Sunrise light on a grove of tufa towers emerging from the water of Mono Lake with soft green and dusty-red wild grasses in the foreground, Canada geese in the shallow water with reflections of the rocky towers, and desert hills in the distance.

Join us on a bird walk in Lundy Canyon

This post was written by Krista Fanucchi, 2019 Birding Intern.

Lundy Canyon, with its stunning talus slope walls, waterfalls, and wildflowers, is brimming with bird life! Please join us there for a free bird walk every Saturday at 8:00am.

A House Wren removing a fecal sac from its cavity nest. Photo courtesy of Rick Spanel.

We meet in front of the Lundy Lake Resort and the walk lasts about an hour and a half to two hours. The walk begins in willow and cottonwood habitat, transitions into a mixed riparian woodland, and ends at a beaver pond, giving us a good opportunity to see a lot of species diversity along the way.

We may also take some time to scan the steep canyon walls for nesting raptors such as Peregrine Falcons or Golden Eagles. Perhaps we will be too busy enjoying the beautifully woven pendant nest of a Bullock’s Oriole, or the well camouflaged and tightly bound nest of a Western Wood-Pewee. It is also a good reminder that if and when you find a nest, you should watch quickly and carefully from a safe distance—binoculars and scopes really come in handy at this time!

A Western Wood-Pewee adding spider web material to its nest. Photo courtesy of Rick Spanel.

Each bird walk is dynamic, as there are always new and exciting things to observe and marvel at. Please bring binoculars if you have them, sun protection (sun hat, sunscreen, sunglasses), and plenty of drinking water. All experience levels are welcome! The walk is free, and reservations are recommended but not required. You may register online here, or feel free to call the Mono Lake Committee with any other questions at (760) 647-6595. We look forward to seeing you there!