(C) Daily Kos
This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered.
. . . . . . . . . .
The Daily Bucket. Butterfly Valley winter visit. [1]
['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.']
Date: 2025-01-14
The title photo is from my previous visit, back in October of 2024. The Pitcher Plants that are in Butterfly Valley as of yesterday, January 13, 2025, are quite brown and wilted looking. I didn’t even bother for a photo. But here’s what the little valley looked like in general, yesterday:
Here’s a video walk-back to October:
Since getting my e-bike Butterfly Valley has become a go-to spot for me, because it’s relatively isolated and very few people ever go there, so when I do go I am always hoping for an undisturbed visit with nature, quiet and serene if not even a little surreal.
The valley covers about twelve acres and is a twelve mile ride from my house, half of which is on dirt Forest Service road. But it’s a smooth road and not steep so it’s an easy ride. Come the spring there is a spot on road that I will have to stop and search for the Palm Tree Moss,Hypnodendron comosum ; it’s not likely I’ll find it during the winter.
I got to the valley about 1:00 p.m., the temperature at my house when I left was scarcely above 40of. It wasn’t any warmer at the valley, but I wasn’t cold either as I had dressed warmly for the ride.
Bit of a sigh. There wasn’t much to photograph in the way of wildlife activity. I spotted a couple of birds, one was a woodpecker I’m confident, but I couldn’t get a photo. I also saw a hawk, not sure of the species, and what I’m pretty sure was a Bewick’s Wren by its behavior and call, but again no photos because just like a Bewick’s it didn’t hold still long enough. But I did walk the entire perimeter of the valley and really enjoyed the time outdoors and in a secluded area. Because, you never know what you might see.
Eh, next trip maybe. Or something good on the way home? Yup, that was it.
Ferruginous Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
And even earlier in the day:
View looking west across American Valley, Quincy, CA, at the Bucks Lake Wilderness granite escarpment. Gansner Airport hangers in bottom foreground.
Two individual Great Blue Heron, photographed about a half-mile from each other, about twenty minutes apart.
First photo of the morning, Red-shouldered Hawk.
And now, a brand-new day. It’s your turn. What’s been up in your neck of the woods, prairie, town, city, or galaxy?
[END]
---
[1] Url:
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/1/14/2296876/-The-Daily-Bucket-Butterfly-Valley-winter-visit?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web
Published and (C) by Daily Kos
Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified.
via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds:
gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/
