Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 4, 2026

Upcoming UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Events

See the events calendar for the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden at Garden Events

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 4, 2026

The absence of human in lockdowns altered the peaks of a bird

ScienceMediaCenter re

Restrictions on mobility and activity imposed during the covid-19 pandemic had an impact on the beaks of a species of bird, specifically the dark-eyed junco, which lived in urban areas of Los Angeles (USA). This is shown in a study published in the journal PNAS, which reveals how birds born during these lockdowns had beaks similar to their counterparts in the wild. With the return of human activity, the beak returned to its pre-pandemic shape. The authors argue that this change was mainly due to an adaptation to the food available, as the birds no longer had access to human food waste.

Read on sciencemediacentre.es/en/absence-human-activity-during-pandemic-lockdowns-altered-peaks-bird-species

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 3, 2026

Upcoming CNPS Events

See the calendar of upcoming events of the California Native Plants Society at https://www.cnps.org/events

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 3, 2026

Seabirds are dying in large numbers along California beaches

SF Gate reported

Brandt’s cormorants and common murres appear to be starving in large numbers along California’s coast, officials say.

Read on www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/seabird-deaths-california-22188219.php

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 3, 2026

Some plants grow bigger — and ‘meaner’ — when clipped, study finds

ScienceDaily reported

Some plants behave like the mythical monster Hydra: Cut off their heads and they grow back, bigger and better than before. A new study finds that these ‘overcompensators,’ as they are called, also augment their defensive chemistry — think plant venom — when they are clipped. The discovery could lead to the development of new methods for boosting plant growth while reducing the need for insecticides, the researchers said.

Read more Some plants grow bigger — and ‘meaner’ — when clipped, study finds

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 2, 2026

Top 14 Birds That Outsmart Predators Daily

Animals Around  The Globe reported

In the avian world, survival depends on more than just flying ability or physical strength. Many birds have evolved remarkable adaptations and behaviors that help them outwit predators on a daily basis. From elaborate deception tactics to sophisticated cooperative strategies, these feathered survivors demonstrate that brain power is often more effective than brawn. This article explores 14 of the most intelligent birds that have mastered the art of predator evasion, showcasing nature’s ingenuity in the ongoing evolutionary arms race between predator and prey.

Read more Top 14 Birds That Outsmart Predators Daily

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 2, 2026

Golden Gate Fields deal set to create sweeping public park

The Berkeley Scanner reported

A plan is afoot to buy Golden Gate Fields, the sprawling former horse racing track on the Berkeley-Albany border, and turn it into a park.

Read on www.berkeleyscanner.com/2026/04/01/community/golden-gate-fields-park-deal/

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 2, 2026

10 fastest birds on the planet, including one that can cruise at 169kph for hours

Discover Wildlife

From lightning-fast dives to marathon high-speed flight, these are the 10 fastest birds on Earth
The animal kingdom has some impressive contenders when it comes to speed, but few can rival the sky’s elite. Birds have evolved to move through the air with efficiency and precision to pursue prey, evade predators, migrate and find mates. These are some of the fastest fliers and savviest swoopers around.

Read on www.discoverwildlife.com/

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 1, 2026

East Bay Regional Parks Upcoming Events

See the calendar of upcoming events for the East Bay Regional Parks at https://www.ebparks.org/calendar

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 1, 2026

How the World is Losing its Forests to Wildfires

The Guardian  reported

The world is losing forests to fire at an unsustainable rate, experts have warned.

Wildfires have always been part of nature’s cycle, but in recent decades their scale, frequency and intensity in carbon-rich forests have surged.

Research from the World Resources Institute (WRI) shows that fires now destroy more than twice as much tree cover as they did two decades ago.

Read more at Mapped:How the World is Losing its Forests to Wildfires

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 31, 2026

 Marin County Parks Upcoming Events

See the calendar of upcoming free events for Marin County Parks  Events Calendar – Marin County Parks

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 31, 2026

New Zealand’s rare flightless parrot begins breeding again

The Straits Times reported

New Zealand’s critically endangered flightless parrot, the kakapo, started breeding last week for the first time in four years, the government conservation department said.
Only 236 of the rotund and regal-looking green parrots remain in three breeding populations on some of New Zealand’s most remote southern islands.

Read on www.straitstimes.com/asia/australianz/new-zealands-rare-flightless-parrot-begins-breeding-again

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 31, 2026

Ancient Weed Contains Water So Strange That Scientists Thought It Came From a Meteorite

ZMEscience reported

A prehistoric plant distills water so intensely it looks it came from space.

Read on www.zmescience.com/science/news-science/ancient-weed-contains-water-so-strange-that-scientists-thought-it-came-from-a-meteorite/

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 30, 2026

Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association Upcoming Events

See upcoming events calendar of hikes and programs at https://www.abdnha.org/calendar1.htm.

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Posted in Park, Walks & Hikes, Wildflowers and Other Plants, Talks, Desert, Astronomy | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 30, 2026

After 25 years of reforestation, once-barren landscapes are now absorbing millions of tons of CO annually

The Punjab reported

Where wind once scraped over bare, cracked soil, there’s now a low, continuous whisper of leaves rubbing against each other. The air feels heavier, cooler, like someone turned down the brightness on a harsh world. Men and women walk along a dusty track flanked by young trunks, some no thicker than a wrist, others already casting generous shade. A boy in a faded football shirt stretches out his hand and touches a leaf, almost like he’s checking it’s real.

Twenty-five years ago, this entire valley was a burnt, eroded scar. Nothing grew higher than your knees. Livestock kicked up grey dust. People moved away because the land could no longer feed them. Today, those same hills are a surprising patchwork of green. Small forests stitched together by human stubbornness and patient work.

Read more about story ar Londonam https://www.londonsam.org.uk/after-25-years-of-reforestation-once-barren-landscapes-are-now-absorbing-millions-of-tons-of-co-annually/https://www.londonsam.org.uk/after-25-years-of-reforestation-once-barren-landscapes-are-now-absorbing-millions-of-tons-of-co-annually/

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 29, 2026

3 California national parks broke visitor records. That’s likely bad news.

SF Gate reported

Several of California’s national parks saw more visitors in 2025 than any of the five previous years, according to the National Park Service’s annual visitation data report.

Read more 3 California national parks broke visitor records. That’s likely bad news.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 29, 2026

Friends of Inyo Upcoming Events

See upcoming events from the Friends of Inyo at Friends of Inyo Events

 

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 29, 2026

Scientists describe a new fishing spider species

Monga Bay reported

  • Researchers have scientifically described a new species of fishing spider from a stream in Kerala.
  • The fishing spider requires stringent conditions for survival that include pristine, slow-moving waters, making the spiders important bioindicators that reflect the health of an ecosystem.
  • The new record highlights the yet unknown diversity of spiders in the Western Ghats, and the need for improving funding and involving citizen scientists in identifying undiscovered species.
Read more at Scientists describe a new fishing spider species

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 28, 2026

Upcoming Events at East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden

See upcoming events at East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden at events.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 28, 2026

One coyote family will partially close two San Francisco trails for six months

SF Gate reported

A monogamous pair of coyotes is preparing to raise new pups in their San Francisco den, leading to the partial closure of two popular trails.

On Friday, the Presidio Trust is set to close parts of the Park Trail and the Bay Area Ridge Trail to dog walkers until October.

Read more One coyote family will partially close two San Francisco trails for six months

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 28, 2026

A first in 100 years: a chinook salmon returns to its native California river

Thai Hut reported

A wild salmon, back in its native river after 100 years. One fish. One small body against a whole century of dams, concrete and droughts.

Read more at SF Gate as origial link no longer work A first in 100 years: a chinook salmon returns to its native California river

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 27, 2026

Upcoming Bay Nature Events

See the schedule of upcoming Bay Nature Events mailchi.mp/baynature/march-11

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 27, 2026

Scientists captured female sperm whales on video working together during a birth to protect the calf

AP reported

Rare footage of a sperm whale giving birth has offered scientists a window into the behavior of these large, elusive mammals.

The video taken in 2023 shows female whales from two family lines working together to support the labor during critical moments and lift the newborn calf above the water. It’s a level of coordination that’s extremely uncommon in the animal kingdom, especially outside of primates like monkeys and humans.

“The group quite literally helps bring the calf into the world,” said Oregon State University behavioral ecologist Mauricio Cantor in an email. He had no role in the new research.

See video and read more Scientists captured female sperm whales on video working together during a birth to protect the calf

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 27, 2026

This Roaming Raptor Has Been Surprising U.S. Birders—and More Could Be on the Way

Audubon  Magazine reports

Limited to Central and South America until a few short years ago, Yellow-headed Caracaras are turning heads from California to Delaware as their range expands northward.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 26, 2026

Toucans reintroduced 50 years ago disperse seeds of endangered trees in Brazil

Monga Bay reported

More than 50 years ago, the ariel toucan was reintroduced to Tijuca National Park, the world’s largest urban forest, located in Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil. Now, a new study finds that the bird, which became locally extinct in the 1960s, has almost entirely settled back into its original role in the ecosystem, serving as a critical species for forest restoration.

Read more Toucans reintroduced 50 years ago disperse seeds of endangered trees in BrazilToucans reintroduced 50 years ago disperse seeds of endangered trees in Brazil

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 26, 2026

This conservation practice boosts wildlife species on farmland

WPR reported

Dense tree cover can be hard to come by in farm country. But new research shows that more trees close to rivers and streams are linked to higher biodiversity

Read more This conservation practice boosts wildlife species on farmland, new research finds

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 26, 2026

Mice perform first aid when their friends are in distress

Earth.com reported

Scientists have long wondered whether other social animals show any consistent response to a companion that stops responding.

When a mouse spots another mouse lying still, it may paw at its friend, chew on its snout, or even yank its limp tongue aside in what closely resembles an attempt at first aid. Is this behavior the same as what we humans call CPR?

Read more Amazing study finds that mice perform first aid when their friends are in distress

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 25, 2026

 Siskiyou Land Trust Upcoming Events

See upcoming events for the Siskiyou Land Trust at  Upcoming  events

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 25, 2026

Busting Through the Hype and Politics of Forest Thinning

The Revelator reported

‘Forest managers conduct hundreds of thousands of acres of forest “thinning” projects annually in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and elsewhere, resulting in substantial ecological and financial costs.

Read more https://therevelator.org/forest-thinning-hype/?utm_source=rev&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=rev400&emci=886ce917-7512-f111-a69a-000d3a57593f&emdi=a05b6f35-2c13-f111-a69a-000d3a57593f&ceid=1867382Busting Through the Hype and Politics of Forest Thinning

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 24, 2026

Toucans reintroduced 50 years ago disperse seeds of endangered trees in Brazil

Monga Bay reported

More than 50 years ago, the ariel toucan was reintroduced to Tijuca National Park, the world’s largest urban forest, located in Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil. Now, a new study finds that the bird, which became locally extinct in the 1960s, has almost entirely settled back into its original role in the ecosystem, serving as a critical species for forest restoration.

Read more Toucans reintroduced 50 years ago disperse seeds of endangered trees in BrazilToucans reintroduced 50 years ago disperse seeds of endangered trees in Brazil

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