[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.105″ custom_margin=”|0px||0px” custom_padding=”|0px||0px”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” parallax_method_1=”off” _builder_version=”3.0.105″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Outing Description” _builder_version=”3.12.1″ text_font=”||||” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_margin=”10px||10px|” custom_padding=”0px||0px|” use_border_color=”off”]<\/p>\n
Today Don and I drove south to Carson Pass (on Highway 88) to pick up my brother Chris (aka Doafmaster) who is hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in segments.\u00a0 We’d arranged to hike south a couple miles from Carson Pass to Frog Lake to meet up with our PCT hiker.\u00a0 In reviewing the allowed Tahoe Big Year birding zone and rules, the PCT in the Carson Pass area is just legal for recording TBY birds, so I was excited to bring my camera to see some new birds and also some awesome scenery.\u00a0 Unfortunately, the smoke in the area (from the Ferguson fire near Yosemite) made visibility rather poor. At least the smoky air did seem to cool the effect of the sun’s rays, so it was a bit cooler hiking than it could have been.<\/p>\n
Per the plan, we met Doaf at Frog Lake, a beautiful little Sierra Lake.\u00a0 Butterflies abounded and there were still some wildflowers at the high elevation (8790 ft at Frog Lake). Along the trail, we spotted mountain chickadees, dark-eyed juncos, and a few sparrows.\u00a0 We also observed a pretty pair of pine grosbeaks (female pictured below; for male pine grosbeak, which is dramatically different in coloring, see Tahoe Meadows blog page<\/a>).<\/p>\n I did not observe any new species for my TBY list today, but I was proud to hike some of the PCT with Doaf!\u00a0 I intend to return on a clear day and do serious landscape photography.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.judyduffyphotography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/JDP-TBY-20180731-4073.jpg” _builder_version=”3.12.1″ module_alignment=”center” custom_padding=”10px||0px|” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ align=”center” show_in_lightbox=”on” title_text=”Click to enlarge” custom_margin=”0px||0px|”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.12.1″ custom_margin=”0px||0px|” custom_padding=”0px||0px|”]<\/p>\n Female Pine Grosbeak<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.judyduffyphotography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/JDP-TBY-20180731-3913.jpg” align=”center” _builder_version=”3.12.1″ custom_padding=”20px||0px|” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ title_text=”Click to enlarge” show_in_lightbox=”on” custom_margin=”0px||0px|”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.12.1″ custom_margin=”0px|||” custom_padding=”0px|||”]<\/p>\n Frog Lake (note anti-haze filter liberally applied!)<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.judyduffyphotography.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/JDP-TBY-20180731-3988.jpg” _builder_version=”3.12.1″ module_alignment=”center” custom_padding=”20px||0px|” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ align=”center” show_in_lightbox=”on” title_text=”Click to enlarge” custom_margin=”||0px|”]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.12.1″ custom_margin=”0px||0px|” custom_padding=”0px||10px|”]<\/p>\n Pistol with Doaf on the PCT<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”DoafMaster.com pointer” _builder_version=”3.12.1″ custom_padding=”10px|10px|25px|10px” box_shadow_style=”preset6″ custom_margin=”20px|||” saved_tabs=”all” border_color_all=”#005e38″ box_shadow_color=”#005e38″]<\/p>\n