Earth.com reported
A new study warns that some of the richest bird areas in the western United States could be hit hard by future high-severity wildfires, the kind that kill most trees and can permanently change forests.
Researchers estimate that roughly a quarter to nearly a third of bird diversity hotspots in the region fall in areas expected to burn at high severity in the future, putting important habitats and the species that depend on them at risk.
Read more Severe wildfires threaten 30% of bird diversity hotspots in the West – Earth.com
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 19, 2026
Severe wildfires threaten 30% of bird diversity hotspots in the West
Posted in Birds, Environment
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 19, 2026
Surprising discovery made about the nectar of carnivorous pitcher plants
Earth.com reported
New analyses show that Nepenthes khasiana, a carnivorous pitcher plant from northeast India, loads its nectar with a nerve-disabling chemical that quickly incapacitates ants and other insect pollinators.
Read more at Surprising discovery made about the nectar of carnivorous pitcher plants
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Nepenthes khasiana
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 18, 2026
Yellowstone’s apex predator seen emerging from hibernation incredibly early
SF Gate reported
Visitors spotted a grizzly bear that was awake earlier than usual in Yellowstone.
Posted in Park | Tags: Yellowstone Grizzly Bears
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 18, 2026
Plant species that was presumed to be extinct reappears after nearly six decades
The Independent reported
Small Australian shrub with delicate pink and purple flowers was found thanks to a popular plant ID ap
A plant thought to be extinct has been rediscovered in northern Queensland after 58 years, with the help of a community-driven species identification smartphone app.
Ptilotus senarius, which belongs to a family of flowering plants called Amaranthaceae, is a small, slender shrub endemic to the dry regions of Western Australia.
It was last recorded to have been seen in 1967.
Read more Plant species that was presumed to be extinct reappears after nearly six decades
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: iNaturalist, Ptilotus senarius
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 17, 2026
Storm Updates
Several Storm Updates from SF Gate:
Sierra storm drops 28 inches in a day, shuts down I-80
Interstate 80 through the Sierra Nevada was shut down Tuesday morning as intense snowfall, high winds and near-zero visibility made travel dangerous along the mountain corridor.
“Travel impacts are expected to be severe…” Read more »
Caltrans closes portion of Highway 1 ‘until further notice’ after rockslides
The closure is due to rockslides and debris in the roadway. Read more »
Bay Area gets first winter weather advisory in 3 years
A series of cold fronts are expected to bring heavy snow to parts of the Bay Area. Read more »
Posted in Environment | Tags: Winter Storm Impacts
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 17, 2026
Upcoming Bay Nature Events
See the schedule of upcoming Bay Nature Events mailchi.mp/baynature/march-11
Posted in Talks, Walks & Hikes | Tags: Bay Nature Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 17, 2026
Three new mushroom species discovered that smell like shellfish
Earth.com reported
Mushrooms that long looked the same across forests in Europe and North America turn out not to be the same at all. DNA and molecular analysis shows they are three different species.
By separating the three, quietly distinct fungi that had been bundled together for decades, researchers correct records that shape how biodiversity is counted and protected.
Read more at Three new mushroom species discovered that smell like shellfish
Posted in Mushrooms | Tags: New Mushroom Species
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 16, 2026
Gray wolf roams into north Los Angeles County from Plumas County for the first time in more than a century – ABC7 Los Angeles
ABC Los Angeles reported
For the first time in over a century, a gray wolf has ventured into Los Angeles County. A 3-year-old female ventured near Pyramid Lake on Saturday.
Read on abc7.com/post/gray-wolf-roams-north-los-angeles-county-plumas-first-time-more-century/18571055/
Posted in Animals | Tags: Wolf in L. A..
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 16, 2026
Plant found that appears to have stolen genes from another species
Earth.com reported
On sheer rock walls in West Africa, a small, unassuming plant carries a genetic trait that does not belong in its family, disobeying the usual rules of inheritance.
This discovery challenges long-held assumptions about how plants change, adapt, and pass traits forward across generations.
The plant, Virectaria stellata, was identified at three sandstone sites in Guinea after botanists noticed its unusual star-shaped hairs and traced their origin to possible gene transfer rather than ordinary mutation.
Read more at Plant found that appears to have stolen genes from another species
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: plant gene transfer, Virectaria stellata
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 15, 2026
More Photos From My Garden
Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Garden Photos
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 15, 2026
Tropical Spiders Make Fearsome ‘Puppets’ of Themselves For Protection
Science Alert reported
Some spiders build delicate little nets, others colossal web megacities, and now some in Peru and the Philippines have been found sculpting giant doppelgängers out of silk, prey carcasses, and debris.
This remarkable behavior has just been formally documented for the first time, based on a handful of discoveries dating back to 2012.
“They don’t just decorate their webs – they meticulously arrange detritus, prey carcasses, and silk into a structure that’s not only larger than their own body, but clearly resembles the silhouette of a bigger, menacing spider,”
Read more Tropical Spiders Make Fearsome ‘Puppets’ of Themselves For Protection
Posted in Animals | Tags: Animal Defenses, Spiders
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 14, 2026
Calif. mountain lions gain landmark protections weeks after SF sighting
SF Gate reported
California mountain lions from the Bay Area to the Mexican border are now officially protected under the state’s endangered species act after a yearslong push by activists.
The California Fish and Game Commission approved the protections on Thursday six years after wildlife advocates initially petitioned for the safeguards in 2019.
Read more Calif. mountain lions gain landmark protections weeks after SF sighting
Posted in Animals | Tags: California Mountain Lions
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 14, 2026
Rare 9ft-tall ‘camel birds’ released into Saudi Arabian desert
Discover Wildlife reported
Five red-necked ostriches or ‘camel birds’ have been released into a Saudi Arabian nature reserve as part of a large rewilding project.
The critically endangered flightless birds, also known as North African or Barbary ostriches, were introduced into the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve, in the country’s northwest.
REad moe at Rare 9ft-tall ‘camel birds’ released into Saudi Arabian desert
Posted in Birds | Tags: Camel Birds.Flightless Birds
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 13, 2026
Upcoming Events at the Santa Barbara Natural History Museum
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 13, 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 | February 13, 2026
Upcoming Events at East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden
See upcoming events at East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden at events.
Posted in Garden, Park, Talks, Walks & Hikes | Tags: East Bay Regional Parks Upcoming Activities
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 13, 2026
Beware the spray: Skunk mating season is underway in the Bay Area
SF Gate reported
Complaints from Bay Area residents about the smell — not to mention about sprayed dogs and skunks in the road — have streamed in.
— Read on www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/skunks-spray-valentine-21350189.php
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 13, 2026
Whales are arriving early in San Francisco Bay. Scientists don’t know why.
SF Gate reported
The first gray whale of the year has arrived “unseasonably early” in San Francisco Bay, experts from the Marine Mammal Center told SFGATE this week, raising questions over the species’ behavior and how it is using the bay to survive. The news follows a troubling year for the species that saw 21 individuals wash up dead in the Bay Area alone — the most in 25 years — and the lowest population estimates since the early 1970s.
Read more Whales are arriving early in San Francisco Bay. Scientists don’t know why.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Gray Whales
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 13, 2026
Baboon Sibling Rivalry Suggests Monkeys Feel Jealousy Like People
The New York Times reported
Ever been jealous of your brother or sister for getting too much attention from your mom or dad? Scientists believe you’re not the only creature in the animal kingdom to feel that way.
A team of Finnish scientists spent the majority of 2021 in Tsaobis Nature Park in Namibia, following chacma baboon families on foot from dusk till dawn. Every day, they would see adolescent baboons trying to steal their mother’s attention while a sibling, often a younger one, was being groomed.
Read more Baboon Sibling Rivalry Suggests Monkeys Feel Jealousy Like People
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Baboon Sibling Rivalry
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 12, 2026
Job Opening: Native Plant Nursery Manager
Posted in Job Openings | Tags: Job Opening, Save the Bay
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 12, 2026
Flower Photos from my Garden – 2/10/26
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 12, 2026
Bring Back the Natives Upcoming Events
Bring Back the Natives has a whole lineup of upcoming events. See what’s happening at Native Plant Extravaganzaz 2026
Posted in Garden | Tags: Bring Back the Natives
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 12, 2026
Only 50 of these wild canines are left. California biologists just caught one.
SF Gate reported
The population of an elusive fox species that roams the Sierra Nevada likely only has about 50 individuals left.
Biologists from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife finally captured and attached a GPS collar to one of these rare foxes near Mammoth Lakes in January. They’ve been trying to trap one in the Sierra for years.
Read more Only 50 of these wild canines are left. California biologists just caught one.
Posted in Animals | Tags: Endangerd Species, Sierra Nevada Red Fox
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 12, 2026
Rare sheep are U.S.-Mexico border crossers, but they’re hitting a sharp new obstacle –
Rare sheep are U.S.-Mexico border crossers, but they’re hitting a sharp new obstacle – DNYUZ
— Read on dnyuz.com/2026/02/01/rare-sheep-are-u-s-mexico-border-crossers-but-theyre-hitting-a-sharp-new-obstacle/
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 11, 2026
Hunter gets prison time for smuggling dead endangered animal into SFO
SF Gate reported
The man was aware that the animal’s population was threatened prior to killing it and attempting to smuggle it into San Francisco International Airport.
Read on www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/hunter-endangered-species-21347768.php
Posted in Animals | Tags: Endangered species
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 11, 2026
In polar regions, microbes are influencing climate change as frozen ecosystems thaw
McGill University reported
Microbes across Earth’s coldest regions are becoming more active as glaciers, permafrost and sea ice thaw, accelerating carbon release and potentially amplifying climate change, according to a new international review from McGill University.
Posted in Environment | Tags: Climate change, Global warming
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 11, 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 | February 11, 2026
Rare Octopus ‘Bloom’ Struck UK Waters in 2025, And Now We Know Why
ScienceAlert reported
Octopus blooms have previously been rare in the UK, but emerging evidence from long-term marine monitoring of the western Channel suggests that these episodes coincide with sustained periods of unusual warmth in both the ocean and atmosphere.
These “marine heatwaves” can stimulate rapid population growth, whether the octopus are locally established or newly arrived from the south. These warm conditions are often accompanied by unusually low salinity in coastal waters, a signal that points to fresher water entering the region. While salinity itself is unlikely to drive the outbreaks, it serves as a valuable tracer of the water’s origin.
Read article at Rare Octopus ‘Bloom’ Struck UK Waters in 2025, And Now We Know Why
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Octopus
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 10, 2026
Western Monarch Numbers Remain at Historic Low | Xerces Society
The 29th annual Western Monarch Count revealed a historically low population for the second year in a row. Approximately 12,260 monarchs were recorded overwintering across 249 sites, the third-lowest tally since the count began in 1997.
— Read on xerces.org/press/western-monarch-numbers-remain-at-historic-low
Posted in Butterflies | Tags: Monarch Butterfly Population Loss
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | February 10, 2026
These beetle larvae lure in bees by mimicking flowers
ScienceNews reported
The rare deception may be the first example of an animal chemically mimicking a plant
Read more These beetle larvae lure in bees by mimicking flowers
Posted in Animals | Tags: Beetle Larve
Natural History Wanderings 