wetlands

Aug 27, 04
morning, Consumnes River Preserve
sunny, clear, warming

Lost Slough Wetland Restoration
Out exploring with Lisa-

Having technical problems, very distracting

Lousy day for shooting, wasn't sure if the problems were film or camera - highly suspect film since it's so inconsistent - problem like light leak in the camera would be the same every time.

Of course garbage in say, the shutter mechanism might float around and come and go like this.

Too bad I couldn't stop and pay attention to my surroundings - my own one-track mind just fretted on the problems.

Button bush swamp
One good neg in the middle of the film pack makes it seem to be man-handled film (so to speak - I am not always as careful as I should be.)

Actually water here now, which means year-round wetland habitat. The surrounding dryland is all dead grasses dotted by occasional valley oaks.

Temperature climbs and bug repellent seems to have worn off - our bodies are an easy target for many mosquitoes.

The shade is now the only place to be comfortable - mid afternoon has brought near 100 degrees, I'm sure, and the humidity is relatively high for us, making us feel the heat more.

New pack of film seems to have more problems - will have to test more later to determine what exactly problem is...

birdwatching

8-26-04
Watching the finches through the kitchen window as they feed on a block of seed - just grabbed the old 450 that had color film in it.



Couple days later - still watching as they eat away at the block - sometimes four or more birds will be on or around the seed, trying to eat, chasing each other away, sometimes sitting and waiting.


I try to creep slowly to the window to capture them on film, but most are quite skittish and fly away.


Only the bravest sit & watch me as I watch them.

out back

Aug 15, 2004
5:30 p.m.
backyard
warm, 80's, sunny with high thin clouds, slight breeze

A male house finch cautiously calls out, "swit?" then pauses, "sweet?" Another answers from a tree on the other side ot the yard. The dog, Rosie, moves under his tree and he flies off. Moments later he's back with his mate at the feeder, then off to the back fence as they see me sitting near.

In the distance, a little dog barks, a telephone rings, sprinklers hiss in the neighbor's yard. For a brief moment, the finch is back in the pepper tree, then apparently thinks better of it and flies off.

A tiny gray-brown mouse catches Rosie's attention - and mine, too - as it darts from between potted plants across the patio to behind the tub pond into more plants. Earlier this week I saw it bound from the seeds fallen below the bird feeder, to a cluster of pots and then dash across to the same area behind the pond. rose is very excited and noses the whole path and behind all the plants and pots that she can, but the mouse is now long gone.

Finally whe gives up her search, resumes her normal patrol of the yard and rolls on her back in the grass.

late afternoon

Aug 12, 04
backyard
late afternoon
hot - 100+, clear, light clouds, slight breeze

Kids playing in the pool, air conditioner hums loudly, air feels heavy, more humidity than normal, what we Californians call "muggy." The branches of the pepper tree are hanging very low, becoming heavy with yellowing berries.

My favorite begonia is blooming, a large apricot colored blossom, yellow towards the inside, darker to the edges. I try to capture it with the Mio, but it can't do the blooms justice.

Aug 8, 04

Aug 8, 04
Aunt Linda & Uncle Butch's property
late afternoon
very warm, clear, still air

Followed a mule deer down to a clearing, then saw her two fawns, a bit later a stag, while I fiddled with a film malfunction. Birds chitter occasionally but mostly it's still and quiet in the heat.



Pale dry grasses scratch at my ankles, attaching their stickery seed pods as I try to carefully pick my way between deer trails.

Tiny sparrow-sized bird in the branches overhead. Dull colors, long thin beak that it uses to poke into the tree, dark cap, light throat. Hangs onto the branches even upside-down, tiny squeak squeak and it flies off to another tree. (later identified as white-breasted nuthatch)



Getting late, sun shifts lower and the air moves a little, cooling as it blows.

south fork

Aug 5, 2004
Coloma, Ca
South Fork American River
afternoon
warm, clear, slight breeze


Just down river of where James Marshall discovered gold near Sutter's Mill. Water rushes through the rocks, a foot or two higher than recently, due to a stuck open spill gate of an upriver dam - several riverside plants that would only grow on dry land are currently submerged.



A trio of turkey vultures circles overhead briefly, rafters make their way downstream, a group of Japanese tourists walks past, chatting, on the path just above us.

Fools gold sparkles in the sandy spots between the river rocks and the kids pretend they've struck it rich in the icy water.