2008 Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua Program

2008 Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua

Friday, June 20
Saturday, June 21
Sunday, June 22

Special Events
Other things to do during Chautauqua Week

a note about programs, limits, kids, etc.

Friday, June 20

Seventh Annual Gala Dinner and Gathering
Chef Linda Dore

Join us early Friday evening at the Lee Vining Community Center as we begin our seventh annual Mono Basin Bird Chautauqua! Meet old friends, chat with leaders and presenters, socialize, eat, make merry, and kick off the Chautauqua properly. Dinner will once again be prepared by one of Lee Vining’s finest chefs, Linda Dore.

salad: mixed greens or spinach
entrée: soy-ginger marinated, grilled, sliced, top sirloin; or cumin-scented chicken with black bean salsa; or sweet potato and Fontina cheese lasagna
side: fresh vegetable medley in season, roasted new potatoes
dessert: cheesecake bars with raspberry drizzle; double chocolate brownies; applesauce cookies
coffee, iced tea, or lemonade

$20.00 per person
Friday 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Lee Vining Community Center

Who Gives A Hoot (Workshop)
Burleigh Lockwood

Join Burleigh Lockwood and learn which owl says what. There will be a discussion on raptors in general and then Burleigh will compare owls with hawks. Many “biofacts” will be shared along with mounted specimens for a real hands-on experience. She’ll also teach us how to hoot! This has consistently been one of the Chautauqua’s most popular events. kids of all ages

Friday 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Scenic Area Visitor Center conference room

Twilight Birding (Field Trip)
Ted Beedy

Join Ted Beedy for an early evening adventure of birding into the dusk. We will ply some active birding spots in the Mono Basin for early evening activity that may include nighthawks, poorwills, and winnowing snipes. We may even search for an owl or two once daylight is extinguished. We will use our ears as well as our eyes in this nearby bird outing.

Friday 7:00 pm – 9:30 pm
Lee Vining Community Center

Thinking Outside of the Lake:
Effects of Fish Introductions on Sierra Nevada Ecosystems (Evening Presentation)
Roland Knapp

Nonnative trout introduced into naturally fishless lakes in the Sierra Nevada cause dramatic changes to these ecosystems. The potential for these within-lake changes to impact adjacent terrestrial ecosystems have been largely ignored. Recent research indicates that aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems in the Sierra Nevada are in fact tightly linked, and that fish introductions have strong effects on terrestrial predators, including birds.

Friday 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Scenic Area Visitor Center auditorium

Natural History of North American Red Crossbills:
Diversity, Reproductive Biology, Habitat Preferences,
Biogeography and Field Identification of an Irruptive Nomad (Evening Presentation)
Tom Hahn

North American red crossbills have long fascinated researchers for a variety of reasons, including the curious bill structure that gives them their name, their nomadic and irruptive migratory behavior, their bizarre reproductive schedules that include breeding on both the shortest and longest days of the year, and their extreme variation in body and bill size. In this presentation we’ll discuss the biology of these enigmatic birds in light of the recent deluge of information about their ecology, evolution, behavior and physiology. We’ll focus especially on their relationship to the different conifer species on which they depend for food, and on how they use environmental information (day length, food supply, behavioral interactions) to regulate their annual schedule of breeding, migration and plumage molt. We’ll also discuss the crossbill vocal repertoire and its utility for field identification.

Friday 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Mono Lake Committee slide show room

Saturday, June 21

Cottonwoods to Bristlecones (Field Trip)
Rich Stallcup

After an early departure, an 80 minute drive will get us to the lowlands of Westgard Pass near the north end of Big Pine on Highway 395. We will bird the remnant riparian habitat of the Owen’s River Floodplain, Tollhouse Spring, Pinyon-Juniper Woodland and have lunch at the Schulman Grove of Bristlecone Pines. In the afternoon we will explore elsewhere in the southern White Mountains, always watching for birds and other life forms.

Saturday 6:00 am – 5:00 pm
Lee Vining Community Center

Yosemite is for the Birds (Field Trip)
Erik Westerlund

Join Yosemite Park Ranger/Naturalist Erik Westerlund in an exploratory hike of the alpine environment of the Tioga Pass area. Expect a short (1-2 mile), but moderately-strenuous hike up to Gaylor Lakes where we will look for various finches, American Pipits, White-crowned Sparrows, Prairie Falcons, Golden Eagles, and other high elevation specialists amidst the rugged cliffs, glacial cirques, and spectacular rock gardens. Note: This is a high-elevation hike at approximately 10,000 feet and above. kids of all ages

Saturday 6:30 am – 12:00 noon
Lee Vining Community Center

Delta Hop: Jewels of Mono’s Shores (Field Trip)
Justin Hite

Mono’s shores hold far more treasures than the unworldly tufa groves, and on this trip we will visit two of the biological jewels that dot its shore: the deltas of Mono’s life-giving tributaries where high mountain streams end their brief bubbling courses in the salty waters of Mono Lake. We will start at Rush Creek, the largest of the deltas. This is an excellent spot for Yellow Warblers and other riparian songbirds, and the sagebrush on either side may reveal Sage Sparrows, Sage Thrashers, and Green-tailed Towhees. The delta itself is dominated by gulls, terns, shorebirds, and waterfowl in all states of preening; bathing, hydrating, and loafing, and all manner of rare waterbirds are possible mixed in with the regulars. We will then venture to Mill Creek and look for Wilson´s Snipe, Wilson´s Phalaropes, and flocks of Pinyon Jays commuting from the mountain ridges out into the sagebrush scrub. Be prepared for some hiking in rough, uneven terrain (but mostly flat) terrain to access the deltas. Bring sandals or shoes you don’t mind getting wet.

Saturday 6:30 am – 11:30 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Big Day and More! Southern Basin Transect (Field Trip)
David Wimpfheimer and Bob Power

The main theme of this program is to see a wide variety of birds by visiting several habitats. However, there is also a secondary focus on taking the time to appreciate plants and other aspects of the area’s rich natural history. The pace will be less frantic than other Big Day birding tours so there will be more time to focus on bird identification, by sight and sound, and behavior. The group will concentrate on the southern part of the Mono Basin; from conifer forest above the June Lake Loop to riparian woodland, to sagebrush steppe and the Highway 120 Jeffrey pine burn area near Mono Mills. We will be out all day so be sure to bring lunch, sunscreen, and plenty of water!

Saturday 7:00 am – 4:30 pm
Lee Vining Community Center

Crowley Lake: Marshes, Migrants, Mountains, and Mud (Field Trip)
Dave Shuford

Crowley Lake Reservoir, formed by the damming of the Owens River and cradled in the Long Valley caldera, offers spectacular views of the High Sierra to the west and the Glass Mountain and White Mountain ranges to the east. Besides its wetland habitats hosting a variety of breeding and migrant waterbirds, Crowley is nestled amid a mix of sagebrush, wet meadows, and small alkali lakes, with riparian and pinyon woodlands nearby. June is the peak of the breeding season, and we should see several species of nesting ducks, shorebirds, and grebes, plus perhaps some oversummering non-breeders or late or early migrants. We also will view the largest Bank Swallow colony in the eastern Sierra, Common Nighthawks harvesting the insect-rich air space over the lake, and typical sagebrush denizens, such as Sage Thrasher, Brewer's Sparrow, Sage Sparrow, and, with luck, Loggerhead Shrike and Greater Sage-Grouse. And that's not all!

Saturday 7:00 am – 1:00 pm
Lee Vining Community Center

Lundy Canyon Bird Walk (Field Trip)
Peter Metropulos

Spend a morning enjoying birds and other forms of wildlife in one of the Mono Basin's most spectacular locations—Lundy Canyon. The mixture of aspen-cottonwood-willow riparian habitat with mature conifers provides prime habitat for a variety of Eastern Sierra birds. The awesome scenery, including displays of wildflowers, picturesque historical sites, beaver lodges, butterflies, and breathtaking rocky peaks should provide additional flavor to the outing. During one or two miles of walking we will make a special effort to locate nesting birds, as well as locating birds by song. In 2007 we studied the nests of a dozen bird species and spotted an extremely rare Summer Tanager! This bird walk will be offered on both Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Saturday 7:00 am – 10:00 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Birds and Burns (Field Trip)
Paul McFarland and Chris McCreedy

For the past century a large portion of public Forest management was dedicated to the complete suppression of fire from forest ecosystems. This largely successful exclusion of the forest's renewal mechanism not only created tinderboxes of unburned fuel around the west, but also upset the forest's ecological balance. On this trip, participants will explore both recently burned and unburned patches of the world's largest Jeffrey pine forest on the southern edge of the Mono Basin. Wandering through the blackened columns left by last summer's lightening-caused June Fire, we'll discover a rarely enjoyed new world of wildflowers, resprouting shrubs and once proud pines fast becoming homes for Black-backed and Hairy Woodpeckers. This trip includes a moderate meander of approximately four miles through one of the Eastern Sierra's most under-appreciated ecosystems.

Saturday 7:30 am – 12:00 noon
Lee Vining Community Center

Lee Vining Canyon Bird Walk (Field Trip)
Sarah Stock and John Muir Laws

Lee Vining Canyon is one of the Eastern Sierra’s premier birding locations. It offers a variety of habitats and breathtaking views. Of particular interest is the habitat progression as Lee Vining Creek drains from the high alpine mountains of Yosemite and Tioga Pass down through the canyon and out into the arid, sage-scrub surrounding Mono Lake. American Dippers, Townsend’s Solitaires, Warbling Vireos, Yellow Warblers, and nuthatches are among the many species that we may see on this trip.

Saturday 7:30 am – 11:00 am
Lee Vining Community Center

June Lake Loop (And More) Bird Walk (Field Trip)
Mike Prather

Join Mike Prather on this birding tour of the scenic June Lake Loop. The route covers a variety of habitats and, therefore, we should see a variety of birds. Reservoirs such as Grant Lake may hold lingering loons or mergansers. Mountain conifers and aspen riparian are home to many species – Mountain Chickadees, Olive-sided Flycatchers, Western Tanagers, and many more. This year Mike will also explore the recent June Lake burn area near the loop which will undoubtedly yield woodpecker species.

Saturday 7:30 am – 11:30 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Birding Horse Meadow (Field Trip)
Jeff Maurer

Jeff Maurer will lead us on an exploration of Upper and Lower Horse Meadows in the area just south of Lee Vining Canyon. This area is less traveled than other canyons of the Mono Basin and the mix of meadow and forest habitats will no doubt provide a wide range of bird sightings. If the group is willing, we may journey into Gibbs Canyon.

Saturday 7:30 am – 11:30 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Aspens and Arborglyphs (Field Trip)
Nancita and Alkali Aspenknowsa

Join us for a celebration of the aspen, and Basque sheepherder culture in this eclectic Chautauqua field trip. The aspen, together with the uniquely mysterious Basque sheepherder culture have given us arborglyphs. These glyphs were carved by sheepherders whose flocks of sheep grazed aspen-ringed meadows in the Mono Basin over 100 years ago. This outing will stimulate both right and left brains as we examine the natural and cultural history of this fascinating art form. And yes, we will also look out for those birds that frequent and nest among the aspen thickets!

Saturday 8:00 am – 12:00 noon
Lee Vining Community Center

Birding and the Basics (Field Trip)
Ted Beedy

Do you consider yourself a beginner? Join Ted Beedy for a little birding excursion appropriate for beginning and intermediate birders as we explore some of the basics of bird identification. We’ll cover binoculars, books, how to find birds easily, how to improve your skills, and more. All of this will take place at Mono Lake County Park and the Tufa State Reserve boardwalk. We’ll see wrens, warblers, woodpeckers, and water birds in a rich variety of habitats. Find more birds more easily!

Saturday 8:00 am – 10:30 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Parker Lake Trail: A Botanical Walk with Birds and Vistas (Field Trip)
Cathy Rose

The trail to Parker Lake takes off from just north of the June Lake loop. After a short initial climb through mountain mahogany and bitterbrush, the trail levels out and crosses sagebrush flats and aspen groves to join Parker Creek and emerge at Parker Lake. On the way back, there are spectacular views of Mono Lake and the ranges to the east of the Sierra. The round-trip distance is four miles, reaching an elevation of 8,3l8 feet at Parker Lake. The pace will be leisurely, with pauses to savor the trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and birds that we encounter. Please bring lunch and water.

Saturday 9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Lee Vining Community Center

Introduction to Drawing Birds (Workshop)
John Muir Laws

Learn how to quickly and accurately draw birds in the field and from photo reference. In this class, we will learn the basics of bird anatomy and tricks to help quickly draw birds in the field either for field notes or the pleasure of sketching. Master the one-minute gesture sketch and learn tricks for drawing heads, wings, and feet. No previous drawing experience is necessary. Bring a sketch pad and pencil if you have them or use ours. kids of all ages

Saturday 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Lee Vining Community Center

Adventures with Mono Basin Swallows (Field Trip)
David Winkler

Although David Winkler spends most of his time studying swallows in boxes, he has also chased swallows outside of boxes all over the world. Come spend an afternoon with Wink and get to know some of the different swallows of the Mono Basin. We will try to find as many nesting species in the Basin as we can, and we will learn about how swallows build different kinds of nests and the implications of these different nest types for the social lives of the birds. We will try to do some behavioral observations on foraging birds to test some ideas about how foraging and sociality interact, and, if we have time, we may also explore how they differ in the use of feathers for their nest-linings. It'll be an afternoon full of the most elegant aerial songbirds!

Saturday 1:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Lee Vining Community Center

Birds and Bennettville (Field Trip)
Mickey Shortt

Spend the afternoon above 9,000 feet with the birds of the high Sierra and a Yosemite Park Ranger. We'll hike the moderately strenuous trail to a little-known ghost town, pause by Shell Lake and discuss all the birds along the way. We'll probably see forest birds such as Juncos, Chickadees, Nuthatches, and Yellow-rumped warblers in the lodgepole and whitebark pines. We'll also look for Williamson's sapsuckers, Clark's Nutcrackers, Hermit Thrushes, and Mountain Bluebirds.

Saturday 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Lee Vining Community Center

Feeder Café: An Afternoon of Bird Watching, Bird Feeder Safety, and Iced Tea! (Workshop)
Don Banta and Melissa Pitkin

Don Banta’s bird feeders in Lee Vining draw hundreds of winged visitors annually. You may enjoy this flurry at your home feeder too, but few people realize that sometimes feeders can be unsafe for our feathered friends. Join local bird-lover and our feeder host, Don Banta, and PRBO Conservation Science biologist and educator Melissa Pitkin for a stimulating afternoon of café beverages, feeder watching, and some tips for being the best host to birds at your feeder.

Saturday 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Lee Vining Community Center

Gone Batty: A Hands-on look into the Mystery and Magic of Chiroptera (Workshop)
Burleigh Lockwood

Going batty is not difficult for Fresno’s “Bat Lady.” Myths, misconceptions, mosquito abatement and management of bats around your house are all part of the discussion of native bats (and some exotics). Skulls, skins and skeletons help visualize the truth about these marvelous creatures. kids of all ages

Saturday 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Scenic Area Visitor Center conference room

Fields’ Guide to Ospreys (Field Trip)
Lisa Fields

We will begin with a talk about Osprey life history and what makes the Mono Lake population so unique. This will be followed by viewing active Osprey nests. If we are lucky the chicks will be large enough to offer us a glimpse. Although we won’t be doing much walking we will be in exposed areas so please bring a hat, water, and sunscreen. kids of all ages

Saturday 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm
Lee Vining Community Center

Shoreline Dynamics and the Waterbirds of Mono Lake (Presentation)
Debbie House

As the elevation of Mono Lake slowly rises towards it target level, yearly variations in lake level cause dramatic changes in shoreline habitats available for waterfowl and shorebirds. Debbie will discuss the physical dynamics of the shoreline and how this affects lake-fringing habitats used by waterbirds. She will also present monitoring data that demonstrates the response and distribution of waterbird populations to changes in shoreline features of Mono Lake.

Saturday 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Mono Lake Committee slide show room

Field Journals for All (Field Workshop)
Sarah Rabkin

Learn a few journal-keeping techniques to enhance your relationship with the world around you. We will play with a series of informal field sketching and writing exercises, exploring the journal as a tool for connecting with the Mono Basin—or any other place you love. No matter how limited your previous experience with drawing or writing, these activities can deepen your powers of expression, memory, and enjoyment. All levels of experience are welcome; newcomers to sketching and/or writing are encouraged to give this non-threatening workshop a try.

Saturday 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Lee Vining Community Center

Painting and the Natural History of the Sierra (Presentation)
John Muir Laws

Naturalist, educator and artist Jack Laws has spent the last six years creating The Laws Guide to the Sierra Nevada, a field guide to more than 1,700 species of plants and animals that is beautifully illustrated with 2,710 original watercolor paintings. This comprehensive and easy-to-use guide allows botanists to identify the insects that come to their flowers, birders to identify the tress in which the birds perch, or hikers to identify the stars overhead at night. Jack will present an illustrated lecture about the natural history of the Sierra Nevada, and the process of creating a field guide including the logistics and techniques for painting in the field, identification tips, and wonderful natural history stories. This was one of last year’s most entertaining and talked-about events.

Saturday 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Scenic Area Visitor Center auditorium

Furtive & Furry: Deciphering Signs of Mammals in the Eastern Sierra (Workshop)
Burleigh Lockwood

What can you tell from fur, feet and teeth? What “sign” will tell you what animal was there before you? Native mammals will be discussed, using skulls, fur, natural history and the signs those animals leave. Interpretation of what you see, and what you might not see, is important for understanding the animals that live in our own back yards. kids of all ages

Saturday 4:30 pm – 6:00 pm
Scenic Area Visitor Center conference room

Critter Caper Trap Setting (Field Trip)
John Harris

This is an optional field trip that does not count toward your registration fee/limit, but registration is required. We will go out trap setting in preparation for the next day’s field trip and look for signs of mammals and places to set live traps. We will investigate the lives of a number of small nocturnal animals, including Panamint kangaroo rats, Great Basin pocket mouse, and sagebrush chipmunk. W e’ll also keep our eyes and ears out for some of the east side bird specialties including Sage Sparrows, Sage Thrashers, and Juniper Titmouse, and Gray Flycatcher.

Saturday 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Lee Vining Community Center

An Ecological Scorecard for the Mono Basin (Evening Presentation)
David Winkler and MLC Staff

“How is Mono Lake doing?” Mono Lake Committee staff is asked this question almost every day, and the answers range from a simple explanation of lake level to a complex discussion about ecological function. The Mono Lake Committee and the Mono Basin Science Council, a group of independent scientific advisors, have worked together to develop an “ecological scorecard” using representative ecological indicators of ecosystem health to better answer this question using available scientific data. The Scorecard analysis was limited to indicators addressed by the State Water Resources Control Board orders issued in 1994, which include lake volume, aquatic productivity, lake bird and waterfowl populations, air quality, and tributary stream habitat, flows, and fish populations. Join us for the unveiling of the Scorecard, and find out what the latest science has to say about the health of the Mono Lake ecosystem.

Saturday 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Mono Lake Committee slide show room

Movement Patters and Population Dynamics of
Greater Sage-Grouse in Mono County, California (Evening Presentation)
Lief Weichman

Greater Sage-Grouse populations in California occupy the western periphery of their range. Populations on the fringe of their range have distributions that are becoming increasingly separated from core regions of the range, e.g., Mono Lake; eastern Washington; southern Utah. Research has shown that the sage-grouse along the California-Nevada border in Mono County appear to be genetically and geographically isolated from the rest of the range. This, along with the potential geographic isolation between breeding populations in Mono County, has called for a better understanding of sage-grouse in the region. This study is investigating the annual cycle (survival, productivity) and population dynamics of the Mono County sage-grouse. Several breeding populations of sage-grouse exist in Mono County and this study will attempt to determine movement patterns of the breeding populations between seasonal ranges and potential corridors between subpopulations. While most habitat requirements of sage-grouse have been described characteristics of sites selected by hens with broods for nocturnal roosts have been largely overlooked. This study investigates nocturnal roost site selection of broods, as they move from nesting habitat to late brood-rearing habitat.

Saturday 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Scenic Area Visitor Center auditorium

Campfire and Star Program:
The Mono Lake Story as told by Old Man Coyote who has seen it all!
& Stars over Mono Lake
Lisa Murphy and Margaret Eissler

In the days before Internet, TV, and radio, there were more Chautauquas, campfires, and storytelling. We bring them all together under the splendor of a dark Mono Basin sky where stories and stars come alive. Join Yosemite National Park Service rangers Lisa Murphy and Margaret Eissler for an evening of Chautauqua tales and astronomical wonder. kids of all ages

Saturday 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm
South Tufa

Night Moves: Nature After Dark (Field Trip)
Burleigh Lockwood

Take a walk through the trees as the last light of the day gives way to night. Under the guidance of our master hooter, we’ll weave our way through the cottonwoods listening to the night’s sounds, and maybe we’ll encounter an owl or two. Bring a flashlight and dress warmly. Not recommended for very small children.

Saturday 8:15 pm – 9:30 pm
Scenic Area Visitor Center conference room

Sunday, June 22

Playing It By Ear: The Acoustic Lives of Birds (OPTIONAL Field Trip)
Tom Hahn

Are you an early, early riser? This brief, one-hour field trip will focus on listening to birds. Many kinds of birds live as much in an auditory world as they do in a visual one. Meet in front of the Lee Vining Community Center for an optional early hour-long walk listening to the dawn chorus. This is a free, optional, prelude to the 6:00 am Playing it By Ear field trip, no registration necessary.

Sunday 5:00 am – 6:00 am (before 6am field trip)
Lee Vining Community Center

Playing It By Ear: The Acoustic Lives of Birds (Field Trip)
Tom Hahn

This field trip will focus on listening to birds while we watch them. Many kinds of birds live as much in an auditory world as they do in a visual one. The repertoires of songs, calls, and other acoustic signals contain a wealth of fascinating information that is readily available to us every time we go out to observe birds. Identifying the bird by its song is of course useful, but this is only one aspect of “observing by ear.” Listening carefully to birds’ calls further enhances our field identification skills and opens up a whole different window into the lives of birds. On this trip we will take advantage of the fact that June in the Eastern Sierra is at the seasonal peak of reproductive singing behavior, but also pay close attention to listening to and learning from the array of calls the birds will also be producing.

Sunday 6:00 am – 12:00 noon
Lee Vining Community Center

Sagebrush and Tufa: Black Point to the Shoals (Field Trip)
Justin Hite

We will start the morning prowling the sagebrush-covered slopes of Black Point, a volcano along the north shore that formed underneath Ice Age Mono Lake’s waters, in search of Sage Sparrow, Brewer’s Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow and other great sagebrush birds. We’ll stop by the fissures, deep cracks at the top of Black Pt, that host nesting Say’s Phoebes and Great Horned Owl. Afterwards we’ll wander down to one of the little-visited yet very spectacular stretches of Mono’s shores: the Tufa Shoals. In terms of shear numbers of waterbirds, this is one of the most productive stretches of shoreline. We’ll see avocets, phalaropes, peeps, dabblers, and perhaps even Snowy Plovers scurrying around on the shore of Gaines Island. Time permitting we´ll make a detour on the way back through a grove of Utah Juniper that stretches down out of the Bodie Hills toward the north shore, where we´ll have a fair chance of bumping into Juniper Titmouse and Gray Flycatcher. This field trip will involve some moderately strenuous hiking.

Sunday 6:30 am – 10:30 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Rush Creek Romp (Field Trip)
Chris McCreedy

We will begin in big sagebrush scrub habitat, then move to the Rush Creek Narrows, a scenic cataract pinching the Rush Creek floodplain. Sagebrush birds include Green-tailed Towhee, Sage Thrasher, Sage Sparrow, and Gray Flycatcher. The Rush Creek Narrows signifies the confluence of Walker Creek and Rush Creek, and it marks a boundary between trembling aspen riparian of higher elevations, and mixed willow-cottonwood riparian of lower elevations. Riparian birds include Dusky Flycatcher, Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Warbling Vireo, Black-headed Grosbeak, MacGillivray’s Warbler, and often, singing Willow Flycatchers. You will learn to identify Dusky, Gray, and if present, Willow Flycatchers. In addition, the Narrows meadow is a frequent location for vagrant sightings. Time permitting, we will then journey to the Rush Creek Delta, a prime shorebird haunt on Mono Lake.

Sunday 6:30 am – 11:30 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Jordan Creek Bird Walk (Field Trip)
Jeff Maurer

Jordan Creek graces the slope of the southern lateral moraine of Virginia Creek, feeding the Mono Basin from the northwest. This “island” of aspen riparian habitat in a sea of Great Basin scrub supports riparian species such as Bullock’s Oriole, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Yellow Warbler, and Lazuli Bunting, as well as dryland species such as Black-throated Sparrow, Rock Wren, and Fox Sparrow. In the upper elevations of Jordan Creek representatives from the Sierra montane forest such as Cassin’s Finch, Western Tanager, Mountain White-crowned Sparrow, Mountain Bluebird, and Blue Grouse can be found. PRBO Conservation Science has documented Jordan Basin as supporting one of the highest diversity of birds in the Eastern Sierra. This hike will mostly be off-trail with moderate to strenuous hiking and hikers are bound to see a number of species that aren’t found in the lower elevations of the Mono Basin.

Sunday 7:00 am – 12:00 pm
Lee Vining Community Center

Birding South Tufa and the Jeffrey Pine Forest (Field Trip)
Kristie Nelson and Rich Stallcup

In a small area around the southwest shore of Mono Lake we’ll find birds that nest in sagebrush scrub and in dry, mature coniferous forest. These may include Lewis’ Woodpecker, Gray Flycatcher, Violet-green Swallow, Pinyon Jay, Clark’s Nutcracker, Rock Wren, Sage Thrasher, Western Tanager, Green-tailed Towhee and Brewer’s and Sage Sparrows. We’ll also identify and talk about shoreline waterbirds.

Sunday 7:00 am – 11:30 am
Lee Vining Community Center

DeChambeau Ranch and Bridgeport Reservoir (Field Trip)
Debbie House

On this field trip we will first visit the historic DeChambeau Ranch on the north side of Mono Lake. The ranch served numerous mining communities around Mono Lake from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. Here we will search through the ranch trees for vagrants and surely enjoy the resident breeding birds in the surrounding sagebrush. We will also visit the nearby restoration ponds where we will be serenaded by Yellow-headed Blackbirds while we scan the ponds for breeding waterfowl, and scour the willow thickets for passerines. The group will then head up to Bridgeport Reservoir where we should encounter a nice variety of nesting water birds and look for late spring or early fall migrant species

Sunday 7:00 am – 11:00 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Birding Burger’s Retreat (Field Trip)
Dave Shuford

We’ll drive up and over a steep moraine out of Lee Vining Canyon on our way to a privately owned secluded nature reserve only a short distance from the masses of visitors passing through Yosemite. We’ll stroll through a rich variety of habitats including sagebrush, meadow, willow thickets, aspen groves, conifers and even outcroppings of rocks. Green-tailed Towhees, woodpeckers, warblers, flycatchers and many others may make an appearance.

Sunday 7:00 am – 10:30 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Mono Dunes Critter Caper (Field Trip)
John Harris

Join John for a morning of checking live-traps and track plots to discover Mono’s desert mammal fauna. We will be trapping in the dunes on the northeast side of the lake; an environment that also supports Utah Juniper woodlands. We should see a number of the nocturnal small mammals that characterize the Great Basin, including the Dark kangaroo mouse, Ord’s and Panamint kangaroo rats, Great Basin pocket mouse, and sagebrush chipmunk. We’ll also keep our eyes and ears open for some of the east-side bird specialties of the area including Sage Sparrow, Sage Thrasher, Juniper Titmouse and Gray Flycatcher. kids of all ages

Sunday 7:00 am – 11:00 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Lundy Canyon Bird Walk (Field Trip)
Peter Metropulos

Spend a morning enjoying birds and other forms of wildlife in one of the Mono Basin's most spectacular locations—Lundy Canyon. The mixture of aspen-cottonwood-willow riparian habitat with mature conifers provides prime habitat for a variety of Eastern Sierra birds. The awesome scenery, including displays of wildflowers, picturesque historical sites, beaver lodges, butterflies, and breathtaking rocky peaks should provide additional flavor to the outing. During our one or two miles of walking we will make a special effort to locate nesting birds, as well as locating birds by song. In 2007 we studied the nests of a dozen bird species and spotted an extremely rare Summer Tanager! This bird walk will be offered on both Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Sunday 7:00 am – 10:00 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Field Sketching Birds (Workshop)
John Muir Laws

How can field sketching help us become more observant birders? Jack Laws will lead us on a bird walk while also demonstrating how scientific illustration and quick field sketches can help develop the eye’s ability to see nature. Jack will also give us tips for quickly catching the shape and color of birds in the wild. The goal is not to create a pretty picture, but to help make us more observant while documenting our birding experiences. No previous drawing experience is necessary. Bring a sketch pad and pencil if you have them or use ours. kids of all ages

Sunday 7:30 am – 10:30 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Exploring Rattlesnake Gulch (Field Trip)
David Wimpfheimer and Bob Power

This unique area, the oldest known gold mining site in the Eastern Sierra, is a quiet, dramatic place unlike any other location in the Mono Basin. A riparian habitat of willow and aspen holds typical breeding species. Adjacent sage and bitterbrush habitat offer a different group of birds. Rocky expanses and unlimited vistas provide good raptor watching. This is a fun and scenic area with lots of great boulders and old cabins that will not only interest birders, but photographers as well.

Sunday 7:30 am – 11:00 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Lee Vining Canyon Bird Walk (Field Trip)
Sarah Stock

Lee Vining Canyon is one of the Eastern Sierra’s premier birding locations. It offers a variety of habitats and breathtaking views. Of particular interest is the habitat progression as Lee Vining Creek drains from the high alpine mountains of Yosemite and Tioga Pass down through the canyon and out into the arid, sage-scrub surrounding Mono Lake. American Dippers, Townsend’s Solitaires, Warbling Vireos, Yellow Warblers, and nuthatches are among the many species that we may see on this trip.

Sunday 7:30 am – 11:00 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Exploring the Mono Basin: Land of Fire and Ice (Field Trip)
Greg Stock

Join Yosemite Park Geologist Greg Stock for a combination driving/hiking tour of the stunning geology of the Mono Basin. From volcanic craters to glacial moraines, massive mountains to tufa towers, the Eastern Sierra holds some of the most spectacular and accessible geology anywhere in the world. This field trip will present, in understandable fashion, the geologic stories behind such scenic wonders as Mono Lake, the Mono Craters, Lee Vining Canyon, and Tioga Pass. If you've ever wanted to know more about what formed the diverse landscapes of the Mono Basin, this trip is for you.

Sunday 8:00 am – 12:00 noon
Lee Vining Community Center

Wildflower Walk (Field Trip)
Ann Howald

Join Ann Howald as she leads us on a walk through the flower and plant communities of the Mono Basin. We’ll learn to recognize the common trees, shrubs, and wildflowers of a few of the habitats found here in the Mono Basin. Ann will explain how plants and flowers connect to their environment and how they develop special adaptations to permit them to survive under periodically harsh conditions. Along the way we’ll see resident birds, insects, and other wildlife.

Sunday 8:30 am – 12:00 noon
Lee Vining Community Center

Explorations with the Home Lives of Swallows (Field Trip)
David Winkler

Tree and Violet-green Swallows are members of a genus of swallows spread throughout the Americas that shares one very important feature: they nest in holes that they do not excavate themselves. Thus, they are dependent on accidents of nature or the actions of other species to create their nesting homes. Over the past century, these swallows have grown increasingly dependent on nest-boxes put up by humans for places to nest. Come with Wink a short distance into Lee Vining Canyon to explore the breeding biology of these hardy aerial hunters at a nest-box population that has been building over the past several years. We will see nests, eggs, and chicks, take a shot at catching some adults, and explore the relations between these two species and their joint fondness for the feathers of other species to line their nests. The meadow may be wet, so come along prepared to get your feet wet if necessary, and be sure to wear a hat and sunscreen and dress for chilly morning temperatures.

Sunday 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Getting To Know You: Field Notes for Natural History Learning (Workshop)
Sarah Rabkin

Hiking without a field guide? Is your botany or zoology background rusty or slim? No worries. If you pay attention, the bug or the plant, the pond or the bird can teach you a great deal. We will practice the time-honored art of learning about natural phenomena by making informal field notes and sketches. Discoveries made this way are not easily forgotten, and they complement the knowledge found in books and classes. No experience is necessary; all are welcome.

Sunday 9:00 am – 11:00 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Sunday 9:30 am – 11:30 am
Lee Vining Community Center

Picnic and Music at Mono Lake County Park (and the bird calling contest!)

Join us Sunday afternoon for a picnic in the park complete with live music by Rita Hosking. This is a perfect way to kick-off your summer by enjoying lunch, relaxing in the green shady glow of County Park, and immersing yourself in music. Rita Hosking’s bluegrass-tinged, soulful songs convey mountain life in the West with a voice that evokes the power of people and place. “Rita Hosking is an up-and-coming songbird with a style of her own, combining the best of Gillian Welch, Hazel Dickens and Iris DeMent with a delivery that calls for an encore every time." —Dennis Brunnenmeyer, host of KVMR’s “Nevada City Limits.” kids of all ages

Feel free to bring your own lunch or consider purchasing a “Climate Burger” (grilled veggie burger) garnished with locally grown produce. Other sustainable sides and drinks are available. This is a great way to end the Chautauqua! We’ll even continue our traditional bird calling contest. So come enjoy good food, live music, and conversation with new and old friends as we recap the weekend’s bird sightings or steal away down the boardwalk for a last-minute glimpse at the birds before ending our birding weekend. Please consider carpooling from Lee Vining due to limited parking.

Sunday beginning at 12:00 noon
Mono Lake County Park

Special Events

Helping the Habitat - Lee Vining Creek Clean Up (Volunteer Project)
Coordinated by Friends of the Inyo

Imagine flying 3,000 miles north dead-set on nesting on Lee Vining Creek only to smack right into a fishing line left in your favorite summer willow. For those arriving a bit early to this year's Chautauqua, Friends of the Inyo will host our 2nd annual Bird Habitat Clean up. This year, help lend a hand to help clean up along the banks of Lee Vining Creek. Drop by the diversion dam just up Lee Vining Canyon for a trash bag and gloves anytime from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Friday the 20th, and celebrate the summer solstice in style by giving back a few hours to help the habitat for our feathered friends. Follow the signs up Highway 120 west toward Tioga Pass to join in. This event does not count toward your registration, and is a great pre-Chautauqua karma mixer.

Friday 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Lee Vining Diversion Dam

For directions and more information, drop by the Mono Lake Committee
Information Center & Bookstore or call Friends of the Inyo at 760-873-6500.

From the Alaskan Tundra to Mono Lake (Film Presentation)
Larry Arbanas

Where do Mono’s fall migrants come from and what do they look like before they get here? Find out during this 30-minute short film by Larry Arbanas. Larry has beautifully captured aerial displays, vocalizations, and the avian drama of the Alaskan tundra. Music and breathtaking footage will bring the poetry of the breeding season to the Mono Basin this summer solstice weekend. This film screening is free and does not count toward your Chautauqua registration limit. No registration is required. kids of all ages

Saturday 6:30 pm – 7:15 pm
Scenic Area Visitor Center auditorium

Other things to do during Chautauqua Week!

Birding at Mono Lake County Park & Tufa State Reserve Boardwalk
Wrens, warblers, woodpeckers and water birds can be seen in this rich variety of habitats. We’ll make our way from the sagebrush through the old cottonwoods, around the willow thickets, and down the boardwalk to the shoreline of Mono Lake. Led by a Mono Lake Committee naturalist. kids of all ages

Friday 8:00 am – 10:00 am No registration required
Sunday 8:00 am – 10:00 am No registration required
Meet in the parking lot at Mono Lake County Park.

Strange Waters: South Tufa Walk
Discover the unique waters and wildlife of Mono Lake at the South Tufa Area off Highway 120 east. It is an easy, 1 mile, 1 1/2 hour walk with a naturalist among the spectacular tufa towers on the lakeshore. Bring water, a hat, sunscreen, and binoculars. Entrance fee is $3.00 per person for a one-week pass. Visitors ages 18 and under are admitted free.

Saturday 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm No registration required
Sunday 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm No registration required
Meet at the South Tufa site. From Lee Vining, drive approximately 6 miles south on Hwy 395. Turn left on Hwy 120 East and travel another 5 miles to the South Tufa / Navy Beach turn-off. Turn left following the signs to the left toward the South Tufa parking lot. kids of all ages

Mono Lake Committee Information Center and Bookstore
The Mono Lake Committee Information Center and Bookstore offers a free video presentation, educational exhibits, and a photography exhibit. You’ll also find an excellent selection of regional books, maps, T-shirts, posters, local crafts, and specialty gifts. The Committee also houses the Lee Vining Chamber of Commerce with information on lodging, dining, and recreation opportunities as well as weather and road conditions. The Mono Lake Committee will be open from 9 am–10 pm daily during the Chautauqua and call (760) 647-6595 for more information. kids of all ages

Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area Visitor Center
The Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area Visitor Center features an excellent view of Mono Lake, interpretive displays, a bookstore, and natural history trails. Make sure to check it all out during the Chautauqua! The dramatic Mono Lake film Of Ice and Fire will be shown in the theatre when possible. The Visitor Center will be open 9 am–9:30 pm on Friday and Saturday with the exhibit hall closing at 6:00 pm for the Chautauqua. Regular Visitor Center hours for May and June are 9 am–5:00 pm daily, and call (760) 647-3044 for more information. kids of all ages

Mono Basin Historical Society Museum
The Mono Basin Historical Society Museum, located in Lee Vining at Gus Hess Park, houses a fascinating collection of materials and photographs from the Mono Basin’s past. See Native American artifacts, gold mining implements, and even the legendary upside-down house! The museum will be open from 9 am–5 pm daily during the Chautauqua, and is closed Wednesdays. Call (760) 647-6461 for more information.

a note about programs, limits, kids, etc.

Presentations range between 25 and 100 people depending on the venue. Workshop attendance can vary between 15-25 people. Field trips are typically limited to fifteen registered participants, but there are some trips that allow more. We reserve the right to adjust trip size in order to not split up couples, or to allow volunteers and trip leaders a chance to attend trips. We consult with field trip leaders, and we are strict about reigisrtaion limits.

Special events, the dinner, and the picnic do not count toward your Chautauqua registration limit, but you may still have to register for them. Check the program information carefully. Special events are not listed on the .pdf schedule, and you don't have to register for them, so make a separate note of them if you're interested.

Many programs are great for kids because of the dynamic subject, location, or leader. When we say kids, we mean kids of all ages, so you will find a lot of adults in these programs as well. Kid-appropriate programs are noted with "kids of all ages" in blue text.

For more information about Chautauqua etiquette, transportation, what to bring, etc, see Chautauqua Skinny.