The New York Times reported
Living in urban China may have given the insects the traits they needed to thrive in the United States, a new study suggests.
Read more at Cities May Be ‘Evolutionary Training Grounds’ for Spotted Lanternflies
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 16, 2026
Cities May Be ‘Evolutionary Training Grounds’ for Spotted Lanternflies
Posted in Animals | Tags: Lanterflies
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 16, 2026
Rocket Frog, Damselfish, and Bandicoots: The Species Declared Extinct in 2025 • The Revelator
This year’s list includes a notable extinction caused by climate change — and several caused by introduced predators.
— Read on therevelator.org/extinct-2025/
Posted in Animals | Tags: Species now extinct
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 15, 2026
Xerces Society Upcoming Events
See all Xerces Society upcoming events at Xerces Society Webinars
Posted in Butterflies, Talks | Tags: Xerces Society Webinars
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 15, 2026
How the white-tailed eagle returned to the Isle of Wight
Hampsuire Life reported
Back in 2019 something remarkable happened just off the coast of Hampshire. A magnificent bird, extinct in the UK since the early twentieth century, was reintroduced to the Isle of Wight, where it hadn’t bred since 1780. It was a pivotal moment.
Read more How the white-tailed eagle returned to the Isle of Wight
Posted in Birds | Tags: White-tailed Eagles
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 14, 2026
Can the East Bay Parks help save the California least tern?
Oaklandside reporte
The shorebirds that look like ‘little angels hovering above the waves’ have been on the endangered species list since 1970. A wildlife biologist with the park system and 8,000 volunteers have created nesting habitats in Oakland and Hayward.
Posted in Birds | Tags: Least Tern
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 14, 2026
Tejon Ranch Upcoming Events
See All Upcoming Tejon Ranch Events at Events
Posted in Walks & Hikes | Tags: Tejon Ranch activities
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 14, 2026
The Remarkable Role of Filoplumes: Nature’s Hidden Feathers
NewsClip reported
Feathers enable birds to perform complex aerial maneuvers, and filoplumes assist significantly in this regard. These tiny structures monitor airflow, vibrations, and even touch, translating these cues into critical adjustments. They play a crucial role in maintaining flight stability, crucial for long-distance travelers like the albatross, which can soar for hours on end.
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Pressure Detection: Filoplumes alert birds to feather misalignments.
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Temperature Regulation: They inform birds when to fluff up for warmth or release heat.
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Pest Detection: Their sensitivity allows birds to react to parasites more swiftly.
Read more at The Remarkable Role of Filoplumes: Nature’s Hidden Feathers
Posted in Birds | Tags: Filoplumes:
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 13, 2026
Tejon Conservancy Events
See the calendar of events for theTejon Conservancy at www.tejonconservancy.org/calendar
Posted in Walks & Hikes | Tags: Tejon Ranch Event
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 13, 2026
Endangered animal populations bounce back on Kangaroo Island thanks to predator-proof fence
Australian Broadcasting Company reported
Populations of endangered animals on Kangaroo Island have increased by 90 to 100 per cent in five years.
The success of the program has surprised ecologists, who feared the impacts of the 2019-20 bushfires.
Read more at Endangered animal populations bounce back on Kangaroo Island thanks to predator-proof fence
Posted in Animals | Tags: Endangered animal populations, Kangaroo Island
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 12, 2026
Upcoming Events at the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 12, 2026
One Glacier Is Actually Growing–and Perplexed Scientists Hope to Discover its Secrets
The Good New Network reported
Over the decades, a glacier in Central Asia appears to have been growing when almost every other glacier on Earth has been shrinking.
Now, a scientific expedition has recovered ice cores containing 30,000 years of frozen water in the hopes that somewhere inside lies some indication of how we can help these rivers of ice survive as the planet warms.
Read more One Glacier Is Actually Growing–and Perplexed Scientists Hope to Discover its Secrets
Posted in Environment | Tags: Glacier Growth
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 11, 2026
Anza-Borrego Foundation Upcoming 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
Posted in Talks, Walks & Hikes | Tags: Anza-Borrego Foundation Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 11, 2026
The Moonwalk Dancing Bird
The Red-capped Manakin is a tropical bird species found in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and Panama. It moves faster than a hummingbird. Here is a video of researcher Kim Bostwick using a high speed video camera (500 frames per second versus the traditional 30 frames per second) that shows how the Manakins make high pitched sound with their wings and best of all their mating dance that includes a Michael Jackson-like Moonwalk: Moonwalking Bird
Posted in Birds | Tags: Bird, Manakin, Moonwalking Bird, Pipra mentalis, Red-capped Manakin
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 10, 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 the current list go to Events | Xerces Society
Posted in Butterflies, Talks | Tags: Xerces Society Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 10, 2026
Tropical fish appears in Adriatic, puzzling Croatian scientists
Croatia Week
Scientists in Croatia have been left intrigued by the unexpected appearance of a tropical fish species in the northern Adriatic Sea, an area known for being among the coldest parts of the Mediterranean.
The discovery was made near the Kvarner region, where researchers are now investigating how the fish managed to reach the waters off the Croatian coast.
The Adriatic Sea is home to around 450 species of fish. However, increasing maritime traffic and rising sea temperatures are gradually introducing non-native species into the ecosystem.
Read more Tropical fish appears in Adriatic, puzzling Croatian scientists
Posted in Animals | Tags: Tropical Fish in Adriatic
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 10, 2026
Millions Of Coral Fragments Grown In Underwater Nurseries Are Rebuilding Reefs, Sheltering Fish And Restoring Ocean Life
Sevenstarssmethwick Reported
On Florida’s battered reefs, these nurseries have shifted the storyline from obituary to recovery log. At one site run by the non-profit Coral Restoration Foundation, more than 200,000 corals have already been outplanted onto degraded reef structures. In the Maldives, projects report survival rates of 70–80 % for nursery-grown corals, even in waters that have seen brutal heatwaves
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Coral Reefs
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 9, 2026
Sonoma Land Trust Events
Check out the latest events and news for Sonoma Land Trust at OUTINGS & EVENTS
Posted in Talks, Walks & Hikes
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 9, 2026
Wildlife trade ups the risk of diseases spilling over to … us : NPR
NPR reported
People sell wild animals for food and for traditional medicine — legally and illegally. A study looks at the risks of spillover diseases from those pangolins, giant rats and other exotic critters.
Read on www.npr.org/2026/04/09/nx-s1-5776668/wildlife-trade-pathogens-spillover
Posted in Animals | Tags: wildlife trade
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 9, 2026
Mangrove Trees Are Absorbing Carbon, Buffering Storms And Restarting Degraded Coastal Ecosystems
Damascusbite reported
Over 600,000 Mangrove Trees Replanted Worldwide Are Absorbing Carbon, Buffering Storms And Restarting Degraded Coastal Ecosystems.
Read more share.google/fssmIQE0xv2KchCLj
Posted in Environment, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Mangroves
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 8, 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
Posted in Class/Workshop | Tags: Theodore Payne Foundation Upcoming Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 8, 2026
‘Magical’ galaxy frogs disappear after reports of photographers destroying their habitats
The Guardian reported
A group of endangered “galaxy frogs” are missing, presumed dead, after trespassing photographers reportedly destroyed their microhabitats for photos.
Read on www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/17/galaxy-frogs-disappear-photographers-habitat-kerala
Posted in Animals | Tags: Galaxy Frogs
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 7, 2026
Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Upcoming Events
See all Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Upcoming Events at see all upcoming events
Posted in Park | Tags: Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 7, 2026
Bay Area Bird Songs Changed Significantly During Pandemic — And This Cal Poly Study Finds Out Why
Cal Poly reported
When the roads emptied of traffic in March and April because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bay Area residents reported hearing more birds.
Posted in Birds | Tags: Bird Song, Bird Sounds
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 6, 2026
Upcoming Events from Tuleyome
See upcoming events from Tuleyome at Events
Posted in Talks, Walks & Hikes | Tags: Tuleyome
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 6, 2026
36 extraordinary, astonishing bird facts
Focusing on Wildlife
36 extraordinary, astonishing bird facts, including a bird that has killed humans, a bird that likes to get drunk and one that can fly backwards
Posted in Birds | Tags: Unusual Facts About Birds
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 5, 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
Posted in Talks, Walks & Hikes | Tags: Anza-Borrego Foundation Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 5, 2026
Green Crime
From the Revelator
Green Crime: A new book by criminal psychologist Dr. Julia Shaw explains the motives of environmental criminals and the defenders who expose their eco-crimes.
Posted in Environment | Tags: Green Crime
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 5, 2026
Loons of Mount Desert Island, Maine – YouTube
Experience a loon hatchling take to the water for the first time (@1:55), an adult male yodel (@2:35) and loon parents feeding their young (@4:56).
Wildlife photographer Tim Laman and family travel to Mount Desert Island, Maine to film the early lives of Common loons. Told by his daughter, Jessica, the Lamans document a unique look at the intimate bond between Loon parents and their young. It’s an amazing collection of loon calls and behavior.
— Read on www.youtube.com/watch
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
Posted in Class/Workshop, Garden | Tags: UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Events
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
Posted in Birds | Tags: Dark-Eyed Juncos
Natural History Wanderings 