A recap of things we saw, heard and did in the park last month, from our El Portal office to you. Here’s what happened in July…
• Yosemite Climber Stewards were hard at work throughout the month, answering visitors’ questions at the Ask a Climber station, restoring climber-access trails, and keeping an eye on nesting peregrines in places such as Arch Rock, Mt. Broderick, and parts of El Capitan. Peregrines were once found on many endangered species list, but pesticide bans and ongoing efforts to protect nesting areas have helped populations recover.
• We spent some time with the songbird research team in Gin Flat Meadow at one of the park’s five bird-banding stations. While there, we got to see their careful work up close (think gentle, steady hands and specialized tools) as they recorded each bird’s species, size, age and sex; got a glimpse of a brood patch, featherless skin that helps incubate eggs; and learned about some of the insights gained from the research.
In addition to producing the most extensive songbird data set in the national park system, this long-running program (now in its 27th year) has documented North American longevity records for several different bird species, including red-breasted sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber), white-headed woodpecker (Picoides albolavatus), western wood-peewee (Contopus sordidulus), mountain chickadee (Poecile gambeli), brown creeper (Certhia americana), Lincoln’s sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) and Cassin’s Finch (Haemorhous cassinii).
• Two of our volunteers are spending the summer roving the Tuolumne and Merced groves to educate visitors about best practices for walking through sensitive giant sequoia habitat. Their efforts, along with 200 feet of new fencing installed in the groves, are helping protect trees, part of broader grant focused on sequoia research and habitat restoration.
• With spring long gone in the Valley and Merced River canyon, an array of cheery wildflowers began blooming at the park’s higher elevations. We spotted prettyface, monkeyflower, penstemon, lupine, shooting star and mariposa lily, to name a few — plus the perennial, deep red snow plant (Sarcodes sanguinea), a hummingbird favorite.
Snow plants, often found in dark shady spots where snow has recently melted, have no chlorophyll, and feed off soil fungi rather than relying on photosynthesis to get energy from sunlight.
• Seasonal changes were also visible in Yosemite Valley, as waterfalls slowed to a trickle (check out our Yosemite Falls webcam for a current view). After an exciting season for rafting in the Merced, the river lapsed to a crawl, with the water level dropping dramatically in just a few weeks. Snowmelt provides ninety percent of Yosemite’s water, fueling roaring falls in the spring but waning as high country granite peaks emerge from their winter blankets. Thanks to our donors, scientists are studying the relationship between snowpack and water resources in Yosemite.
• A Conservancy-supported Student Conservation Association (SCA) crew headed into the backcountry on July 10 to spend five weeks restoring the Yosemite Wilderness by removing invasive plants, inappropriate campsites, social trails and excessive campfire rings. Check out our Spring/Summer 2016 magazine to learn more about wilderness restoration efforts our donors fund in the park.
• And finally, proof that you don’t have to be a kid to take the Junior Ranger oath. One day in mid-July, two strangers walked in to the Thomas Hill Studio in Wawona. The first was a little girl with her Junior Ranger workbook in hand. The other was a full-grown man, part of the crew working on the restoration project in Mariposa Grove. The two of them — he in construction gear, she in pigtails — stood side by side, held up their hands, and were sworn in as Junior Rangers together.
With August underway, we’re continuing to spread the word about staying safe during summer visits (keep cool and hydrated, observe fire restrictions, remember that even slow-moving water can be dangerous, and practice “bear awareness”); looking forward to a pair of high country day hikes at the end of the month; and gearing up to celebrate the centennial of the National Park Service. If you’re in the Bay Area, join us Aug. 25 for a 100th birthday bash at Anchor Brewing — thanks to our friends at Huckberry, 100% of proceeds from ticket and raffle sales will go to the Conservancy to support work in Yosemite.
Thanks for reading!
