About This BlogRanger-naturalists have been interpreting the natural and cultural resources of Yosemite for park visitors for nearly a century. In this blog, some of Yosemite's park rangers share recent observations from around Yosemite. All posts are shown below, or you can view posts by topic. The River Changelings: Monitoring of Benthic Macroinvertebrates in the Tuolumne River
September 20, 2014
On June 6, 2014, a small group of Yosemite Ranger Naturalists set out to find some elusive creatures…with nets and water shoes. Monitoring Birds in the Park, Part 3: A Bird in the Hand
July 28, 2014
While most of us are still asleep at 5 AM, Yosemite’s bird researchers are already hanging mist nets and sipping coffee as their day begins. The sun rises as the birds sing their morning chorus, and soon the banding station is busy with the processing of information on the netted birds. This posting is a summary of the birds captured June 20 through July 15, 2014. Monitoring Birds in the Park, Part 2
July 21, 2014
A wide diversity of bird calls ring loud and clear every morning and there is a constant hubbub of birds flying by, delivering food to mates and hungry chicks. The bird researchers with the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) project are already midway through their summer season. There is much to be learned from the birds, and Yosemite’s avian monitoring projects are hugely important. Monitoring Birds in the Park, Part 1
July 16, 2014
The male Lawrence’s goldfinch dazzles with its shiny black face, gray back, and bright yellow chest, especially if your view is from just three feet away. I am in Hodgdon Meadow on June 12, 2014 with the bird researchers who are in charge of Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS).... Bird Banding Bonanza!
July 26, 2013
It's been a hot, busy summer so far during this year's field season of bird banding in Yosemite. Banding occurs at six stations clustered on the west slope of Yosemite, which are each operated once every ten days as part of the Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) program. Data are collected at over 300 MAPS stations across the U.S. and Canada every summer between May and August, and scientists and land managers use these data to look at demographic trends in songbird populations both locally and continent-wide. California Black Oak Grove Study Begins in the Valley
April 05, 2013
It is hard to overstate the importance of the California black oak (Quercus kelloggii) to Yosemite National Park. With so many other icons, it may be easy to overlook the black oak, but it is one of the most important cultural, biological, and scenic resources in the park. 2012 Christmas Bird Count
December 18, 2012
2012 Christmas Bird Count What Causes Rockfall on Calm Days in Summer?
December 19, 2012
What causes rockfall on calm days in summer? When it rains and rocks fall we pretty much know that running water probably triggered it. Likewise we understand that earthquakes and the freezing and thawing of ice on cliffs can also trigger rockfall. However, there are other triggers that remain a mystery. Why is it that rocks also fall on perfectly calm summer afternoons with no apparent cause? |
Last updated: March 27, 2021