- ScienceDaily reported
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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
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | April 3, 2026
Some plants grow bigger — and ‘meaner’ — when clipped, study finds
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Plants that Overcompensate
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.
Posted in Birds | Tags: Bird Intelligence
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/
Posted in Park | Tags: Golden Gate Fields
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/
Posted in Birds | Tags: Fastest Birds
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
Posted in Park, Walks & Hikes | Tags: East Bay Regional Parks
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
Posted in Environment | Tags: Forest Loss, Wildfires
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
Posted in Park
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
Posted in Birds | Tags: Flightless Bird, Kakapo
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.
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: water retention in plants
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.
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/
Posted in Environment | Tags: Restoration Projects, Value of Planting Trees
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.
Posted in Park
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
Posted in Uncategorized, Walks & Hikes | Tags: Friends of INyo
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
Posted in Animals | Tags: Fishing Spider, New Species
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.
Posted in Garden, Park, Talks, Walks & Hikes | Tags: East Bay Regional Parks Upcoming Activities
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
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
Posted in Animals | Tags: Chinook salmon
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 27, 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 | 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
Posted in Animals | Tags: Sperm Whale Berthing
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.
Posted in Birds | Tags: ellow-headed Caracaras
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
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
Posted in Environment | Tags: Biodiversity
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
Posted in Animals | Tags: Animal First Aid, Mice
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 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 | 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
Posted in Environment | Tags: Forest Thinning
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
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 24, 2026
California Condors Are Still Dying — Despite a Lead Ammo Ban
KQED reported
Condors are the largest land bird in North America. When their population shrunk to just 23, a substantial conservation campaign in California followed, spanning several decades. Now there are more than 600 alive, but they aren’t doing as well as scientists expected. That’s even after the state banned hunters from using lead bullets, fragments of which the birds swallow when they eat animal carcasses left behind. Scientists believe the reason these birds may be struggling are due to condors changing their behavior to act like more wild birds. The birds are foraging further away from sites where conservationists leave food and finding animals to eat that are sometimes shot with lead.
Read article at California Condors Are Still Dying — Despite a Lead Ammo Ban
Posted in Birds | Tags: California Condors
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 24, 2026
Air Pollution Is Wreaking Havoc on Ants, And The Effects Are Alarming
Science Alert reported
Scent is essential to ant society: every ant within a colony wears the badge of membership in the form of smelly hydrocarbons. Human air pollution, a new study from Max-Planck Institute researchers suggests, is wreaking havoc on ant society by interfering with these characteristic scents.
Read more Air Pollution Is Wreaking Havoc on Ants, And The Effects Are Alarming
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 23, 2026
Scientists discover a new deep sea animal that glows in the dark
Earth.com reported
Scientists have confirmed a bright yellow deep-sea animal, Corallizoanthus aureus, as a new species of marine coral. It emits green light when disturbed, marking the first known case of bioluminescence documented inside a deep-sea cave.
Read more Scientists discover a new deep sea animal that glows in the dark
Posted in Animals | Tags: Corallizoanthus aureus, Marine Coral, New Species
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 22, 2026
Mexico’s monarch butterfly population jumps 64%, offering hope for at-risk species
The Guardian reported
The insects covered its largest area since 2018, despite threats from habitat loss, climate crisis and pesticides
Read on www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/20/mexico-monarch-butterfly-population-increases
Posted in Butterflies | Tags: Mexican Monarch Butterfly Population
Natural History Wanderings 