Tonite, I wanted to shake off the effects of a bad work day. Chip had to work late so I went out to Sunol alone. There has been light rain all day and it was getting foggy. Good weather for photography.

The entire outing should be “Wild Kingdom”…

About when I got out of the car in the parking lot, a young (at least smallish) buzzard swooped in and perched on the fence. It just sat there and looked at me. I shrugged it off and went across the bridge and started on the trail. The further I get, more and more buzzards start flushing out of the low branches and the ground. There were about a dozen of them. Turns out there was a dead deer next to the trail. (No pictures-yick).

Once I got to the small lagoon area, I discovered that it had been overrun by cattle. The cattle had broken down the fence, and I had to shoo them away. They gave me the stink-eye and did some moo-ing but eventually decided to move a little away.

I waded out into Alameda creek and was startled by a movement by my foot. A giant bullfrog went bouncing away.

I settled in and took this one shot as it started to rain. I had to take it again because rain kept getting on the lens. Without a jacket, I was starting to feel very wet. So, decided to pack it in. To avoid the dead deer and buzzards, I opted to wade across the creek. As I wade in, I flush a small heron about the color of a blue jay. I have never seen this type bird before and do not know its name but it was gorgeous. As I cross the creek, I realize that the creek was just high enough to flood my boots. No picture because I had the camera packed away to keep it dry.

As I strolled up the bank behind the visitor center with wet feet, I notice a large feral cat?. No, I realize that it is a bobcat. This is my first bobcat sighting! The bobcat looked vaguely annoyed and strolled away. I continue on to the car. As I round a small building, there is the bobcat again. Now I understand why the bobcat looked annoyed. It turns out I interrupted the bobcat in what Chip call his “reading time”. Again, no picture of that!

I pull out of the parking lot and see a doe and twin fawns in the meadow. I think too bad I have the camera in the back of the station wagon. I drive on. Just before turning onto Geary Road, there are three bucks grazing. The velvet on their horns is glowing in the light. Again, no picture because the camera is in the back.

All in all a very soul satisfying hike even without the pictures! Next time we have rain and bad weather, I am going out to Sunol.