BIRDING NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA
24 June – 1 July 2013
A birding and ornithological research trip to raise funds for Western Field Ornithologists
nevadensis Sage Sparrow, © Bob Lewis
Dates: Monday, June 24 through Monday, July 1, 2013
Locale: Northeast California, beginning and ending in Reno, NV
Leaders: Ken Able, Jon Dunn, Lena Yee Hayashi, and Dave Quady
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Price: $ 1,950 for double-occupancy lodging from June 24 through July 1. This price includes all breakfasts, lunches, and snacks; one picnic dinner, and the farewell dinner in Reno. Price also includes non-alcoholic beverages, guide services, and van transportation throughout the trip. We require at least ten participants to ensure that the trip will run. If you have a roommate, please indicate this when you register. If you do not have a roommate but are willing to share, please indicate this, and we will try to pair you with someone. If you prefer a single room or if we cannot pair you with a roommate, there will be a surcharge of $200 for the trip.
You will receive an email notice when registration is open. The date when Western Field Ornithologists will first accept your registration depends upon your membership level: January 24 for Patrons or Life members, January 31 for other membership levels, and February 7 for non-members. Register on-line with a $500 deposit, which will be returned less $100 if you cancel prior to April 1. Your deposit will be forfeited if you cancel after April 1 and we are unable to fill your place on the trip.
The balance of the trip cost is due by May 1 and you will receive a notice in mid-April. No cancellations after May 1.
This trip is limited to 12 participants, with four leaders.
Other General Information: See details at the end of this document
DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY
We welcome you to WFO’s Northeast California trip led by Ken Able, Jon Dunn, Lena Hayashi, and Dave Quady. In some ways, this excursion is a continuation of our trip to the southern and central Sierra Nevada and White Mountains in 2011. On this trip we plan to bird the northern Sierra Nevada in the vicinity of Yuba Pass and environs, Sierra Valley and the Warner Mountains in extreme northeastern California. We will also bird a number of locations within the Great Basin; these contain a good deal of sagebrush, but also extensive fresh water marshes as well as alkaline lakes. We plan on having two evenings of owling. On this excursion, in addition to just having fun birding and seeking many targeted species, we hope to learn some new and potentially important things about the distribution and abundance of birds in this under-explored part of California. We have posed a series of questions that we would like to investigate. Our trip might contribute something significant to the ornithological record and we plan to put the results on the WFO web site at the conclusion of the tour.
Day 1, Monday, 24 June – We will meet in the lobby of the La Quinta Inn near the Reno airport at 1:00 p.m. and depart to the Sierra Valley, less than an hour away. Here there are a variety of habitats in close proximity. In the sagebrush habitat, typical of the Great Basin, we should see Mountain Bluebird, Sage Thrasher and Vesper and Brewer’s Sparrows. The Sierra Valley has an extensive network of wetlands with various species of breeding waterfowl, American Bittern, White-faced Ibis, Virginia Rail, Sora, Wilson’s Phalarope, Marsh Wren, and Yellow-headed Blackbird. In the foothills with open coniferous forest we should see a variety of species like Green-tailed Towhee, Fox Sparrows of the “Thick-billed” subspecies group, Western Tanager, and possibly Lewis’s Woodpecker. A lodge in the area feeds many hummingbirds, including Calliope. During the day we might run across a roosting owl: possibilities include Barn, Great Horned, and Burrowing. Night near Sierra Valley; exact location TBD.
Day 2, Tuesday, 25 June – This morning we’ll visit Yuba Pass on the crest of the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains. Although much lower than the crest of the southern and central Sierra, most of the high mountain species can still be found here. These species include Mountain Quail; Hairy, White- headed and, with luck, Black-backed Woodpeckers; Williamson’s and Red-breasted Sapsuckers; Hammond’s and Dusky Flycatchers; Cassin’s Finch, Pine, and (in some years) Evening Grosbeaks; and Pine Siskin. Nearby we’ll search for Wood Duck, Willow Flycatcher, American Dipper, and the distinctive sounding (from more coastal) White-breasted Nuthatch of the subspecies tenuissima . This, along with aculeata, found lower down in the Sierra foothills to the west, and eastern carolinensis likely represent three incipient species. After dinner as dusk settles in we’ll watch for Common Nighthawk and search for Common Poorwill, and later we’ll look for owls, possibly including Spotted Owl. Night near Sierra Valley; exact location TBD.
Day 3, Wednesday, 26 June – This morning we’ll visit Sardine Lakes where we will search for Sage Thrasher, Green-tailed Towhee and Fox Sparrow. Later we’ll depart for Susanville, stopping along the way to search for Juniper Titmouse and with great good luck, Long-eared Owl. After checking into our motel and taking an afternoon break, we’ll depart for Eagle Lake and do some late afternoon birding, searching for such species as Osprey and possibly Pinyon Jay. Later we’ll visit a marsh at the south end of Eagle Lake where we should hear Wilson’s Snipe winnowing high above as well as rails in the marsh, possibly including even the very scarce Yellow Rail. Ten or more were present here in the summer of 2011 and at least a few were there in 2012. Night in Susanville.
Day 4, Thursday, 27 June – Today is a driving day, but we might stop along the way searching for the larger Great Basin race of the Sage Sparrow (nevadensis), likely to be split as a separate monotypic species from the more coastal canescens and belli subspecies. We are likely to see Swainson’s Hawk, and possibly Golden Eagle and Prairie Falcon. Rock Wrens are locally fairly common. As we approach Alturas there are some wetlands that might be worth checking. After checking into our motel, we’ll visit Modoc National Wildlife Refuge. Here, the mix of water bird species will be much the same as in the Sierra Valley, but this provides an opportunity to look for any species missed earlier. American Bitterns breed here, and in some years, Short-eared Owls. Black-billed Magpies are common. Night in Alturas.
Day 5, Friday, 28 June – We’ll depart early for the southern portion of the Warner Mountains. Rising to over 9,000 feet, most of California’s montane species can be found here. These include Black-backed and White-headed Woodpeckers, Williamson’s Sapsucker, Cassin’s Finch and even Gray Jay. We’ll listen carefully to any “Western Flycatchers” we encounter. Research by Ned Johnson revealed that nesting birds in the Warner Mountains were Cordilleran Flycatchers. Birders usually go here to see their state Cordilleran Flycatcher, but vocalizations of some individuals seem ambiguous, or even closer to Pacific-slope Flycatcher. In recent years a pair of Eastern Kingbirds has nested at Blue Lake; we’ll look carefully for them. Canyon Wrens occur locally in the area. Scarcer species that we might see (or hear in the case of the grouse) include Sooty Grouse and Northern Goshawk. Later we’ll drop down to the east to the Surprise Valley. Here we should see Ash-throated Flycatcher, Loggerhead Shrike, Sage Thrasher, Sage and Black-throated Sparrows, and possibly Burrowing Owl and Juniper Titmouse. In riparian habitats Downy Woodpecker and Yellow-breasted Chat occur. In the wet grassy areas, in most years at least, a few pairs of Bobolinks breed, the only nesting location in the state. Night in Alturas.
Day 6, Saturday, 29 June – This morning we’ll visit the east side of Goose Lake where riparian habitats near New Pine Creek harbor such species as Yellow Warbler and Yellow-breasted Chat.
Depending on water levels, water birds might be present, possibly including Franklin’s Gull. Depending on our time we might head west from Davis Creek to the east side of the Modoc Plateau where we might see Gray Flycatcher and Canyon Wren. After a mid-day break in Alturas we’ll return to the southern Warner Mountains for some late afternoon and evening birding. Our main night target is Flammulated Owl and we’ll listen and look carefully for it. Spotted Owl is also possible. Night in Alturas.
Day 7, Sunday, 30 June – This morning we’ll visit the central Warner Mountains at Cedar Pass searching for any species we may have missed earlier. Later we’ll continue east to Cedarville and head north up to Fort Bidwell and beyond to the extreme northeast corner of the state. The habitat is mostly grassland and sagebrush, and the mix of species will be similar to what we may have seen earlier. With great good luck we might encounter a Greater Sage-Grouse. In some years Snowy Plovers breed on the alkaline lakes in the Surprise Valley. Late in the day we may return to Modoc National Wildlife Refuge to listen for marsh birds and watch for American Bitterns and Short-eared Owls, or alternatively head to Fandango Pass in the Warner Mountains to the north of Alturas to continue our search for Flammulated Owl. Night in Alturas.
Day 8, Monday, 1 July – This morning we’ll depart for Canby, Adin, and Day, which is in extreme southwest Modoc County. Along the way we might stop at Adin and check to see if a Black Phoebe pair is present. Later, near a pass we’ll cross in Lassen County, we might encounter the very local Wrentit, as well as Ash-throated Flycatcher, “Large-billed” Fox Sparrow and Lazuli Bunting, which also breed here. Oaks dominate the habitat in the Day region of Modoc County, so the mix of bird species is quite different from the Warner Mountains. Acorn and Nuttall’s Woodpeckers are found here; we’ll search for them along with Cassin’s Vireo, Oak Titmice and possibly Black-throated Gray Warbler and Purple Finch. The White-breasted Nuthatch here is the more coastal aculeata and we’ll compare its single noted calls with the higher pitched multi-noted calls that we heard earlier. Mid-afternoon we’ll head south for the four-hour drive to Reno, where we’ll enjoy our final group dinner after check-in at the La Quinta. Night in Reno.
Note:
Daily itineraries are subject to favorable change depending upon pre-trip scouting and current birding conditions.
QUESTIONS TO INVESTIGATE ON THIS TRIP
Red-shouldered and Ferruginous Hawks – Neither species has yet been confirmed nesting in Modoc County, but Red-shouldered Hawk is suspected of nesting north of Ft. Bidwell (adult pair seen), just over the state line, and there are rumors of summering adults in the Surprise Valley. Adult Ferruginous Hawks have been seen in summer in the Surprise Valley. Can we confirm nesting, for either species?
Owl surveys – We hope to have at least some success with our two evenings of sustained owling. Our primary target on one evening is Flammulated Owl in the Warner Mountains, but we might encounter Spotted Owl there and in the northern Sierra Nevada, and Barred is also possible from the Warners. Northern Saw-whet Owls might be encountered in either range also. Owls we’ll look for during the daytime include Barn, Great Horned, Long-eared and Burrowing.
Vaux’s Swift – What is the status and distribution of this species during the breeding season in the Warner Mountains? The species has nested in Fort Bidwell (in chimneys) and in the vicinity of Day (nest substrate not known), but does it nest in the Warners? And does it nest in tree cavities, as elsewhere?
Hummingbirds – Broad-tailed Hummingbird is occasionally reported from Lassen and Modoc counties, but (to our knowledge) without convincing details, leaving its status uncertain. In Modoc, Anna’s Hummingbird is found in the Day area, in New Pine Creek, and, along with Black-chinned Hummingbird, in Ft. Bidwell, at least. But the species’ breeding distribution in Modoc is very poorly known, so we will be looking for evidence of nesting in the county.
Red-breasted and Red-naped sapsuckers – Grinnell and Miller (1944) map Modoc and northeastern Lassen County as within the breeding range of Red-naped Sapsucker, but the species is only rarely reported there, and we have encountered only Red-breasted. We’ll search carefully for Red-naped and look for hybrids as well, which are frequent in migration and winter east of the Sierra from Mono County south.
Nuttall’s Woodpecker – This primarily Californian species is found east into extreme southwestern Modoc County in the vicinity of Day. We’re curious to see if we find it any farther east. It is casual in Nevada with records from the Fish Lake Valley east of the White Mountains.
Gray Flycatcher – The breeding status of this species in northeast California is rather poorly known. It breeds just west of Sierra Valley and is present in good numbers during the breeding season at a few localities on the Modoc Plateau, at least. We’ll want to keep careful track of where we find them.
“Western” Flycatchers – Are both Cordilleran and Pacific-slope Flycatchers found as breeders in the Warner Mountains? This may be difficult to determine as songs of both species (?) are complex. Male position notes are somewhat more distinct. Arch McCallum recorded songs of both species in many locations and found a broad overlap zone where songs were intermediate. This zone included the Sierra Nevada. We’re not sure we will be able to add anything new on this subject.
Western Scrub-Jay – We’ll encounter this species widely. They should all be of the coastal californica group of subspecies, with deep blue coloration and white underparts with a distinct breast band, but we’ll want to watch for interior nevadae with a more slender bill, duller breast band, and more blended coloration, especially east of the Warner Mountains.
Titmice – Oak Titmouse is found in the oaks around Day in southwestern Modoc County, while Juniper Titmouse occurs more sparingly in the dryer juniper belt farther east. But, at least from our experience, it is much harder to find. Visually they look quite similar, but vocally the call notes are distinct.
Bushtits – Not common anywhere in northeast California, we are likely to see both the coastal minimus group and the more interior plumbeus. The former group has a brown crown, is more brownish overall, and gives a quicker and higher-pitched twittering. The more interior group is grayer overall with a pure gray crown, and it has a contrasty pinkish-brown cheek. Its calls are slower, lower pitched, and a little sharper. We’ll want to carefully note any Bushtits we encounter for subspecies determination. Pacific Wren – Does this species breed in moist habitats within the Warner Mountains?
Swainson’s Thrush – What is the status of this species as a breeder in the Warner Mountains and, for that matter, elsewhere in northeast California? Grinnell and Miller (1944) map much of northeast California as within the breeding range of almae, part of the eastern swainsoni group of subspecies. Most California birders see only ustulatus, the “Russet-backed Thrush”, which breeds from southeast Alaska south locally to southern California. Although currently these two groups are treated as a single polytypic species, their migration routes and wintering grounds are well separated, and we believe they differ vocally, particularly with their call note, but also in their primary song. They may represent distinct species. Alan Phillips noted in Known Birds that no hybrids between the two groups are known. We wonder if the northeast California breeders have declined since the time of Grinnell and Miller. Although this subspecies is, or was, a widespread breeder in northeast California, it is only a casual migrant elsewhere in California.
Black-throated Gray Warbler – This is a scarce species at any time of the year in northeast California and is certainly a local breeder. We will be actively looking for this species, particularly in the oak belt around Day.
Purple Finch – We have found this species to be numerous in the oak region around Day during the winter months and we wouldn’t be surprised if it bred there too. Within the Sierra Nevada, Purple Finch is found only west of the crest in the southern and central Sierra, but farther north we have seen it during the breeding season near Markleeville and at Portola, just west of Sierra Valley. We wonder if it breeds farther east of Day as well.
Leader Bios:
Ken Able has been birding since about age 11. A life-long easterner, he retired to California in 2003 and now lives in northwestern Lassen County. Ken is a professional ornithologist who spent most of his career at the University at Albany, SUNY, where he taught and did research on bird migration and navigation. He is author of Gatherings of Angels, Migrating Birds and their Ecology and serves on the board of Western Field Ornithologists.
Jon Dunn is the co-author of the sixth edition of the National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America (and was chief consultant for all previous editions). He co-authored (with Kimball Garrett) Birds of Southern California: Status and Distribution, and Peterson Field Guide to Warblers, and co-authored (with Steve Howell) Gulls of the Americas. He serves as a member of the American Ornithologists' Union Check-list Committee, the A.B.A. Checklist Committee and the California Bird Records Committee. He is a field trip leader for Wings and has served on the board of Western Field Ornithologists.
Lena Hayashi volunteered her time and energy for many years to restoring and preserving the open space areas along the Santa Ana River and the Pacific Coast Highway, near her long-time home in Huntington Beach, California. More recently she has conducted bird surveys for the Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy, the Shipley Nature Center, and Bolsa Chica. She has previously coordinated successful WFO field trips to Baja California and to the southern Sierra Nevada.
Dave Quady birded only casually until the mid-1970s, but birding eventually became his main avocation. For many years he has led Golden Gate Audubon Society field trips to Yosemite and to Lassen County. He wrote the Owls section of the National Geographic Complete Guide, teaches a class on North America’s owls, and he spends an inordinate amount of time pursuing them while more sensible people are asleep. Dave is the Vice President of Western Field Ornithologists. GENERAL INFORMATION FOR WFO’S NORTHEAST CALIFORNIA TRIP
These notes will help you prepare for your trip. Please read them carefully.
DIRECTIONS TO LA QUINTA INN, RENO. 4001 Market Street (775) 348-6100
If arriving by air: The La Quinta Inn is within a mile of the Reno Airport terminal, so the best way to reach it is by taking a cab or the Inn’s complimentary shuttle. It runs from 5:30 am until 11:00 pm every half-hour, upon request.
If arriving by car: From I-80 in Reno, take exit 15 southbound onto I-580/US-395. Follow it 2.6 miles to exit 65A for Villanova Drive toward Plumb Lane. Turn right after about 0.2 miles onto Villanova Drive, and after a few hundred feet take the first right turn, onto Market Street. The Inn will be on your immediate right. You can park in the Inn’s lot for the duration of the trip. The Inn provides one week’s complimentary parking for overnight guests, and charges $5.00 per day beyond one week.
MEETING UP: Please meet in the lobby of the La Quinta Inn at 1:00 pm. Have your luggage assembled, ready to transfer to our vans, and be ready to load up, dressed for birding, with binoculars accessible. If you encounter any difficulty, contact Lena Hayashi (cell 714-321-1975) or Dave Quady (cell 510-910- 1905).
HEALTH: Although California presents no real hazards to the visiting birder, there are several factors to consider. On this tour, we may reach an elevation of 7,000 ft., although we will generally be at elevations from 4,000 ft. to 6,000 ft. Insects are not likely to be a major problem, but we may well encounter pockets of mosquitoes along with a few biting flies. We will check for ticks. Mammals, reptiles and other creatures do not constitute a hazard and we actively search for them during the trip. The California sun will be intense, particularly at high elevations; adequate skin protection is essential.
CLIMATE: Weather in the northeast section of California can vary greatly. At lower elevations temperatures may exceed 90 degrees, while in the mornings at higher elevations it could be in the low 40’s. It will be important to dress in layers. Thundershowers are possible, although they usually occur later in the summer. The afternoons can be windy at all elevations.
ACCOMMODATIONS: We will be staying at standard, comfortable motels in Susanville and in Alturas; accommodations in the Sierra Valley area have not yet been secured, but we believe they will be of similar quality.
LAUNDRY SERVICE: Our motels have no guest washer/dryer service available. Emergency service might be available, but we ask that you do not count on it, and that you pack accordingly.
PACE OF TOUR: This tour will have a few long days, and continental breakfast will be served before dawn on some days. The early starts result because bird activity and bird song are at their peak in the early morning hours. On a few days we will have a long afternoon break. We plan at least two evenings of
owling, or searching for other night birds. There will be some hiking along trails or roads, but none of our walks will be strenuous.
DRESS: Dress will be informal throughout.
FIELD CLOTHING: The following items are basic:
Sun hat Light and medium weight trousers Down vest / heavy sweater Cold weather jacket Warm cap and gloves Rain jacket Light and medium weight shirts Sturdy walking boots / shoes Canvas shoes (for possible wading)
Note: Although we do not plan any rigorous activities, there will be some walking over uneven ground so that adequate footwear is important.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS:
Binoculars (extra pair) Notebook and pencil or pen Alarm clock Sunscreen- very important Small flashlight / batteries Wrist watch Day pack Water bottle or canteen - very important, Ear plugs (if you are a light sleeper) although the leader will carry lots of water in Insect repellent the vehicle.
Optional items: Telescope (very useful on many days), swimsuit, pocket knife, eyeglasses (extra pair).
LEADER'S GEAR: The leaders will provide the following:
Ice chest with water /no longer carry water cooler Telescopes Basic first aid kit Maps Field library
LUGGAGE: Bring what you need but consider the utility of each item. Soft luggage is easier to pack in the vehicles than hard impact luggage. Please do not bring any bag that is so heavy that you are unable to lift and carry it yourself. It is a good idea to affix identification to the inside of each piece of luggage.
TRANSPORTATION: Not yet settled. We will use either three minivans or one minivan and a 12-15 passenger van. Whatever our final vehicles, participants will have roomy seating, and rotation will be exercised.
SMOKING: We request that you do not smoke in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you share a room with a non-smoker, please do not smoke there. If you wish to smoke in the field, please do so well away and downwind from the group.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Scenery and memory shots will be plentiful and simple to obtain but birds are difficult to photograph. Although there will be occasions when bird photography is possible, a birdwatching tour such as this is not the best means of pursuing this aim. “Digiscoping,” on the other hand, is perfectly compatible with the tour, though it is recommended you bring your own telescope! If you are a serious photographer, please contact us for further information about photographic possibilities. Bring all your supplies as it may be difficult to find precisely what you need on short notice. Camera equipment should be packed in moisture- and dust-proof bags, as a precaution.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Field Guides
Kaufman, Kenn. 2000. Birds of North America. Houghton Mifflin, New York. Illustrated with digitally- enhanced photographs.
National Geographic Society. 2011. Field Guide to the Birds of North America. Sixth Edition. National Geographic Society, Washington, DC. One of the top two field guides for North America, more portable than the Sibley guide. Highly recommended.
National Geographic Society. 2008. Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America. National Geographic Society, Washington, D.C. Smaller and more portable than NGS’s North America guide.
Sibley, David Allen. 2000. The Sibley Guide to Birds. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. Highly recommended.
Sibley, David Allen. 2003. The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America. Alfred A. Knopf, New York. A regional guide containing the same concise and accurate illustrations and information as in the more comprehensive guide though smaller and much easier to carry. Highly recommended.
General References/Birds
Beedy, Edward C. and Edward R. Pandolfino. 2013. Birds of the Sierra Nevada: Their Natural History, Status, and Distribution. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. Highly recommended. This book’s coverage may supplant Gaines’s, but his lyrical writing cannot be surpassed.
Gaines, D. 1992. Birds of Yosemite and the East Slope. Artemesia Press, Lee Vining, CA. This is one of the best books written on a geographical region. While this region lies to the south of where we will be, there are many parallels to our area and the book is strongly recommended. Out of print; pricey in used book stores.
Grinnell, J. and A.H. Miller. 1944. Distribution of the Birds of California. Pacific Coast Avifauna No. 27. Reprinted by Artemisia Press in 1986. With its extensive, detailed discussions of status and distribution (with maps) for species and subspecies, this book is strongly recommended.
Kemper, John. 1999. Birding Northern California. Falcon Publishing, Inc. Has more numerous and lengthier site descriptions, more up to date directions, and more extensive bird lists than Richmond’s book.
Laws, J. M. 2007. The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada. California Academy of Sciences, Heyday Books, Berkeley, CA. An excellent general reference to the more common plants and wildlife of the Sierra Nevada.
McCaskie, Guy, Paul de Benedictis, Richard Erickson and Joseph Morlan. Birds of Northern California: An Annotated Field List. Reprinted with supplement 1988. Golden Gate Audubon Society, 1550 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709. Recommended. This book is still available from GGAS.
Phillips, Alan R. 1991. The Known Birds of North and Middle America. Part II. Published by the author, Denver, CO.
Richmond, Jean. 1985. Birding Northern California. Mt. Diablo Audubon Society, Walnut Creek, CA. The author’s site descriptions and bird lists indicate greater familiarity with the sites than does Kemper’s book. This book can be downloaded from the Mt. Diablo Audubon Society website.
Small, Arnold. 1974. (Paperback 1980.) The Birds of California. MacMillan Co. The last half of the book, “California's Habitats for Birds,” is particularly recommended.
Small, Arnold. 1994. California Birds: Their Status and Distribution. Ibis Publishing Company, Vista, CA.
General References/Other
Brock, J.P., and K. Kaufman. 2003. Kaufman Focus Guide to the Butterflies of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company. Widely regarded as the best North American guide to butterflies.
Farquhar, F. P. 1965. History of the Sierra Nevada. University of California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles, and London. This book is more of the human history (John Muir, etc.), but of course includes lots of natural history information too. There is a quote on the cover from Natural History Magazine..."The book to read about California's superlative high country."
Garth, J.S. and J.W. Tilden. 1986. California Butterflies. University of California Press, Berkeley and London.
Glassberg, Jeffrey. 2001. Butterflies Through Binoculars: The West. Oxford University Press.
Jameson, E.W. and Hans J. Peeters. 1988. California Mammals. University of California Press, Berkeley. A nice field guide to California's mammals with good color plates, distribution maps and lots of text.
Kaufman, Kenn, Rick Bowers, and Nora Bowers. 2004. Kaufman Focus Guide to Mammals of North America. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston.
Kays, Ronald and Don Wilson. 2002. Mammals of North America. Princeton Field Guides. Princeton University Press.
Manolis, T. 2003. Dragonflies and Damselflies of California. University of California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles and London. This is a very well done book for these fascinating bugs.
Munz, Philip A. 1972. California Mountain Wildflowers. University of California Press, Berkeley.
Niehaus, Theodore. 1976. A Field Guide to Pacific States Wildflowers. Houghton Mifflin, Boston.
Stebbins, Robert C. 2003. Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians. Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin, Boston. Excellent text and nearly perfect illustrations. This third edition covers all the species of reptiles and amphibians found in western North America. More than 650 full-color paintings and photographs show key details for making accurate identifications. Up-to-date color range maps give species' distributions. Important information on conservation efforts and survival status rounds out the detailed species descriptions.
Stebbins, Robert C. and Samuel M. McGinnis. 2012. Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of California. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles.
Storer, T.I., R.L. Usinger, and D. Lukas. 2004. Sierra Nevada Natural History. University of California Press, Berkeley, Boston and London. This book is strongly recommended.
FINAL INFORMATION: Final information with instructions for meeting the group, hotel addresses, etc., will be emailed about three weeks before trip departure. Other news will be communicated as necessary.
January 4, 2013