California: Yosemite & Sierra Nevada
September 13-20, 2008

Outdoor lovers could make a career out of exploring the natural features and highlights of California’s Sierra Nevada. This new Naturalist Journeys excursion features a sampling of the spectacular and varied scenery and wildlife of the northeastern half of the state. Early fall is a great time to delve into the Sacramento Valley, the forests, canyons, and lakes of the Sierra Nevada, and Yosemite’s glaciated geology.

With such a wide variety of habitats, we’re sure to see an incredible array of birds. In the wetlands of the Sacramento Valley, we find ducks, geese, and other waterfowl. In the Sierra Nevada, visiting key birding sites, we search out mid-elevation species such as White-breasted Nuthatch, Lewis’ Woodpecker, and Red-shouldered Hawk. At Mono Lake, enjoy watching the spectacle of thousands of waterfowl and shorebirds feasting on bring shrimp while in nearby sagebrush we may glimpse the rare Greater Sage Grouse.

We spend two days in the mountains of Yosemite, where we hike the valley floor to catch the height of fall migration and view the famous geologic wonders. With luck we’ll find birds associated with mountain rivers -- American Dipper, Common Merganser and Bufflehead.

Mono Lake and its briny water are home to tens of thousands of waterfowl as they make their way south from the wildlife refuges we visit in the western part of Nevada. Eared Grebes, Northern Shoveler and California Gull are mixed in with thousands of shorebirds. At the refuges further north, we see great flocks of North America’s heaviest bird, the American White Pelican, along with Sandhill Cranes and the many species of raptors moving south for the winter.

Take time this fall to experience this great part of California; we plan to enjoy some great cuisine, fabulous scenery, historical sites, and charming lodgings as well as the array of wildlife that call this part of California and Nevada their home.

 

ITINERARY

Sat., Sept. 13 Arrival in Fresno / Woodward Park
Plan to arrive today in Fresno. Those arriving no later than 2 p.m., gather for our group airport transfer and an afternoon of exploring Woodward Park and Jensen River Ranch. Plan to wear your field clothes and have your binoculars handy! Walking in the park, we have plenty of opportunity to study some of the Central Valley’s avian residents, including Yellow-billed Magpie (a California endemic) and Wood Duck. With luck the weather will be balmy and delightful for birding.

We will be staying in Fresno for our arrival night. Enjoy a welcome dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in Fresno.
Accommodations in Fresno (D)

Sun., Sept. 14 Spectacular San Luis National Wildlife Refuges / Yosemite
Today we drive north through the fertile San Joaquin Valley to a complex of wildlife refuges. The extensive valley floor is flat and filled with wetlands fed by waters that drain the Coast Range to the west and the Sierra Nevada to the east. This is California’s fruit and cotton bowl and the winter habitat for 44 percent of the Pacific Flyway’s waterfowl.

After a stop at the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge headquarters and visitor center, we spend the morning scanning through flocks of waterfowl for any potential Asian vagrant. Rafts of Blue-winged and Green-winged Teal have been known to harbor Common Teal and Eurasian Wigeon flying off course from Russia.

Bald Eagles often hunt here, competing with other raptors such as Red-tailed, Ferruginous and Rough-legged Hawks for a meal. In September, the valley sky is a soft azure that highlights flocks of geese as they move in great flocks from pond to field.

After lunch, we head to Los Banos National Wildlife Refuge, where we look for egrets snatching young Muskrats (and other prey) as they swim between floating islands of tules (a large cattail-like plant). Los Banos is a great place to watch American Bitterns doing their best to imitate the wetland vegetation with necks stretched to the sky, while Green Herons and several species of rails can be seen moving along openings at the edge of the tules.

Leaving Los Banos, we head to our lodging at Yosemite, but not until we pass through the foothills of the Sierra Nevada where, given time, we may stop and bird this habitat for Spotted Towhee, Acorn Woodpecker and California Thrasher. Dinner tonight is at a restaurant of your choice in Yosemite Valley.
Accommodations Yosemite Lodge, Yosemite. (B,L,D)

Mon., Sept. 15 Yosemite Valley - Yosemite National Park
We spend the day in the landscape that so inspired John Muir, California’s Yosemite National Park. The Sierra Nevada range covers one-sixth of California; some of its finest areas are protected in the park, including the highest peak in the State, Mt. Whitney. Varied habitats at different elevations provide habitat for Yosemite’s more than 300 species of birds. We start the day exploring and birding the oak-dotted Yosemite Valley floor before heading to higher elevations where we can get different views of Half Dome, El Capitan and the eye-stretching falls that plummet to the valley floor.

Driving around and above the valley, we pass through a striking change in habitat: from maples bright with fall color to the jade green coniferous forest. White-breasted Nuthatch, both White-headed and Lewis’ Woodpeckers and Red-shouldered Hawk give way to the higher elevation species such as Red-breasted Nuthatch, Hairy Woodpecker, Townsend’s Solitaire and American Kestrel as we climb the valley. We’re likely to get excellent views of Mountain Chickadees after hearing their plaintive calls.

Yosemite Valley is the finest example of the power of glaciation in North America. Half Dome is a peak that had its northern flank scoured to a depth of over 2700 feet. Black and White-throated Swifts careen through the mist of the waterfalls, as Canyon Wren calls echo between the massive rock walls. We finish our day by trying at dusk to locate Great Gray Owls at Crane Flat, a fitting end to a day in one of America’s finest parks. Dinner is at your leisure tonight – choose an early or later seating as you wish.
Accommodations at Yosemite Lodge, Yosemite. (B,L)

Tue., Sept. 16 Tuolumne Meadows – Yosemite National Park / Lee Vining
This morning we drive out of the valley to the 8500-foot elevation meadow at Tuolumne. Our travel up through coniferous forest gives us many opportunities to stop and explore. Enjoy leisurely hikes in lush forests as we look for Pine Grosbeak, Red Crossbill and Cassin’s Finch.

As we trek the edge of Tuolumne Meadow, Yellow-bellied Marmots can be seen in areas that provide a mix of rock and soil. Up hill, talus slopes provide the perfect refugia for the Pika, a small member of the rabbit family. Small haystacks of drying vegetation and their shrill whistle will alert us to their presence.

At this elevation, we explore areas above the tree line. The opportunity to see Gray- and Black-crowned Rosy Finch increases with each step into the treeless granite. Both species are seen regularly, but finding where they are actually foraging requires some luck, and some walking. The other resident that makes itself readily seen is a loud and large corvid, the Clark’s Nutcracker.

We drop 2200 feet down the east side of the Sierra as we drive into the Mono Lake Basin and our hotel in Lee Vining. Here, we spend two nights at a small motel that affords simple comfort close to Mono Lake. Tonight we enjoy dinner at the historic Mono Inn (www.monoinn.com). There is nothing finer than duck confit, a glass of wine, and a view of the near full moon rising over Mono Lake.
Accommodations at Murphey’s Motel, Lee Vining (B,L,D)

Wed., Sept. 17 Owens River Delta / Hot Springs Canyon/Mono Lake
After breakfast, we head south along a scenic route to Lake Crowley, which sits at 5,000 feet in a high valley on the east side of the Sierra Nevada. While the lake is known for trout fishing, the Owens River delta at its north end offers an array of natural riches. We explore the delta, looking for migrant shorebirds and waterfowl. Osprey forage overhead, while flocks of sandpipers pace nervously along the shore. We hope to catch sight of Sabine’s Gull; although this is a pelagic species, a small number of individuals migrate south through the Great Basin area of the west.

From here, we travel the Hot Springs Canyon area, where we take a slow drive through sagebrush flats in hope of seeing Greater Sage Grouse, a bird so rare it has been considered for inclusion on the Federal Endangered Species List. Sage Sparrows, Mountain Bluebirds and Pronghorn Antelopes are also residents of this habitat. Golden Eagles and other migrating raptors often mix with flocks of wheeling Common Ravens.

We head to Mono Lake by a back road and bird our way down to the north shore of Mono Lake. A saline body of water with no outlet, Mono Lake is an ideal habitat for brine shrimp and brine flies. Great numbers of shorebirds and waterfowl take advantage of this food source during migration. Thousands of California Gulls nest on Negit Island in the middle of the lake. We spend the remainder of the day birding from the lakeshore, exploring tufa mounds and discovering the area’s other hidden geologic features. Dinner is at your leisure tonight and you can choose from local restaurants.
Accommodations at Murphey’s Motel, Lee Vining (B,L)

Thurs., Sept. 18 Lee Vining Community Park / Bodie
This morning we head north for a brief stop at Lee Vining Community Park. Situated on the north shore of Mono Lake, this small park is a verdant attraction for migrating passerines. The cottonwoods and willows with their freshwater streams must seem like a treat to migrants in this sea of sagebrush. The boardwalk to the lake’s edge provides us with additional opportunities to find a sandpipers or ducks.

A short drive brings us to Bodie State Historic Park, a gold mining ghost town preserved by California State Parks. During its heyday in the late 1800s, Bodie was known for incredible wealth and incredible lawlessness. The park is maintained in a state of arrested decay – i.e., the only work done on the buildings is to keep them from further deterioration. We should be able to see Black-billed Magpie and Sage Thrasher as they perch on the rooftops of the various wood buildings.

Birding our way north through Markleeville and other areas, we will finish the day at Reno, our base for the next two evenings. Dinner is at your choice of local restaurants.
Accommodations in Carson City, NV (B,L)

Fri., Sept.19 Stillwater NWR / Pyramid Lake
Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge is in the Lahontan Valley in western Nevada, an area that supports extensive wetlands. The wetlands are so important to shorebirds and waterfowl that the site has been designated as a component of the Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network and a Globally Important Bird Area.

We should see numerous Black-necked Stilts, American Avocets and possibly Tundra Swans in an area described as a “true wildlife spectacle”. Other species in the marsh that might be seen are Common Moorhen, American Bitterns and thousands of Long-billed Dowitchers. Enjoy walking and birding as we explore the various habitats.

After lunch, we head to Pyramid Lake, home to 8-10,000 nesting American White Pelicans. Although nesting season will have ended, there will still be thousands of these heavyweight fliers around the lake. Other birds that nest on Anaho Island include Great Blue and Black-crowned Night Herons, California Gulls and occasionally Caspian Terns. We will make it back to our hotel in time to ready ourselves for a goodbye dinner celebrating our trip!
Accommodations in Carson City, NV (B,L,D)

Sat., Sept. 20 Departures From Reno
Our journey ends today in Reno. We have a three-hour drive, so we plan to arrive at the airport around 10:00 for flights out at 11:30 or later.

Guide: Greg Smith (2nd guide as needed)
Pace of the Tour: Moderate, a combination of birding, short hikes and sightseeing. Hikes range from 2-3 miles, and some involve a gain in elevation.

 

Tour Cost and Travel Arrangements COST OF THE JOURNEY:  Cost of the journey is $2450.00 per person, based on double occupancy from Fresno, CA., departing Reno, NV. Single supplement (subject to availability) is $490.00. Cost includes: all accommodations; meals as stated in the itinerary (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner); group airport transfers; ground transportation; professional guide services; park, preserve, and other activity fees; and miscellaneous program expenses. Tour price does not include: roundtrip airfare to Fresno and from Reno; or items of a personal nature such as: laundry, porterage, telephone charges, or beverages from the bar. Please note that the cost of the journey is based on 8 participants; with a smaller group there may be a small group surcharge – typically $100-300.   TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS:  Please arrive at the Fresno airport by 2:00 p.m. on Sept. 13 for our drive to Woodward Park. Please plan to depart after 11:30 a.m. from Reno, NV on Sept. 20. If you wish to arrive early or stay on in the area, we can help you with hotel recommendations. Several major airlines will allow you to fly into Fresno and out of Reno, including US Air and United. Photo Credits: Mono Cabin, Mono Fall, Mono Tufa and Mono Boardwalk, Greg Smith; Coyote, Pronghorn, Snipe, Bud with Camera and Stellar's Jay, Peg Abbott; Clark's Nutcracker, Richard Becker; all other photos by Tony Beck - to see more of his images, go to: www3.sympatico.ca/beck.tony/

 

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