San Diego County Cache Critters

[+Team Gecko]

Friday, 22 April 2011 and Friday, 29 April 2011

Sadly, the Robb Field Osprey pair's 2011 nest fell last Saturday night and there was no sign of the three nearly fledged chicks the next morning. A rough estimate is they would have started flying next week or the following. I missed most of the season due to out of town volunteer work and other travels but was fortunate to stop by on the 22nd to see them for the last time while the nest was still up.

 

This post is similar to my previous note and image upload to Facebook but I also wanted to share these images with the Critter forum's contributors.

-Gecko Dad

 

4/22

Male bringing fish to nest, all five family members visible (female far right)

 

Three pre-fledged siblings, one exercising wings and showing feather growth

 

Three siblings - one eating, one watching, one trying to look uninterested

 

Three siblings, another exercising wings and showing slightly more advanced feather growth

 

29 April

Nestling shrine

 

Male bringing token branch to female's lamppost roost

 

Nestless male (left) with branch, female (right) with fish

[+Team Gecko]

13 April 2011

After seeing James's recent post I realized the Critter forum has been a bit slow of late. Here are some critters spotted on a cloudy morning walkabout down hill from GC24BPK.

-GD

 

Bumbler

 

Hare raising

 

A gopher's perspective

 

Red-tailed launch pad

 

Red Diamond, tongue up ...

 

... tongue down

[+Winkster]

[+SD Rowdies]

13 April 2011

After seeing James's recent post I realized the Critter forum has been a bit slow of late. Here are some critters spotted on a cloudy morning walkabout down hill from GC24BPK.

-GD

 

Bumbler

 

Hare raising

 

A gopher's perspective

 

Red-tailed launch pad

 

Red Diamond, tongue up ...

 

... tongue down

Terrific snake shots Don.

[+SD Rowdies]

Beeth are our friendth! Nice shot.

[+BadSquirrel]

We found a horned toad last weekend while out in Sycamore Canyon. The pic isn't so hot, with the shadows, but it's still pretty neat. The monkeys really liked it!

 

[+SD Rowdies]

We found a horned toad last weekend while out in Sycamore Canyon. The pic isn't so hot, with the shadows, but it's still pretty neat. The monkeys really liked it!

 

How about this?

 

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

I saw this hawk in the Blue Sky Preserve while walking back from The Rock that Won the Race (GC2VPAT). The amazing thing was that it let me walk right underneath it, coming within about 20 feet of it. The photo was taken with a cellphone so it's not as good as it could have been (Note to self: always take a "real" camera...)

 

Edited May 21, 2011 by Let's Look Over Thayer

[+Team Gecko]

I saw this hawk in the Blue Sky Preserve while walking back from The Rock that Won the Race (GC2VPAT). The amazing thing was that it let me walk right underneath it, coming within about 20 feet of it. The photo was taken with a cellphone so it's not as good as it could have been (Note to self: always take a "real" camera...)

 

James-

Based on the chest streaks, long tail, and short beak, your bird appears to be a juvenile Cooper's Hawk.

 

We had an adult Cooper's fly into our backyard back on 5 May. I was in the front when I heard its call and it flew low overhead and around the front corner of our house. I had about a minute to grab my camera out of the 4Runner and get through the side gate to see the following view as it perched briefly in one of our trees. This was the only shot I got before it flew off.

-GD

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Riding on the CA-52 bikepath between Tierra Santa and Santee, I was not expecting to see a rattlesnake. But as I rode by, I spotted this Southern Pacific Diamondback snoozing in shade under the K-rail. Alas, I was not able to direct enough flash underneath to get the whole snake, but I did get a good look at him (an adult male by the size of it). I was rather amused by the juxtaposition of the sign and the snake (and in any case, I wasn't going to remove the sign...)

 

 

[+SD Rowdies]

Riding on the CA-52 bikepath between Tierra Santa and Santee, I was not expecting to see a rattlesnake. But as I rode by, I spotted this Southern Pacific Diamondback snoozing in shade under the K-rail. Alas, I was not able to direct enough flash underneath to get the whole snake, but I did get a good look at him (an adult male by the size of it). I was rather amused by the juxtaposition of the sign and the snake (and in any case, I wasn't going to remove the sign...)

 

 

Best I can do for y' James.

 

 

Check and see if your camera has a feature to bracket shots.

If so then bracketed shots processed as HDR produce terrific

results.

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Best I can do for y' James.

 

 

Check and see if your camera has a feature to bracket shots.

If so then bracketed shots processed as HDR produce terrific

results.

Yeah, I spent a little time with Lightroom, but it's really hard to pull something out of a shot when it just isn't there.

 

Of course, the real problem is the camera I had with me. If I had my 20D, I would have had a better flash in the first place and I could also have done exposure bracketing and all sorts of other tricks as well. But...

 

...I was travelling light on my bike and just wasn't expecting to see anything worth taking a picture. It was actually luck that I had any sort of camera at all. (Bracketing -- or even the ability to push the exposure -- were not options...)

[+SD Rowdies]

Best I can do for y' James.

 

 

Check and see if your camera has a feature to bracket shots.

If so then bracketed shots processed as HDR produce terrific

results.

Yeah, I spent a little time with Lightroom, but it's really hard to pull something out of a shot when it just isn't there.

 

Of course, the real problem is the camera I had with me. If I had my 20D, I would have had a better flash in the first place and I could also have done exposure bracketing and all sorts of other tricks as well. But...

 

...I was travelling light on my bike and just wasn't expecting to see anything worth taking a picture. It was actually luck that I had any sort of camera at all. (Bracketing -- or even the ability to push the exposure -- were not options...)

James,

 

Here's a couple of work-arounds for HDR situations.

 

A. Most pocket cameras will lock exposure when the

shutter button is pushed half-way, usually with a beep.

So one can take a normal auto-exposure shot and then

aim the camera at a darker scene, half-push the shutter

button and, while holding that half-push, reframe as in

the auto-exposure shot and then finish by pushing the

shutter button the rest of the way. Result is one shot

with auto-exposure and one overexposed shot that

enlightens the dark areas of the scene. The two shots

are easily combined with Photoshot HDR or even with

Layer Blending. Not to worry about needing a tripod as

modern versions of Photoshop auto-align frames.

 

B. Some pocket cameras feature a panorama mode wherein

exposure is locked at the first frame and remains locked

for the other panorama frames. So ... one auto-exposure

shot of a scene and then go into panorama mode, frame a

dark scene for the first frame of the panorama and then,

with locked-exposure, frame and shoot as many shots as

wanted of the initial auto-exposure scene. Result is a

pair of shots for Photoshop HDR processing and a fine

result. With a bit of practice the panorama-mode work-

around can become a mere habit that produces rather

satisfying results.

 

Of course I should also mention using manual rather than

auto-exposure to achieve similar results. Practice!

Edited June 15, 2011 by SD Rowdies

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Here's a couple of work-arounds for HDR situations.

 

A. Most pocket cameras will lock exposure when the

shutter button is pushed half-way, usually with a beep.

So one can take a normal auto-exposure shot and then

aim the camera at a darker scene, half-push the shutter

button and, while holding that half-push, reframe as in

the auto-exposure shot and then finish by pushing the

shutter button the rest of the way. Result is one shot

with auto-exposure and one overexposed shot that

enlightens the dark areas of the scene. The two shots

are easily combined with Photoshot HDR or even with

Layer Blending. Not to worry about needing a tripod as

modern versions of Photoshop auto-align frames.

 

B. Some pocket cameras feature a panorama mode wherein

exposure is locked at the first frame and remains locked

for the other panorama frames. So ... one auto-exposure

shot of a scene and then go into panorama mode, frame a

dark scene for the first frame of the panorama and then,

with locked-exposure, frame and shoot as many shots as

wanted of the initial auto-exposure scene. Result is a

pair of shots for Photoshop HDR processing and a fine

result. With a bit of practice the panorama-mode work-

around can become a mere habit that produces rather

satisfying results.

 

Of course I should also mention using manual rather than

auto-exposure to achieve similar results. Practice!

'sall well and good but my cell phone camera has none of those capabilities...

 

One thing I could have done (and would have done if I had thought of it at the time) was to use spot metering to expose the snake and get an image that could be combined with a shot taken with full screen averaging.

[+SD Rowdies]

Here's a couple of work-arounds for HDR situations.

 

A. Most pocket cameras will lock exposure when the

shutter button is pushed half-way, usually with a beep.

So one can take a normal auto-exposure shot and then

aim the camera at a darker scene, half-push the shutter

button and, while holding that half-push, reframe as in

the auto-exposure shot and then finish by pushing the

shutter button the rest of the way. Result is one shot

with auto-exposure and one overexposed shot that

enlightens the dark areas of the scene. The two shots

are easily combined with Photoshot HDR or even with

Layer Blending. Not to worry about needing a tripod as

modern versions of Photoshop auto-align frames.

 

B. Some pocket cameras feature a panorama mode wherein

exposure is locked at the first frame and remains locked

for the other panorama frames. So ... one auto-exposure

shot of a scene and then go into panorama mode, frame a

dark scene for the first frame of the panorama and then,

with locked-exposure, frame and shoot as many shots as

wanted of the initial auto-exposure scene. Result is a

pair of shots for Photoshop HDR processing and a fine

result. With a bit of practice the panorama-mode work-

around can become a mere habit that produces rather

satisfying results.

 

Of course I should also mention using manual rather than

auto-exposure to achieve similar results. Practice!

'sall well and good but my cell phone camera has none of those capabilities...

 

One thing I could have done (and would have done if I had thought of it at the time) was to use spot metering to expose the snake and get an image that could be combined with a shot taken with full screen averaging.

What a man! Still, throw that cellphone away

and carry a grown-up camera instead. Your spot

and average metering will do the trick too.

 

Well, o.k., I'll give you another chance.

Edited June 20, 2011 by SD Rowdies

[+ThePolarBear]

Cache guardian at GC224A5

 

[+FlagMan]

Cache guardian at GC224A5

 

Very cool pics!!

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Golly, it's been weeks since my last rattlesnake sighting so I was feeling a little overdue. Then, while I was searching for Sieck the Abandoned House this guy snuck up behind me. It was about 5 feet away when I turned around and spotted it.

 

 

 

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

The Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog. Careful, it's got a vicious streak a mile wide and nasty, big, pointy teeth! Spotted on a "bunny trail" on the way back from End of the Trail - 4S Ranch to Lake Hodges.

 

 

Also spotted on this same trail is this plant that looks, to me at least, like dragon's bones. Not exactly a cache critter, but hopefully close enough for gu'mmint work.

 

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

A different sort of cache critter today. Most appropriately, it comes from Spooks Canyon near SC: The Hook. It's tempting, given the cache series, to think of it as a mummified frog, but I suppose that it is merely desiccated rather than mummified.

 

[+SD Rowdies]

A different sort of cache critter today. Most appropriately, it comes from Spooks Canyon near SC: The Hook. It's tempting, given the cache series, to think of it as a mummified frog, but I suppose that it is merely desiccated rather than mummified.

 

Taste's like chicken?

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

A different sort of cache critter today. Most appropriately, it comes from Spooks Canyon near SC: The Hook. It's tempting, given the cache series, to think of it as a mummified frog, but I suppose that it is merely desiccated rather than mummified.

 

Taste's like chicken?

Chicken jerky maybe...

[+SD Rowdies]

A different sort of cache critter today. Most appropriately, it comes from Spooks Canyon near SC: The Hook. It's tempting, given the cache series, to think of it as a mummified frog, but I suppose that it is merely desiccated rather than mummified.

 

Taste's like chicken?

Chicken jerky maybe...

 

No fork, eat it with your fangers.

Edited July 24, 2011 by SD Rowdies

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Here's a juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron that I saw while walking back from a cache that honors Harmon's arch-nemesis, cegrube. The cache is In Memory of cegrube. The heron did not seem to be afraid of me and it let me get pretty close.

 

 

 

[+Jubeloh]

Recently I was reading the logs of Ol' Mossback's Calicuda Point cache. A few days prior a post was made about an injured seal being sighted near GZ. A subsequent post showed a picture of the seal.

 

SeaWorld has a rescue and rehabilitation programme for marine mammals. Their number is (800) 541-7325. They will ask for detailed information as to the type of animal, extent of injuries, and where the animal is located. I called them about this seal, and the following day they got back to me, informing me that they had received another report about the seal. However, lifeguards had not seen the animal, and based on the reported location it was felt that it would be too dangerous for both the rescue crew and the seal to attempt a capture.

 

For non-marine animals, Project Wildlife is the go-to organisation. They have information about what to do when you encounter an injured wild animal, from a hummingbird to a mountain lion. Their hotline is 619-225-9453.

[+SD Rowdies]

Posted for John of Team Fatman

 

 

In his own words "At La Posta Road hide LPRNB3SB7. Didn't notice when

I got out of SKILLET'S truck and went around behind the truck to cross

the road. Went around the front of the truck to get back in and that's

when I saw the snake. Lucky it wasn't a rattler ... not sure what sort

of snake it is."

[+Team Gecko]

Posted for John of Team Fatman

 

 

In his own words "At La Posta Road hide LPRNB3SB7. Didn't notice when

I got out of SKILLET'S truck and went around behind the truck to cross

the road. Went around the front of the truck to get back in and that's

when I saw the snake. Lucky it wasn't a rattler ... not sure what sort

of snake it is."

Looks like a Gophersnake. See this description.

Edited September 6, 2011 by Team Gecko

[+jahoadi and john]

Posted for John of Team Fatman

 

 

In his own words "At La Posta Road hide LPRNB3SB7. Didn't notice when

I got out of SKILLET'S truck and went around behind the truck to cross

the road. Went around the front of the truck to get back in and that's

when I saw the snake. Lucky it wasn't a rattler ... not sure what sort

of snake it is."

 

Wow...that guy is a mile long......

[+SD Rowdies]

Posted for John of Team Fatman

 

 

In his own words "At La Posta Road hide LPRNB3SB7. Didn't notice when

I got out of SKILLET'S truck and went around behind the truck to cross

the road. Went around the front of the truck to get back in and that's

when I saw the snake. Lucky it wasn't a rattler ... not sure what sort

of snake it is."

 

Wow...that guy is a mile long......

John said it was a fourteen-footer.

[+SKILLET]

Posted for John of Team Fatman

 

 

In his own words "At La Posta Road hide LPRNB3SB7. Didn't notice when

I got out of SKILLET'S truck and went around behind the truck to cross

the road. Went around the front of the truck to get back in and that's

when I saw the snake. Lucky it wasn't a rattler ... not sure what sort

of snake it is."

 

Wow...that guy is a mile long......

John said it was a fourteen-footer.

I was there, more like a twenty footer. At least that's how far John jumped back

[+Team Gecko]

Sorry for lack of recent posts to this forum. I still occasionally stop by for a GC when out hiking in new territory. Here are a couple of critters from a hike around San Simeon Creek Campground up near Hearst Castle, our home coordinates for a week during a Central Coast trip in late August. Our trip featured many birding and marine wildlife encounters, including a large string of White-tailed Kites that hunted each morning and afternoon above some fields only a short walk from our campsite.

-GD

 

18 August 2011

Marshland Mulies near (Revised Boardwalk, GC18FZN)

 

Grazing draft horses near Rocky Vue, GC1PPJN)

 

Closer look (for both of us)

Edited September 10, 2011 by Team Gecko

[+Team Gecko]

Here are a few of many, many photos of the local White-tailed Kites at San Simeon Creek Campground. Closest GC is Whitaker Ranch 1862-Revisitedm, GC1KJWW.

 

Landing strip konsternation

 

Kettle of four Kites and a Cliff Swallow

 

Ascending juvenile

 

Standing on a wing

 

Hovercraft

Edited September 10, 2011 by Team Gecko

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

A couple of critters from the vicinity of the Carson's Crossing cache.

 

Ducks on Penasquitos Creek.

 

 

A velvet ant (which is really a wingless wasp - Dasymutilla occidentalis).

 

[+SD Rowdies]

A couple of critters from the vicinity of the Carson's Crossing cache.

 

Ducks on Penasquitos Creek.

 

 

A velvet ant (which is really a wingless wasp - Dasymutilla occidentalis).

 

I once had an aunt that often wore velvet.

Oddly enough, she was a WASP.

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Cache Critters of Peru and Ecuador (#1 in a series)

 

Alpacas

 

 

 

 

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Cache Critters of Peru and Ecuador (#2 in a series)

 

Vizcachas -- These are relatives of the chinchilla and they live in the Peruvian Andes. These were seen in the ruins of Machu Picchu.

 

 

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Cache Critters of Peru and Ecuador (#3 in a series)

 

Llamas

 

 

 

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Cache Critters of Peru and Ecuador (#4 in a series)

 

Owl Monkey (a.k.a. Night Monkey)

 

Edited October 22, 2011 by Let's Look Over Thayer

[+SD Rowdies]

Cache Critters of Peru and Ecuador (#3 in a series)

 

Llamas

 

 

 

A one 'L' lama is a priest ....

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Cache Critters of Peru and Ecuador (#5 in a series)

 

Macaws

 

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Cache Critters of Peru and Ecuador (#6 in a series)

 

Vicuñas

 

These were in Peru.

 

These were in Ecuador at an altitude of about 14,000 ft. This was on the way up Chimbarazo enroute to a geocache at 15,800 feet above sea level. Highest altitude for the day was 16,004 feet.

 

[+SD Rowdies]

Cache Critters of Peru and Ecuador (#6 in a series)

 

Vicuñas

 

These were in Peru.

 

These were in Ecuador at an altitude of about 14,000 ft. This was on the way up Chimbarazo enroute to a geocache at 15,800 feet above sea level. Highest altitude for the day was 16,004 feet.

 

So James,

 

By now you must have seen all five types of camels

during your world travels. If so then hat's off to

an unusual achievement. If not then get'er done!

 

Good chance here to fill everybody in on what the

vocalization of a Vicuña sounds like.

 

Harmon

Edited October 26, 2011 by SD Rowdies

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

By now you must have seen all five types of camels

during your world travels. If so then hat's off to

an unusual achievement. If not then get'er done!

I had never actually thought about it, but indeed, I have seen all five. Of the five, bactrian camels seem to be the hardest to see...

 

Good chance here to fill everybody in on what the

vocalization of a Vicuña sounds like.

Are you referring to "orgling"? If so, perhaps this is best left as an exercise for the reader.

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Cache Critters of Peru and Ecuador (#7 in a series)

 

Roof Dog -- These canines get their name from their distinctive vocalization, "Roof, Roof!"

 

Edited October 27, 2011 by Let's Look Over Thayer

[+SD Rowdies]

Cache Critters of Peru and Ecuador (#7 in a series)

 

Roof Dog -- These canines get their name from their distinctive vocalization, "Roof, Roof!"

 

Now you've done it James, you've gone too far.

 

However this does offer a chance for me to

mention that during the '50s there was a dawg

making the rounds on variety television that

could clearly pronounce the word "hamburger."

 

Lots of current online videos with dogs saying

"hamburger."

 

Hmm, have I ever mentioned Mike the Headless

Chicken and, while I'm at it, the four other

instances of chickens that survived having

their head cut off? Stop laughing, I've got

proof positive.

 

Poor Mike, he finally choked to death on the

hand-fed grains of corn that were his diet.

Edited October 27, 2011 by SD Rowdies

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Cache Critters of Peru and Ecuador (#8 in a series)

 

Torrent Ducks -- These ducks go for fast water. This is a class 5 rapid at Aguas Calientes, Peru"

 

 

 

 

[+SD Rowdies]

Cache Critters of Peru and Ecuador (#8 in a series)

 

Torrent Ducks -- These ducks go for fast water. This is a class 5 rapid at Aguas Calientes, Peru"

 

 

 

 

Makes me think of the Water Wassels of the Sierra Nevada range.

Also makes me think of having to walk into rushing, ice-cold

streams to bath during treks through the Sierra Navada range.

 

Here's what I don't get ... how come posted images don't get

you into trouble with our local Geocaching babes? Could it be

that I'm doing something wrong? ... no way.

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Cache Critters of Peru and Ecuador (#9 in a series)

 

Anonymous Lizard -- I tried to ask him what kind he was but he remained silent.

 

[+SD Rowdies]

Cache Critters of Peru and Ecuador (#9 in a series)

 

Anonymous Lizard -- I tried to ask him what kind he was but he remained silent.

 

James,

 

I offer you a favor with regards to critters ... do

read the Douglas Adams book "Last Chance to See."

 

He offers an insight into the hard-fought battle

between preservationists to sieze, control, and

exploit the last few members of declining species

for their own selfish gain.

 

Harmon

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

Cache Critters of Peru and Ecuador (#10 in a series)

 

Guinea Pigs -- Or as the locals call them, cuys. This is a favorite dish in Peru.

 

Before entering this home, we were asked to be careful to not step on the food.

 

 

Cuy for lunch