Cerro Alto , wild Life

Yesterday 

Yesterday  , I found this track on the board trail on Cerro Alto , Unusual in this area , as pigs avoid these busy hiking trails , they are most likely to feed on the west ridge . Be

 careful when hiking after dark . They do attack without  warning .

Cerro Alto and native plants , wild life

September 2016 

The Coffee Berry is ripe again , very sweet and attracting bears to the ATT trail on Cerro Alto again .

Note the bead scatt below . , be carefull when hiking evening and early morning hours .

The FQuail are also feasting .

bear scatt and coffee berries .

9-16-15

Cerro Alto 

Most all the berries are gone , however there is still some Coffee Berry left . Deer , bear and coyote love this food , but as I mentioned in an earlier post , food is in short supply so the critters are adventuring onto busy hiking trails for food . Be alert you might bump into a bear in the evening . .

Remember my dog ran a bear off trail near the summit a few nights ago . If you hike in late evening make some noise by talking , striking brush etc . Carry Bear spray . 

photos below --coffee Berry , deer scat , small bear scat .

in the earlier post see large bear scat .

Cerro Alto cool weather

9-15-15

Cerro Alto  and cool weather .

Finally we have cool weather in the early after noon . 65 degrees and colder  at the summit . I hiked with a couple of friends , Bob and Jim , great hike , much fun . we met a hiking birthday party near the summit .The birthday group is in the following photo and video . The birthday girl is the lady in the blue her name is Courtney , Lindsey is in the pl;aid shirt , the red shirt is Sophia Evens and the you gentleman is there to see to their safety , my poor hearing did not hear his name however he did give it in the video below . All of the group are Cal Poly students . Enjoy !

Note , I asked the group if they had seen the bear scat in the photo below , they responded that they did see it but were not that it was bear scat , so this was a teachable adventure also .

Happy birthday Courtney !

below is a large bear scat , the photo of my hand and the stick indicates the depth of this scat ,

the berry photo is what the bear was feeding on   ( Catalina Cherry ) or Prunus ilicifolia 

it grows wild and is sweet when ripe .

A few days I posted a photo of a medium size scat near the summit that was very fresh and I saw the bear late in the evening . Be aware that there is bear activity on the trails now  especially in late evening . Nap time for the bears is approaching and the food supply is very limited this year and that is why these bears are adventuring out onto the busy trails .

Blue Grouse

I SAW ONE OF these on Cerro Alto on Friday the 12th of June .

These photos are from on line research .

They are known to live in California at elevations of 200 ft. +

San Luis Obispo Co wild life and Hiking

Wild Life

I am often asked to post some photos of wild life I have encountered

below are a few photos I will post later , time permitting .

All of these photos , except one  ( the large bear ) are local in the

Los Padres  Forest .

Hikers often tell me that they don't see much wild life .
They ask me for tips on how to see more animals .
My tips are as follow :
* Hike at sun rise and sunset .
* Hike alone .
* Dont listen to music .
Slow down !
*Stop often and look !
* Pay attention to tracks and hike in areas that game is working .
If you have a dog , train it to help you see wild life .

located in the  Los Padres Forest
Btw.  Morro Bay and Atascadero Ca.

Thule Elk

youmg bucks ready to fight

I whistle toget their attention .

above , fight in progress in Pozo area

Kit Fox on Cerro Alto

above  a deer

Mountain lion track  -- Cerro Alto

I hike daily and several times a week I see lion tracks

I see lions monthly but they are toofast to get a photo of .

I photographed   a night shot with a motion activated camera . 

Above a Golden Eagle .

I have photographed many of same .

above bear scat --- blue berries -- Cerro Alto

above   bear  scat manzanita berry

These berries are Cinnamon flavor



bear scat --- grass

very large bear scat -- manzanita berries

small bear --- Pozo area  250 lbs

above -- large bear 500 plus  -- Bear Creek area

very large bear tracks --  Pozo area ( my shoe is size 13 )

Rattle snake   Cerro alto

I see many every week -- often I see several daily .

above a golden eagle  -- wing spans 7 ft

Tom turkey -- Pozo area

this turkey tried to attack me .

Hawk -- Pozo area

Hawk in flight

lady bugs in the spring on Cerro Alto

Banana Slug on Cerro alto

above -- night shot of mountain lion

doves above

wild pigs

golden eagle in flight

golden eagle in tree

 above -- turkey tracks--Pozo area

Above is my daily hiking companion Sierra .

She is three years old .

I know she is not wild life , but I love her .

Above is Sheena -- a professional dancer .

As a professional photographer , I enjoy shooting on Cerro Alto.

I just added this photo to spice things up !

Above is a lion track in the mud , these guys love to use the trails in the rain --

 Cerro Alto trail .

lots of lizzards on the trail

Red tail hawk in flight

I see many hawks .

Cerro Alto trail --- butterfly

Large bear scat on Cerro alto

Bush bunny on Cerro Alto

Fox on Cerro Alto trail

Above and below photos are of a lion foot print on top of a human

hiker's foot print . I hike in the rain . This day , I met this hiker

in a rain storm and noted the lion stalking him .

Look closely and you will see the lion track on top of the

hiker's shoe print . all faded away within minutes .

Lions love to stalk hikers . They usually stalk along

hidden in the chaparral , however when hiking on a in and

out trail on a rainy day I often see myself being stalked .

Now that I have a dog , this no longer happens as Sierra

my dog guards me constantly .

baby mouse , note the size compared to the blade of grass

above  --- raven in flight

I often see flocks of these in flight .

Another Golden eagle .

When hiking under trees  , look up , youwill often be surprised

at what ypu will see !

coyote scat--- note the hair 

another rattler

Dragon fly--- above

Above Buck in velvet ---- new forked horns

above -- a doe at side of trail 

Look right and left of trail -- deer blend in and stand still .

Tom thrkey in the middle of trail .

I often see animals on the trail when hiking slowly 

and alone .

I have often walked to within two or three feet of 

a deer , turkey ,rabbit , or fox when I am 

down wind from them and their back is to me .

Tip --- when  are hiking into a head wind ,

slow down and walk quietly and you may

surprise an animal .

All three above wild life were on Cerro Alto .

Remember I hike with a dog and this requires 

full cooperation of the dog .

Below is Sierra ----- quiet and pointing  .

She helps me see  .

Cerro Alto Quail

above --- a peacock 

This is another example of how a trained dog

can help you locate a wildlife .

My dog pointed out this bird that was hidden 

50 to 60 ft. off trail .

above ---- a night shot of a red fox 

above ---- Mule Deer track 

note the size and the dew claw marks