
Naturalist notes
Have you felt the joyful warmth of the high desert sun in early summer at Mono Lake? Imagine sitting by the lakeshore on a calm clear morning as the sun rises. You can hear California Gulls calling overhead, a Sage…
Have you felt the joyful warmth of the high desert sun in early summer at Mono Lake? Imagine sitting by the lakeshore on a calm clear morning as the sun rises. You can hear California Gulls calling overhead, a Sage…
Winter in the Mono Basin has more dark hours than light, chillingly cold air, and a silence so profound it feels physical. It is either a time of rest, of moving slowly, of torpor to reduce the toll simply existing…
The fall colors keep getting better and better! The Tioga Pass area and Conway Summit are at their peak color now—visit in the next few days to enjoy these spectacular spots. Lundy Canyon is looking beautiful, with green leaves closer…
Relationships can be complicated. Sometimes, you fall for someone who is simply not into you. Sometimes it’s the other way around. We’ve all been there, and know that these complicated relationships are often formative and have enduring impacts. Before interning for the Mono Lake Committee, I presumed…
As nighttime temperatures have begun to drop into the mid-30s at the higher elevations of the Mono Basin, we’re seeing some fall colors start to show up. Aspen groves near the top of Tioga Pass have some yellow leaves, but…
Wind, waves, and foam Have you ever visited Mono Lake on a windy evening and witnessed waves breaking on the shore? In early August, I took a walk at South Tufa during a particularly windy evening and felt almost transported…
Guess what? It’s not the first time I’ve had a grebe in my bathtub, either! It is the time of year when Eared Grebes are migrating north to breeding grounds along the Pacific Flyway, as far north as Canada. Sometimes…
Registration for the Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua is now open! This year, there’s a spot for everyone, so feel free to sleep in and register at your leisure. When registration opens, simply visit the Chautauqua website and click the “Register” button that will appear on…
Today’s Mono Lake Moment is a quiet, blissful, yet cold meditation by the lake. The green hue in the lake is its winter coat of algae, and the frozen areas directly in front of the camera are freshwater spring puddles—the…
Today’s Mono Lake Moment is a peaceful visit to the shore of Mono Lake, with a few close-ups of tufa and the snowy Sierra in the background. The snow has melted off the road to South Tufa and it is…