Deepen your knowledge and understanding of the Mono Basin on a seminar.
Learn more on a field seminar
Through a combination of field excursions and classroom presentations, field seminars emphasize a spirit of learning and camaraderie in a magnificent outdoor setting at a reasonable cost. Instructors are experts in their fields and include scientists, naturalists, and acclaimed photographers, writers, historians, and artists.
2022 Field Seminar registration
Registration opened for Mono Lake Committee members on Thursday, February 17, 2022 at 9:00am. Non-members could register starting on March 1, 2022 or join as a member to register on February 17. If you have any questions, please send us an email or call (760) 647-6595.
Bird Anatomy & Physiology
January 30, 2022 @ 6:00–8:00pm
Instructor: Nora Livingston
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Bird Feathers & Flight
February 13, 2022 @ 6:00–8:00pm
Instructor: Nora Livingston
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Bird Food & Foraging
February 27, 2022 @ 6:00–8:00pm
Instructor: Nora Livingston
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Bird Mating, Social, & Vocal Behavior
March 13, 2022 @ 6:00–8:00pm
Instructor: Nora Livingston
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Bird Breeding Biology
March 27, 2022 @ 6:00–8:00pm
Instructor: Nora Livingston
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Bird Migration & Dispersal
April 10, 2022 @ 6:00–8:00pm
Instructor: Nora Livingston
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2022 Field Seminars by date
Click the seminar titles below for additional information, including full itineraries:
May–June 2022 Field Seminars
July 2022 Field Seminars
August 2022 Field Seminars
September–October 2022 Field Seminars
2022 Field Seminars by topic
Click the seminar titles below for additional information, including full itineraries:
2022 Art Field Seminars
2022 Photography Field Seminars
2022 Birding Field Seminars
2022 Botany Field Seminars
2022 Geology Field Seminars
2022 Natural History Field Seminars
2022 Water Policy Field Seminars
Covid-19 requirements for 2022
All participants and instructors must be fully vaccinated and boosted. Proof of vaccination and booster will be required after you register for a seminar. If we do not receive your proof of vaccination and booster at least one month before your seminar takes place, your registration will be canceled.
Please minimize your exposure to Covid in the time leading up to your seminar. We recommend obtaining a negative PCR test result within 72 hours prior to your seminar starting.* If your PCR test comes back positive for Covid, you must cancel your registration and stay home. If you begin to feel sick in the days leading up to your seminar, you must cancel your registration and stay home. You will receive a full refund in either case.
*Depending on the regional Covid situation we may need to require a negative PCR test result within 72 hours prior to your seminar starting.
During the seminars masks will be required indoors and in carpools/Mono Lake Committee van in accordance with Mono County requirements (N95 or KN95 masks offer the best protection). If Mono County has lifted the mask requirement, masks will not be required indoors and in vehicles during the seminars. (You may wear a mask at any time if you wish to.)
If you begin to feel ill with Covid symptoms at any time during the seminar, you must immediately notify the instructor or staff member accompanying the group and leave the seminar.
Please keep in mind that conditions may change at any time and we may have to change our procedures in order to provide the opportunity for everyone involved with the Field Seminars to safely participate. Depending on the Covid situation in the weeks leading up to your seminar, we may have to plan to hold the seminar completely outdoors. Mask requirements may change. There’s a chance we may have to cancel seminars altogether. We will communicate with you about any of these changes, and you can always get in touch with us if you have questions or need more clarification about specific circumstances, by email or by calling (760) 647-6595.
Cancellation policy
Virtual seminars: Refunds are not available for virtual seminars, except on a case-by-case basis if there were technical problems during the seminar.
In-person seminars: If you cancel three weeks prior to the seminar start date, we will refund your payment (less a $15 processing fee per person per seminar). If you cancel within three weeks of the seminar start date, we will refund 50% of your payment. If you cancel within one week of the seminar start date, no refunds will be issued.
If a seminar receives less than six participants the seminar will be canceled two weeks in advance, and full refunds will be issued.
Frequently asked questions
How do I pay for a field seminar?
You need a Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express credit card to pay for your seminar, whether you are signing up online or over the phone. We do not accept personal checks.
Can I attend only a portion of a field seminar?
You may, as long as you attend the very first meeting of the seminar. For example, if your seminar begins on Friday evening at 6:00pm, you must attend that portion. There are no discounts for attending only a portion of any field seminar.
Is lodging included?
No, seminar participants must arrange their own lodging. We advise that you make your lodging reservations as soon as you sign up for any seminar(s). The town of Lee Vining has several motels, as does the town of June Lake, approximately 15 miles south of Lee Vining. Campsites may also available in nearby campgrounds or at the Mono Vista RV Park in Lee Vining. Dispersed camping is also an option; please make sure you camp in an area where it is allowed (sleeping in your car is not allowed in Lee Vining or at Mono Lake recreation sites).
Can I bring my children?
Children ages 12 and older are welcome to participate in field seminars, as long as a parent or guardian is also registered in the same seminar. Children under the age of 12 are not allowed in Mono Lake field seminars.
Can I bring my pet?
No pets are allowed on any Field Seminars. Please consider this in advance and find boarding accommodations for your pets or leave them at home; do not leave pets in your car during seminars. Service animals assisting people with disabilities are allowed on seminars and must be leashed.
Do I need four-wheel drive for my field seminar?
No, generally not.
Does weather affect the seminars? What about wildfire smoke?
Weather: The Mono Basin’s dramatic weather is part of what you come here to experience. There are no refunds for weather-related reasons, so please check road conditions before you leave home, and bring plenty of layers, rain gear, and warm clothes for your seminar.
Wildfire smoke: We will make every effort to avoid wildfire smoke, which may include relocating portions of seminars to less-smoky areas (be prepared for seminar itineraries to change at the last minute). If the Air Quality Index (AQI) for Lee Vining according to Purple Air is lower than 100 for PM-2.5, the seminar will proceed. If the AQI is 100 higher, the seminar instructor may decide to cancel the day’s activities if they cannot be relocated. If the AQI is 150 or higher, the day’s activities, and possibly the entire seminar, will be canceled. Anyone may leave a seminar at any time due to smoke sensitivity, regardless of the AQI. Refunds will be issued on a case-by-case basis; please contact the seminar team to discuss refunds.
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All Field Seminars operate under permits from the Inyo National Forest and California State Park system.
Top photo courtesy of Bob Yates.