought snakes and other critters home to show to my parents. My mother always acted interested but I could always tell from her body language that she would rather I didn't bring them into the house. Back in the mid 60's I was a student at S.F.State University and working as a instructor in the Natural History of Vertebrates in the biology department. During this time I visited family and friends in Guerneville, California one spring weekend. My friend Tom King, a Banker in town and I decided to go trout fishing in the hills behind Armstrong woods which is now a State Park. While fishing I saw a young Rattle snake and snared it with my fishing pole and line. I Proudly showed it to Tom who backed off abruptly and wondered what I was going to do with it. I told him that I planned to use it in my class and then return it to the wild. As we walked across the creek to go to the place we left our gear I walked near a Yellow Jacket nest and was surrounded by agitated Yellow jackets. I responded by running rapidly,splashing through the water during which the snake came loose but where it landed was a mystery. We were both anxious for a few seconds wondering if the snake was on our person. It wasn't and we were both relieved.

A couple of years later I was on a expedition to Baja, Mexico while working with Dr.Frank Radovsky at the George Williams Hooper Foundation in San Francisco. We went there to collect mammals and look for a flea that infests them. A very unique flea in which the female becomes hypertrophied behind the ear of it's host looking much like a boil. While hiking near San Quintin I climbed to the top of a volcanic hill and put my hand very close to a beautiful nearly golden colored rattle snake that looked me squarely in the eye. The adrenalin pumping and sweat dripping off my forehead was an indication that I should slowly retreat to a safe distance. I was carrying a butterfly net and carefully netted it to take back to camp and show my colleagues. Frank decided to take it back and give it to the California Academy of Sciences where it was determined to be a rare species.

While working in the School of Veterinary Medicine at UC Davis we had a couple
of snakes in our lab in the early 70's. I remember that two fireman came in to do their annual fire inspection. They were very curious about the snakes and had me take one out and show them. A couple weeks later the same fireman showed up at my door and asked me to help them recover a rattle snake that had escaped on campus. I gathered my snake hook and a Muslin sack and we were off in a large Fire truck. I was told that a student was riding his bike with a bell jar and snake inside when he dropped it on campus allowing the snake to slither away under a parked car. Upon arriving it was my task to locate and restrain the snake. However, I couldn't locate the snake under the car so suggested that the fireman try to wash it out with their fire hoses. This method didn't work so we called a tow truck to lift the rear end of the car to get a better look. In the meantime the press had showed up as well as several dozen curious onlookers. I finally spotted the snake after the car was lifted and it was curled around the axle behind one of the wheels. With my faithful snake hook I prodded it to move and it dropped to the ground allowing me an opportunity to lift it and place it into my Muslin sack. My photo was taken as I rescued the snake and the story appeared in a couple of the local Davis Newspapers as well as the Sacramento Bee. The byline in the Davis Enterprise on May 19,1972 "Car has to be lifted to catch clever rattler". and "Sly Snake outwits fearful fireman". The author wrote:
"Schulz tried the professional coaxing approach but the snake wouldn't listen".
. In the Davis Democrat May 20, 1972 the headline was "Noisy victim has fire lads baffled". The last sentence read: "Schulz got the crawly critter with his hook, dumped it in the bag and the day was saved". Finally on May 21 the Sacramento Bee had a small story entitled: "Incident in Davis, Rattler is Recaptured". In the article is written: "the crowd cheered as Schulz took a stick and knocked the snake down. Then using a snake hook, he placed the poisonous belly-crawler in a thick Muslim bag". These were excellent examples of how newspaper journalist attempt to over dramatize reality. The story didn't end there however because when the Fireman drove me back to my office I stopped to answer questions from our curious Administrative Assistant Mary Watkins and while talking I placed the snake filled Muslim bag on a chair nearby. I didn't notice that Dr. Murray Fowler had entered the room until he was about to sit down on the chair that was inhabited by the snake in the bag. As he slowly started to sit on the chair I shouted don't sit down there is a rattle snake in the bag. He writes about this incident in his book entitled "Murray" " Hummingbirds to Elephants".
http://www.amazon.com/Murray-Hummingbirds-Elephants-Autobiography-Fowler/dp/0964661888/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1226512475&sr=1-7
He admits that he had grown up with a fear of snakes and from his reaction my guess was that he was not pleased that I left the bag on the chair on that day or any day thereafter.

On another occasion we brought a portable X-Ray machine to the Sacramento Zoo to radiograph a 15 foot Anaconda in it's large enclosure. The enclosure was also occupied by some very large Boa Constrictors as well. I was holding the X-Ray machine over the area to be radiographed and noticed out of my peripheral vision that one of the Constrictors was 2 feet from my head with it's head facing in my direction and tongue protruding intermittently. I tried to ignore the possibility that he could strike me in the face at any moment and the few minutes it took to complete our objective seemed endless on that day.

While rafting the Colorado river in 1982 with my good friend Steve Boyd and five other folks I had another encounter with a rattle snake. We were camped out for 2 nights at a beautiful spot halfway through our 225 mile trip to rest and relax. I was coming back to camp after a brief fishing excursion when I heard Milt Blackman, a Davis Optometrist yelling loudly and holding a large rock over his shoulder. I asked him what was going on and he responded that there was a rattle snake under a bush. He said that he intended to kill it with the rock because he didn't want it in his sleeping bag during the night. I convinced him that I would "handle" the situation which turned out to be true both literally and figuratively. I immediately found a dry stick and prodded the snake to move away. Without hesitation I picked it up by the tail at the base of the rattles as it crawled away, holding it at arms length away from my body. I began walking away from our camp carrying the snake and looked back at Milt who appeared as though he couldn't believe his eyes, his jaw hanging while muttering you're crazy man. I must have walked over 200 yards then placed the snake down and watched it rapidly slither away out of sight. I had done my job saving a subspecies of Croatalis viridis that occurs only in the Grand Canyon.
My friend couldn't get over the fact that I had picked up a poisonous snake and that evening while sitting around the campfire he kept repeating "I can't believe Schulz picked that snake up with his bare hands". In retrospect I wish that someone on the trip had photographed me holding it because I can't believe it either.

In the ensuing years of my career in Zoo Medicine I was charged with teaching Junior Veterinary Students Restraint and handling of birds,reptiles and other exotic animals for clinical examination and drawing blood for analysis. On one occasion while demonstrating how to remove a rattle snake from its enclosure and handle it safely a female student collapsed apparently fainting from watching me handle the snake. It turned out that she had a morbid fear of snakes and it took much courage on her part to even attend the class.

While taking a freshman Veterinary class on a Zoological Medicine Tour of the Sacramento Zoo I came close to "Buying the Farm". I took them behind the scenes in the Reptile house and was explaining how the squeeze cages work for the poisonous snakes on exhibit. I opened the top door of the squeeze to show them how the wire insert below could be pushed down to restrain a snake. As I slid the door back with my left hand my right was near the top of the box. When I got the lid halfway back I saw the Green Mamba's head that had worked it's way above the wire squeeze enclosure and was no more than a foot from my right hand. My response was quick and deliberate thrusting the lid back so hard that if the snake had it's head between the lid and top it would have been decapitated. My adrenalin had peaked at that very moment as I realized that I came very close to being bitten by one of the deadliest snakes in the world. After that incident the enclosures were locked.

Finding old friends

2008-08-20T19:38:00.000-07:00

This week my friend Rich Tenaza a professor for over 30 years at University of Pacific asked me if I would be interested in a S.F.State University Biology Dept. reunion. Of course I said, well actually I said "Does a bear shit in the woods"? Since then I have been motivated to find people that I remember who touched my life in a special way. One of the first persons I found was a good friend that I unfortunately lost touch with over the years. We worked together on a project for a class in Parasitology in the middle 60's. I found him easily on the internet and then asked myself 'why did it take me so long"? His response was "Wow is this really you"? He is now Dr.Jay Narayan who had a very distinguised career in the field of Laboratory Clinical Sciences and Retired recently as Director of Clinical Laboratory, Pathology, Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Radiation Oncology at Seton Medical Center. I always knew that Jay would be a highly successful individual as he was highly motivated as a student. In retrospect I seemed to form friendships with people who became very successfull in their lives. The next person I found was Larry Penny who worked with me on another laboratory project in a Cell Physiology class taught by a young Dr.George Araki in the 60's. Most people who have been successful are easy to find these days and I found Larry on the first try. Larry stated that he had thought of Rich and I often and was excited about seeing us again. He is the "Director of Natural Resources for a township in S.E.N.Y., East Hampton including the eastern tip of Long Island at Montauk. There are many more former classmates to locate but I must admit that I don't remember all of their names.
I do however look forward to seeing them again and perhaps that will jog my memory.
I doubt if many of them will recognize me because there have been some changes over the years.

Zoo Medicine The early days

2008-05-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

It was the early 70's and I was embarking on a new adventure working with Dr. Murray Fowler a Veterinarian who had recently took on the huge responsibility to develop the first ever program in Zoological Medicine in a Veterinary School at U.C.Davis,California. We were in a sense "Pioneers" and we were on a straight course into the unknown and would learn many lessons the hard way. One of the first problems in Zoo medicine is detecting when an animal is sick. Most wild animals survive by hiding their ailments until they are so advanced that medical intervention may come to late. In the wild this strategy may aid them from detection by a potential predator. We eventually learned to depend greatly on talented as well as dedicated zoo keepers who worked with their charges on a daily basis. Zoo keepers are often not given the credit that they deserve. Veterinarians who do not develop a working relationship with the people who sometimes become emotionally involved with their charges often have difficulty being successful. Zookeepers that are acutely observant may detect subtle changes in an animals behavior, feeding habits and stool characteristics. Subtle changes may be a sign of a potential health problem. The examination of wild animals in captivity comes with much stress and further hazard to the animals health and well being. Because of the hazard involving physical or chemical restraint we went by the axiom that "the therapeutic hazard should not exceed the disease hazard". Many smaller animals can be netted and physically restrained but the larger more dangerous animals must be anesthetized. The drug used to anesthetize the animal was delivered either by an extended pole with syringe on the end, by blow pipe or dart gun. One of my first responsibilities was to learn the various techniques of delivering the drug and become proficient in their use. I also learned to be prepared for any event by being organized and equipped with all the necessary tools. In the ensuing years I would learn that one cannot always be prepared for everything in Zoo medicine.
Every trip to the zoo was a unique adventure because we usually had no idea what to expect. There were many times that Murray Fowler was called upon to make tough decisions knowing full well that a mistake would be looked upon very negatively by the Zoo keepers, the public and the director of the zoo. We were not always perfect or completely successful but Murray Fowler soon earned the trust and respect of those people who cared most about the animals in their charge.
I recall one incident when we had planned ahead to dart a Chimpanzee who had a bad habit of throwing his feces at people and quite accurately I should add. I prepared myself knowing that I would be the one asked to go in and dart the rascal. Sure enough when we arrived at the zoo with a few veterinary students Murray turned to me and said "Terry will now go in and dart the Chimp". My thoughts went back to the many Marlin Perkins episodes on "Wild Kingdom" in which Perkins would announce things like "now my assistant Jim Fowler will wrestle the Anaconda".
I pulled out a large black plastic garbage bag that I had measured the night before and cut holes for my eyes and one hole for my right arm. When I donned my protective armour the look on the face of Dr. Fowler and his students was priceless.
After darting the chimp who demonstrated his accuracy well judging from the amount of fecal matter on the protective plastic I came out of the enclosure greeted with applause from the students. This I thought was not something I cherished enough to do everyday. Fortunately this episode didn't happen that often but there would be other adventures and they must be told. Keep tuned in for further adventures in Zoo Medicine.

Writer's Block?

2008-04-24T09:18:00.000-07:00

I've not written anything for a long time because everytime I sit down to write nothing comes out. I must have writer's block? I have many things to write about and now more than ever I appreciate people who can put their thoughts on paper so eloquently. Terry Tempest Williams and Annie Dillard come to mind and of course one of my all time favorite nature writers John Muir who paints his words like a masterpiece. It has been so crippling that my wife gave me two books to help me,
"Writing Your Life" by Lou Willet Stanek, and "The Legacy Guide" capturing the facts,memories, and Meaning of your life. by Carol Franco and Kent Lineback.
Maybe it's just the ageing process or the fact that the winter weather has dragged out so long without warm sunny days? I flew down to Santa Rosa the week before my mother's 92nd birthday because she was ill. I made certain that she went to see the doctor. Her symptoms lasted nearly a month before she finally after two kinds of antibiotics recovered. I can't blame her for not wanting to go to the doctor because as she say's "They never do much except look in my mouth. take my temperature, and listen to my heart and lungs". Going to the doctor can be dangerous for an old lady with a compromised immune system. Exposure to people who are sicker than you is always a "Crap shoot". By the way I'm convinced that flying from Portland to Santa Rosa on Horizon (Alaskan Airlines) is much more convenient than driving 11 hours. They also offer complimentary wine during the 1 1/2 hour flight. It is usually wine from a local winery. I recently discovered that when one clicks on a category of "Interests" listed in a blog you find many other blogs with the same interest as well as many, many other interests. It's like falling into the abyss of the "Black Hole" of cyberspace or as Forest Gump said "like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get". Try it sometime you may never come out.

A Great Day in Washington State

2008-02-10T11:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I was up early to meet with fellow "Fish First" members at Dave Brown's Fish Rescue Project. I met Dave Brown 4 years earlier when I noticed small Salmon and Steelhead fry trapped in a high water pool after the river receeded on our property. There were hundreds of them and unless they were rescued they would be doomed when the pond dried up in the spring. I had just completed my Watershed Stewards class and had a list of contacts which led me to Dave. He showed up with hip boots and nets with the energy of a hamster on a wheel. He talked a mile a minute about fish,fishing and the politics of fisheries. Not knowing at the time
whether this guy was legitimate I insisted on releasing the fish in the main stream just a few yards from the temporary pond. Hopefully some of them survived to make their way to the sea and back again as full grown adults to spawn. Now I believe that Dave Brown's project gives these tiny fish a better chance of making it in greater numbers.

The fish are kept in man made ponds near a spring fed tributary through the dry summer months and are fed and eventually released back to the river system they were obtained.

I was there to photograph and video tape the procedure of transporting the fish to the place of release where a family with children were to be involved.

The purpose of the filming is part of a campaign to market Fish First in order to gain more members and support. The film will be edited and eventually be released to the general public. On the same day my wife and I had to be at our precincts Caucus site so that we could vote for Barack Obama. Neither of us had been involved in the caucus process previously so it was a new adventure.
Although I have never been an active political type other than wearing buttons for my favorite candidate this year is unusual for many reasons. This year the people in our great country have an opportunity for positive change. We feel that Barack Obama is a person who can lead America toward a better future. So I volunteered to be a delegate at our local precinct caucus yesterday. I did it because I'm tired of the direction that our country has been going and I'm tired of the lies and corruption that goes on in Washington. Barack Obama has the potential of being one of our greatest leaders in history. He already inspires the young and the old and he can pull both sides of the table together to move forward in a positive direction. I doubt that Hillary Clinton would be as sucessful due to the fact that she carries more "baggage" and would tend to polarize members of Congress. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. So now I look forward to the next round as a Delegate to the county convention in April. Perhaps I could make it all the way to Denver and what an adventure that would be. I doubt that many folks read my blogs but if you do I ask you to consider Barack Obama as a person who can give all of us hope and a greater respect worldwide. Yesterday Obama(pardon the expression)blew Clinton away. We can do it "Yes, we can".

Just being there is enough.

2008-01-28T15:43:00.000-08:00

Today we woke up to a winter wonderland with the trees covered in pure sparkling white snow and about an inch layer on the ground. By noon the temperatures rose to 36 degrees and the snow was mostly gone. By 3 pm it was completely melted. Since it is a rare occurrence below 500 ft. elevation it is usually not unwelcome.
I donned my waders and took my fly rod out to the river. With a "Purple egg sucking leach" fly tied to my 6 foot long leader I felt optimistic and hopeful that a Steelhead would give me a go at it. The river is low and clear and the sky overcast and gray. These days I wade more carefully than in my younger years knowing that one false step could result in a very cold and rude awakening. It's happened more that once in the last couple of years so I must look like a person trying to avoid a mine as I tread slowly to a point in the river that allows my back cast enough room to avoid snagging my line on a Willow. On this day I wade to a depth reaching the top of my thighs and brace myself against the current. I cast straight across the river to a slot that is about 4 feet deep and let my fly drift naturally with the current.
On each cast I try to cover as much of the river possible by moving slowly a step at a time down stream. Like many days there was not much action but the cold air and the sound of the river beating against my legs keep my senses clear and focused.
I rejoice at the sight of one of my favorite birds which appears suddenly on a rock close by. It's dark, plump gray body with tail raised high, while bobbing to the river's music up and down all around the rock it goes. Diving swiftly headlong into the river's current,disappearing for seconds then reappearing again. The Water Ouzel or "Dipper" is the only passerine in North America that is aquatic. It either swims or walks along the bottom in search of aquatic insects. It is non migratory and is found year around on swift moving streams in Western States from Alaska to parts of Mexico. Today the Ouzel entertained me for a few precious minutes before flying low over the waters surface to a rock downstream. Then my eyes were averted to four Common Merganser's flying higher above me along the rivers winding course.
Another cast brought my focus on a tiny Winter Wren easily recognized by it's small dark body and extremely small tail pointing upwards. It hopped and bobbed amongst the tangled willow branches along the river's edge behind me. It's quavering voice unheard and muffled by the river's roar. Few people would enjoy standing in the middle of a cold river while patiently casting for a Steelhead that would not appear on this day. But for me the experience of just being there at that moment was enough knowing well that one day not too far in the future I may not have the capability to experiece the pleasure of such things.

Tornado

2008-01-11T14:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday about noon the sky darkened as if time had moved forward to evening. Then a loud boom and my cats scattered for cover. One of the loudest sounding thunder in my experience even compared to the big ones we had in North Central Pennsylvania.
Suddenly it hailed moth ball sized ice stones that sounded like a train on my Cedar shake roof. When the hail stopped in less than a couple of minutes the rain came down in sheets for another few minutes. I gazed out the window and was suprised not to see trees swaying and limbs coming down. We were fortunate because a Tornado had touched down a few miles south west of our home and spared us on this unusual occassion. The last Tornado to touch down in this part of the country was back in 1972 and six people were killed. The Tornado that touched down yesterday in Vancouver did some severe damage to property but fortunately did not kill anyone.
It's a miracle that no one was killed considering the fact that hurricane force winds hit a highly populated area. Wikipedia states that "a tornado is a violently rotating column of air which is in contact with both a cumulonimbus cloud or,in rare cases, a cumulus cloud base and the surface of the earth." "Tornadoes are typically in the form of a visible condensation funnel, whose narrow end touches the earth and is often encircled by a cloud of debris". Home videos sent to local TV stations clearly showed large objects floating in circles when the tornado was blowing through the area. It tore off roofs and uprooted large trees and knocked large trucks on their sides. Tops of utility poles were snapped off and a brick wall was blown down. This is a rare event in the Pacific Northwest and I hope that it remains that way. I wonder if climate change has anything to do with it?
Ironically I had planned to drive over to the area that was hit to exchange a gift that my wife gave me.. I would have been there about the time the tornado hit but changed my mind for some reason. Sometimes fate can change our lives or perhaps I'm just lucky.

Thinking about my Mom

2007-12-26T15:29:00.000-08:00

I talk to my Mom almost every day now since she lives over 700 miles away. She gets calls from other family members and her neighbor calls her every morning to check on her also. I'm certain that every phone call cheers her up and helps brighten her day which is spent in her small home with her dog usually watching TV.
My mom (Rose Lark Schulz) is the youngest and last remaining survivor of Newton and Irene Lark's family. She was born in Sonoma County, California in 1917 and raised from a small child by her father with the assistance of a Nanny. Her father known by my generation as "Papa" Lark was a Pharmacist and became owner of the Lark's Drugstore in Guerneville, Ca in 1910. Rose and her sister Marion and two brothers, Warne and Don grew up in Guerneville when the Railroad was the main transportation to this resort town from the Bay Area. In the summers the town was choked with summer vacationers who filled the local beaches and swam in the warm waters of the Russian River. My mother married my Dad at the early age of 17 and I was born the following year. After I was born she was told by her doctor that she would be unable to give birth again. She loved children and fortunately had many nieces and nephews(my beloved cousins)who were her surrogate children in a sense.
Auntie Rose has been a very loving, warm,affectionate and giving person in their lives as well as mine throughout the years. I owe my ability to be a loving, giving person as well as my love of music, dancing, good food and cooking to my mother.
She was "Rosie the Riviter" during WWII working in the Richmond shipyards,helping to build ships that would carry supplies to our military personel overseas. My Dad was her crew boss and as the story goes he had to fire her eventually. It was not that she wasn't a good worker but because the other men on his crew were having trouble concentrating on their jobs. In other words, my mother was distracting them because she was attractive. In fact when I was old enough to realize it I became protective of her when men whistled. She thought it was funny when I told them that she was my mother. After the war we moved to Cazadero because my Dad accepted a job working for my Uncle Warne Lark who had invested in a small Lumber Mill. Not many women would have or could have endured the lifestyle of living in a tent for months and cooking outdoors with no running water or shower facilities. However,my Mom was a trooper and she did it with a flair, cooking gourmet meals with food gathered by my Dad from the wild. We ate well and lots of Venison, Salmon, Steelhead, Trout, Abalone and Wild Mushrooms that year. In the winter of that same year we moved to a small 3 room house(shack)on the Bohan Ranch up the hill. We lived without electricity and had only a Outhouse for a toilet. For bathing we heated water on a woodstove and poured it into a tub large enough for one person. It was during that year I read Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn by candle light and dreamed of the day I would become a Boy Scout.
The following year we moved to Guerneville where My Dad and Mom built a small home on the Russian River. Today I have wonderful memories living on the river,fishing,Scouting,Baseball,and swimming in the river. Summers spent with Herb Genelly a life long friend, and his family who owned and operated Genelly's vacation beach resort. Herbs father Herb and mother Edna had weekly BBQ's of steak and delicious Tamalie pie and a Horse shoe pit where many a game was played by Herb and I. Life in Guerneville was interupted by my parents divorce and I moved to San Francisco reluctantly in 1952 with my Mom. I finished my last two years of School at George Washington High school. At the time of the relocation I was not happy having to leave behind my friends and it caused some bitterness and tears. In retrospect the experience was key in the growth of my character as I was exposed to a greater diversity of ethnic and religious backgrounds among my peers. In the summers I worked for my Uncle Warne in Lark's Drugstore in Guerneville and the memories of those 5 years will linger forever in my mind.
In the 60's my Mom took over my job as Manager of the Golden Gate Riding Academy after I left because of a divorce with my first wife. It was there that she became a "legend" among her friends at the stables for her outgoing, friendly as well as "take no guff" personality and delicious cooking. Her Parties for the stable crew and mounted Policeman were truly memorable to say the least. Her experience at the stables taught her how to delegate responsibilities and she has used that talent to her advantage over the years with those of us who are willing to help her when asked (or coerced) with food. My cousin Ray Lark can attest to that as he has helped her more than anyone including her own son on projects ranging from plumbing, gardening,Washing machine repair, painting, and home maintenance, etc.
My mother had a short but enjoyable happy life in her "senior" years with Jim Britt
former professional boxer and Bar owner. They traveled in their RV to Thousand Trails resorts often accompainied by her sister Marion and Ed LaFranchi. When "Jimmy" could no longer care for himself my mom became a fulltime dedicated caregiver for nearly 10 years.

Mom started a tradition in the family years earlier for her Thanksgiving gatherings at her home on the river. A place where each of us felt special and welcome and a place where we knew we would be loved,hugged and well fed with her Turkey dinner and special Pumpkin Chiffon pie and cakes that are "to die for". We have seen her at her best and at her very 'BEST' with her "hackles" up and have learned that she minces no words nor hides no emotion and you can "forget about it" when it comes to political correctness. If anyone got out of line at Rosies they were put in their place with the diplomacy and swiftness of an Army drill sargent. Anyone who knows her will tell you that she speaks her mind and you definitely know where she's coming from.
I'll never forget calling my mom to tell her that I wanted her to meet my "new" love.
Her initial response was "Oh no not again, after what you have been through with women?" I finally convinced her that Kimberley was the one girl in my life who is a real friend and this would be forever. Before the call ended I mentioned that Kimberley was kind of self conscious about the size of her feet. I asked my mom not to say anything or stare at her feet. She responded "Oh I wouldn't do that".
The day we arrived at my Mom's house and walked into her living room the first thing my Mom did was look closely at Kimberley's feet and say "You're feet aren't so big honey"! That is the definition of embarrased. A true character she is and always will be. She has weathered and survived many health problems along the trail of life and still going at the age of 90. Her wealth cannot be measured in her bank account or by material things. It is measured in her toughness of character, spirit for life,loving personality and a beauty that comes from within.

Looking back at the beginning of a career

2007-12-20T15:06:00.000-08:00

By the time I got out of the Army my first wife and I had one child with another on the way. We moved from Monterey were I was stationed to San Francisco so I could attend S.F.State University and major in Biology. I got a job working in Walgreens Drugstore on Powell st. in downtown S.F.. After a year I was offered a job as Manager of the Golden Gate Riding Academy in Golden Gate park. It was a job that required dealing with many different personalities of people who rented a stall for their horse at the stables. I also had the opportunity to teach children and adults Western Equitation.
Although I had riden horses as a young man and was confident, I had never taught people how to ride previously. So I went to the library and studied books about Equitation and within a week became an "Expert". Not really but I think the majority of the folks that I taught didn't know the difference. After two years I left the Riding Academy and got my first job in the Biology department working in the stockroom handing out equipment as well as other duties. Since it was only a part time job I found other "moonlighting" jobs as well including working for a Caterer as a Bartender and in the U.C.Medical School Vivarium cleaning Rat cages. Some of my other moonlighting jobs included working for a Commericial photographer processing film in the darkroom; Worked the midnight shift at a large Bank as a Guard; For a brief time I was a Caretaker for Robert Bowman's captive Galoapagos Finches and on one occasion I was hired as a security person for a Rock Concert which was held at the Palace of Fine Arts in S.F. It was during these times that I met new friends who were also majoring in Biology. After graduating with a degree in Biology I took advanced studies. During this phase of my education I remember well getting a call one day from Dr. Hensil who was chairman of the department. He asked me if I would be interested in teaching for Joe Hall as Lab. instructor for a class in Natural History of Vertebrates. Frankly, I was blown away and scared at the same time. After all I had dropped out of a speech class one year because my first assignment was to give a speech. Go figure. In looking back I had always had a fear of getting up in front of people, but then I reminded myself that I did alright teaching Equitation because I had prepared myself. I had taken the class that I would be teaching and earned an A. I knew the subject so I said "yes of course I would be honored to be an Instructor in Biology Dr. Hensil". The experience definitely helped build my confidence and strengthen my knowledge of the subject. I taught another class the following year in Medical Entomology for Joel Gustafson. It was that class that led to my first real job as a Biologist working in the Parisitology section of the George Williams Hooper Foundation with Dr. Frank Radovsky.
It was interesting work which included field collections of parasites and their hosts as well as laboratory preparation of the specimens for identification under a microscope. I learned much about Mites, Ticks, Fleas and parasitic flys.
The job included two field excursions to Baja, Mexico collecting rodents and in search of the Tungid flea, (Tunga monositis). Eventually this job ran out of grant money and I was again looking for a job. A person named Joe Spinelli who I met while at the Riding Academy and later became the head of the UC Medical School Vivarium told me of a job opening.
While Joe was a Veterinary student at Davis he lived in the same neighborhood as Dr. Murray Fowler. He had received a notice that Fowler was looking for someone with my background to assist him in developing a new program in Zoological Medicine in the school's curriculum. I recall meeting with Dr.Fowler and immediately felt comfortable talking to him about the job and what he expected. He called me a couple days later in S.F. and offered me the job. I don't know for sure but I think the fact that I had Eagle Scout on my resume helped me get the job. Dr. Fowler was a Scoutmaster and very involved in the Scouting program in his church. I know that I was very fortunate and blessed with a career doing something I loved. More on that later.

River Reflections/Memories of the Past

2007-12-18T09:22:00.000-08:00

Most days now I think more about the past than of the future. It's amazing to me that a person can store so many memories in their brain for such a long time. I remember well the year that my Dad worked for my Uncle Warne Lark in a small lumber mill north of Cazadero. We lived in a tent that summer by a small creek. I was 10 years old and was given a 22 rifle for Christmas. My Dad was a hunter and taught me well and I became very accurate with practice. I roamed the hills with my dog at my side and stalked my prey. I was very curious about birds and had been given my first Peterson Field guide. I wanted to see them up close so I shot many different birds and remember the excitement when I held them in my hand for close inspection. It was I now believe the catalyst for what later became my passion in life and led to a career as a Biologist. I now cringe at the fact that my first job was a "Bounty hunter" at age 10.
"Mamma June" my uncle Ed LaFranchi's mother lived on a Ranch a couple miles up the road from the lumber Mill at a place called Creighton Ridge. One day I hiked up there with my 22 rifle in hand to visit. She was a wonderfully warm and friendly lady always happy to have visitors. Mamma June hired me that day to kill the Stellar's Jays that were destroying her Figs. I don't recall exactly how many I shot but for a nickel per bird I remember that my pockets were full at the end of the day. It was a day I will always remember.
These days I greatly admire the vociferous and pugnacious Stellar's Jays that visit our home showing off their striking black "shaggy" crest and brilliant blue and black feathers. One of natures many marvels.

Christmas on the River

2007-12-16T09:55:00.000-08:00

This time of year the moss laden trunks and branches of the Big leaf Maples,Black Cotton Woods,Oregon Ash and Alder appear as brilliant green roots on plants standing upside down, reaching for nourishment in the cool damp air. Their leaves long gone decomposing in the soil below exposing the branches. In the past Christmas was about getting together with family, lights glistening on homes and Christmas trees laden with gifts. Hot mulled wine brewing on the stove, the scent of cinnamon and clove filling the air. The children had trouble sleeping with visions of Santa Claus arriving late at night.
These days my wife and I have Christmas alone but together, our families too far away. It's much quieter and peaceful and I can even hear the words of Bing Crosby singing White Christmas. It is time now to write Christmas cards to family and friends to let them know they are in our minds and hearts.
There was a time when shopping was fun albeit obligatory. These days I shop on the Internet to avoid the crowds of people who swarm the malls all seemingly in a trance as they trod from store to store in search of that "perfect" gift.
I am always amused by the fact that stores start putting out Christmas displays before Thanksgiving these days. It's all about the buck unfortunately and the reason for the season has been mostly lost over the years.
Each year my wife and I help the disadvantaged and homeless in a small way by working as volunteers with the Salvation Army or by collecting food for a food bank. It always feels good to help others and we appreciate more how fortunate we are. The Secret as Oprah pointed out "isn't what we need or must have, rather it's what we have to give". After all Christmas is about giving, it's about love. Merry Christmas to all and a hope for Peace one day throughout the world.

Squirrel proof Bird feeder

2007-12-11T14:20:00.000-08:00

Since moving to our chalet on the river we have often been entertained by the many Eastern Gray Squirrels that frequent our deck and bird feeders. The little rascals not only eat the corn that we put out for them but insist on eating suet and bird seed out of feeders as well. They have ruined a couple of feeders by chewing through the hard plastic to get to the seeds. We bought a metal "Squirrel proof" feeder and had many a chuckle watching the squirrels try to figure a way to get to the seeds. They would get on top and reach over the sides which usually resulted in a fall or a slip. It wasn't long however, that at least one of them began hanging upside down with it's hind feet and reaching up with the forefeet to get at the seed tray without tripping the gate. This behavior finally got one squirrel in trouble. The other morning while eating breakfast and watching the squirrel hanging from it's bird feeder perch we watched in amazement as a mature Red-tailed Hawk swooped down from a perch and plucked the squirrel off of the feeder without missing a wing beat. The other squirrels on the ground scrambled in all directions. The hawk flew to a nearby tree where it perched moitionless for a couple of minutes with the squirrel grasped firmly in it's fist, It's brilliant rusty red tail contrasted dramatically with the dark burnt sierra brown of the body and wing feathers. Then it lifted off with the squirrel clutched in one foot to a perch high on the other side of the river. There the squirrel was ripped open by the strong sharply curved beak of the raptor and eaten piece by piece. This is unusual behavior for a large Buteo but during the cold winter months they are opportunistic,clever and inventive when foraging.
They use the still perching method much like the Great-horned owl, sitting moitionless until their prey is spotted then swooping stealthfully down for the suprise attack. It happened so fast the squirrel had no clue what hit him .
That day and the day after there were no squirrels to be seen.
On the third day I noticed one that seemed a bit more wary than usual. It will be interesting to see if any of the other squirrels take up the habit of hanging upside down. If they do I hope to be waiting with camera ready.

Remembering my Son Randy

2007-10-26T09:56:00.000-07:00

Each year this time in October my thoughts are on that night in 1984 when I was awakened after midnight by a call from my son Steve. I can still hear the quavering tone of his voice and the empty feeling it left. The words have been forever etched in my mind. The message was short and to the point. "Dad, Randy was in an accident and he didn't make it"! "What do you mean he didn't make it"? I responded in a groggy voice. "He's dead Dad". That moment in time felt like a horrible nightmare, something I couldn"t believe, or refused to at least. There were other words, something about calling Nana. I said no don't call her tonight because she needs to sleep and should have her son by her when she gets the horrible news. I remember trying to go back to sleep but the crying kept me awake and I slowly dragged myself out of bed and dressed for the drive to my mother's.

I called my very good friend Steve Boyd and without pause he said that he would drive me to my mother's which was 2 hours away in the early morning hours. There wasn't much said on the way to my mom's, our minds numb and in disbelief at the thought of losing a son. He was 3 weeks shy of 25 years of age, his whole life in front of him. He had so much potential and in an instant he was gone. Killed in a head on collision by a drunk driver!
Randy was a wonderful son. He loved life and was always respectful and loving toward his family and friends. His artistic talents were many including painting, poetry, music and the dramatic arts. He was a dreamer a seeker and adventurer. He was passionately in love with a lady who was a few years older with a 10 year old son. His lover and son were also in the accident. The son survived but his lover died after being in a comma for 3 years. Randy and I were very close even though we were separated when he was five due to divorce and geographical distance. I didn't see him as often as a father would like but managed to get together enough to form a solid relationship and a very strong, loving bond between father and son. Randy demonstrated his love in many ways and began writing cards and letters which he profusely illustrated from an early stage in his childhood until his death. I have kept them like precious gold, all of the cards, letters, poems, drawings, portraits and especially the wonderful memories. Memories of our adventures together, Trout fishing on the McCloud river, backpacking in the Sierra Nevada, Rafting down the Middle Fork of the Salmon river in Idaho,
and the Rogue river in Oregon. The many times he helped me working with young Barn owls, handling, banding and releasing them back to the wild. The hours spent with me in the late evenings watching Short-eared owls in the fields north of Davis. The anxious excitement he displayed when given an opportunity to assist Dr. Fowler and myself at the Sacramento Zoo on one of our rounds. The time he put together a very artistic and effective wildlife montage for a Zoo Medicine conference. The many discussions about life, love and death. The discussions about evolution vs. creation while polishing off a bottle of wine and although we sometimes disagreed we always ended our conversations with a hug and a verbal I love you.
In one of Randy's poems he writes:
Here I am
In my father's voice
knowing his uncertainties,
Afraid of his pain,
my dreams and visions
overwhelmed and rejoicing.
In an instant his pain was mine.
At that moment
A held out hand,
a smile,
and a loving embrace,
The glory of father and son
and kindred friendship.
For my father
I give my prayers
and my trust.

Most days Randy is in my thoughts and my love for him continues to grow while his memories warm my heart and make my life more meaningful.

The loss of a friend

2007-10-21T14:56:00.000-07:00

Good friends are rare in life and should be cherished and celebrated. A good friend is someone that you share your secrets with and someone you can trust. Someone who accepts you the way you are ,even your weaknesses. A good friend is always there when you need them, someone you can talk to and get sincere advice from. A good friend does not expect anything in return and is someone who would not betray you.
I lost a good friend this week. He died of complications from heart surgery. It was a tough year for him and his wife for they lost one of their daughters to cancer. The loss took it's toll. I wrote him a posthumous letter today and will share it now:
Dear Carroll
I heard you left recently without saying goodbye. I wish I had called you before your surgery. We will miss your charming humor and polictical diatribes. We were a great fishing team once, traveling up Mosquito Ridge road with anxious anticipation of that big trout on the end of our lines. The long narrow drive was always shortened and more enjoyable by listening to your stories of other days and your opinions about the traffic on Foresthill road. We drank some great wine together and enjoyed some great food cooked by your lovely bride Flora. We hope that Flora's faith and knowledge that your spirit will never leave her can somehow ease the pain of her loss. The memories of a lifetime of cherished love can never be lost. We share in Flora's sadness at this time and hope that she knows how much we care. Perhaps my feelings are best told by Kahlil Gibran in the Prophet where he writes: "When you part from your friend, you grieve not; For that which you love most in him may be clearer in his absence, as the mountain to the climber is clearer from the plain".
"When you have reached the top, then you shall begin to climb. And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance". I can see you dancing near that stream fishing for that big Rainbow and that is the way I will remember you always.
Goodbye my friend.

Nature in High definition

2007-09-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

My wife purchased a new HDTV for our anniversary last month. Prior to that I had recalled to her of my experience while shopping at Sears when I happened to walk through the TV display area and was stopped in my tracks by a nature video. I was mesmerized by the color and precise definition. For the first time on TV I could clearly see the fine vibrissae on wild cats, the pollen on the stamen of flowers, the scales on reptiles and even the setae on tiny insects or as they say "the hair on a gnats ass". I stood in front of the screen for what seemed like an eternity until my concentration was abruptly interrupted by a salesman who barked "have you ever seen anything clearer than that picture? Uh no I've never seen anything like it before I replied.
From that day on I thought perhaps one day I'll get one of those TV's but never expected my wife to buy one so soon. We called our satellite company to schedule a hook up for HDTV service. We live in the woods surrounded by giant cottonwoods, big leaf maples, Douglas fir, Cedar, etc.. The TV technician took some readings in the sky with his compass and told me that several trees were in the line of sight and unless they were removed there would be no HDTV service at our home. I thought to myself surely he must be wrong because we get regular TV with no problem. He explained that the satellites which transmit HDTV are several and a much larger window in the sky is required. I must admit that the news was very disappointing but my initial response was there is no way that I'm going to cut any trees down on my property.
After all it was the trees that attracted us to this little piece of paradise in the first place. The TV guy said he understood because his wife wouldn't let him cut any trees down at their place so he didn't have HDTV either. In parting he looked around and noted "you have your own high definition all around you". I responded by saying yes that is for certain but his compassion didn't help the fact that I would not get to watch the Animal planet in HDTV.
As I type this blog looking out my window I do see nature in high definition. There before my eyes are moss covered trunks and branches on Big leaf Maples, their leaves turning gold and some beginning to fall gracefully to the ground. Dozens of migrating birds moving about in the tree canopy requiring binoculars to distinguish their identity. Chickadees, warblers, robins, thrushes, woodpeckers too. The sky is gray overcast today and winter in not far away.
President Bush has opened the door for more logging roads in the Tongass National Forest in S.E.Alaska http://www.akrain.org/ More important things to be concerned about than HDTV.

A Clearing in our woods

2007-08-16T15:03:00.000-07:00

This week I watched the property next to ours being cleared for construction of a new home. Watching the Bulldozer destroy native riparian habitat was difficult for me because when river habitat is lost the watershed is impacted. The impact on the river may be relatively small as a result of one house but as the numbers grow the quality of the river system declines. I know that there will be greater storm water runoff delivered more rapidly to the stream and less ground water recharge during dry periods. Flooding will be more severe in areas that have been denuded of the natural "sponge" affect made possible by native plants.
The multitude of native plants and their roots and the soil gives the flood plain time to absorb the excess water slowing the streams velocity during high water.
I have met our new neighbors and they are very nice people concerned about their impact on the environment and have told me that they plan to plant new native trees and shrubs to mitigate the loss due to clearing. That is great news and I look forward to having them as our neighbors as well as fellow Watershed Stewards: http://clark.wsu.edu/volunteer/ws/index.html The time my wife and I have spent watering all of the native vegetation that we planted on our property seems more significant now than it did previously. We will continue to plant native plants and remove non native plants such as Japanese Knotweed, Meadow Knapweed, English Ivy, Blackberry. etc. If invasive plants are left to grow unimpeded we will lose what we've come to love and find ourselves living in a entirely different place. At this very moment I hear the sound of the well drillers next door and realize that it is the second step in the process of constructing a new home here in our own little piece of paradise. Soon there will be other activities such as putting in a septic system and after that pouring the foundation and finally the hammers which will no doubt give our Pilieated woodpeckers a run for their money. I have made up my mind to learn something from this experience rather than waste energy fretting over it.

A Mink amongst us

2007-07-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

By nature I've kept myself busy while my wife enjoys an expense paid trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands. She will surely have many photos of one of the most unique areas in the world in regards to wildlife. One of my former professors at S.F.State University Robert Bowman did his Phd thesis on the Anatomical adaptations of the Finches of the Galapagos Islands. I missed a lifetime opportunity to go with him and another student Steve Billib to the Galapagos because my wife was about to have our child and I had two jobs. I've been doing the "Honey do" list including painting the bathroom watering the plants, etc. On Sunday I took a break and while watching Sergio hand the British Open to Padrig Harrington I caught a flash of movement out of the corner of my eye on our deck. My cats were nestled in my lap and as I rose to see what it was they flew towards the sliding glass door. Wow I thought that is a Mink on our deck and I was a mere 6 feet away from it. It's chocolate brown fir glistened in the late morning light as it hopped in a undulating manor across the deck and back as if it was lost. It continued toward the grassy area between our kitchen and a small pond and then disappeared under the deck. I have been privileged to observe a mink previously out by the river but it was a very pleasant surprise to see a Mink on our deck.
We have had other wild animals on our deck including a Long-tailed weasel, Racoons, Opossum,
Douglas Squirrels, Gray Squirrels, Cottontail rabbits, and several species of birds. I have been reading a very interesting blog at http://cameratrapcodger.blogspot.com/ by an old classmate in Biology named Dr. Chris Wemmer who is a retired Smithsonian Scientist. . Now I have a infra red remote camera on my wish list.
Back to my chores and looking forward to seeing my sweet lady soon and hearing
all her exciting observations of animals and children in remote villages of Ecuador.

Reflections on the river

2007-07-16T19:17:00.000-07:00

This beautiful evening sitting on my bench above the river I see reflections of tall Douglas firs straight as poles lining the opposite bank and clearly reflected as a sureal painting on the moving surface of the water. The trees and their reflection are mesmerizing and my mind tuned to reflect on the past. I've noticed that as I grow older there is a sense of urgency to record my thoughts and philosophy of the "river" of life.
Like a river, life provides opportunities and many forks which as Yogi Berra has suggested I have always taken . All of the choices I made have inevitably led me to where I am today. My only regret is that there wasn't a shorcut because the river of life was rough at times and even capsized me more than once. I am convinced that each event or period in our life must occur before we meet the one, the only one.

That's the person who comes into your life and changes it for ever for the better. A real friend who accepts you for who you are unconditionally. I found that person 19 years ago but didn't realize it until a couple of years later. This year we will celebrate our 16th wedding anniversary but to me it has been a lifetime with my best friend and sweet wife.

Sights and sounds by the river

2007-07-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

This evening while sitting on our bench above the river I enjoy watching Cedar Waxwings as they fly out from their Alder perches to catch insects on the wing. I marvel at their striking yellow tail tips and glossy "wax-like" brilliant red tips on their flight feathers. They remind me of flycatcher's in a hurry and their descent as graceful as a butterfly. The river has voices like a crowd of people in the distance softened by smooth extemporaneous jazz. This moment interrupted by the distant sound of a loud motorcycle on the road above. I feel fortunate to have the ability to see and hear the marvelous wonders of nature and would have great difficulty if I had to chose between losing one or the other. Hegman wrote: "Sound always ends in silence, but silence never ends". It would be a grim life without the sound of birds singing, water rushing over rocks, smooth jazz or my wife's sweet voice saying "I love you". On the other hand without vision I would have never experienced the sight of her beautiful face, the sun going down on the Colorado river, the amazing heart-shaped face of the Barn owl or the smile on a childs face. My thoughts are interrupted by a Great blue heron flying low above the waters surface as the sun slowly disappears below the horizon leaving behind a golden glow on the river rocks. The rattling sound of a Kingfisher and the mellow coo of a Mourning dove reminds me that I am privileged to have both sight and hearing and would rather give up a limb or two instead. Now as I prepare to walk my path to the house a coolness fills the air and the Canary reed grass glowing in the sunset dances to the tune of the river's wind.

Summer fishing on the East Fork

2007-07-11T14:08:00.000-07:00

Well this is my first attempt at this so don't expect a book. I live on one of the last remainig wild rivers in the state of Washington. However, this time of the year the river is extremely low and temperatures are high. I don't fish on our property this time of the year although there are a few Summer Steelhead in the deeper pools. Today I chose to carve a fish out of Sugar Pine and stay cool in the shelter of my cave like shop. It will be a nice 15 inch Rainbow Trout when finished that will be donated most likely to the Columbia Land Trust for their annual auction.
They do great work buying land along the Columbia river and it's tributaries. The land is important natural riparian habitat which is saved from development. www.columbialandtrust.org Outside my shop I hear the adult Robins keeping track of their newly fledged young and Swainson's Thrushes whistling at each other. It's great to be alive!