In early September I had the privilege of joining PRBO Conservation Science researcher Kristie Nelson and small group of volunteers in an excursion to Mono Lake’s islets for the annual California Gull mortality count (otherwise known as the “Mort Count”).

On the boat out to the Mort Count sites at Mono Lake. Photo by Max Henkels.

This was the third and final trip that the gull researchers made to the islands this summer. In July, Birding Intern Erica Tucker helped out with chick-banding in a trip she chronicled last month on the Mono-logue. My experience on the islands was much different from hers (more…)

After a 36-week flight, the NASA rover Curiosity made a safe landing on Mars in early August, marking the start of the most comprehensive and sophisticated Mars mission to date. What, you might ask, does Curiosity’s mission have to do with Mono Lake?

A prototype Mars rover at Mono Lake in October 2010. Photo by Bartshe Miller.

From the study of extremophiles to the testing of new equipment, NASA has been involved with research in the Mono Basin (more…)