Wildlife and Nature

40% Decline is Bi-State Sage Grouse

photo of Bi-state sage grouseThe January 2022 USGS Annual Data Summary draft report on the Bi-State sage-grouse population from 2008 to 2021 indicates the population declined 40% since 2008—a drop of 1,539 sage grouse. The median total number of birds is estimated at 2,282. Because there are natural variations in the population size - with more birds in good precipitation years and fewer in low precipitation years - a model was used to determine the overall trend.  Looking back 24 years, the population increased by 57.7 from 1995, but looking back 18 or 11 years, the total population has decreased by 15.7 and 9.6 percent respectively since then. The question is, will the population increase again or will it continue the current downward trend?  Read on...

Sierra Club's Wild Horse and Burro Policy Revisited

photo of wild horses on CA State Hwy Route 120E by Janet BarthI know two things about wild horses and burros. It's thrilling to see them in the wild and their presence in the wild is causing problems. Read on...

iNaturalist--A Great Tool!

image of iNaturalist appCheck out the iNaturalist app. It is a fun way to notice more about nature as you hike and to learn about what you find. Read on...

Tracks in the Snow

photo of tracks in the snowMany animals stay in the snow country in the Eastern Sierra year-round. In winter it is much easier to see their tracks and realize how many animals there are! Some tracks are easier to read than others and to figure out what animal made them. Read on...

Conglomerate Mesa wildlife

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Desert Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores)

Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) - Photo by Roy Harrington. There was an area with 15 rock wrens rock hopping/flitting around! They were in more spread out in other areas of the mesa.

Panamint Rattlesnake (Crotalus stephensi)

two very big Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)

a grasshopper, possibly a Pallid-winged Grasshopper (Trimerotropis pallidipennis).  There were thousands there! Dozens jumped out of the way with each step.

Five Checkered White Butterflies (Pontia protodice). This flowering Flaxleaf Monardella (mint family) was very popular. Other visitors were Northern White Skippers, Orange Sulphur butterflies, Acmon Blue butterflies, White Checkered Skipper, and Becker's White butterflies.

Coyote tracks in the snow show that coyotes are at Conglomerate Mesa too! 

home of a woodrat

A Cactus Chimney Bee (Complex Diadasia australis) in seventh heaven in a Beavertail Pricklypear cactus flower.

A caterpillar on an Apricot mallow plant. Species unknown.

A rather large entrance to a burrow. Whose? 

And there are animals that lived in the ancient seas here millions of years ago: brachiopods, crinoids, gastropods, sponges, corals, bryozoa, and fusulinids.

A dust bath and scat--both are evidence of rabbit.  We observed deer scat at Conglomerate Mesa as well.

Western Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana ssp. elegans)

Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) posing.

Northern White Skipper (Heliopetes ericetorum)

The brown rice-like grains are fusulinids dating back 300 million years. Fusulinids were single-celled marine organisms with calcite "tests" or hard shell. They died out in the Permian Extinction.

Seven-spotted lady beetle.

Nest of a woodrat's home along with a few side exits/entrances.