Whale-ista
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Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Palomar Mountain: Harrison Serenity Ranch Wildlife
A friend of mine owns a 67 acre wildlife reserve on the southwestern slope of Palomar Mountain. I have been helping her with various projects around
the place, as she rents it out for special events: weddings, music festivals, etc.
This weekend, no one had reserved the place, so I came up with friends to do a little work and relax over the holiday weekend. I have to admit I was
feeling a bit down: I usually go visit the whales in the spring, and this time I had only one chance to see them, in early January.
However: the El Niņo rains have produced record plants and wildflowers up here, and that has attracted many animals: deer, quail, and- I learned
today- bobcats!
My friends departed yesterday, and I awoke to a family of mule deer grazing near the main lodge. I later saw them while walking around the property
before breakfast.
Then, as I sat in the kitchen of the main lodge, enjoying the peace and quiet (normally I help with cooking for large groups)- I saw ravens, jays, and
other big birds. Just a normal day...until a large bobcat sauntered across the deck!
We had heard about a bobcat from some of the visitors, but this was my first chance to see one so close to the lodge. Poodle noticed him as he went
past the glass door, and slowly got up to peer outside. I waited a minute, looked out the window, then went out to confirm it really was what I
thought it was.
Then I noticed the deer had returned: 5 of them, snoozing in the meadow above the lodge. So I grabbed my camera and took photos from a safe distance
of both critters.
I did a little work outdoors, returned for a cold beer, glanced out the kitchen door... and bobcat #2 walked by, sniffing briefly at the door which
was slightly ajar. She was smaller, maybe younger, and more vividly colored than bobcat #1- more reddish brown vs. his gray/black coloration. (Poodle
was resting on my lap and missed this one.)
Beautiful animals- what a joy to see them up close from just a few feet away. Clearly they are accustomed to walking along the edge of the ravine,
along the deck outside the kitchen.
It is now dark. I just went out to collect some firewood from the wood pile, since it's a bit chilly. The entire time, I sincerely hoped no mountain
lion would follow in the steps of the 2 bobcats, and mistake my crouching figure next to the chopping block for a deer or other edible item...
Hoping you had a wonderful, relaxing & happy holiday!
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Morning mule deer: a yearling heads up the slope to reconnect with the herd, seen in upper right corner of photo:
Afternoon mule deer: grazing in the shade of the live oaks:
Mid-day bobcat, heading across the horseshoe pit:
Late afternoon/happy hour bobcat: looking back at the house, wondering who shut the door after she strolled past
[Edited on 3-28-2016 by Whale-ista]
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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Maron
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Registered: 4-14-2014
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OMG Whale-ista,
What a wonderful and beautiful property. Pls u2u with the email or web site. Don't have a huge group, but most interested in cost, minimum size of
group, kitchens, beds, minimum stay, etc.
Mother Nature is wonderful.
Thks for the post and the info
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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Quote: Originally posted by Maron  | OMG Whale-ista,
What a wonderful and beautiful property. Pls u2u with the email or web site. Don't have a huge group, but most interested in cost, minimum size of
group, kitchens, beds, minimum stay, etc.
Mother Nature is wonderful.
Thks for the post and the info |
Glad you liked it! Yes, it's a wonderful, wild place- not many places left like this on the US side of the border.
I don't mind sharing the info here: Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/HARRISONRANCH/?ref=br_rs
Website: http://www.harrisonserenityranch.com
Options include campsites for groups, bunkhouse for up to 14, a 2 bedroom guesthouse for families, and a main lodge for larger gatherings. Full
property can also be reserved for large events.
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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BornFisher
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Posts: 2103
Registered: 1-11-2005
Location: K-38 Santa Martha/Encinitas
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Love the felines. My NatGeo moment today was a Coopers hawk flying in my house! Chased a dove, hit something above where I was napping, and made it
back down the hall and thru the open door from where it came.
Tomorrow, it`s Santiago peak (aka Saddle Back peak), just a quick one day trip with my cousin. Who knows what adventure tomorrow may bring!!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_Peak
"When you catch a fish, you open the door of happiness."
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Whale-ista
Super Nomad
Posts: 2009
Registered: 2-18-2013
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Sunny with chance of whales
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| Quote: Originally posted by BornFisher | Love the felines. My NatGeo moment today was a Coopers hawk flying in my house! Chased a dove, hit something above where I was napping, and made it
back down the hall and thru the open door from where it came.
Tomorrow, it`s Santiago peak (aka Saddle Back peak), just a quick one day trip with my cousin. Who knows what adventure tomorrow may bring!!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_Peak |
I love those little hawks. We had a family of Cooper's in our neighborhood in Bird Rock (south of La Jolla) 20 or so years ago. Big nest up in
towering eucalyptus trees. I heard the parents hunting every morning and evening, like clockwork: calling for the chicks when the food was about to be
delivered.
One afternoon, an adult dropped a freshly killed bird carcass off the large branch over my garden. I was out working in the yard, wearing gloves, and
hated to see a perfectly good kill go to waste, so I began lofting the body straight up in the air, over and over, to get the hawk's attention.
My neighbors watched in horror, but it worked: the adult came over to see what this "flying" bird was doing. I tossed it one last time onto the flat
roof of the garage next door, the adult flew over, retrieved it, and took it back to the nest. No additional birds were killed that day.
I knew it would work because I had been hitting tennis balls for my black lab at a local park a few weeks before, and noticed another Cooper's
watching the ball as it sailed high, and fell to earth, over and over. It perched on the fence and watched intently.
I finally distracted the dog, and hit a ball over towards the hawk. Sure enough; it swooped down, landed on it, pecked it intensely- then tried, but
failed, to carry it away. Too heavy? Or maybe couldn't get a good grip on the tough fibers.
Anyway- that's how I often learn about wildlife behavior: through direct observation. Takes time, patience and sometimes stealth- but the payoffs can
be memorable.
\"Probably the airplanes will bring week-enders from Los Angeles before long, and the beautiful poor bedraggled old town will bloom with a
Floridian ugliness.\" (John Steinbeck, 1940, discussing the future of La Paz, BCS, Mexico)
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BajaBlanca
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Posts: 13165
Registered: 10-28-2008
Location: La Bocana, BCS
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whale-ista those are incredible photos!
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tiotomasbcs
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Posts: 1837
Registered: 7-30-2007
Location: El Pescadero
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Nate Harrison Grade? My brother and I like to drive up once in awhile as the crazy Moto heads ruin a quiet weekend drive up S76. I would say go over
to Ramona. Tio
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