Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 26, 2025

Photos from my garden 10/22/25

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 26, 2025

Lodi Sandhill Crane Festival Nov 7 – 9, 2025

Hutchins Street Square  125 S. Hutchins Street, Lodi, California

  • TOURS – We still have Festival tours with open spaces, including several Crane Fly-in tours on Sunday. For tours with available space, please see Available Tours. You can click on any tour on this list to view its description and register online. You can see all the tours, including the tours with a wait list, at 2025 Tours.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 26, 2025

White House approves increased oil and gas drilling in Alaska’s national wildlife refuge | Alaska | The Guardian

The Guardian reported

The Trump administration has approved more oil and gas drilling across Alaska’s Arctic national wildlife refuge (ANWR), prompting widespread criticism from environmental conservation organizations.

Read on www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/23/oil-gas-drilling-alaska-national-wildlife-refuge

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 26, 2025

This tiny worm uses static electricity to hunt flying insects

ScienceDaily reported

A parasitic worm uses static electricity to launch itself onto flying insects, a mechanism uncovered by physicists and biologists at Emory and Berkeley. By generating opposite charges, the worm and insect attract, allowing the leap to succeed far more often. High-speed cameras and mathematical modeling confirmed this “electrostatic ecology” in action.

Read more : This tiny worm uses static electricity to hunt flying insects | ScienceDaily

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 26, 2025

Climate change could erase 80% of whitebark pine’s current habitat across the Rockies and Northwest

Phys.org reported

A new study, led by federal agencies in collaboration with the University of Colorado Denver, shows that the whitebark pine tree—an iconic, high-elevation tree that stretches from California’s Sierra Nevada through the Cascades and Rockies and into Canada—could lose as much as 80% of its habitat to climate change in the next 25 years.

The loss could have a cascade of effects, impacting wildlife and people.

Read on Climate change could erase 80% of whitebark pine’s current habitat across the Rockies and Northwest

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 25, 2025

Drone pilots are behaving badly in national parks like Yosemite

SF Gate reported

Drones are buzzing over national parks like Yosemite despite a federal ban — and the government shutdown is making things worse.

Read on http://www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/yosemite-drone-pilots-in-national-parks-21114340.php

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 25, 2025

Incredible Journeys: Migratory Sharks on the Move

The Revelator reported

Even as scientists rush to identify the migratory paths of some endangered shark species to help better protect them, climate change and other threats shift this behavior, adding urgency to the research.

Read on therevelator.org/migration-sharks/

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 24, 2025

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

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 24, 2025

Former park leaders demand Trump admin close national parks

SF Gate reported

Hundreds of former National Park Service employees urge Trump to close parks as shutdown drags on.

Read on www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/former-employees-demand-trump-close-national-parks-21116678.php

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 24, 2025

When researchers tracked 24 giant manta rays into the deep, they discovered an amazing new behaviour

Discover Wildlife reported

A team of international researchers has discovered that oceanic manta rays – the largest species of ray on the planet – may dive over 1,200 metres deep to find their way around the ocean, according to a new study published in Frontiers in Marine Science.

Read more  When researchers tracked 24 giant manta rays into the deep, they discovered an amazing new behaviour | Discover Wildlife

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 24, 2025

How Spiders Fly

Bay Nature reported

Darwin saw them ballooning. Without any wind. Eventually some scientists figured out their electric secret.

Spiders make different silk for different jobs. Dragline silk, which they spin for the mode of transportation we call “ballooning,” is what the U.S. military considers the best kind. It is five times stronger than steel, and more flexible and resistant to extreme temperatures. This is the stuff that, over a decade ago, inspired humans to splice the gene responsible for its production into a multiplicity of fertilized goat embryos, in the hopes of birthing a goat that would allow people to milk out what spiders will not produce on command.
Read on baynature.org/2025/09/18/how-spiders-fly/

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 23, 2025

Rare Plant Discovered at Vasco Hills Regional Preserve After 68 Years | East Bay Parks

East  Bay Regional Parks reported

A new population of the caper-fruited tropidocarpum (Tropidocarpum capparideum) has been discovered in Vasco Hills Regional Preserve on protected land acquired by the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) in partnership with the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy (Conservancy). The plant had been undocumented for 68 years until a few individuals were observed on nearby private land in 2023.

Read on www.ebparks.org/about-us/whats-new/news/rare-plant-discovered-vasco-hills-regional-preserve-after-68-years

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 23, 2025

Anonymous donors just reopened Muir Woods

SF Gate reported

Parkgoers hoping to walk beneath the towering Bay Area redwood trees are in luck: Muir Woods National Monument reopened Thursday, thanks to a coalition of concessionaires who run businesses inside the park.

For the next nine days, through Oct. 31, visitors won’t have to pay the monument’s $15 per person entrance fee. They will, however, still need to pay for parking, which ranges from $9.50 for a standard vehicle to $45 for a large vehicle. Parking a personal vehicle or riding the Muir Woods Shuttle ($3.75 for adult round trips) requires a reservation and can’t be completed on-site, where permits aren’t sold and there isn’t any cell service.

Read more: Anonymous donors just reopened a closed national park site

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 23, 2025

Bumble bees balance their diets with surprising precision

ScienceDaily reported

Bumble bees aren’t random foragers – they’re master nutritionists. Over an eight-year field study in the Colorado Rockies, scientists uncovered that different bee species strategically balance their intake of protein, fats, and carbs by choosing pollen from specific flowers. Larger, long-tongued bees seek protein-rich pollen, while smaller, short-tongued species prefer carb- and fat-heavy sources. These dietary preferences shift with the seasons and colony life cycles, helping bees reduce competition, thrive together, and maintain strong colonies.

Read on www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250827010724.htm

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 22, 2025

Scientists revive a worm that was frozen in Siberia for 46,000 years

Earth.com reported

In Siberian permafrost, scientists thawed ancient soil and saw tiny nematodes move. These animals “woke up” after an extremely long freeze and resumed life functions in the lab.

Source: Scientists revive a worm that was frozen in Siberia for 46,000 years – Earth.com

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 22, 2025

Lichen Survives on Outside of International Space Station 

ExploresWeb  reported

To ask if you could live outside the International Space Station (ISS) is rhetorical at best — but could any living organism on Earth manage it?

One unassuming toughie did, and provided at least rough proof of concept that life could exist on Mars.

Lichen from Antarctica’s McMurdo Dry Valleys survived 18 months on a platform attached to the outside of the ISS’s Columbus module, Futurism reported. Though they emerged in worse shape than temperate lichens tested separately in “Mars-like conditions,” many still survived.

Read more  Lichen Survives on Outside of International Space Station » Explorersweb

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 21, 2025

‘A perfect coincidence’: rare red lightning captured in New Zealand skies

The Guardian reported

The extremely unusual phenomenon – also known as red lightning – lasts for a millisecond and is rarely visible to the naked eye

Read on www.theguardian.com/global/2025/oct/22/red-lightning-new-zealand-red-sprites

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 21, 2025

Ancient elephant migration routes are being blocked off – can anything stop the rising death toll?

The Guardian reported

Human-wildlife conflict has now overtaken poaching as a cause of fatalities – and is deadly for people too. Some villages are finding new ways to live alongside them

Read on www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/22/africa-wildlife-conservation-ancient-elephant-migration-routes-blocked-off-human-animal-conflict-aoe

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 21, 2025

No maps, brown water: Shutdown woes at Calif.’s smallest national park

SF Gate reports on the impact of the government shutdown on Pinnacles National park

The federal government shutdown has impacted Pinnacles National Park, California’s smallest national park, in various ways. While the park remains open, the western entrance is closed to vehicles, causing inconvenience for visitors. Additionally, the shutdown has led to limited access to amenities like trail maps, brochures, and the Bear Gulch Nature Center, impacting educational programs and visitor services.

Read article at : No maps, brown water: Shutdown woes at Calif.’s smallest national park

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 21, 2025

New cluster of Tapanuli orangutans discovered in Sumatra peat swamp

Monga Bay reported

  • Researchers have confirmed that the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan, previously thought to live only in Sumatra’s Batang Toru forest, also inhabits a peat swamp forest 32 kilometers (20 miles) away in the Lumut Maju village forest.
  • DNA analysis of fecal samples verified the Lumut Maju apes as Tapanuli orangutans, marking the first confirmed record of the species outside Batang Toru.
  • The discovery highlights the conservation value of nonprotected peat swamps, which are rapidly being cleared for oil palm plantations, threatening the orangutans’ survival.
  • Conservationists warn that the isolated Lumut Maju population, likely fewer than 100 individuals, may not be viable long term unless habitat protection or relocation strategies are implemented.

Read more: New cluster of Tapanuli orangutans discovered in Sumatra peat swamp

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 20, 2025

East Bay Regional Parks Activity Guide for November & December

Regional In Nature (RIN) Activity Guide. Fun facts on wildlife, plants, ecology, and history;  games and activities for kids and families! 
— Read on www.ebparks.org/whats-new/rin

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 20, 2025

The 2025 Audubon Photography Awards: The Top 100

National Audubon reported

Marvel at the beauty of birds and learn the stories behind our favorite images from this year’s contests—featuring, for the first time, photographers from Chile and Colombia.

See photos and read more The 2025 Audubon Photography Awards: The Top 100 | Audubon

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 20, 2025

A Tiny Seabird Faces Growing Threats in the Forest 

The New York Times reported

Nesting often high in the redwoods’ canopy, the marbled murrelet faces new and longstanding risks.

Read on at A Tiny Seabird Faces Growing Threats in the Forest

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 19, 2025

Sierra Passes Reopened

Mono County Tourism reported

📣 Sonora Pass (108) has reopened!

All three passes are now open: Tioga Pass (120), Monitor Pass (89), and Sonora Pass (108)

📸Sonora Pass 10.6.25 – pre-storm

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 19, 2025

Deadly fungus found at two national parks in Pacific Northwest

SF Gate reported

Wildlife officials in Oregon and Washington have confirmed the presence of a dangerous fungus known for killing millions of bats across North America.

The fungus Pseudogymnoascus, which causes a disease called white-nose syndrome, was found on bats at San Juan Island National Historical Park in Washington, and on bat droppings at Lewis and Clark National Historical Park in Oregon, the U.S. Geological Survey announced on Friday. This is the first time the fungus has been detected in the state of Oregon.

Read more at  Deadly fungus found at two national parks in Pacific Northwest

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 18, 2025

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 | October 18, 2025

Indigenous-led protections spark Bali starling’s recovery in the wild

Monga Bay reported

  • An Indonesian songbird once nearly extinct in the wild, the Bali starling, is making a comeback through community-led conservation on Nusa Penida and beyond.
  • Strict law enforcement and captive breeding failed to reverse the bird’s decline; poaching and habitat loss continued despite decades of formal protections.
  • In the early 2000s, conservationists changed tactics, working with communities on Nusa Penida to establish the island as a sanctuary for Bali starlings.
  • Villages embraced traditional awig-awig regulations to protect the starling, creating powerful cultural, social and financial deterrents to poaching..

Read more Indigenous-led protections spark Bali starling’s recovery in the wild

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 18, 2025

Bird not seen in 20 years is rediscovered using an audio recorder 

Earth.com reported

On August 24, 2025, a simple two note call recorded at 9:35 pm in Andhra Pradesh on the east coast of southern India, confirmed that the Jerdon’s courser still persists in the wild, as shown by a public recording that logs the time and coordinates.

Read more Bird not seen in 20 years is rediscovered using an audio recorder – Earth.com

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 17, 2025

Your neighborhood could actually change how your brain works – Earth.com

Earth.com reported

A quiet neighborhood can heal the mind. A neglected one can harm it. Scientists at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine have found that a person’s surroundings may alter the brain’s structure and increase the risk of dementia.

Read on www.earth.com/news/your-neighborhood-could-actually-change-how-your-brain-works/

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 17, 2025

A surge of visitors to Yosemite overwhelms a skeleton crew: ‘This is exactly what we warned about’

The Guardian reported

As the US government shutdown enters its third week, concerns mount over how the nation’s public lands will fare

Read on www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/16/yosemite-government-shutdown-national-parks

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