Bishop by the Water (Part 3)
Photo: @lanedumm on Instagram “If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water,” — Loren Eiseley. Payahǖǖnadǖ. “Place of flowing water.” (Numic) The place of flowing water is the Owens Valley, as it is now more commonly known. It was once a wet, flood...
How to Pet a Mule (or a burro or a horse)
Drive just about any backroad near Bishop, California during the winter months and you’ll see herds of horses and mules out in pasture. Drive that same backroad during the summer and those pastures are likely to be empty, raising the question, “Where did...
Sierra Bighorns on Ledge of Breakthrough
Written by Tom Stienstra From a perch above a boulder-strewn ravine, we peered with binoculars up canyon walls and across a steep jumble of rocks and dirt for endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep. The arrival of spring in the high country is when Sierra bighorns...
Fauna and Flora of the Owens Valley: Indigenous, Endemic, Endangered
Photo credit: Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Foundation Every place or region has its own distinctive character or something unique that sets it apart and makes it special. Some of these things are easily seen or found while others go unnoticed or are hidden and...
Strategies for Wildlife Living in the Desert
Guest Post by Tom & Jo Heindel Deserts occur worldwide and all the wildlife that lives in these deserts faces similar challenges. Basically, deserts are areas with little rain, high evaporation rates, hot and windy summers, cold and windy winters, little open...
Finding Winter Wildlife in Bishop’s Backyard
On a recent trip during President’s Day Weekend, our outdoor touring group spotted about ten deer just outside the small village of Rovana. Feeding on nearby plants, these docile mammals allowed us to get within a few yards of them while we snapped away on...
White Pelican Migration in the Eastern Sierra
Many locations have spectacular wildlife observation opportunities and the Eastern Sierra can claim one of them. If one wants an awe inspiring experience with Sandhill Cranes, a winter trip to Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico, will not...
4 Fabulous Photography Features
Photography is a passion for many in the Eastern Sierra For those who live here or visit regularly photography is often a daily activity. Sometimes it’s just a momentary opportunity to snap a quick image. Other times it’s a commitment to time and place to capture a...
Tule Elk
Tule Elk A hulking and magnificent animal in its own right, approximately 400 – 500 Tule Elk roam the Owens Valley area, mostly between Lone Pine and Bishop. This subspecies (Cervus Canadensis ssp. nannodes) of elk is not native to the East Sierra but is actually...
Buttermilk Country
Buttermilk Road no longer carries dairy trucks from “Old Joe” Inman’s Dairy along its rough and rocky track that, according to local legend, could bounce and churn fresh milk into buttermilk on its way into Bishop. Now that the dairy has long since disappeared and...
Be Bear Aware
BEAR AWARENESS Reduce the risk of close encounters with bears: Let Someone Know: where you are going and when you plan to return. Keep Children Close: to you and within your immediate sight at all times. Avoid damage to your vehicle by NOT leaving any foods, drinks,...
Round Valley Mule Deer
Mule Deer Comprising one of the highest numbers of megafauna (large wildlife) species in the Eastern Sierra, Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus) can be found in numerous herds throughout Inyo and Mono Counties. Look for their white rumps, black-tipped tails, and...FREE INFORMATION GUIDE
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