Monga Bay reported

  • Long-term research in California shows that many bird populations increase after wildfires and can remain more abundant in burned areas for decades, especially following moderate fires.
  • Although some bird species are adapted to fire and benefit from low to moderately severe blazes, megafires in California are becoming more frequent.
  • Megafires, scientists say, are unlikely to benefit most bird species and harm those that depend on old-growth forests.
  • Wildfire smoke poses a serious threat to birds’ health, with evidence linking heavy exposure to particulate matter in smoke to reduced activity, weight loss and, possibly, increased mortality.

Read more at How are California’s birds faring amid ever more frequent wildfires?

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 14, 2026

Xerces Society Events

The list of events will be updated regularly. To view past webinars, please visit our YouTube channel. We also announce events on social media and via our e-newsletter. If you have questions, please email outreach@xerces.org.
To see current list of events go to  Events | Xerces Society

Inside Climate News reported

Scientists warn that a proposed expansion of Port Everglades could cause unprecedented damage to corals in the U.S., including some of the only remaining endangered staghorn corals that survived a record-breaking heat wave.

Read more at Ten Million Corals Are in the Path of a Federal Dredging Project in Florida

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 14, 2026

The Meek Really Did Inherit the Earth, at Least Among Ants

The New York Times reported

If life is a numbers game, ants are winning. There are around 20 quadrillion individual ants on Earth (more than two million per human), representing over 15,000 species, according to one estimate. Their omnipresence bolsters their global importance as aerators of soil, recyclers of dead matter and dispersers of seeds.

Read more The Meek Really Did Inherit the Earth, at Least Among Ants – The New York Times

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 13, 2026

Highway 1 to Reopen

The Tribune reported

Travelers will once again be able to drive the entire Big Sur coast when a troublesome slide area of Highway 1 reopens, which is expected to happen at noon Wednesday. That means for the first time in exactly three years, drivers will be able to make the trip from Cambria to Carmel, since the first in a string of slides closed that part of the highway on Jan. 14, 2023.

Read more at: https://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article314302844.html#storylink=cpy

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 13, 2026

January Breeding Activity

Check out January Breeding Activity at the California Bird Atlas

January Breeding Activity – California Bird Atlas

Xerces Society reported

Recently, the Department of the Interior published an agency rule list which suggests delays in the timeline for monarchs and many other species awaiting listing and delisting actions under the Endangered Species Act.

Read on xerces.org/news/organizational-news/us-department-of-interior-delays-monarch-butterfly-listing-under

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 13, 2026

In Pursuit of the Monarch’s Magnetic Sense

AYDINHABER reported

Among the many marvels of animal migration, one ability remains the most elusive: a magnetic compassthat can sense Earth’s invisible field. While birds, sea turtles, and even some fish have shown hints of magnetic navigation, a definitive, universally accepted example has been missing—until recent work with the monarch butterfly.

For years, researchers have documented the monarch’s astonishing long‑distance journeys across North America, guided by the sun, the wind, and even the scent of milkweed. Now, a series of laboratory experiments and field observations suggest that these iconic insects may also be tapping into the planet’s magnetic signature.

Read more In Pursuit of the Monarch’s Magnetic Sense

NBC reported

The Arctic last season was the hottest it has been in the past 125 years. The extent of sea ice during its usual maximum in March was the lowest in 47 years of satellite recordkeeping. The North American tundra was more green with plant life than ever recorded.

Read more Arctic is again the hottest it’s been in 125 years, with record-low sea ice, NOAA report says

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 11, 2026

Theodore Payne Foundation  Upcoming Events 

Theodore Payne Foundation inspires and educates Southern Californians about the beauty and ecological benefits of California native plant landscapes.We are located on 22 acres of canyon land in the northeast corner of the San Fernando Valley. Our full-service native plant nursery, seed room, book store, art gallery, demonstration gardens, and hiking trails are open to the public year round. We offer garden tours and classes for adults and families, as well as field trips to TPF and in-classroom programs for children. Friendly on-leash dogs are welcome and there is no admission charge!

See upcoming events at  Theodore Payne Foundation Events – Upcoming Activities and Tickets | Eventbrite

Smithson reported

A bi-national corridor of nearly 1,000 kilometers between Panama and Costa Rica could be key to protecting manatees, which are endangered in Central America, the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) said Tuesday.  This binational corridor, spanning 984 kilometers—220 kilometers in Costa Rica and 764 kilometers in Panama—and encompassing 2,631 square kilometers of coastal marine ecosystems and wetlands, is proposed by Smithsonian researchers who developed a study revealing the transboundary movements and habitat use of the Greater Caribbean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus).

Read more Smithsonian Researchers Believe that the Panama-Costa Rica Corridor Would Protect Endangered Manatees

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 11, 2026

3 missing amid bushfires, ‘catastrophic’ conditions in Australia

CBC News reported

Three people were unaccounted for as out-of-control bushfires raged in the Australian state of Victoria, destroying homes and burning through vast swathes of bushland amid the worst fire conditions since 2019’s Black Summer.

Read on www.cbc.ca/news/climate/australia-bushfires-9.7039517

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 11, 2026

Yosemite National Park scraps Firefall reservations

SF Gate reported

Yosemite National Park has stopped allowing Firefall reservations despite a history of overcrowding in the park during the event.

Read on www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/yosemite-national-park-scraps-firefall-reservation-21287533.php

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 10, 2026

Climate Watch Starts Next Week!

From Audubon
From January 15 to February 15, volunteers across North America will help us tally for twelve target bird species. You don’t have to be an expert birder to participate in Climate Watch but knowing (or wanting to learn) how to identify nuthatches, bluebirds, and goldfinches by sight or sound is a big plus.

Get Involved

Owion reported

The “Long-Term Evolution Experiment” (LTTE) tries to answer questions about evolution and how the process of natural selection works, whether it is slow or fast and does the curve changes at certain points. It has been going on for nearly 40 years, but it has seen thousands of generations.

Read more World’s longest evolution experiment started 37 years ago, but has already seen 80,000 generations

 

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 9, 2026

Volunteer at Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve

Early signs point to a good poppy year and you can be a part of it! Volunteer training Feb 7th and 14th 9am-2pm! New volunteers must attend both training sessions and work a minimum of two shifts per month March 1- Mother’s Day. Benefits: sharing the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve with the public, free day-use to the Poppy Reserve, after 40 hours a day-use pass to the Great Basin District Parks and a statewide day-use pass to California Parks upon completion of 200 hours in a single calendar year (hours may be combined with volunteer work at other Great Basin District State Parks). To apply, visit https://bttr.im/961y5 and fill out the information requested. You will join a wonderful group of dedicated staff and volunteers. 🌱🌼🌻🌞💓 #poppyreserve #VolunteerHeroes— at Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve.

Native News Online  reported

The leader of an organization that has been facing off against a foreign mining company with designs on destroying a sacred Indigenous site is walking more than 60 miles across Arizona to attend a court hearing that will decide the fate of 2,400 acres of federal public lands.
Wendsler Nosie, Sr. (San Carlos Apache), founded Apache Stronghold in 2014 to oppose the transfer of the public lands in the Tonto National Forest. The organization has been locked in a 10+ year legal battle with the mining giant Resoutin Copper to protect the land, which includes Oak Flat, a mesa that has been the site of religious ceremonies for tribes in the region since time immemorial. The lands are also home to endangered and threatened species, such as ocelots and Arizona hedgehog cacti.
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 9, 2026

Pacific Orchid Exposition Feb. 27 to March 1

Orchid Obscura
The 73rd Annual Pacific Orchid Exposition will be at
the County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park on
February 27th – March 1, 2026   (with Preview Night on February 26th)

buy tickets   POE 2026 Tickets are available on Eventbrite

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 9, 2026

When one (bird) parent leaves

The University of Nevada Reno reports

Male nest desertion can leave chicks in a vulnerable
Family life in the animal world, much like in humans, is not always peaceful. Raising offspring demands time, energy, and cooperation — and sometimes, parents don’t fully agree on how much each should contribute. Each parent would personally benefit by investing a little less and leaving more of the work to their partner.

Read more at When one (bird) parent leaves

SF Gate reported

California’s rainy start to 2026 has led to wet conditions pushing the state to break a 25-year record, according to the latest federal and state data.

The U.S. Drought Monitor map released Thursday, based on data valid as of Jan. 6, shows 100% of California classified as free of drought conditions, with no areas listed as abnormally dry or experiencing moderate, severe, extreme or exceptional drought.

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 8, 2026

Meet five new species discovered in 2025

NPR reported

Even as some scientists search for signs of life beyond Earth, other researchers have been discovering new species on our own humble planet faster than ever before.

Read more Meet five new species discovered in 2025 : NPR

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 8, 2026

Taft Gardens Events

See upcoming events at Taft Gardens and Nature Preserve at events

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 8, 2026

Orcas team up with dolphins to hunt

The Guardian reported 

Northern resident killer whales appear to use dolphins as ‘scouts’, in a surprising cooperative hunting strategy

Read on www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/11/orca-killer-whale-dolphin-hunt-salmon-study-british-columbia-canada

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 7, 2026

Tlden Fungus Fair: Jan. 31 and Feb. 1

From East Bay Regional Parks

Celebrate the fruits of winter at the Tilden Fungus Fair on Saturday, Jan. 31, and Sunday, Feb. 1, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. View hundreds of local mushroom specimens on display. Mingle with the mycological community and enjoy presentations by guest speakers at this two-day special event. Learn to identify edible and poisonous mushrooms, explore fungal ecology, and discover the hidden beauty of the Bay Area’s wild mushrooms. More info.

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 7, 2026

Joshua Tree National Park Trail Closures

from Joshua Tree National Park

The Fortynine Palms and Cholla Cactus Garden trails are closed! Here’s the details ⬇️
🌴Fortynine Palms:
– The trail is closed on weekdays, and open on weekends
– Park staff are repairing sections of the trail damaged by rain earlier in the season
– We expect to reopen the trail full time in late spring!
🌵Cholla Cactus Garden:
– The trail is fully closed
– Park staff are working to improve conditions and accessibility for visitors
– We expect to reopen the trail in late spring!
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 7, 2026

Anza-Borrego Foundation Events 

Anza-Borrego Foundation hosts a variety of events and educational programs, including hikes, botany walks, photography workshops, and more. See the schedule at  Events | Anza-Borrego Foundation

EuroNews reported

The research comes as communities in Italy and around Europe struggle with the rebound of bear populations due to conservation efforts.

Read on www.euronews.com/green/2025/12/16/these-italian-brown-bears-have-changed-their-behaviour-due-to-close-interaction-with-human

SF Gate reported

New Interior Department guidance says stickers or coverings on national park passes may invalidate them, amid protests over Donald Trump’s image.

Read on www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/sticker-covering-trump-void-national-park-pass-21278091.php

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | January 6, 2026

Researchers find how plants survive without sunlight or sex

ScienceDaily reported

The study reveals how Balanophora plants function despite abandoning photosynthesis and, in some species, sexual reproduction. Their plastid genomes shrank dramatically in a shared ancestor, yet the plastids remain vital. Asexual reproduction appears to have evolved repeatedly, helping the plants survive in isolated, humid forest habitats. The research highlights surprising resilience in these bizarre parasitic species.

Read on www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251214100921.htm

The Guardian reported

Exclusive: data reveals hundreds of UK nests have been raided in the past decade amid growing appetite to own prized birds for racing and breeding

Read on www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/05/elite-falcons-middle-east-illegal-trafficking-trade-british-birds

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