2016-12-04
Camping at the Granite Wells site was the coldest excursion of all the museum outings. It was good that this was the last outing until spring next year. On this trip, the science team from the San Diego Natural History Museum included ornithologists and mammalogists. We also enjoyed the company of a member from the San Diego Zoo who wanted to observe the mammal team in the field, and Drew Stokes, the SDNHM’s resident bat expert.
Our campsites on this expedition were off a side road south of “Hole-in-the-Wall” camp and north of Mitchell Caverns near Essex, California. We spread our camps over three sites along a side road, with me nearest the highway, Drew at the end of the road (near the well), and the rest of the team in between. Cold and windy was the weather, but cheerful and pleasant was the company. Our stay began on Monday (11/28) and we all left on Friday (12/02).
Perhaps it was because of the cool weather, or maybe because it was the last expedition of the season, or the combination of team members on this trip, but there was a more laid-back air about this trip than the preceding trips. The mammal team had about a 20% catch rate in their traps, which is about average.
I used my bicycle on this trip to my advantage. I camped away from the group, but I could still run down to their sites for visits. I also used it to haul my camera gear up-canyon to work on the Crissal Thrashers and other birds.
Brewer's Sparrow(Spizella breweri) |
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Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:12:01 10:58 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: BrewersSparrow_D5X1559 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Crissal Thrasher(Toxostoma crissale) |
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Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:29 12:38 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/8.0, 1/1600 |
File Name: CrissalThrasher_D5X0903 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: Covey gathered at a 'Guzzler' (a man made water catch for wildlife). Seen while camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:30 8:46 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/6400 |
File Name: GambelsQuail_D5X1177 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: Covey gathered at a 'Guzzler' (a man made water catch for wildlife). Seen while camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:30 8:47 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: GambelsQuail_D5X1198 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: Covey gathered at a 'Guzzler' (a man made water catch for wildlife). Seen while camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:30 8:47 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: GambelsQuail_D5X1200 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: Covey gathered at a 'Guzzler' (a man made water catch for wildlife). Seen while camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:30 8:51 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: GambelsQuail_D5X1243 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Gambel's Quail(Callipepla gambelii) |
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Description: Covey gathered at a 'Guzzler' (a man made water catch for wildlife). Seen while camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:30 8:53 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: GambelsQuail_D5X1272 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Red-Tailed Hawk(Buteo jamaicensis) |
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Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:30 8:55 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: RedTailedHawk_D5X1275 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet(Regulus calendula) |
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Description: The Ruby-Crowned Kinklet, when actively feeding on insects gleaned from leaves, can be very difficult to follow with the camera. This bird was no exception. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:12:01 10:17 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: RubyCrownedKinglet_D5X1467 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet(Regulus calendula) |
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Description: The Ruby-Crowned Kinklet, when actively feeding on insects gleaned from leaves, can be very difficult to follow with the camera. This bird was no exception. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:12:01 10:17 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/3200 |
File Name: RubyCrownedKinglet_D5X1468 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet(Regulus calendula) |
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Description: The Ruby-Crowned Kinklet, when actively feeding on insects gleaned from leaves, can be very difficult to follow with the camera. This bird was no exception. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:12:01 10:19 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: RubyCrownedKinglet_D5X1486 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet(Regulus calendula) |
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Description: The Ruby-Crowned Kinklet, when actively feeding on insects gleaned from leaves, can be very difficult to follow with the camera. This bird was no exception. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:12:01 10:20 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: RubyCrownedKinglet_D5X1493 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet(Regulus calendula) |
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Description: The Ruby-Crowned Kinklet, when actively feeding on insects gleaned from leaves, can be very difficult to follow with the camera. This bird was no exception. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:12:01 10:20 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: RubyCrownedKinglet_D5X1497 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet(Regulus calendula) |
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Description: The Ruby-Crowned Kinklet, when actively feeding on insects gleaned from leaves, can be very difficult to follow with the camera. This bird was no exception. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:12:01 10:22 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/4000 |
File Name: RubyCrownedKinglet_D5X1523 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet(Regulus calendula) |
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Description: The Ruby-Crowned Kinklet, when actively feeding on insects gleaned from leaves, can be very difficult to follow with the camera. This bird was no exception. Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:12:01 10:25 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/5000 |
File Name: RubyCrownedKinglet_D5X1529 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys) |
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Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:12:01 10:25 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/8000 |
File Name: WhiteCrownedSparrow_D5X1525 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Cactus Mouse(Peromyscus eremicus) |
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Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:29 7:04 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 105 mm, f/11.0, 1/125 |
File Name: CactusMouse_D5X0611 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Desert Woodrat(Neotoma lepida) |
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Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:29 7:28 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 105 mm, f/11.0, 1/320 |
File Name: DesertWoodRat_D5X0787 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Merriam's Kangaroo Rat(Dipodomys merriami) |
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Description: Sub-Adult. Seen while camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:12:01 6:20 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 105 mm, f/11.0, 1/320 |
File Name: MerriamsKangarooRat_D5X1346 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
Panamint Kangaroo Rat(Dipodomys panamintinus) |
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Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:30 6:50 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 105 mm, f/11.0, 1/200 |
File Name: PanamintKangarooRat_D5X1058 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTreeImaging.com |
White-Tailed Antelope Squirrel(Ammospermophilus leucurus) |
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Description: Camped with the Science Team from the San Diego Natural History Museum at Granite Wells and gathering data as a followup study from previous studies of about 80 years prior. Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, California. |
Date Taken: 2016:11:30 8:49 |
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Location:
Granite Well |
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Camera Information: NIKON D5, 800 mm, f/11.0, 1/6400 |
File Name: WhiteTailedAntelopeSquirrel_D5X1216 |
| © 2016 Jack Daynes, shadeTree Imaging |
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