October 30 -- Convict Canyon, A Hike Up A Mountain Shrine

I knew it was going to be another special day in the eastern Sierra as the sunrise was gorgeous. Thing is, I had to find a place to pull over as I was heading up the Sherwin Summit, north of Bishop on Hwy 395. The sky colors were intensifying, so I put on the gas -- and passed a Highway Patrol car waiting between the lanes. I looked at my speedometer -- 80, a 65mph-zone...I slowed down as I past him, looking back in my rear-view mirror, expecting to see flashing lights behind me. Whew!  Lucked-out...I pulled off halfway up the Sherwin grade and got some photos looking southeast --

And just before the summit, I parked the truck again and went to to southbound side to get Mt. Humphreys and its neighboring mountains catching the first rays of sun --

It was shortly before 8am when I reached the parking lot on the north side of Convict Lake. There were, surprisingly still some fall color --

There is what is now becoming my standard hiking gear -- daypack,  500 f/4 lens, and the 17-55 f/2.8 lens, which I took this shot with. One of water bottles has a water filter in it, so all you have to do is fill it with water from a stream and drink. Its's a most handy little invention...I head up the trail running alongside the east shore of Convict Lake, and the sun is just coming over the ridge behind me -- 

Glorious reflections that I just managed to get before a slight wind rippled the water. But even then ANY photo of Convict, and Laurel Mountain behind it, is memorable -- 

And here is a panorama of two photos --

Just about at this point on the trail I saw a Bald Eagle come out from the trees that you see along the shore to the left. It appeared like it flew to somewhere along the far shore -- but I was never able to re-find it. But I DID see it...My consolation prize was photographing a Black-billed Magpie; I've always had a hard time with them, with their sheen of blue and purple feathers, but the 500 f/4 came through once again, and that is why I lug it with me --

He even has a small worm in his beak... Time to head up the Convict Canyon trail proper. The views are  colorful and memorable from the start -- 

And the clouds would add to the "Technicolor surrealism" of the canyon throughout the day. 

Here's the view from my first rest stop -- and there will be many on this hike, as it climbs 3,000 feet in a little over 7 miles -- 

I've brought the 500 f/4 lens with me for birds, but actually don't see many -- and it's a good thing, as my eyes are constantly being drawn up to gazing at the multi-hued,  "Mountains of Mordor"-like, crazily-patterned canyon walls of turrets, pinnacles, domes and jagged ridges -- 

The combination of rock, clouds, and the slanted morning sun create a surreal look -- 

Shortly before noon I reach the point up the canyon where Convict Creek is joined by another creek coming down through the west canyon wall. Bridges have been built here, but they've always been washed out. Thank goodness it's late enough in the year that the water level is low enough to walk gingerly over the rocks to the other side; here's looking from the other side, down canyon --

You can see the supports of the most recent bridge to be washed away (1982), one on each side of the creek -- 

Here's the stream cascading down the west wall, joining Convict Creek -- 

And now is the time to use the 500 f/4 lens for telephoto landscapes; here's one of the cascades from high upstream -- 

And another from lower down -- 

There's a monolithic dome that stands sentinel high up the canyon wall -- 

Here's the top of that dome, again using the 500 f/4 lens -- 

After having lunch along Convict Creek, I head a bit further up the trail until it gets too narrow with me carrying the 500 lens as it's (securely) dangling over the edge, and take a shot looking down canyon -- 

That's far enough for today -- in fact, it's further than I thought I'd get, toting the 500 lens. The views of the dome, west wall and clouds are amazing -- 

Going back down the trail, I look back upstream and there's a lone peak that has these swirly patterns on its face, hard to capture with the sun right next to it -- 

But the sun creates a "sun dog" effect with the clouds, giving them rainbow-like hues -- 

As I head back, I come into a forest of aspen and cottonwoods; it must have been stunning during the at-peak time of fall colors -- 

Looking back up canyon, with the forest in front of me -- 

I turn the corner on the trail, and Convict Lake comes into view with more fantastic clouds -- 

There's still "aspen glow" in the back area of Convict Lake -- 

I come back to the lake, hoping to see the Bald Eagle, but not seeing it, content myself with a photo that is a perfect ending for my time here in the eastern Sierra Nevada during a memorable fall color season -- 

It's now Friday Oct. 31, and a winter storm is due in tonight and tomorrow morning. It's guaranteed to leave snow above 7000 feet, perhaps rain here in Bishop, so tomorrow I'll head back up Hwy 395 to see what snowy landscapes I can find. Then it's off to Nevada on Sunday, and winter 2014-2015 portion of Travels of Discovery...

October 29 -- A Visit to the Eastern Sierra Wildlife Care Center, And Bidding Adieu to the Wild Burros of Aberdeen

It's nearly time to move on to Overton, Nevada for the winter and warmer weather -- I'll be leaving Bishop and the eastern Sierra this Saturday, November 1. Or delay for 1 day as a winter storm will be moving in Friday evening and morning...We'll see. Yesterday was a day for doing errands in the morning, going to the Bishop K-Mart for 2 flannel, snap-button shirts among other things, then Vons for last-minute groceries and carrots and apples for a final visit with the burros. I headed south on Hwy 395 for Keough Hot Springs and a visit with Cindy Kamler, the head of Eastern Sierra Wildlife Care Center (click on for their website) which takes care of injured animals of all types within a 2000-square-mile area of eastern California and Nevada. My new friend who I met (along with his wife, Bev) here at the RV park, Dan Fenske, a falconer and veteran Peregrine Falcon chronicler since the days when the Peregrines were nearly exterminated in the late 70's and 80's, told me about Cindy and the care center -- and mentioned that she had just taken in an injured Peregrine. So of course I HAD to visit...I met Cindy at the center and she showed me some of her "patients" and birds permanently "grounded" and used for presentations, such as Razzle the Raven and Spirit the Red-tailed Hawk. The Peregrine has a wing injury and hopefully will have a full recovery --

She also showed me a beautiful Screech Owl that suffered a concussion from hitting a driver-sider car window; she should be released today the 30th -- 

And then there's Bob the Big Brown Bat -- 

I had a great, educational time there and promised to drop by whenever I'm back in the eastern Sierra area...And they can always use money contributions as they're chronically underfunded, and take care of so many animals...

Then it was on to a final visit with the Wild Burros of Aberdeen. They were further down the road than usual, in a rocky, volcanic area, but I held out the carrots, and they couldn't say no -- 

They couldn't say no, that is, except for one who ran away every time I came near him with a carrot or apple. I think he's the colt that my friend Dan Fenske mentioned. He didn't eat any of my offerings, just stayed away from the rest of the burros -- 

Unbeatable background, eh? 

They're SO gentle, and very responsive when you, say, scratch them behind their ears, nudging your hand because they want some more...Finally, I had to regretfully leave, and as I headed out 2 stuck their heads through the driver's side window as if to plead "Don't leave!" I'll miss you guys and gal(s)...

After my burro visit, I went to Klondike Lake to enjoy the late-afternoon there, and possibly get some photos of birds; I did see the Northern Harrier again, hunting the fields, but she was too far away and flying away from me, though the 500 f/4 lens did a fantastic job at this distance; she's tack-sharp against the earth colors of the Inyo Mountains --

Today, Thursday the 30th, is the day of my last day hike in the Sierra, up Convict Creek and canyon behind Convict Lake...

October 28 -- A Dayhike to Treasure Lakes, And Some Mountain Birds...

It started off as a cold morning in Bishop at the RV park -- 34 degrees; time to head to the warmer desert-like climes of Overton, Nevada, which is where I'll be heading to spend the winter starting November 1. I headed west on Hwy 168, the road to Lake Sabrina, and turned off to South Lake. I arrived at the end of the road, and the trailhead to Bishop Pass and Treasure Lakes -- and, not surprisingly considering the cold (it was about 8:30am) I was the only one in the parking lot --

That's my dayhiking gear on the ground -- day pack, Canon 40D and EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS lens for landscapes and sitting upright, "The Big Boy", the 500 f/4 IS L lens on the Canon 7D camera body. I snap, strap and sling everything on, and head down the trail. Soon after I get a good look at South Lake, an "impoundment" of water that is used as a water source for Bishop -- but you can tell it's pretty low, a victim of the drought -- 

Some scenery along the trail as it makes its way into the John Muir Wilderness --

The trail then splits, going to Bishop Pass or Treasure Lakes, and I head right to Treasure Lakes. The trail eventually makes its way down; here's the view from the top -- 

The Treasure Lakes lie underneath the peak on the left, and behind the ridge below the peak. The trail down below crosses as stream, which has some pretty awesome reflections -- which will be on full display at the lakes -- 

On the other side of path of the meandering stream, the trail heads back up, and eventually you get a look back at South Lake, with the valley of south fork Bishop Creek behind it -- 

"Are we THERE yet?" Hmmm, looks pretty promising -- but no --

Then I come upon a Monarch Butterfly along the trail. It's trying to fly, but can't for some reason -- dying? I sure hope not. As it's not moving much, I get out my Canon extender and put it on the 17-55 lens for a macro of the butterfly; I was about 2 inches away from it here -- 

Finally the trail stops climbing, opens up -- 

And the first of the Treasure Lakes is there in all its glorious colors and reflections -- 

I wandered around the lake, with each vista before me pure eye-candy -- 

Then, after having lunch on a granite ledge with the 1st lake in front of me, I walked over to the 2nd lake; there was a sheen of ice still on it -- 

Icicles had formed on the creek coming from another of the lakes higher up -- 

Back to the first lake for one last look ---

A crescent moon was rising --

And back down at the creek, the reflections were still magical -- 

Though I used the 17-55 f/2.8 lens for all of the above photos, I was also using my 500 f/4 at the same time for birds; here are a few Mountain Chickadees --

Clark's Nutcrackers are fairly common -- and quite raucous -- in most of the mountain areas that I hike in --

I even got some photos of 2 Clark's tussling --

And to end an exhausting yet exhilarating day in the backcountry, I saw this Merlin way above me; only the 500 f/4 could have gotten these shots with such clarity --

I think today (Wednesday) will be a rest day... :o)