Death Valley Click Bait Await - Yours Truly Dazed

[DeathValleyDazed]

I'm especially looking forward to your Tucki Wash exploration video. 

Seeing a bobcat at the bird count is a surprise, I don't know many folks who have seen one in the park.

Kauri, as usual I underestimated the expanse (of the Tucki Wash in this instance) and overestimated my hiking capacity.   So I hiked 'straight outta the ranch" across the flats and up the wash to the first large black basalt spine, around it and back to the ranch (approx 8 miles round trip and well worth it) as the sunset. I got some fantastic images. BTW portions of this were through several inches of clear salt water but I expected this, thus I completed the entire jaunt in my $19.29 Walmart Steel Toed Waterproof Green Plastic Work Boots. They worked like a charm and with insoles and thick woolen socks I wondered why I ever bothered purchasing my Columbia muckers. 

I've only seen one other bobcat in the wild and that was a mommy bobby with three kittens in tow above me twenty yards on a mountainside above my home where I was pick axing a horse riding trail for my wife's horseback riding. Too this day that trail is named "Bobcat Trail." 

Speaking of bobcats, one of the NPS staffers present at the bird count shared how once he was caving in a tight spot and came face to face with a startled bobcat which totally startled and scared him. During the long face off the ranger was praying and pleading for the bobcat NOT to scratch his face off. For some reason the cat just remained calm as the ranger squeezed himself out of the pinch. That's getting yourself stuck between a rock and a cat spot. 

The birding event was really cool and I highly recommend it to anyone, especially novices like me. I had done another migration count in eastern Nevada with Hawk Watch International where they actually netted and banded birds. Another great experience! BTW, peregrines have been sited in DEVA. We saw a red tail hawks this count. Did not see a single turkey vulture this time which surprised me. We enjoy a flock of wild turkeys at home on my small horse ranch. 

Note: High speed internet still failing at The Ranch, tech support is clueless and not helpful, the guy actually hung up on me as I was explaining how a simple note on their site with an apology about the power outage would be great customer service.