Observations by pjfcongdon

American Pika - Year 4 Carson Pass
This is the fourth year of Pika observation in the Carson Pass area. This visit took place on September 25, 2017 at 1230 hours. The temperature was 50 F., wind 3 mph W-NW, no precipitation, no cloud cover, aspect of NE to N, same site where Pika have been observed previously. Five minutes after arriving at the site an adult Pika was observed just below the interpretive exhibit just beyond the western wall. No calls were made by the animal and within two minutes it had retreated into the rock wall. Given the short observation time I was unable to take a photograph. I conducted a sitting survey for 30 minutes. During that time no calls were heard or animals observed. A trail camera was deployed at the site. The site was visited again on the 27th of September, same time as the 25th. Weather conditions were consistent with the 25th. No Pika's were heard or observed. The flash drive was retrieved and photographs reviewed. A Golden-mantled ground squirrel and Dusky-footed Woodrat were observed on the camera over two days but no Pika. Other wildlife observed in the area on this visit included Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana), Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis), Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli), Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis), Golden-mantled ground squirrel (Spermophilus lateralis) and unknown species of chipmunk (Tamias sp.). Not seeing any Pika on the return visit I surveyed the rock walls for urine smears, fecal and caecal pellets. Fecal pellets were found high up in the wall above the camera location. They were about 6 inches within the wall and appeared fresh (see photo). No additional pellet piles were found. No haypiles were observed but due to the depth of the wall this has been the case since 2013.

American Pika - Year 2 Carson Pass
This is the second year of Pika observation in the Carson Pass area.
The first visit this year took place on May 23, 2014 at 1446 hours. The temperature was 65 F., 0% cloud cover, no precipitation, no wind, aspect of NE to N, same site where the Pika were observed in 2013. Sitting surveys were conducted with no auditory, visual or haypiles observed.
The second survey was conducted on July 25 -27, 2014. I was at the site on the 25th at 1640 hours and 1700 hours on the 27th.
Sitting surveys were conducted on both dates with similar weather conditions. Temperatures in the low 80's, no wind, aspect NE to N, same site as earlier in the year. During both sitting counts no auditory, visual or haypiles were observed. On July 25, faint sounds were heard within the rock wall which appeared to be from a Pika. With this information I was fairly confident they were still in the area. A trail camera was deployed and set for still photographs over a two day period. Efforts were made to minimize any disturbance of rock or vegetation as well as minimally invasive placement of the camera outside the rock wall.
The trail camera recorded a single Pika at 1946 hours on the 25th, 1129, 1835, 1932 and 2004 hours on the 26th and 0548 and 0757 hours on the 27th. Yellow-bellied Marmot and Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel were also captured by the camera. Further survey work will be conducted in September of 2014.

Three American Pika were observed east of the Red Vista Road.
The temperature was 82F., with a cloud cover of 35%, no precipitation at the time of observation (rain the night before), no wind, aspect NE to N, surrounding vegetation was mostly forest. Both areas of Pika observation (separation of approximately 350 feet) were in anthropogenic material associated with the former road. In one case Pika was observed in a resting state and others were moving in and out of the rip rap or rock fields. They were auditory at times, no haypiles were found and no obvious scat signs. One of the animals was observed for approximately twenty minutes.