Yosemite

 

We waited that night as the sun set and the full moon shone spectacular light upon Yosemite Falls creating a moonbow in the mist below the falls.

A fellow photographer suggested I take this night photo of the rocks from a different angle.  (Herb Spencer)

The next day I shot this tri-colored blackbird in the meadow.  

Stellar Jay

The kids below played inside a rainbow at the bottom of Bridalveil Falls.

Climbers scaled the mountain.

The following morning the moon set as I prepared for the return home.

(Feel free to double click on these photos for a larger view)

High Drama on Fruitvale Bridge (Part II)

 On my last entry, the chicks were banded and now are atop the tower at the Fruitvale Bridge.
On May 29th, a group gathered to watch the remaining two chicks, Fern and Marina.   Marina had fledged earlier and Fern was a cause of concern as she took off but landed very low on her return and the adults would not feed her so low on the tower.

 Fern

 Fern

 Finally Fern takes off and crosses the Estuary and returns to a high ledge where she can continue to be fed by the adults.

 On May 30, the parents started teaching Marina how to catch food in midair.   The parents transfer bits of pigeon in flight and she grabs it with her talons.   This process teaches her to hunt, always in midair, returning to eat on the ledge.

 

At the end of the day, Fern is flying high, sweeping, stalling and maneuvering well.