Favoritos de twillrichardson

Apparently the first Mono Basin record since the late 1990's (I checked with a number of long-time locals and biologists).
There used to be a small population (<10) that summered around Mono Lake - especially northshore and Dechambeau Ranch area through the 80's/90's. I was told this herd in winter would move east and join up with the population that summered in the Bodie Hills. So the larger population wintered in Nevada which in spring would come west - splitting with some going into Bodie Hills, some coming to Mono Basin. But that small Mono Lake population apparently dried up by late 90's.
This year Pronghorn became numerous around River Springs - I'd never seen them there before (15+ years of occasionally birding there)

Took photo of gray hawk on distant branch, was surprised to see it had an ultra-thin, long snake in it's beak! Another user recommended the ID as brown vinesnake, as we were in its territory/northern range.

These photos are from a 20 minute video from an encounter i had back in November 2001... I was tracking a bear and saw this Mountain Lion approaching from my right, low to the ground... took my typical two steps forward indicating I'm not going forward or back ward, establishing my space separate of her space (works well with bears and other wildlife too). After climbing on a 6 -7 foot granite rock, she eventually lied down and we hung out for a fascinating and peaceful 20 minutes.

Added the estimated date of November 10, 2001.

Below are the two part edited and summarized videos of this wonderful encounter.

Still have original full 20 minute encounter on video.
When she is licking her mouth, she is picking up my chemical cues and distributing them on the roof of her mouth... using her Vomeronasal Organ to detect my mood and how comfortable I am, my intentions, and identify my chemical signature... I had spent a lot of time/years in this area, and continued to be able to do so through the years... tracking, observing, and interacting with the bears and other wildlife.

My alma mater, UNR and a former long time biology professor and researcher who was the director of this remote research area, allowed me to visit this area under lock and key... He found my interactions with, and observations of the bears of this area to be interesting.

And including when I first started hiking up from a park I worked at in the valley below in the mid/late 1980's, and the senior project I conducted on bears as Seed Dispersal Agents in my last year at UNR, spent over 3 decades visiting bears here and becoming part of the neighborhood... living among the bears here on several occasions. Had relationships with some bears for 8 to 15 years. It was a wonderful experience... and along with the coyotes, some big and small cats got to know me too.

https://youtu.be/dZEWFxxvjdE
https://youtu.be/Dq3Jm4NrY8A

Both video parts are from a one time wildlife program I produced for Sierra Nevada Community Access Television... A local TV station, back in 2002.

While investigating snow leopard kill sites, we (@otocolobus) encountered two ~5 week old cubs at a secondary den site. Cubs were well hidden in a rock hollow beneath an overhanging Lonicera shrub.

Wonderful to stumble upon concrete signs of successful reproduction springing from Kyrgyzstan's continued commitment to meaningful snow leopard conservation.