On December 21st, 2017, a small group entered the Merced Vernal Pools and Grasslands Reserve (MVPGR), armed with cameras, identification guides, binoculars and spotterscopes. The group was part of a larger group of birdwatchers in eastern Merced County, scouring the land for birds in an area ranging from the UC campus to Lake McSwain in Mariposa County. This event, known as the Lake Yosemite-Merced Christmas Bird Count (CBC), was part of a larger event organized by the Audubon Society in which...