Courtright Vista And Reservoir

Dale Matson

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Courtright Reservoir

I have postings on Courtright for 2016 and 2018 so why do it again? This was a big snow winter and the road to Courtright just opened up. I also used both my Sony A7R3 and A9. Finally, I came later in the day to get the more favorable sunlight which meant that leaving for home at 7pm got me back to Fresno at 9pm.

When you first get to Shaver Lake Village on Highway 168, you will see a sign on your right that states “Dinkey Creek”. Turn here and follow it until you see a sign for “McKinley Grove Road”. Turn right and almost immediately you will cross over Dinkey Creek. Stay on this road until you see a sign for Courtright Road to your left before you get to Wishon Reservoir. It is another 8-mile climb to Courtright. Before you drop down to the reservoir, you will see a “Vista” sign to your right. This is a great vista with some signage and information. You will not be able to see the lake yet from this vista.

I brought my dinner up with me and had an enjoyable meal in the cool 68-degree air at over 8,000’. There were two Hmong families having their dinner and fishing near the dam. I had my long lens for the vista and for any eagles or Ospreys that might show up.

If you cross over the dam (very carefully!) with your vehicle, it will take you to both campsites and a major trailhead (Maxson), The Southern terminus of the infamous “Dusy Ershim 4X4 Trail is also there. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwWgjZUUMKM

I have taken the Maxson Trail on a day hike to Hobler Lake https://midsierramusing.blogspot.com/2015/05/day-hike-from-courtright-reservoir-to.html

And backpacking to Red Mountain Basin and Hell For Sure Pass.

https://midsierramusing.blogspot.com/2016/08/courtright-to-red-mountain-basin.html

It may be summer in Fresno but it is still Spring up there and the mosquitoes are abundant. I saw lots of folks near the dam sitting in lawn chairs just enjoying the cool of the evening. There are quite a few campsites on both sides of the dam along the lake.

I posted a video of this here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1Oy7gx4EqI

Empty Nest Syndrome: Golden Eagles

Dale Matson

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June 13th 

This is the second year that I have followed this adult pair of Golden Eagles. The chicks hatched in early April and I was there to photograph and video the adults and chicks until June 13^th when there was no more evidence of any activity in or around the nest. I am happy to report that both chicks fledged again this year.

I was there on a weekly basis to follow the development of the chicks and to photograph the adults who had a perch site nearby where they could observe the nest when they were not there or were not out hunting.

Game seems plentiful in the area and I would often see a rabbit or squirrel near the nest.

Much is made of the fact that some birds will push the competition out of the nest yet I have not observed this behavior watching three different Golden Eagle offspring pairs, and one pair was raised with a Red-Tailed Hawk!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R_d2KGmJAs&t=26s

         I titled this “Empty Nest Syndrome” mainly because I am sad to see the birds depart. I have noticed however that there is no such thing as an empty nest since smaller birds also make their homes in eagle nests. You can see the smaller birds darting in and out of the eagle nest in the videos. Perhaps the eagle nests also serve as a kind of protection for the smaller birds.

         This year I used both a Sony A7R3 and a Sony A9 with my 100-400mm GM lens. Most of my photos are shot in cropped (APS-C) mode which gives me more reach (560mm). I am such an old man that I lost my 1.4X Teleconverter in Alaska filming Bald Eagles there last Fall and did not realize until this week that it was not on my lens. Need a new one. There are new long Sony lenses available this week and I will probably get the more affordable 200-600 mm Lens if funds become available.

         This time of year, however the Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep and eagles are scarcer and my attention is turned more toward landscape photos especially with the amazing flow of rivers and waterfalls filled to the brim with snowmelt from a bigger than usual snowpack. Fresno County is blessed with two major rivers that flow west down the Sierra slopes. The Kings River and the San Joaquin make for wonderful wild sections and reservoirs abundant with wildlife and beauty.

         I made a YouTube movie combining the video clips and photographs and it can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5s22BcF6uo&feature=youtu.be