Pinnacles National Park

December 14, 2014

I haven't taken Pongo out for a weekend adventure for a while, so I decided it was time for a trip to Pinnacles.  I was hoping Chalone Creek would be flowing after this week's big storm, but no such luck.  I guess the water needs to build up a bit more.  Still, we saw a bobcat, so all was not lost.

Bobcat -- Pinnacles National Park, CA

We ran into the bobcat on the road between the visitor's center and Bear Gulch.  As we came around a corner he was climbing up an incline by the side of the road.  He settled down maybe twenty feet from my car.  No one was on the road, so I stopped and took pictures for about ten minutes.  Pongo never saw the cat.  I made him go into the back so I could shoot through his window.  Just as well, I don't think Pongo would have reacted very well to seeing a cat outside.

Bobcat -- Pinnacles National Park, CA

Varied Thrush

Pongo and I took our usual stroll through the campground.  The campgrounds were almost entirely empty of people, leaving it for the wildlife to take over.  I saw probably two dozen varied thrush toward the back of the campground.  I've seen a grand total of one varied thrush on all other visits combined, and even that was just a brief glance.  I'm not sure if they were just passing through or what.  Those little buggers don't like getting their picture taken, either.  I have yet to get a single good photo of one of those birds.

We also saw a large flock of turkeys.  Officially speaking, a group of turkeys is called a rafter.  I looked that up.  Pongo wasn't sure how to react to so many large birds.  I guess if you're a dog you might find it embarrassing to get your ass kicked by a rafter of turkeys.

Wild Turkey -- Pinnacles National Park, CA