Coyote Bluff Band closes out the 2017 Festival - Hear some of the last set

Coyote Bluff Music Festival Highlights

Over 45 people attended the two day music festival.  I think we all had a good time and look forward to an even bigger event next year. Here is a short video of some of the daytime musical events.  I am working on a complete audio archive and will make that available soon.

Summer time around Coyote Bluff - plenty of projects

New wood shed on side of garage

Ski Touring behind the house

resident bunny hunkered down just beyond the deck railing

Picking a route down the slope by the rock escarpment

Down on Lake Ella, a coyote wandered about looking for mice.  If you click to enlarge the photo, you'll see at the end of the track a circular depression where it looks like the creature slept for a bit in a rounded bed.

Returning on our our track from the end of the lake.

This large twisted specimen stands out in the winter landscape.

Home sweet home.

Noon visitor

Snow Sampling at Coyote Bluff

Out for a little stroll in the 'hood.

Bobcat (or maybe Lynx) comes a calling

Diane looked out the window first thing this morning and exclaimed - "Coyote!....wait - what IS that? Get over here with the camera fast!" So I jumped out of bed, grabbed the camera, switched to the telephoto lense, and crept over to the window snapping these shots.  The California Bobcat sniffed at the woodpiles, marked a few spots, checked out the bird feeder, then sauntered off in search of rabbits I suspect. I guess we are on his route.  He was about 30" long and very fluffy.  I think based on the size of his paws he is NOT a lynx - and the lack of remarkable bow tie beneath his chin.  We had fresh snow yesterday, so I'll go have a look at the tracks soon and then we'll know if he comes back.

Here is a link to a web site that tries to help distinguish between a Lynx and  bobcat.:

How stuff works - Lynx vs bobcat

Based on the tail, I'd say Lynx, based on paw size and chin fur, its more like a bobcat.  What do YOU think?

excerpt:Of course, an article on bobcats wouldn't be complete without mentioning their short, rounded tails that appear to be cut, or "bobbed." While both cats have the characteristic haircut-gone-awry type of tail, the bobcat's is banded with black stripes. It's also black at the top of the tip and white at the bottom, while the lynx's tail lacks banding and is completely black at the tip.

Snow returns January 30th

Snow finally returns to the Sierras after over 6 weeks of dry weather

Pine needles on forest floor are again covered with a smooth blanket of white.  Can't wait to go look for animal tracks.

Low light photography January 16

I shot this by moonlight - 1/125 sec, f11, at 100 ASA - manzanita illuminated with flashlight painting

Moonrise at 6:30 pm, and 60 deg. east - all my iPhone apps were wrong - they told be 6:08pm at 74 degrees. I guess there are insufficient cell towers to properly triangulate my cell phone location.

Sunset over Truckee and the Martis Valley

Late Afternoon Wildflower Walk near home

Coyote Bluff - 2nd week

Well, the boxes are mostly put away, and we are starting to have some spare time to explore around the property. I've started to build a perimeter trail, but mostly I'm looking for birds, and looking for fossils in the rock piles.  The bird feeders have attracted lots of new visitors, and from the scat I can see there are deer and coyotes about.

I ran out after dinner when I saw this purple lenticular cloud forming over the Carson range.  Wow, it seems like forever since I had the camera out, and these grainy images reflect my rustiness.  This is a view looking east from the property just at the edge of hill as it drops off towards Lake Ella.

Mule's Ear is proliferating on the hillside, with Indian Paintbrush as well. The Lupin is just a week behind and it seems we may have big fields of them on the way.

With the garage cleaned up, and almost organized, we could get the vehicles out of the way. The dirt driveway and turn around seem very rustic and homey now, but I wonder what it will be like to keep the way drivable in the snows of winter.