June 4th, 2011: 104th Trail, pt.6 (kestrel, dead rabbit, bird part, grackle, pelican in flight)

We watched this Kestrel hovering and diving through the air in the distance:
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Along the trail a rabbit's hind quarters, and a bird's hind end were spread out. With so many birds of prey in the area, as well as coyotes and foxes, finding dead bits on a hike aren't a surprise:
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Grackle in a tree above us:
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American White Pelican flight sequence:
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June 4th, 2011: 104th Trail, pt.7 (oriole, killdeer, hawk, ducks, western kingbird, cliff swallow)

A striking Bullock's Oriole:
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A cool shot of a Killdeer flitting close to the water's surface:
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A hawk, probably either a Red-tailed or a Cooper's, perched atop this tower and watched us for a good ten minutes:
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A male and female Mallard:
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Western Kingbird:
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This Cliff Swallow sequence amazed me; in all my time, I've never been able to observe a Cliff Swallow siting still, just chillin' out. Too cool:
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June 4th, 2011: 104th Trail, pt.8 (bull snakes, garter snake, and close-up of shovel)

Two different beautiful Bull Snakes appeared, as did a lovely striped Garter Snake:
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We walked the trail further than ever before, nearly twelve miles! We stopped by this piece of equipment and turned around. Whew!
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