Joseph Grant was a legislator and person of importance in the 1920’s. He purchased a ranch just outside of San Jose over the hill. The ranch has a pond to irrigate the property and keep the cattle well-watered. For today’s trip I decided to stay off the ranch house and grounds and go to the pond. We’re at the end of Spring here and I wanted to get out in the morning to take advantage of the shadows and coolness of the morning.

The first thing I noticed was the music among the quietness of the pond. The birds were singing and calling for mates: in a few cases they were screaming at me to leave. I counted about a dozen species during my time hunting for photos. Along the way I surprised a night heron while walking up to the reeds. He called out to me as he quickly flew away, I think it included some colorful metaphors. I also saw a Great Blue Heron, it is nearly impossible to go anywhere in California and not see one of these magnificent birds. Common loons, a few species of ducks and this little finch or similar bird walking around looking for breakfast.

The reeds along the banks of this little pond (maybe a ½ mile long) hide many critters and hearing them as a walked or stood on the shore made for pleasant morning. Rooted at the bank and near large oak trees, they provide both coolness and some shade. Of course, as the sun rises the sideways shade disappears completely.

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A walking path that connects to larger day hikes on the surrounding hills goes around about one half of the lake gave me something to do and a direction to turn. Only a couple of weeks ago the grasses on the hills were green. With summer almost here the golden part of the golden state coming is quickly coming to the surrounding hills as the grasses die and turn brown. Soon Grant Ranch will look like much of California, grassy hills peppered with tall oak trees and large birds soaring in the afternoon thermals and breezes.