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.

The Mono Basin’s top ten August birds

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.

This post was written by Sandra Noll, Birding Intern in 2014, 2015, & 2016.

The season of weekly bird walks is drawing to a close, so this is the final top ten list for the year.  As in previous lists, all birds were seen within a half-hour radius of the Mono Lake Committee headquarters in Lee Vining.

Juvenile Sage Thrasher perched on caterpillar greasewood..... Photo by Sandra Noll.
A juvenile Sage Thrasher perched on caterpillar greasewood, a salt-tolerant plant that thrives near Mono Lake. Photo by Sandra Noll.

Some find birding less attractive once chicks have fledged and many species that breed here begin migrating to follow food resources to southern wintering grounds. I find, however, that August birding presents interesting challenges in the identification of juvenile birds and of adult birds molting into their less-colorful plumage (eclipse plumage).  A special treat this time of year is the potential of seeing different species migrating through the area—you never know what might turn up!

1. & 2. Long-billed Curlew, and White-faced Ibis seen both at County Park and in the South Tufa area.
3. & 4. Wilson’s Phalaropes and Eared Grebes are now at Mono Lake in large numbers, where they spend about a month molting into fresh feathers and gaining weight at the lake’s buffet of brine shrimp and alkali flies in preparation for the next leg of their migration. Wilson’s Phalaropes will fly 3,000 miles non-stop to South America when they leave here!
5. Long-billed Dowitcher seen at County Park.
6. A joy to see the many healthy fledging Ospreys and California Gulls all around the lake—it has been a good summer for both species!
7. Flocks of blackbirds including fledgling Yellow-headed Blackbirds in striking orange-toned plumage; widespread—often in the South Tufa area.
8. Cedar Waxwing seen at County Park.
9. Migrating warblers and vireos—a nice variety at County Park!
10. Sage Thrasher on the shoreline.

A worn gull feather demonstrates birds' need for regular molts into strong, new feathers for flight and insulation. Photo by Sandra Noll.
A worn gull feather demonstrates birds’ need for regular molts into strong, new feathers for flight and insulation. Photo by Sandra Noll.
A Long-billed Curlew east of Navy Beach. Photo by Erv Nichols.
A Long-billed Curlew east of Navy Beach. Photo by Erv Nichols.
Fledgling Osprey with leg bands, which enable identification wherever it may go. Fledglings from Mono Lake nests only stay at the lake long enough to strengthen flight muscles, after which they are off to learn how to fish and fend for themselves. Photo by Sandra Noll.
A fledgling Osprey with leg bands, which enable the bird to be identified wherever it may go. Fledglings from Mono Lake nests only stay at the lake long enough to strengthen flight muscles, after which they are off to learn how to fish and fend for themselves. Photo by Sandra Noll.
A Wilson's Phalarope on alkali-fly-studded Mono Lake. Photo by Sandra Noll.
A Wilson’s Phalarope on alkali-fly-studded Mono Lake. Photo by Sandra Noll.
Yellow-headed Blackbirds---notice the orange-toned feathers of the juveniles. Photo by Sandra Noll.
Yellow-headed Blackbirds—notice the orange-toned feathers of the juveniles. Photo by Sandra Noll.
A Sage Thrasher hunting insects at Navy Beach. Photo by Sandra Noll.
A Sage Thrasher hunting insects at Navy Beach. Photo by Sandra Noll.

The last of the season’s regularly-scheduled bird walks at Mono Lake County Park will be this weekend: Friday, September 4 and Sunday, September 6 at 8:00am. Although our regular summer bird walks are ending, any day is a good day to go birding on your own. Enjoy!

 

One comment

  1. That was neat Sandra. I never realized such a variety of birds actually stuck around Mono Lake for so long! The pictures make it all the better …except for the fact that they make me miss being there all the more! Nice work!