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Snowy Wren
I usually associate Rock Wrens with places that are warm year round, but they’re actually found all the way up to 10,000 and as far north as British Columbia. These populations migrate downslope or south for the winter. This one must have just returned to the High Sierra, following the melting snow back to its…
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Emerging
An American Pika emerges from its talus home as it waits for the remaining snow to melt and the summer haying season to begin.
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Dinner and a View
I’ve long believed that restaurants with the best views have the worst food. This American Pika begs to differ. (Pikas maximize their energy intake by redigesting their own feces, so it’s likely their culinary opinions shouldn’t be taken too seriously.)
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Snowy Pika
This is probably the hardest wildlife photography project I’m actively working on. The goal: photography an American Pika (or any pika, really) on a snowy rock, with snowy mountains in the background. Three attempts in, I’ve managed the pika, the snowy rock, but not the background. I wasn’t expecting to get this opportunity. The roads…
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Snowy Kingdom
Ever since I got my first photo of an American Pika, I’ve wanted to photograph one in the snow. Snow defines their lives, driving them to spend the summer gathering hay to feed on in the snowy season, and providing a thick blanket to shelter and insulate their talus homes during the winter. Unfortunately, their…
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Marmot Scene
A fun fact about Yellow-Bellied Marmots: They’re so chonky, that if you listen carefully you can hear loose talus rocks go “clunk” as the marmots walk by. Fortunately, the marmots aren’t ambush predators, so this doesn’t hold them back very much.
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The Chonkiest Marmot
Miles Chonkington, the world’s widest Yellow-Bellied Marmot, briefly started at right guard for the San Francisco 49ers. He was released after he hibernated through most of the regular season.
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Thick and Fluffy
I have returned from a four day expedition to the Desolation Wilderness in the northern Sierra, where I discovered Miles Chonkington, a truly thick Yellow-Bellied Marmot. Miles enjoys long strolls on the talus, snacking on wildflowers, and long cozy naps.
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Pining for Pikas
Just a few more months before I can go visit these pocket-sized rock rabbits again.
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High Sierra Pikas
I’ve wanted to photograph American Pikas for a while now. If you aren’t familiar with them, pikas are close relatives of rabbits and hares. They prefer cold climates, which means living at very high altitudes (often above 10,000 ft) in the United States. Unlike many other cold climate mammals, pikas don’t hibernate. Instead, they spend…