Three African Lion Cubs, One cub stalking another’s tail, Panthera leo, Samburu National Reserve, Kenya, Africa
We ran across these three lion cubs in Samburu on one of my safaris. The cubs had apparently been told to stay where they were until their mother returned.. When we drove back out in the afternoon we came across the mother headed back to her cubs. She made low lion sounds and the cubs came running…..
We hiked up over 1000 feet above the valley floor and there was essentially no new green anywhere…maybe a few shoots of grass down in the valley, but that’s it. It is supposed to start getting warmer tomorrow and everyone is looking forward to it.
While I was cleaning a spot on one of my windows (not a common occurrence even in springtime), I noticed a Sage Thrasher in my yard. They are not very common around here, but will be spotted occasionally. This is the first one I’ve seen at my house.
Six Trumpeter Swans First record for the county White wisps of magic
Sometime in the early afternoon on Saturday, a birding buddy texted me that there was a report of Trumpeter Swans out in the valley. I headed out there about 4 PM and it was impossible to see the birds because they were hidden by vegetation on private property.
Fortunately, the birds finally drifted out where I could get some good clean photos of them. This was the first and only report of Trumpeter Swans in my county. I know that they are common in the Pacific NW and further north in the summer. I have seen them many times up in the Yellowstone/Tetons area, but it was cool to see and photograph them here.
Several birding buddies went out to the location the next morning before 7:00 AM, but the birds were already gone….thus the white wisps of magic.
My friend, Mary and I explored Ditch Canyon down in New Mexico. The road was very rutted so we eventually parked the car (not many opportunities to do so) and then hiked (no trail) to find two known arches. We also found a couple of others that were not documented. Optopus Arch 29 foot span Cedar Hills Arch 30 foot span
Today’s snow level While out walking in my ‘hood Mud season begins.
I hate to keep on haikuing (is there such a word as haikuing?) about the snow at my place, but right now there isn’t too much else to write about. Photo taken on my walk around the neighborhood this afternoon.
I have to love all of the moisture in the snowpack which is a blessing for all the beings of the southwest and perhaps will help to replenish some underground aquifers as well. As the snow melts there is mud on the trails and on the unpaved roads. The street sign for Oak Road, where I live, is beginning to appear once again.
It has been an eventful day here. In the morning, I took the final half of a colonoscopy prep (which is no fun as some of you probably know) and then had the colonoscopy in the early to midafternoon.
The good news is that I didn’t have any polyps and I do not have to go back ever again. I will not post the photos from the colonoscopy and write a haiku about it.
It has been snowing heavily all day and there is over 6 inches of heavy wet snow here at the house. It is still snowing and it is forecast to continue through the week with the sun finally forecast for next Monday!!!
The passes are expected to be closed for the week with about 4 feet of new snow for the passes on the 550 corridor and 6 feet at Wolf Creek.
At 5:15 a neighbor called me to tell me that there was a package for me down at the mailboxes. The carrier had left it out in the snow along with another package. I started to drive down to get the package, but unfortunately a car was stuck on my hill. The person had been a worker at a neighbor’s house and didn’t realize that there was no exit on my road. She said she couldn’t see because of the snow. Anyway, I had a zoom meeting at 5:30 so I drove back home. There wasn’t enough time to walk down to the mailboxes before the meeting.
After the meeting I walked down to the mailboxes and the package was gone. I emailed the neighbors, but no one had picked it up. So it was likely stolen by someone driving by. A lot of circumstances conspired so that I could not get my package: snow deep enough for someone to get stuck, a stranger happened to make a wrong turn just at the time I needed to drive out, my Zoom meeting – which is scheduled for only once a month was just at that time so I could not walk down and get my package. It is very frustrating and sad to think that someone would steal someone else’s package.
Sorry for dumping on any of you, I just needed to get this all off my chest. The constant snow and gloom are depressing. Photo is of a neighbor’s driveway. I took it while walking down to the mailbox.
Adventures, Animals and Images 