WAUCOB~: A Paiute word fpr "pine tree" ­ also

highest peak In InyoMountalns, 11,127 feet.

Sponsored by the BishOp 'Museum & Historical Society, Bishop, CA 93514

Founded and Edited by Enid A. Larson, Box 26S,Bfg ~Ine, CA:93S1~ VOLUME XII
Subscription: Four 8:' .Iong' 8tamped,leH-acldrelled .rwe~.' Of:-.- ".00 SPRING 1988
~~-""mM_lp·.", alshOp Museum..-& Hillor:ica', Secl~~- ~-=~ .-.----­ 4 •••ue, Per......:y:...::.:;::8~r_ _•__

westgard Road

Looking southwest through the Narrows to the Sierra Nevada

uunn
NOTES ON THE SQUIRREL FAMILY

IN THE

WHITE MOUNTAINS

I6th~-~inyon-juniper woodland of the White Mountains of Inyo County four species of

the squirrel family 1 in habitats that overlap, ' Altitudinally there t~nds to be both
zonation and habitat sharing. At 7500 feet elevation along the White Mountain road,
all four species occur.
The Panamint chipmunk ranges throughout the entire woodland from as low as 5800­
9000 feet.
The Sagebrush chipmunk along Westgard road comes to the Narrows at (ca)6800 feet and
continues upward to 9500 feet and on beyond the woodland to as high as 13,000 feet.
(D.G. sighting, 1987).
The White-tailed Antelope squirrel ranges from the floor of Owens Valley at 4000 ft.
to about 7500 feet.
The Golden-mantled squirrel may be seen from 6500-9500 ft. in this woodland. It
continues well beyond the Bristlecone forest at above 11,000 feet. This is the most
frequently seen member of the squirrel family at Schulman Grove in the Inyo Forest.

Con tinued . • •
 In their journeys and foraging there are frequent opportunities for inter-specific
meetings of individuals, yet hostilities have been rarely sighted while avoidance of
direct confrontation is most frequently observed. Aggressive chases are sometimes
undertaken. In chipmunk/chipmunk aggressive chases the Panamint chipmunk has been the
pursuer. The smaller Sagebrush chipmunk easily out-runs its pursuer; the Panamint
chipmunk infrequently is pursued by the White-tailed Antelope squirrel; also it is
pursued, seasonally, by the larger Golden-Mantled squirrel.
Many more examples of mutual tolerance have been seen than aggressions. In Autumn
often both species of chipmunks harvest in the same Large Rabbit Brush. The Antelope
squirrel and Panamint chipmunk often harvest from the same Russian Thistle, one in the
top and the other on the ground beneath the shrub.
The extension of body stripes characterize and serve to identify these members of
the squirrel family. Each of tbese squirrels have their stripes limited to their backs
whereas the stripes on the'chipmunk~ extend forward on to their faces.
In running across flat surfaces the tail of the Panamint chipmunk is held horizon­
tally whereas the Sagebrush chipmunk carries its tail upright in vertical tion.
The White-tailed Antelope squI6rel is well named .-IfrTfcks its white tail rapidly
when disturbed. The Golden Mantled squirrel is often called "Copper-head."
Although 20 plants have been identified in the White Mts. from which the Panamint
c!1ipmunk harvests developing seeds, more than 70% of these 20 involve only 4 species:
pinyon, juniper, sagebrush and Russian Thistle. There is seasonal use of these food
sources. Pinyon seeds are harvested throughout an entire year when this pine produces
a viable seed crop. Large Rabbit Brush is an autumnal source for both species of chip­
munks. These chipmunks may be seen from September to November feeding voraciously in
or beneath these shrubs that border Westgard and White Mt. roads.
This report is compiled from 17 years of recorded observations by D. _Guiliani and
Enid Larson.
-- Enid A. Larson
uuuu
PONDEROSA PINES OF THE EASTERN SIERRA

The Winter 1986 issue of Waucoba News reported on a census of the Ponderosa Pines along
B Pine Creek. Those figures showed that there had been a 37% decline in numbers
since an identical census was made ten years earlier, primarily as a result of a des­
tructive flood in 1982.
A total of 5 of these relictual populations of Ponderosa pine are now known f~o~ the
eastern Sierra and it is doubtful that more will be found here. During 1986, from
January 13 to February 7, I made a count of each population in the same manner described
in the above-mentioned report. Trees were counted from their lowest occurance up to
about 6500 feet elevation beyond which Ponderosa begins to be replaced by the similar­
appearing Jeffery pine and hybrids of the two species.
Trees were divided into 4 size groups: s . under 2 feet tall (seedl
A. 2 to 8 feet tall
B . 8 to 25 feet
C over 25 feet

Elevation Number Percent

Location Range (ft) s A B C Total s
Rock Creek 4600-6400 120 303 244 908 1575 8
Bishop Creek 4300-6400 3 5 71 294 373 1 79
Pine Creek 4000-6500 24 59 119 528 730 3
Independence Cr. 4600-6500 27 54 67 283 431 6 66
S. Fork Oak Cr. 7 14 12 76 109 6 70
Totals 4000-6500 181 435 513 2089 3218 6 14

uuun
BIRDS
Taken from the Eastern Sierra Audubon Society 1988 - Sierra Wave Chapter . . •
"The Annual Christmas Bird Count gave the following totals:
BISHOP -- 63 species. Two unusual sightings were a Virginia Rail and a Wilson's
Warbler.
PINE -- reported 74 species with a total of 1393 individual birds.
DEATH VALLEY -- reported 50 species including the rarely seen in California ~~~
Ground Dove.
In the count of 1986J 2 birds, natives of Asia, were seen in California for the first
time: a Brown Shrike, and an Oriental Goldfinch.
CHINA LAKE reported -- 83 species, 6169 birds counted.
Thanks to Mike Prather, Earl Gann and Ron Henry who provided the above information.