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That was not my page. Its from http://sangabrielmnts.myfreeforum.org/forum18.php

Over the years in the backcountry I've seen black bears of various colors, mule deer including some nice bucks, mountain lions, bob cats, coyotes, fox, porcupine, beaver, wood nymphs grouse, golden eagles, was under attack from a goss hawk (more than once) wood peckers (the little black and white ones with a red spot on top of their heads) I've also seen a larger version of these by 2 or 3 times as large and when they peck on a tree the sound echoes through the forest. Rattle snakes (green ones too), marmots, picket pins, voles, etc. pine martens, no weasels though...... oh yes, and golden trout

Here are some great shots of Bighorns taken on Mt Baldy.
http://sangabrielmnts.myfreeforum.org/T ... t2218.html
http://sangabrielmnts.myfreeforum.org/forum18.php

There's a mink hoping around the pond in the back of my house today. I haven't seen him/her in a couple of years. I like these animals because they eat both mice and squirrels. And they are beautiful creatures too.

Bears, Elk, Moose, 1 Mountain Lion, and do Bald Eagle count

What the heck is this?


I heard sharp tailed grouse moved into the blue mountains, but when I look at them online they dont really look like this critter.

calebEOC wrote:What the heck is this?


I heard sharp tailed grouse moved into the blue mountains, but when I look at them online they dont really look like this critter.

It's a Spruce Grouse.

Thanks, never heard of them before!

Actually, it looks like it may be a Franklin's Grouse, which is a sub species of the Spruce Grouse.

While the nominate species {Spruce Grouse} has rusty tips to the tail feathers, Franklin's Grouse (D. c. franklinii) lacks these and instead has white tips to the tail coverts.

Alpinist wrote:It's a Spruce Grouse.

No relation to the Spruce Goose?

isostatic wrote:

Alpinist wrote:It's a Spruce Grouse.

No relation to the Spruce Goose?

Ha! I don't think so, though they do both spend most of their time on the ground.

I've seen black bears, different kinds of deer, grouse, mountain goats, marmots, pikas, ground squirrels, many kinds of mountain birds, a rattlesnake, many garter snakes, frogs (often while rock climbing), elk, and definitely some I'm not thinking of right now.

I have never seen any large cats (I would like to see a lynx, bobcat, or cougar someday), wolves, grizzly bears, wolverines, or generally other animals people tend to be highly afraid of, black bears and snakes excepted.

-Mark

I had a memorable encounter with a Grouse and 6 baby chicks once while camped on Granite Dome in the Emigrant Wilderness Area (Sierra). We'd just finished eating dinner and I was taking the dishes down to the lake to clean them when I heard some baby chicks chirping. I instantly froze and started chirping back. A minute later the hen ran out across the trail in front of me, trying to lure me away from her babies.

I keep on chirping motionlessly, mimicing the sound of the chicks. The hen turned around and starting coming towards me while at the same time the chicks emerged from the brush. Three chicks crossed the trail right in front of me and 3 behind me, all within 2-3 feet of where I was standing. I was totally shocked when the mother jumped up on a small boulder right next to me and started to chirp back. She was about arms length from me. It was amazing! She was so at ease, she actually started to groom herself. At one point, her head was under her wing as she was preening. She completely took her eyes off of me.

Her chicks eventually wandered about 20ft ahead of us and she jumped off the boulder to keep a closer eye on them. This whole thing lasted 6-7 minutes.

What an unbelieveable wildlife encounter. Of course, I had my arms full of dishes and no camera at the time, but I still have vivid memories of it.

I have seen a brown bear while hiking in the Grand Tetons. It never even noticed us - might have been one of those 'tame' national park bears that see people all the time.

Just recently in Pisgah, my wife and I came across a group of those miniature deer. She at first kept saying they were regular deer until we got closer you could tell they were like the size of a big dog.

Bighorns in the San Gabriel Mountains of Southern California. I see them above the trail when i go very early in the morning.
http://sangabrielmnts.myfreeforum.org/J ... t2636.html