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Mono Lake, California

I'm going to start off on a sour note. In my opinion you should avoid Lee Vining like the plague. Don't arrive here looking for accommodation, it isn't fit for humans. And make sure you don't need gas. $5 for gas in Lee Vining, available for $3.50, 100 miles further up the road.

Mono Lake is on the eastern exit from Yosemite, one of the greatest sites in the world. The lake is at the confluence of several rivers and streams but there is no outlet.

Water is lost from Mono Lake only through evaporation, making the lake very saline. As a result the life within the lake has developed some curious abilities, including the ability to take in arsenic and process it without harm.

Brine shrimp thrive and they attract huge bird populations at some times of the year. This Osprey kept us entertained for over an hour.

Mother osprey (you can just make out two chicks in front of her) clearly felt the same about her nest as I felt about Lee Vining.

Daddy Osprey brought a couple of dozen sticks for her but she rejected all of them, just not up to her standards, I guess.

Anyway, eventually he had had enough of continual rejection. He flew off to a nearby tofa tower to sulk for a while, then in a momentary flash, grabbed a passing fish and tore it to bits on his little ivory tower.

Definitely visit Mono Lake. if you are in the area, but stay elsewhere and don't come to Lee Vining low on gas, unless you are prepared to spend massively over the odds to fill up.

Mono Lake California
Mono Lake california sunset
birds mono lake
osprey mono lake
mono lake ospreys
mono lake osprey birdlife
All images Copyright Avery Little