On a cool gray day, I thought that a scrub jay (Aphelocoma californica) in a gray pine (Pinus sabiniana) made a beautiful silhouette against the sky.

A  number of spotted towhees (Pipilo maculatus) were foraging in the smaller trees along the trail.  I caught one on a perch next to some stairs, and then drew a close-up from a photo.

All over the canyon, poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) in its fall colors glowed vividly against the green and gray of the day.

Mountain mahogany (Cercocarpus betuloides) resprouting.  I love the shape of their leaves.

Female coyotebrush (Baccharis pilularis) flowers, and a view of coyotebrush resprouting.