Event Details

Join Yosemite Conservancy Naturalist Andrea Canapary for an exploration of birds in the alpine and subalpine zones in Yosemite and their interactions with the flora and fauna. While looking for birds, we’ll explore such topics as the vital relationship between Clark’s Nutcracker and Whitebark Pines, Mountain Chickadee and lodgepole needle miner moth larvae, Mountain Bluebird and Williamson’s Sapsucker, Mountain Chickadee and Nuthatches. What benefits do the Gray-crowned Rosy-finch and Clark’s Nutcracker reap from efforts to remove non native fish from high elevation lakes? The focus of this trip will be gaining a deeper understanding of the lives these and other birds lead and how they interact with and affect their environments . With stops at Tioga Pass and Tuolumne Meadows we’ll get a mix of open meadows, lodgepole pine forest, riparian zones, alpine and subalpine. Some birds we might see include Hermit Thrush, Spotted Sandpiper, Clark’s Nutcracker, Pine Grosbeak, Williamson’s Sapsucker, Mountain Bluebird, Mountain Chickadee, Cassin’s Finch and more. Bring a lunch, water, warm layers, and a full gas tank. Strong sunscreen, UV sunglasses, and a sun hat are important equipment for the high elevations. The park entry fee will be waived for this educational excursion.