Welcome to Yosemite!

We made it! This was the third time we've planned to visit Yosemite, and it finally happened! It's really impossible to adequately describe this national park. It's grand, every towering mountain, every waterfall, the raging river, the beautiful lakes. Grand. The scale is mind-blowing. It's hard to even take a photo of what you're seeing because you have to be so far away to capture the whole scene.

We spent 10 days camped with our friends just outside of the park and came into the park almost everyday. Our plan for day one: hike the Lower Yosemite Falls trail. Before we even reached the trailhead, we stopped to explore the meadow beneath Horsetail Falls. For two weeks in February, when the conditions are right, it's possible to see the sun reflect on this waterfall causing it to glow like fire.

Lower Yosemite Falls is an easy hike which takes you right up to the base of the falls, so close the mist will hit you!

The trail passed a campground and an area that's popular for climbing. 

Again, the size of this waterfall is hard to convey. It's the tallest waterfall in North America at 2,425ft, combining the two falls and cascades in between. Fifth tallest in the entire world! To give you a sense of scale, look at the people in the photo on the left. Then look at the photo on the right. The fall starts at the top of that mountain! Amazing!

Along the trail I found quite a few Black-headed Grosbeaks, and this squirrel who appears to have a question...

It was nice that even as our path took us away from the falls, we still came to spots with excellent views.

Then we took the Cook's Meadow Loop for more great views.

Heading towards Half Dome

Great views of Half Dome from this bridge. We saw a few people rafting the Merced River below.

Before heading home, we stopped at the Visitor Center to get the kids their Jr Ranger badges. On the way there, Asher spotted this Gilbert's Skink!

Stellar's Jays were pretty plentiful along our hike, and while at the Visitor Center I spotted some White-headed Woodpeckers (lifer)! Didn't get a great photo, but hey, it's proof I saw them!

All Creatures Above and Below {Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History}

We used our local ASTC membership to visit both museums in Santa Barbara. First up, the Museum of Natural History, where the local wild bird rescue organization, Eyes in the Sky, houses its birds and introduces them to guests. We met a Red-tailed Hawk, a Barn Owl and a Western Screech Owl. Fun fact, our friend, Courtney, used to volunteer here and took care of the Screech Owl! We learned about their injuries and how they ended up at the center. Because they are non-releasable, they have been promoted to ambassador animals, giving the public a chance to see these magnificent creatures up close helps them learn about keeping them safe- like not using poisons, which not only kills pests, but birds that eat those pests! 

Check out that camo! No wonder I struggle finding these owls!

When I walked into the rooms holding the museum's bird collection, I was floored! They have hundreds of excellently taxidermied birds arranged and grouped by family. This was the perfect opportunity to study similar species side by side and learn to tell them apart. I could have spent all day in this room! Put this place on your list!

I learned this began as the Museum of Comparative Oology (the study of bird eggs, nesting and breeding behavior). Started in 1916 by ornithologist, William Leon Dawson, the collection included many eggs, nests and skins. Unfortunately in 1962 a fire destroyed the skin collection. Today it is larger than ever and ranks in the top 10 for the whole country. Most of the birds in the collection are from the US, however there are some from a few other countries and a fantastic display of hummingbirds from Ecuador.

They have 12,000 sets of eggs from 1300 different species from around the world! Check out the size difference between a chicken, a hummingbird and an ostrich egg!

In the 60s, it was discovered the widespread use of the pesticide, DDT, was working its way up the food chain and preventing birds of prey from reproducing. The Bald Eagle population had dropped from 100,000 to just 487 nesting pairs in 1963! Here you can see the comparison of healthy eggs to those affected by DDT. It wasn't banned until 1972. Fortunately the Bald Eagle as well as falcons, hawks, osprey and pelicans have made a great comeback since then. 

While researching this, I learned the largest producer of DDT dumped an estimated 1,700 tons of the pesticide into the Pacific Ocean from 1947 until 1961. To this day, there are signs warning residents of the Palo Verdes peninsula to not eat certain fish caught in their waters.

The woodpeckers of North America collection gives a great opportunity to study each species and even compare the differences between males and females of the same species.

I appreciated seeing the similar Royal and Caspian Terns side by side for comparison. 

There are displays representing real locations featuring animals from that specific area. The taxidermy is seriously the best I've ever seen! Signage gives info including abundance, range and even how many miles you are from where each are found.

Seeing the spotted skunks was surprising. I've wanted to see one of these for a few years now, but I didn't realize they are much smaller than other skunks. They also can have stripes instead of spots.

While I spent nearly all of my time with the birds, there are many other types of collections and features at this museum, including realistic, animatronic dinosaurs, a gem and minerals room, space science exhibit with planetarium, and a butterfly pavilion to walk thru. 

The next day we headed to the pier to visit the Sea Center, the perfect location for this science center.

As soon as we entered, we were greeted by volunteers who invited us to TOUCH sharks, sea stars, and more! The velcro-like arms of the anemone were so strange to feel, and totally harmless to humans.

The absolute best part was one section of the center with no floor. We could look over the barrier directly into the Pacific Ocean below. The volunteer offered to help us discover the creatures living on the ocean floor below us. He lowered a tool that scooped up a section of sand. 

He emptied it on a screen and let Asher pour water to separate the creatures from the sand. Once a tiny movement was spotted, the volunteer put it in a tiny container then focused on it thru a high-powered microscope.

Trust me, these things were tiny. These photos are magnified.

Above is a Sea Spider and below are tiny clams, which we saw moving their foot and siphons.

There was more to see, but these were our favorite parts.

Santa Barbara Sunsets {and one dramatic rescue attempt}

 

RVing requires flexibility. When our reserved sites at the state park were too small for our rigs, we secured the last two spots at Sunrise RV park just a few minutes before they closed! The location in Santa Barbara turned out to be great for us to visit friends and spend time at the beach, just a few blocks away. We watched the sunset from the beach the first night while Asher fished.

The next day, I went birding at Andree Clark Bird Refuge then walked to the beach to meet the family and our friends, the Israelis, then Courtney and Deann later joined us.

That night we walked along the downtown shops with our friends, and of course, stopped for ice cream. Asher was happy to find a shop with his name on it!

Fishing from the pier was unsuccessful, but we did meet a guy who was having success catching spider crabs!

While Daddy and our friends took all the kids ice skating, I went birding with Courtney and Deann. Afterwards we all met up for a sushi lunch at their favorite spot.

Santa Barbara and the surrounding areas have such beautiful lands with a variety of habitat to explore. Multiple properties have been donated so the public can now enjoy them. Deann took me to a number of them- mountains, marshes, beaches and forest, in search of a couple lifers for me. We managed to find bushtits but dipped on the mountain quail. Fun fact, many celebrities have a home in Santa Barbara. Deann pointed out the homes of Oprah, Ellen and some other people I don't remember. 

Below is Lake Los Carneros, a beautiful, donated property the public can now access for birding and recreation.

The closest I've been to an Eared Grebe.

Crazy story: When we arrived at the Goleta pier, we noticed a man standing in thigh-deep water, in his hands, a pigeon. As we watched he leaned over it and proceeded to administer CPR! I kid you not! Full on mouth to mouth! It was a valiant effort, but all for not, as the pigeon did not survive.

How many legs do you see? This momma Snowy Plover has one baby under her and another in front! At one point she had both under her and just looked like a bird with six legs! Large areas of the beach are restricted to protect nesting shorebirds like this. You need a long lens to get decent photos.