Yosemite & Mono Lake Day 4

A leisurely breakfast and we check out for a trip across the Tioga Pass from Yosemite to Mono Lake.  On the way there we stopped briefly at Olmstead Point and arrived in Lee Vining.  The Mono Lake visitor center is very interesting and full of great information about the history of the Lake, how humans nearly destroyed it and how a California Act will permit its recovery restoring the balance of salt and water that is so essential to the lake.On the north side of the lake there is a nature center and a boardwalk that takes you to the lake shore.  This is a very unique area that attracts migratory shore birds and a place where 90% of the California gulls come to breed. Mono Lake is 10% salt and so does not support any fish life.  The only forms of life are the Brine Shrimp and the Alkaline Flies (millions of them). The gulls appear to feed primarily on the flies and the rest feed on the shrimp.  This time of year the bird species are: Marbled Godwit, American Avocet, green wing teal, mallards, eared Greebe, Wilson's Phalarope to name a few.  You do need 400 mm or more to get a decent image.The evening was devoted to tufa tower photography.  We captured images before the sun set, at sunset and subsequently after dark when we did some light painting. It was worth waiting for the after glow.  How can one resist some light painting.  The temperature of the light on the tufa towers has such a a varied impact.