Friday Alligator Blogging

From my Flickr archieves.

Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend

Woodpeckers doing woodpecker things

I set this first camera on a snag in the Fir forest as a pre-class set for Codger's camera trapping course v.2013. I was really hoping to get an awesome flying squirrel coming to the snag to do awesome flying squirrel things. Instead I got a woodpecker doing some woodpecker things. You know, hopping around, pecking wood, and flying. This looks like a male Black-backed Woodpecker, Picoides arcticus. Notice the yellow patch on the forehead/crown. But remember, we suck at birding, so I could be completely wrong here.

Next are some videos of White-headed woodpeckers, Picoides albolarvatus, that were coming in and out of a snag at the top of Yuba Gap on Hwy-49. We had this camera up for just a couple of hours, as it was in a highly trafficked area.

Dog Days of Summer

As CTC's fav club, the Athletics, face some struggles as of late, a check-in elsewhere in Oakland proves that these are indeed the Dog Days.

These videos are from Knowland Park and located in the area designated for the zoo's controversial proposed expansion. More on that at a later date.

annnd let's end on a stinker.

More Twee than Thou

Speaking of Hipsters, I was in Uptown the other day meeting up with some old buddies. Went by the Oaklandish storefront, who happen to make some of my favorite T's, and ran across some stickers/pins/magnets by Birdvs.Bird. Hot damn these things are ridiculous. I had to buy a 12-pack of stickers and a pin. They also have some sets that are particular to birds of Lake Merritt. Hell yes, Black-crowned Night Heron.

Which brings us to another topic Christian and I have spent the past few months discussing. What I like to call Twee critter art. Here are two more of our favorites.

Zoo Portraits by Yago Partal.

And some similar stuff, but all hand drawn, by Berkely Illustrations.

If any of the artists see this post, feel free to send us some free stuff/sponsor our camera trapping adventures. We'll gladly talk up your art.

Follow the links and let us know what your favorites are.

Alert the Hipsters

WTF.

There is a wild marmot in the San Francisco neighborhood of Bernal Heights. The yuppies must be very confused. Probably hitched a ride back to town with some 30-somethings after their rock climbing adventure. Because apparently everyone is a rock climber these days.

Below is not the SF Marmot (Does it have a clever name yet, a la Sutro Sam? Has it gotten gay married yet? I hope so on both accounts), but a Marmot from when we went up to the Codger's pre-class set-up in the Sierras.

Thanks to Randomtruth for doing some excellent captaining of the car as I shot photos out of the open window.











I used to see Marmots all the time in Yosemite Valley as a kid. We made an annual Spring Break trip to Curry Village with old family friends. It was always a great time and this old Marmot brought back some great memories.  Now we need to get him on camera trap.