A video on processing fall color photographs from Matt Kloskowski :3 WAYS TO BOOST FALL COLORS: learn some tricks for editing the color in those photos.
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 22, 2021
Video on Enhancing Fall Color Photography
Posted in Fall Foliage, Photography | Tags: Processing Fall Color Photographs
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 21, 2021
Job Openings: Botanist San Luis Obispo
Two botanist positions at TERRA VERDE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING, LLC – San Luis Obispo, California
Posted in Job Openings | Tags: Botanist Postions
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 21, 2021
Victory for Alaskan Western Arctic Region
Center Biological Diversity News Release
Biden Administration Won’t Appeal Decision Shutting Down Western Arctic Oil Drilling Project
ANCHORAGE, Alaska— The Biden administration cemented a climate victory today by not appealing a federal district court decision halting ConocoPhillips’ Willow Master Development Plan. Willow would be the largest oil-and-gas drilling project in the Alaskan Arctic and would be located in a vast and biodiverse landscape in the Western Arctic.
Posted in Environment | Tags: Alaskan Arctic, onocoPhillips’ Willow Master Development Plan.
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 21, 2021
Job Openings: Communications Manager & Land Stewardship Manager
Eastern Sierra Land Trust Job Announcements:
We are hiring! Do you want to go to work to protect the Eastern Sierra? Apply to join our team as Communications Manager or Land Stewardship Manager. Please share with someone who might be interested! Visit ESLT.org/employment.
Posted in Job Openings | Tags: Eastern Sierra Land Trust
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 21, 2021
Fall Planting Guide
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Posted in Garden | Tags: Fall Planting Guide
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 20, 2021
Tioga Pass Closing Thursday 10/21
Yosemite National Park reports:
Tioga Road (the continuation of Highway 120 through the park) will temporarily close tomorrow (Thursday, October 21) at 6 pm. We will evaluate the road next week once weather improves.
US National Weather Service Hanford California is forecasting rain and snow from Friday through Tuesday, with heavy rain and snow expected starting late Sunday. The forecast calls for several feet of snow at Tioga Pass and several inches of rain at the lower elevations. You can check current road conditions in Yosemite by calling 209/372-0200 (then 1, 1).
Posted in Drives, Park | Tags: Tioga Pass Road Closing
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 20, 2021
Job Opportunity: Preserve Manager
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 20, 2021
Bird Chalk Art
See an impressive display of bird chalk art from the Berkeley Birding festival at the Golden Gate Birder blog 10/20/2021
Posted in Birds | Tags: Bird Chalk Art
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 20, 2021
The Orionid Meteor Shower peaks this week, but…
NPR reports
The Orionid Meteor Shower peaks this week, but astronomers say it may be a bust for viewing, because the bright moon is also full.
Posted in Astronomy | Tags: Orion Meteor Shower
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 19, 2021
Bringing Back the Burrowing Owl 10/21/21
from Golden Gate Audubon
Bringing Back the Burrowing Owl Thursday, October 21 via Zoom — 7 p.m.
Doug Bell and Shawn Smallwood
Once thriving in the East Bay, the Burrowing Owl has been forced to move inland and the consequences for many have been fatal. Conducting long-term research on these colonies, Shawn Smallwood and Doug Bell have observed the rate of mortality for Burrowing Owls living within the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area, as wind turbines within the area continue to contribute to avian bird deaths. During this presentation they will speak on their findings and the management efforts being conducted on East Bay Regional Park District lands, including volunteer-based habitat restoration programs.
ZOOM LINK
HTTPS://US06WEB.ZOOM.US/J/87611797245?PWD=OXY4TTC5VG5UMFGZOEQ3QZIRNTRQZZ09
HTTPS://US06WEB.ZOOM.US/J/87611797245?PWD=OXY4TTC5VG5UMFGZOEQ3QZIRNTRQZZ09
Passcode: 500811
Posted in Birds, Talks | Tags: Burrowing Owls
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 19, 2021
2022 Anza-Borrego Desert Photo Contest
from the Anza-Borrego Foundation
Submissions for online entries will start 11/07/2021 and run through 12/07/2021. The contest categories will be:
Plants of Anza-Borrego
People Enjoying the Park
Cell Phone Photos
Animals of Anza-Borrego
Black & White
Landscapes of Anza-Borrego
We even have a pretty awesome grand prize for the winner! Details will be posted on our website soon.
Posted in Photography | Tags: Anza-Borrego Desert Photo Contest
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 18, 2021
Changing Climates, Changing Landscapes 10/21/21
Science at Cal – Changing climates, changing landscapes: What does this mean for the future?
Lecture: Midday Science Cafe | October 21 | 12-1:30 p.m. | Zoom
Open to audience: All Audiences
Registration required: Free Register online
In this month’s Midday Science Cafe, we’ll speak to scientists who ask one of the most pressing questions in climate change: How does climate change alter landscapes and what are the downstream effects of these changes?
Learn more about event: Changing climates, changing landscapes: What does this mean for the future?
Posted in Environment | Tags: Changing climates, changing landscapes
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 18, 2021
Understanding Wildfire and Its Impact in California
Understanding Wildfire and Its Impact in California — Despite its international leadership on limiting climate change, California is confronting a wildfire crisis. Getting ahead of this impending interlocked catastrophe requires a vision and strategy that will accelerate learning and rapidly transform new insights into effective practice. Featuring John Battles, professor of forest ecology. Register for the lecture on Friday, Oct. 22, at 10:30 a.m. PT.
Posted in Talks | Tags: Understanding Wildfire and Its Impact in California
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 18, 2021
Birdability Week Events
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Posted in Birds | Tags: Birdability Week
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 17, 2021
Critical Migratory Bird Protections Reinstated
Audubon News Release
Longstanding Migratory Bird Treaty Act protections will be reinstated and a key process to strengthen the rules now begins.
Biden-Harris administration,” said Dr. Elizabeth Gray, president and acting CEO, National Audubon Society. “Reinstating these protections will restore decades of bipartisan precedent. The newly announced plans to strengthen the century-old law are a welcome and necessary step to address the loss of three billion birds in North America.”
Posted in Birds | Tags: Migratory Bird Treaty Act
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 17, 2021
Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association Activities & Events
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Posted in Talks, Walks & Hikes | Tags: Anza Borrego
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 17, 2021
Lassen Park Is Opened on a Limited Basis
Due to impacts from the Dixie Fire, access and areas that are open are limited. Though few, open hiking trails are diverse. Lakes, creeks, meadows, forest, and alpine vistas are calling. The popular Bumpass Hell Trail is closed, but it’s smaller, yet interesting relative, Sulphur Works is waiting for you. At the roadside, Sulphur Works is one mile inside the southwest park entrance.
Knowledge is power! Prepare for your visit by knowing what is and what is not open – https://www.nps.gov/lavo/planyourvisit/conditions.htm
Posted in Park | Tags: Lassen Volcanic National Park
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 17, 2021
Pt. Reyes Photos 10/16/21
A few photos from a walk around Pt. Reyes.
Also a photo showing how the Nicasio Reservoir is almost empty. The lower two thirds of the photo are usually covered with water.
Posted in Park | Tags: Nicasio Reservoir, Pt. Reyes
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 17, 2021
A Weird World Of Animal ‘Crimes’
NPR reports on ‘Animal Crimes
Animals living among us often ignore the rules we try to impose on them. Science writer Mary Roach experienced this firsthand when a group of macaque monkeys accosted her in India.
Read more at Mary Roach’s ‘Fuzz’ Reveals A Weird World Of Animal ‘Crimes’ : Shots – Health News : NPR
Posted in Animals | Tags: Animal Crimes
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 16, 2021
Botanical Riches of Tejon Ranch 10/19/21
from California Native Plants Society Channel Islands Chapter
Botanical Riches of Tejon Ranch w/ Scot Pipkin, Director of Education and Engagement at Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Tuesday, October 19th, 2021 at 7:00PM
Located in one of California’s richest ecological crossroads and spanning over 250,000 acres, Tejon Ranch is one of the most superlative properties in the state. Join Scot Pipkin for an overview of the botanical riches of Tejon Ranch and surrounding landscapes, spanning the San Joaquin Valley, valley and blue oak woodlands, southern Sierra Nevada coniferous forest, and western Mojave Desert. Scot will draw on his experiences as the Tejon Ranch Conservancy Public Access Manager from 2012-2016, when he spent most days exploring the property, discovering its biological riches, and sharing with others.
Join Zoom Meeting: https://cnps-org.zoom.us/j/85220571827?pwd=QzJSaG9HcC9KVlZQdHQ4RGdYVmVDQT09
Meeting ID: 852 2057 1827
Passcode: 816412
Find your local number: https://cnps-org.zoom.us/u/kcRhgLXjdE
Passcode: 816412
Find your local number: https://cnps-org.zoom.us/u/kcRhgLXjdE
Posted in Talks | Tags: Tejon Ranch
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 16, 2021
Most of Kings Canyon National Park Opening 10/18
The majority of Kings Canyon National Park will reopen to the public on Monday, October 18! The areas that are opening did not see active fire, and are no longer considered to be under threat.
For more information see News Release
Posted in Park | Tags: Kings Canyon
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 16, 2021
Birdability Week 2021 Events 10/19 to 10/21
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Posted in Birds, Talks | Tags: Birdability Week
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 16, 2021
California Protects Leatherback Sea Turtles as Endangered
from Center for Biological Diversity
Decision Comes in Time for Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle Conservation Day
SACRAMENTO, Calif.— The California Fish and Game Commission voted today to protect leatherback sea turtles as endangered under the state’s Endangered Species Act. The commission acted on the recommendation of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which is concerned by the turtles’ dramatic decline in state waters.
Posted in Animals | Tags: Leatherback Sea Turtles
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 15, 2021
See The Top 2021 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Winners
NPR reports on the winning images of the 2021 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition a
The annual competition is organized by London’s Natural History Museum and is recognized as the world’s longest-running and most prestigious nature photography competition. In announcing the winners on Tuesday, the museum said it had received more than 50,000 submissions from 95 countries.
See photos and read more at Wildlife Photographer of the Year winners announced for 2021 : The Picture Show : NPR
Posted in Photography | Tags: Wildlife Photographer of the Year
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 15, 2021
BigPicture: Natural World Photography exhibit
from the Academy of Sciences
Opening on Saturday, October 16, and on view through April 24, 2022, the eighth annual BigPicture: Natural World Photography exhibit spotlights 49 of the year’s most striking nature, wildlife and conservation images, from nearly 8,400 photos submitted by photographers around the world. The exhibit highlights Earth’s biodiversity, illustrates the many threats that our planet faces, and underscores the importance of protecting, conserving, and regenerating the natural world. View the winning images online, and dive deeper into the stories behind each photograph at bioGraphic.
Posted in Photography | Tags: BigPicture: Natural World Photography exhibit
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 14, 2021
Leaves are not litter. They are food and shelter for butterflies, moths, beetles, and more
from the Xerces Society
One of the most valuable things you can do to support pollinators and other invertebrates is to provide them with the winter cover they need. Leave the leaves does not mean ignoring them and leaving them where they fell. You can move them to places in your yard where they are out of the way, will not kill your turf, and will still help wildlife. A thin layer of leaves can actually help turf—but too much will kill the grass. Consider raking leaves into areas around trees, or use them as winter mulch for perennials or to cover garden beds.
Read more at: Leaves are not litter. They are food and shelter for butterflies, moths, beetles, and more
Beyond Plants: What Else do Insects Need to Thrive (pre-recorded webinar)
A garden that has an abundance of flowers will support insects—but to maximize the diversity of insects your garden can support, you’ll also need to provide places where they can nest, lay eggs, and shelter. In this recorded presentation, Xerces’ Matthew Shepherd and Jennifer Hopwood talk about how to leave the leaves, save the stems, and other ways to help insects thrive in your backyard. Watch on our YouTube Channel
Posted in Animals, Butterflies | Tags: Leaves are Food and Shelter
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 13, 2021
Sneaky Thieves Steal Hair From Foxes, Raccoons, Dogs, Even You
The New York Times reports
It’s simple: Mammals have hair or fur. Birds want it.
Hair from dogs, raccoons and even humans has been found in the nests of birds, which scientists believe makes the nests better insulated. For a long time, scientists assumed that birds had to collect hair that had been shed or scavenge it from mammal carcasses. However, a new study, published last week in the journal Ecology, shows that several species of bird, including chickadees and titmice, don’t just scavenge hair, they steal it.
See videos and read more at Sneaky Thieves Steal Hair From Foxes, Raccoons, Dogs, Even You
Posted in Animals, Birds | Tags: Birds stealing animal hair, Tufted Titmouse
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 12, 2021
What Insect Has The Longest Dormancy?
It is the Yucca Moth, which can have a dormancy period of up to 30 years. See research article: Longest Insect Dormancy: Yucca Moth Larvae (Lepidoptera: Prodoxidae) Metamorphose After 20, 25, and 30 Years in Diapause
Posted in Animals | Tags: Longest Insect Dormancy, Yucca Moth
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 11, 2021
Groundbreaking legal win for Joshua trees
WildEarth Guardians reports
I’m thrilled to announce that we have scored a monumental legal victory for the Joshua tree, as well as climate-imperiled species across the country.
A federal judge—a George W. Bush appointee no less—recently ruled that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service violated the law when it failed to list the imperiled Joshua tree under the Endangered Species Act.
Read more at Groundbreaking legal win for Joshua trees – WildEarth Guardians
Posted in Park | Tags: Joshua Trees
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 11, 2021
A Plant That ‘Cannot Die’ Reveals Its Genetic Secrets
Events in the genome of Welwitschia have given it the ability to survive in an unforgiving desert for thousands of years.
The longest-lived leaves in the plant kingdom can be found only in the harsh, hyperarid desert that crosses the boundary between southern Angola and northern Namibia.
A desert is not, of course, the most hospitable place for living things to grow anything, let alone leafy greens, but the Namib Desert — the world’s oldest with parts receiving less than two inches of precipitation a year — is where Welwitschia calls home.
Read more at A Plant That ‘Cannot Die’ Reveals Its Genetic Secrets-The New York Times
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Welwitschia
Natural History Wanderings 