Boden Canyon Stakeout

Yesterday, we hiked Boden Canyon all the way up its headwaters to the top of a ridge, an out and back of ten or eleven miles.  Our main purpose, other than just enjoying a pleasant day, was to place the trail cam in a new spot and leave it for around 10 days.

 At the start of the hike, we met two early morning turkey hunters coming out.  We saw no one else the whole day.  I took my small camera, to give  my arms a rest.

 We passed this dead Blainville's Horned Lizard that someone had run over.

 Next up was this gopher snake getting a little morning sun.

 Gail spotted this skunk looking for food.

 After a couple miles, we came to the pond that was always dry before - not anymore!

 There were ducks, bullfrogs, and Red-winged Blackbirds. What a transformation!

 Later, we came upon a flock of Bullock's Orioles.

 And another skunk!  We have never seen skunks while hiking, and then saw two within an hour.

 A mighty Coast Live Oak, cradling Gail for scale.

After much conjecture, we strapped the trail cam to this oak tree at a point where the trail was squeezed by a drop-off on one side, and a steep bank on the other.  I literally  was rubbing my hands and clothes in poison oak to strap the cam around the trunk.

On the return back towards the car, we came upon another gopher snake.  The end.