Firstly, I started a one-man web services consulting firm (not sure if a team of one counts as a firm), Web Exponent and am currently busy on a huge project at a local company in need of some web strategy help. I made my first bonehead move by putting the wrong phone number on my business which I swear I double checked. Doh!

Secondly, I am working on an outdoor product company with a friend. The company is called Goat Head Gear and we are hopefully about 8-10 weeks away from launching our product. There will definitely be more to come on this subject.

Lastly, I just started working on a new project with my neighbor that will also have a web sales component but we are early in figuring things out at this point.

Add to all of this, I am also helping one my longtime friends with a web software company he is starting. So somewhere in all of this I need to spend sometime with my family, exercise, and fulfill my responsibilities at church. Sadly blogging has fallen by the wayside a bit. I am hoping to start sharing more about Goat Head Gear on this blog as I think it suits the subject matter and it is really exciting.

Great horned owl

I went for a walk through the neighborhood tonight with our youngest son and our dog, Mr Beau Jangles.  We came across a great horned owl pair calling to each other from across the street.  At first we heard just one and it was right above us in the tree although it was too dark to actually see it.  A few minutes later we heard another across the way answering the call. I can still hear them now from the bedroom window.  Pretty cool.

FLY-FOCUS Trailer from Marcus Sies on Vimeo.

Lazuli bunting (via utahbirds.org)

I recently “celebrated” my 5 year anniversary of employment at my current job.  They were kind enough to let me select a gift from a little online catalog.  I ordered some binoculars which have turned out to be pretty nice.  It is hard to imagine that I enjoy watching birds and prior to this haven’t owned a decent pair of field glasses (it is bad enough that I don’t have a decent camera for close ups). Today I noticed some birds that looked slightly different in size and behavior from any birds I have seen recently at the feeder.  To my surprise they turned out to be lazuli buntings (and this from utahbirds.org) and there were about 7-8 of them both males and females. They are strikingly beautiful birds.  Hard to imagine this is my first sighting of these little flying gems. Now I just wish I had a nice camera to capture them.

Zion National Park vintage poster

A recent article in the Deseret News brought together two of my favorite things: vintage graphic art and Zion National Park. I really love seeing these old photos, especially of the one where the little kid is hanging on to the rope for dear life. I think the poster to the left is super cool and I always try, but never really succeed at making cool vintage designs.  Hard to be the actual images.  Thanks Deseret News for sharing.

Pentax W90

The critics at Photography Blog have reviewed the recently released Pentax Optio W90.  Sounds like a good camera with some unique features, good image quality (except low light), and a decent price.  Click below for the full review.

Pentax Optio W90 Review (via Photography Blog)

Canon D-10

I have been watching these cameras since last summer and I think at this point if I was to pick up, I would get the Canon Powershot D10 which is reviewed here by tech gadget blog, Engadget. We currently have a Canon for the family camera and it does a great job and is easy to use.

Big Weber River brown trout

Wildlife biologists in Utah have been busy in recent weeks conducting gill net and electroshock studies on local fisheries.  Generally the reports have been quite positive.  Here are links to some of the results:

• Weber River survey report (via Salt Lake Tribune Fishing Blog)
• Big tigers and wild browns (via Utah DWR)
• Flaming Gorge survey report – big fish (via Salt Lake Tribune Fishing Blog)

Let’s get out and get some!

Beaver dam from space (Google Maps)

From Fox News comes an article about the world’s largest beaver dam, which is visible from space.  Those beavers are committed to getting the job done and done right!  This thing is twice the size of the Hoover Dam.  I have a theory that they were aided by bigfoots.

World’s Biggest Beaver Dam Visible From Space (via Fox News)

Clint Howard

Some great tweeters to follow: @cabelas @the_fishinghole @BradleySmoker @NESASK @papasbasement (maybe the best Twitter profile I have ever read “On-air personality, writer and tragically loyal Redskins fan. Oh, and I’m handsome. Like Clint Howard circa Gentle Ben.” That is classic).

The Green River in Utah

The Green River Outfitter and Guides Association is seeking help with a survey from anglers who have fished the Green at any time in the last few years.  The survey is a fast one but can provide them with information that they will use to hopefully improve the angling experience for all those who enjoy the river.  Take a moment and fill out the survey.  Thanks.

Green River Survey

Eurasian Collared-Dove (via utahbirds.org)

I consider myself a pretty perceptive guy.  I am usually the first person to see a deer in the hills or a trout swimming but I will admit I think have been a little slow on the pick up in this case.  There are a bunch of doves that frequent my feeders and are pretty much there all day, even when I am out there.  I had always assumed that they were all mourning doves, but recently I had noticed that some of them have a black half circle on the back of their necks.  It finally occurred to me that I should look and see what was up with that.  Turns out I have new birds in my yard (for who knows how long).  They are Eurasian Collared-Doves.  Turns out they haven’t been in our country for very long.  They were introduced in the Bahamas in the mid-1970′s and have spread across the entire country.  Interestingly, they really only live in populated areas and don’t live out in the wild areas inhabited by mourning doves.  I have never been a very  big fan of introduced species (although I seem to make convenient allowances for certain non-native trout).

Eurasian Collared-Dove (via The Cornell Lab of Ornithology)

Eurasian Collared-Dove (via utahbirds.org)

A rainbow of Fish Sculls (TM)

Have you seen Fish Sculls before? These are the evolutionary next step in fly tying beads.  The Flymen Fishing Co. has created these formed and colored heads for flies that look really compelling.  They are specifically weighted to provide a keel to your streamers and the cool thing is that you don’t put them on as the first step for tying a fly, like a traditional bead.  These slip on at the end of the tie and as a result allow some interesting interaction with your materials such as hackles, rabbit strips, or long dubbing.

Scull Fracture Rainbow

Utah on the Fly contributing user RnF posted a cool tutorial for a pattern he calls the Scull Fracture.  Along with the tutorial you can find the full material listing and some other variations of the pattern.  Looks like a great fly.  I would love to fish the rainbow trout version on the Green River in the summer time after they stock the river.  I have seen several large browns eat little stock trout right off the hook when anglers were reeling them in.  Click here for the full post.  Video below: