Auf Wiedersehen Sendak

Spent some 'me' time reading some of my favorite Maurice Sendak books. These aren't the only Sendak illustrated books I have, but they're my favorites. They were Buddy Barb's when she was a kid, and she gave them to me several years ago. I've enjoyed them reading them, stumbling over the German and like every big overgrown kid, enjoying the artwork of Maurice Sendak. The books are minis from the 'Nutshell Library', each book measuring 3" by 2.5" approximate.

Here's a bit from Hühnersuppe mit Reis, Chicken Soup with Rice. This is the page for the month of May, 'Mai'. It's my translation, which means, NO perfection here, Chicken Soup with Rice or not!


In May
a robin is
in the tree
and built a nest for meand therein my meal brews -
Why am I joyful then?
Because chicken soup
Chicken soup
Chicken soup with rice
I can cook.
The Nutshell Library

Grasshopper Sparrow Hunt

Went birding this morning along Meiss Road. As I drove east on Sunrise Boulevard I got a glimpse of a shiny pelt and my heart nearly stopped - was that a RIVER OTTER??!!!

Unfortunately it was - a dead River Otter. Not too gruesome, but decided not to post the poor thing's photo (yes, I took photos, what of it?). It was amazing to see such a gorgeous critter, one of nature's cheeriest and fun loving, out there dead on the roadside because it tried to cross the road. And to see one so close to civilization was, impressive, yet as it was dead, sobering. Little Otter, hope your spirit runs wild and free.Now!

Following the depressing discovery I made my way to Meiss Road where I go fairly frequently these days. My goal of the day was to find the every-elusive Grasshopper Sparrow. I've seen them before but never in California. There were lots of birds along the rutted dirt road.

Cranky, overheated Western Meadowlark.

One of the usual Meiss Road residents, a Horned Lark

Amazingly, there was even a glorified 'bug'. Oh yeah, I know it's not a bug, it's an dragonfly, another 6-leggedy thing altogether. Heck, when I was a kid in the Bronx we called them 'darning needles'.

Found it! It's a Common Whitetail with uncommon good looks- I mean, for a BUG
And just when I thought I'd have to come back another day, there it was, sitting on a metal fence post - a Grasshopper Sparrow! TADA!

Grasshopper Sparrow

Love the double yellow stripes on its flat topped noggin

I was thrilled to get off three shots of this bird before it took off. It was a cooperative little imp, it didn't budge while I maneuvered my birding blind (known to you as my Honda) to allow a good camera angle. Really, that was one sweet, aiming to please little fellow. That bird has a nest someplace out in the grassy meadow. Good luck with your family young Grasshopper!

Tahoe Redux

Day two of birding Tahoe started at the Donner Memorial State Park. Surprisingly, I've never visited the park before so I hardly kicked or screamed at all when Don recommended walking a park trail.

Donner Memorial State Park
The grassy pine forest on either side of the trail was filled with icy cold snow melt. Despite which, there were flocks of hundreds of little Pine Siskins hopping about.

One out of 100 Pine Siskins
A tiny little Mountain Chickadee landed near me, and ignoring me, busied itself, digging.

Not sure a big staring human is necessary...

Some of the trail was washed out by winter flooding but happily, wooden bridges were still serviceable.

Creekity  bridge over a swift creek

I was thrilled to finally get some good photos of Red-breasted Sapsuckers that explored nesting holes in a giant Lodgepole pine.

Our next birding stop was Squaw Valley, which is currently open for the ski season. High up on the slopes we could spot skiers shushing down the mountain.

Squaw Valley Olympic Village

Rocky craigs at Squaw Valley

There were zero birds at Squaw Valley so we headed over to Alpine Meadows where we could hear a bird singing. Before long a tiny bird could be spotted, singing its heart out at the top of a pine. It was a Sage Sparrow - no, really, a Sage Sparrow, no where near low land chaparral, but there was, to be truthful, plenty of sage on the mountain slopes.

The Arrow points to a birdie - see it?

Ok, not the best, but that bird was way the heck off in the distance

We visited our favorite meadow, which is along Alpine Meadows Road, and although it was past noon and there were few birds out, Don spotted a HUMONGOUS Bald Eagle winging its way east. Sadly I wasn't fast enough to get a shot of the impressive eagle.

After a leisurely lunch, during which Evening Grosbeaks were most notably absent, we drove south along the California side of Lake Tahoe. The scenery was, as always awesome. There was what I was certain was a glacier, but a closer look revealed it to be a a beautiful waterfall, composed of a white

torrent of snow melt.

See the white streak in the distance?

Close up of the wild white torrent of snow melt

On a hunch, instead of heading directly back to Sacramento, we headed back to our first stop of the previous day - Ice House Road. This time we trudged all the way to the top of the mountain, for a look at Loon Lake, where a huge Osprey soared over the ice covered lake.

Ice covered lake off Ice House Mountain Road

The top of the mountain was so pretty, and the ice covered lake - magical! I can hardly believe I'm less than an hour away from such beauty. Nice end to a two day birding spree.