With the California drought on many peoples’ minds including mine, I’m trying to be aware of the not so obvious ramifications of the state’s precipitation shortage.  This got me to thinking about Mono Lake and the birds that visit it every year.  My guess is that, later this year, the lake level will drop to historic lows and it will be no fun at all for its visiting bird populations.

Late in a beautiful day at Mono Lake

Years ago I wrote an article that touches on Mono Lake birdlife and begins “If taking a swim in an unusual and dramatic place amid thousands of birds, millions of shrimp and millions of, well, flies captures your imagination, then take a trip to Mono Lake, just beyond the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada near Yosemite.”  The complete article, which was published in the Spring, 2003 issue of the Dolphin Log, is here.

I’ll put on my to-do list taking some time to look into how Mono Lake and its denizens are faring this year and then writing a post on the subject.  But if you can’t wait to learn more, simply visit the Mono Lake Committee’s website, where you’ll find tons of information including this recent, relevant post on how low it can go.

Visitors admiring some of the Mono Lake tufa in August, 2014