October 2007

National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Snow, Grass and Fire Trees

Near the Lower Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park is a stand of fire-scorched trees, or "fire trees" as our younger daughter named them during her first visit to the park five years ago. The ground surrounding a section of these trees is often steaming, hinting at the subterranean warmth…

Phil CollaOctober 31, 2007

National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces and Dead Trees

We spent time checking out the travertine terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs, in the northwestern corner of Yellowstone National Park. Several thousand pounds of calcium carbonate, carried in solution from the hot springs that bubble up through thick limestone, are deposited onto the enormous terraces each day. As the terrace…

Phil CollaOctober 30, 2007

Brown Bear National Parks Wildlife Wyoming Yellowstone

Yellowstone Grizzly Kills Two Other Bears

Shortly before my visit to Yellowstone National Park this fall to photograph elk, I learned that not one but two female grizzly bears had been killed, presumably by other bears. Fratricide among adult grizzlies is not particularly unusual, but two killings within days of one another is strange. Since both…

Phil CollaOctober 29, 2007

Funny National Parks Wyoming Yellowstone

Poor Table Manners

Never went to finishing school: Bison. Image ID: 19610 Species: American bison, Bison bison Location: Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA Because its there. A lick in time saves nine. A boog in hand is worth two in the nose.

Phil CollaOctober 28, 2007

California

Plumes

Another interesting shot of the smoke plumes viewed from space. Look, there's Guadalupe Island down there too! No, I didn't take this photo. NASA did. They have better cameras than me.

Phil CollaOctober 24, 2007

California San Diego Surf

Santa Anas — Good News, Bad News

Santa Anas whipped up strong yesterday, sending offshores out to meet the clean swells coming ashore. Every wave had a rainbow trailing it. Just as each wave was poised to break, the wind would rip the lip off with impressive sound, sending spray aloft only to fall back around me…

Phil CollaOctober 22, 2007

Surf

Cardiff Surf, Oct 21

Today things lined up in North County for some great surf. I got out shortly after the sun hit the water this morning in Cardiff. The sun was bright, the swell we've had for a few days was peaking, and we got the offshore winds that had the TV weatherman…

Phil CollaOctober 21, 2007