Saturday, March 17, 2012

Up the Haul Road

 We're gradually walking up the Haul Rd. that goes north from Ft. Bragg and was once the road used to haul logs in earlier lumbering days. We're walking it in increments along the ocean and finding lots of little treasures some of which are pictured here. To the right is a sparrow hawk also called an American Kestrel, one of the smaller hawks that lives all across the country, sweet coloring. I tried to get closer but it was skeptical of my intentions and flew off northward.
 At Mackerricher State Park there are harbor seal rookeries, this one was just north of the park and contained about 25 seals. This is the time of year when they have babies. It's important to not get too close to them as they are skittish and the mother seal, if scared by people or loose dogs, might escape into the ocean losing contact with her pup which is then in danger of starving to death. Volunteer monitors are on hand to try to get people to maintain their distance and to take care of abandoned pups. I was happy that my telephoto lens helped get this image.
At little Lake Cleone at Mackerricher Park the water is high and coming up over the visitors parking lot. On sunny days the starlings take baths in the warmed shallow waters. This fellow was standing contemplating bathing I guess. I'm really happy with the shadow image which, of course, I didn't even see when I snapped the picture.

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