the winter birds are back

"Gavilan" is "Hawk" in Spanish

Trabuco peak at sunset

I'm testing out my new lense.  Can you tell?
 

Pink hills

fell out of the stove hood

It fell out of the stove hood while being cleaned.  A petrified lizard. 

Hawk down

This morning's walk found a hawk down, the last few minutes of his life slipping away.  When I spotted him I assumed he was dead and turned him over on to his breast.  I was surprised to see his eyes move and his tail feathers rustle just a bit.  I didn't find any trauma on him, either old age or disease took him.  I returned with my camera and snapped this photo, by that time he was gone.  He was a big bird.  About 18 inches from beak to tail.  Sad to see him go. 

 

He thinks he's hiding

saved by my pup

I came within inches of stepping on one yesterday.  I was walking on the side of the road and the snake was inches from my path.  My dog alerted me by spotting it first and letting out a quick growl.  At a glance the diamond pattern led me to think he was a rattler but he just had a regular snake tail.  I think he was a California Gopher Snake.  I also saw he was slowly retreating into the brush because he looked to have been seriously injured on his mid-section.  He was about 3 to 4 ft long.  Thanks to my pup for his alertness by saving me from stepping on a snake.