SF Gate reported
Velella velella are related to jellyfish and travel the ocean via clear “sails.” Thousands, or possibly millions, have shown up along the California coast.
Read on www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/el-nino-sea-creature-22236398.php
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 3, 2026
The blue gooey sign of a potential El Niño brewing off Calif. coast
Posted in Animals | Tags: Velella velella
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 3, 2026
Webinar: California Condors on the Central Coast: a journey of recovery and resilience 5/12/26
On Tuesday May 12th, 2026, at 7 pm, the Friends of San Pedro Valley Park are pleased to welcome Danaé Mouton, a wildlife biologist with the Ventana Wildlife Society.
To participate in this Webinar, please register in advance using the following link. There you need to put in your name and email address to register. You will then get a confirmation email with further instructions, and reminder emails closer to the event.
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_PO6TcXKIQnmO5Penjk-zUA
On a Zoom webinar, she will present her lecture entitled “California Condors on the Central Coast: a journey of recovery and resilience.” She will discuss how perilously close to extinction were the California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) and the steps taken to try to prevent this from occurring. She will also discuss the efforts taken to reintroduce the endangered condors back on the Central Coast after all individuals were removed from the wild. The California Condor is still endangered but its numbers in the wild are on the increase. Join us for this incredible journey as Danaé discusses the help and tools needed on the way to a successful species recovery.
· The lecture with Q&A will last one hour.
· Questions will be submitted in writing using Zoom.
Posted in Birds | Tags: California Condors
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 3, 2026
Winter getting shorter in 80% of major US cities, new data shows
The Guardian reported
Researchers find that across 195 US cities, winters are on average nine days shorter than they were in 1970-1997
Read more at Winter getting shorter in 80% of major US cities, new data shows
Posted in Environment | Tags: Climate change, Winter Getting Shorter
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 2, 2026
How wild turkeys ended up everywhere in the Bay Area
SF Gate writes about Wild Turkeys in the Bay Area
Wild turkeys, not native to California, have thrived in the Bay Area due to ideal suburban habitats. Their population has surged since the 1970s, reaching an estimated 250,000 statewide. While some residents find them a spectacle, others see them as a nuisance, especially during mating season when males become territorial and may attack vehicles or humans.
Read story at How wild turkeys ended up everywhere in the Bay Area
Posted in Animals | Tags: Wild Turkeys
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 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
Posted in Park, Walks & Hikes | Tags: East Bay Regional Parks
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 1, 2026
Upcoming CNPS Events
See the calendar of upcoming events of the California Native Plants Society at https://www.cnps.org/events
Posted in Talks | Tags: Upcoming CNPS Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 1, 2026
Central Valley county declares emergency over ‘out of control’ invasive species
SF Gate reported
The species can produce 1 million offspring in a single year
Officials in San Joaquin County declared an emergency on Wednesday due to an infestation of an invasive species of mussels, which are clogging infrastructure and damaging the environment.
Golden mussels have spread rapidly in the delta after first being detected in 2024.
Read more at www.sfgate.com/centralcalifornia/article/california-delta-invasive-species-22232619.php
Posted in Animals, Environment | Tags: Golden Mussels, Invasive species
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | May 1, 2026
Global sea levels have been underestimated due to poor modelling, research suggests
The Guardian reported
Sea levels around the world have been underestimated due to inaccurate modelling, with research suggesting ocean levels are far higher than previously understood.
Analysis shows average levels are 30cm higher than thought, and up to 150cm in south-east Asia and Indo-Pacific
Read more Global sea levels have been underestimated due to poor modelling, research suggests
Posted in Fall Foliage | Tags: Global Sea Level Rise
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 30, 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 30, 2026
Rare sea mammal just appeared off in Monterey Bay
SF Gate reported
Over the weekend, a rare white dolphin was seen off the coast of Monterey Bay and captured on camera by photographer Morgan Quimby.
Read on http://www.sfgate.com/centralcoast/article/rare-dolphin-monterey-bay-22230522.php
Posted in Animals | Tags: Rare White Dolphin sighting
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 30, 2026
The iconic tumbleweed of the West is not native to North America
INteresting Facts writes
Watching an old Western might leave you with the perception that tumbleweeds have always been a part of America’s western landscape. However, many of the spiky bushes are actually an invasive species from Russia. Salsola tragus goes by a variety of names — including “Russian thistle” and “wind witch” — but its best-known title comes from the way the plant breaks free from the ground at the end of its growing season, blowing around and spreading hundreds of thousands of seeds. While some native tumbleweeds do exist — like Amaranthus albus, aka common tumbleweed — Russian thistle is highly invasive, a term scientists use to describe species that choke out native plants and cause ecological harm by altering habitats. Today, Russian thistle is the most common type of tumbleweed in California.
Read more at The iconic tumbleweed of the West is not native to North America.
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Tumbleweed
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 29, 2026
Will Your State Bird Disappear?
The Revelator reported
A new study shows that tens of millions of Americans could lose the chance to see their state bird due to climate change.
Read more Will Your State Bird Disappear?
Posted in Birds | Tags: Bird Population Decline
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 28, 2026
‘Coming home’: kiwi enter parliament for first time as New Zealand marks conservation win
The Guardian reported
Politicians, children and Māori groups gathered in the Wellington banquet hall to see in the flesh the success of efforts to protect country’s national bird
Read on www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/29/kiwi-bird-nz-new-zealand-parliament
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 28, 2026
Hot Take—Seems Like Birds Can Taste Spice After All
Audubon reporte
Peppers in the wild grow only so spicy, and new research suggests that may be to satisfy avian palates.Conventional wisdom has long held that birds are immune to spice. Many a bird blog recommends fending off squirrels by filling feeders with chili pepper-coated bird seed, the assumption being that birds won’t mind. And it makes sense; where hot peppers grow in the wild, birds eat the fruit undisturbed.
In fact, birds are the primary dispersers for pepper plants. The fiery doni sali chili, native to the Mariana Islands, is even named for the species that spreads its seeds—the Micronesian Starling, or Såli. “Peppers depend upon birds for moving to new habitats or to empty open spaces,” says Haldre Rogers, an ecologist at Virginia Tech.
Still, the avian palate may have its limits. Emerging research suggests that, with extremely spicy peppers, even birds feel the heat.
Read more at Hot Take—Seems Like Birds Can Taste Spice After All
Posted in Birds | Tags: Birds and Hot Peppers
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 27, 2026
The Coyotes Arrived. Now, They’re Changing Angel Island.
Bay Nature reported
Recently a coyote was seen swimming to Alcatraz. But these adventurous canids have been exploring the Bay by dog-paddle (coyote-paddle?) for years
Deer and raccoons that once roamed the island are now prey
— Read on baynature.org/2024/11/19/science-nature/wildlife/coyotes-on-angel-island/
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 26, 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 | April 26, 2026
Some plants make fake berries to trick birds into helping them spread seeds
Earth.com reported
A plant that can’t make seeds has a big problem: it can grow, but it struggles to move. Without seeds to hitch rides on wind, water, or animals, an asexual plant is often stuck near its parent, piling up in the same patch of habitat and risking local wipeout.
A new yam species has found a clever workaround. Instead of relying on seeds, the yam makes tiny “clone starters” that look like fruit, tricking birds into eating them and carrying them to new places.
Read more at Some plants make fake berries to trick birds into helping them spread seeds
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Asexual Reproduction
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 25, 2026
It’s like flowers on steroids’: what happened when scientists heated a Rocky Mountain wildlife meadow by 2C?
The Guardian reported
A long-running experiment in Colorado provides an ‘alarming’ view of how rapidly unchecked global heating could transform fragile ecosystems.
Posted in Environment, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Global Warming Impact on Plants
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 25, 2026
Siskiyou Land Trust Upcoming Events
See upcoming events for the Siskiyou Land Trust at Upcoming events
Posted in Walks & Hikes | Tags: Siskiyou Land Trust Upcoming Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 25, 2026
The ‘magical’ blue flower changing farmers’ fortunes in India- MSN
Indian farmers are turning to butterly pea flower which is in demand for its bright blue colour.
— Read on www.msn.com/en-us/money/personalfinance/the-magical-blue-flower-changing-farmers-fortunes-in-india/ar-AA1TDu2n
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: aparajita, Butterfly Pea
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 24, 2026
Los Padres ForestWatch Upcoming Events
See Upcoming Los Padres ForestWatch Upcoming Events at Home | Los Padres ForestWatch
Posted in Birds, Talks | Tags: Los Padres ForestWatch Upcoming Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 24, 2026
Oakland’s last old-growth redwood is a gnarled, twisted icon
SF Gate reported
If you didn’t know any better, you might look out over the forested valley at the edge of the Oakland hills and fail to notice Old Survivor among its fellow redwoods. It’s a bit taller than the others, though, and certainly scragglier. The branches at its crown are cartoonishly crooked; up close, its trunk is covered in burls. This is partially what saved its life.
Read more and see photo at Oakland’s last old-growth redwood is a gnarled, twisted icon
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 23, 2026
Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association Upcoming Events
See upcoming events calendar of hikes and programs at https://www.abdnha.org/calendar1.htm.
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 23, 2026
Thriving oyster colonies on living shorelines boost protection
Coastal Review reported
Nature-based coastal shoreline erosion control structures that successfully attract and grow oysters can better defend shores from waves, according to a study led by East Carolina University researchers. The study, published late last year in the journal Scientific Reports, found that the more oyster-dense a breakwater designed to recruit and grow those shellfish is, the better that structure is at dissipating waves.
Read more at Coastal Review, coastalreview.org.
Posted in Animals, Environment | Tags: Oysters
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 22, 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 | April 22, 2026
California Adding Three New State Parks
The Sacramento Bee reported
The California State Parks system is adding three parks in the Central Valley in what Gov. Gavin Newsom touted as the biggest expansion of the system in decades.
San Joaquin River Parkway in Madera County, the Dust Bowl Camp outside of Bakersfield, and a park along Feather River in Yuba County are the newest additions to the California State Parks system.
Posted in Park | Tags: New California State Parks
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 22, 2026
8 birds of prey saved after being released in bizarre NorCal crime
SF Gate reported
Volunteers and staff from a falconry center in Yuba County are searching for the remaining animals that were released during a break-in.
Read on www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/birds-crime-norcal-22218758.php
Posted in Birds | Tags: Bird of Prey Theft
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 22, 2026
Rising underwater noise is impacting Arctic wildlife
Earth.com reported
The Arctic used to muffle much of human noise. Thick sea ice blocked waves, limited ship travel, and kept many industrial projects far away. That old quiet is fading fast.
As ice melts, more people move in – more boats, more planes, more snowmobiles. All that motion adds something most of us never think about: underwater noise that spreads through the sea and lingers long after an engine passes.
Read more https://www.earth.com/news/how-rising-underwater-noise-is-impacting-arctic-wildlife/Rising underwater noise is impacting Arctic wildlife
Posted in Animals | Tags: Underwater Noise Impact On wildlife
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 21, 2026
Wood burning pollution leads to 8,600 premature US deaths a year
The Guardian reported
Air pollution from home wood burning is estimated to lead to 8,600 premature deaths in the US each year, according to research.
Just 2% of US homes use wood for primary heating. Another 8% burn wood for pleasure, aesthetics or supplementary heating, but combined they produce 21% of the country’s wintertime particle pollution.
Read more Wood burning pollution leads to 8,600 premature US deaths a year, study finds
Posted in Environment | Tags: Wood Burning and Pollution
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 21, 2026
Four Simple Steps to Protect Pollinators
from the Xerces Society
Grow Pollinator-Friendly Flowers
Flowers provide the nectar and pollen resources that pollinators feed on. Growing the right flowers, shrubs, and trees with overlapping bloom times will support pollinators from spring through fall. Learn More
Provide Nest Sites
It is important to support all pollinator life stages, including eggs and larvae! For bees, leave patches of bare ground and brush piles, have plants and shrubs with hollow or pithy stems, or install nesting blocks. For butterflies and moths, plant their caterpillar host plants.Learn More
Avoid Pesticides
Pesticides, especially insecticides, are harmful to pollinators. Herbicides reduce food sources by removing flowers from the landscape. Fungicides can also have negative effects on bees. There are safer ways to manage issues! Learn More
Spread the Word
Make your commitment both official and visible by signing the Pollinator Protection Pledge! You can also share information about pollinators on social media, talk with your neighbors, or spread the word with a pollinator habitat sign or pesticide-free sign. Learn More
Posted in Butterflies, Environment, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Support for Pollinators
Natural History Wanderings 