Mountain Lion Crossing

Desert View Drive, Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, 1/40s, f/6.3, ISO: 100

I'm thinking this is one of the last signs you want to see if you have a flat tire.

This mountain lion crossing sign can be seen on Desert View Drive along the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.  It's a not-to-miss thirty mile stretch of road between the South and East entrances of the park.

For the record, I've never seen a mountain lion there.

Driving at Gleneagles

Gleneagles Golf Course, San Francisco, CA
Canon PowerShot SD770 IS, 1/160s, f/8. ISO: 80

Sunglasses?
Check.

Cigar?
Check.

Hat on backwards?
Check.

Roger.  Ready for launch in T minus ten . . . nine . . . eight . . .

Inspired by Geogypsy's Foto Friday Fun 102, photo #6349.

Otter Crossing

Muir Woods National Monument, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, 1/250s, f/4, ISO: 6400

This is the first entry in what I hope will be a fun little series of animals crossing signs that I come across.  I hesitated to start off with this sign or even include it at all because it isn't a permanent metal sign, but it does have the National Park and California State Park logos on it, so I figure it's official enough.  I've yet to see a river otter in the wild, so I drive extra slow through this stretch of road just in case.

California Condor

California Condor -- Pinnacles National Monument, CA
Canon PowerShot SX40 HS, 1/250s, f/5.8, ISO: 100

This picture is from a trip to Pinnacles National Monument a few years back.  It hadn't been promoted to a National Park yet.  Turkey vultures are good sized birds, but the vulture on the right looks pretty small next to the condor.  This is the best look I've ever had of one.

The Committee

Turkey Vulture -- Pinnacles National Park, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm IS II, 1/1250s, f/5, ISO: 125

I've seen vultures gathering on this dead tree near the visitor's center a few times.  Once there was even a condor on the tree with them.  That was the best look I've ever had at a wild condor.

Turkey vultures aren't the prettiest of birds.  They aren't graceful fliers.  They don't seem to be particularly smart or clever.  They're all right by me, though.

Coyote in the Meadow

Coyote -- Pinnacles National Park, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm IS II, 1/1600s, f5.6, ISO: 640

As Pongo and I were leaving Pinnacles National Park this weekend I was lamenting to him how we'd never seen a coyote during any of our visits.  We heard one while camping once, but that was the closest we had come.  Within a minute of my uttering of those words we saw this coyote in the big meadow near the entrance of the park.

This coyote was skittish.  I pulled over when I saw him and had to get out of the car to get to my camera which I'd packed away for the drive home.  When he saw me get out of the car he moved out across the meadow, putting a good deal of distance between us in a very short time.  Although it cost me any shot at a good picture, I was OK with that given their status as undesirable animals in most rural areas of the US.  Personally, I'm a fan, but a lot of folks would like to see then exterminated.

Hangin' Out

Turkey Vulture -- Pinnacles National Park, CA
Canon EOS Rebel T5i, EF-S 55-250mm IS II, 1/2000s, f/5.6, ISO: 250

Pongo and I went camping at Pinnacles last light.  We woke up to over a dozen vultures circling over the campground.  I didn't spot any condors in the mix.  Around there, condors can often been seen mixed in with the turkey vultures.  The vultures are better at spotting dead stuff than the condors.  The bigger birds use the vultures as advance scouts.

It was a nice night.  Pongo called it quits early, right after dinner.  About an hour later he flopped out of the car completely freaked out.  I guess he fell asleep then woke up not knowing where he was.  Poor guy.  He was fine after he got his bearings.  He's wound so tight.