SF Gate reported
My Yosemite National Park visitors are doing dangerous, illegal things during the federal shutdown.
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 10, 2025
Squatters, illegal BASE jumpers invade Yosemite amid federal shutdown
Posted in Park | Tags: Yosemite National Park
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 10, 2025
Renewables Overtake Coal as World’s Biggest Source of Electricity
The Good News Network reported
Renewables Overtake Coal as World’s Biggest Source of Electricity
Read on www.goodnewsnetwork.org/renewables-overtake-coal-as-worlds-biggest-source-of-electricity/
Posted in Environment | Tags: Renewable energy
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 10, 2025
Mushrooms that Glow
bioGraphic reported
With more scientists and artists turning their attention to bioluminescence, new information about glowing fungi is coming to light.
In an English woodland, a cluster of saffrondrop bonnet mushrooms is reflected in a puddle. Their golden gleam comes from beyond—cast by low-angle November sunlight—yet the fungi may be illuminated from within, too. Saffrondrop bonnets (Mycena crocata) are one of 125 or so species from the fungi kingdom known to produce their own light.
Read more : Glowing from Within – bioGraphic
Posted in Mushrooms | Tags: Mushroom that Glow, saffrondrop bonnet mushrooms
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 10, 2025
Seacology has saved island forests, marine ecosystems worldwide
Berkeleyside reported
From its office on Solano, Seacology has used a “win-win” approach to help save sea turtles, gibbons, mangrove forests and island ecologies in dozens of countries while providing material aid to the local cultures that rely on them.
Read more Seacology has saved island forests, marine ecosystems worldwide
Posted in Environment
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 9, 2025
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 | October 9, 2025
From Oil Field to Wildlife Refuge: Chevron to Donate Coastal Land
Noozhawk reported
Land transfer west of Guadalupe marks a major milestone in decades-long cleanup of former Unocal site.
Following years of work cleaning up an old oil field, Chevron plans to donate more than 2,700 acres of coastal dunes to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a move that would double the size of the Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge.
Read more : From Oil Field to Wildlife Refuge: Chevron to Donate Coastal Land | Local News | Noozhawk
Posted in Environment, Park | Tags: Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge.
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 9, 2025
Butterflies of the Bay Area 10/15/25
Butterflies of the Bay Area by Liam O’Brien
Wed, Oct 15 7 pm
Berkeley Publick Library North Branch
1170 The Alameda, Berkeley, CA 94707,
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 9, 2025
Best plants for western butterfly and moth caterpillars
Xerces Society writes about waht to plant to attract western butterflies and caterpillars
Most butterfly species feed on only one or a few different types of plants as they grow and develop. These five groups of plants are habitat hotspots for multiple species of caterpillars in the western U.S.
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 8, 2025
Government shutdown could lead to extinction of a rare species
SF Gate reported
A federal shutdown has stalled efforts to save the endangered black-footed ferret, one of North America’s rarest animals, pushing it closer to extinction.
Read on www.sfgate.com/national-parks/article/government-shutdown-lead-extinction-rare-species-21090914.php
Posted in Animals | Tags: Black-footed Ferret
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 8, 2025
Endangered waved albatross from Galapagos Islands spotted in waters off Marin County marks first-ever sighting north of Costa Rica
Press Democrat reported
A seabird tour off the coast of Sonoma and Marin counties over the weekend included the sighting of a species of albatross that normally lives near the Galapagos Islands.
Tour leader and longtime member of the Redwood Region Ornithological Society Peter Colasanti said it is the first-ever documented sighting of the bird north of Costa Rica.
Posted in Birds | Tags: Rare bird sighting, Waved Albatross
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 8, 2025
Free Video on Creative Wildlife Bird Photography
Out of Chicago has a free video on creative bird photography with three professional bird photographers at Creative Wildlife Bird Photography – Out of Chicago
Posted in Birds, Photography | Tags: Bird Photography
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 8, 2025
Yellowstone ecosystem grizzlies dying at record pace in 2025
NewsBreak reported
Federal wildlife biologists list 63 Yellowstone ecosystem grizzly bear deaths this year, a count that’s ahead of last year’s pace, when the highest number of mortalities on record was documented.
Last year, there were 77 known and probably grizzly bear mortalities, surpassing the previous record of 70 in both 2021 and 2018. By this time in 2024, 56 of that total number had succumbed, putting this year’s Sept. 13 “provisional” count ahead of last year’s record pace.
Read more: Yellowstone ecosystem grizzlies dying at record pace in 2025 – NewsBreak
Posted in Animals, Park | Tags: Yellowstone Grizzly Deaths
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 8, 2025
Winged Heroes of The Night – Bats
Golden Gate Bird Alliance Speaker Series
Winged Heroes of The Night – Bats Thursday, October 16 @ (7pm)
online via Zoom https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86441286536?pwd=BGDmOr9REVbTmRfnNwCmNqZ4wgiGgf.1Passcode:173735
Bats consume large quantities of insects each night. Learn about these fascinating flying mammals with NorCal Bats Founder Mary Jean “Corky” Quirk
| Learn More |
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 8, 2025
An endangered sea species is thriving in an urban SoCal river
SF Gate reported
The endangered species has been a permanent presence in the river, which empties into the ocean between Seal Beach and Long Beach, since at least 2008, when volunteers with the Aquarium of the Pacific first recorded that the sea turtles lived in the river year-round. It’s an unusual location to find the creatures, to say the least. The San Gabriel River now represents the northernmost habitat occupied by the Pacific green sea turtles anywhere in the eastern Pacific Ocean; before their discovery, the next closest population was believed to be 120 miles south near San Diego.
Read more at An endangered sea species is thriving in an urban SoCal river
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 7, 2025
Majestic wild horses are trampling Mono Lake’s otherworldly landscape. The feds plan a roundup
MSN reported
Several dozen horses calmly graze along the shores of Mono Lake, a sparkling saline expanse spread out before the jagged Sierra Nevada mountains. The September sun is blazing. A pair of brown horses come up side by side and stare intensely at an approaching visitor.
These wild equines soon may disappear from beside the ancient lake. The prospect is stirring emotional disagreement over the future of the herd, which has surged to more than three times what federal officials say the land can support.
Read more Majestic wild horses are trampling Mono Lake’s otherworldly landscape. The feds plan a roundup
Posted in Animals | Tags: Mono Lake, Wild Horses
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 7, 2025
East Bay Regional Parks Upcoming Events
See upcoming events calendar 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 | October 7, 2025
Garden Greeter Volunteers Needed
from the Friends of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden
It is great fun to welcome our visitors as a Garden Greeter. Most of our visitors are new to the Garden and welcome a friendly face and a brief introduction. The kids love the ISpy and Treasure Hunt games we offer them. Would you like to be more involved with the Botanic Garden on weekends? Our next Garden Greeter Training will take place on two Saturdays, November 1 and 8 (both dates required), from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day. If you would like to know more, please contact the Greeter Coordinator, Holly Haugh, at greeter_coordinator@nativeplants.org
Come join our enthusiastic crew of volunteers!
Posted in Garden | Tags: Regional Parks Botanic Garden
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 7, 2025
This is where tree planting has the biggest climate impact
ScienceDailyreported
Planting more trees can help cool the planet and reduce fire risk—but where they are planted matters. According to UC Riverside researchers, tropical regions provide the most powerful climate benefits because trees there grow year-round, absorb more carbon dioxide, and cool the air through processes like evapotranspiration, or “tree sweating.”
Read more This is where tree planting has the biggest climate impact | ScienceDaily
Posted in Environment | Tags: Climate Impact of Tree Planting
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 6, 2025
Tourists from around the world blindsided by Muir Woods closure
SF Gate reported
Tourists visiting the national monument in Marin were blindsided by the news that it was closed due to the federal government shutdown.
Read on www.sfgate.com/local/article/muir-woods-closure-bay-area-government-shutdown-21085568.php
Posted in Park | Tags: Muir Woods Closed
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 6, 2025
Panama’s deep and cold ocean waters failed to emerge, possibly affecting fisheries and coral health
Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteNews Release
The natural phenomenon of upwelling, which occurs annually in the Gulf of Panama, failed for the first time on record in 2025. A study led by scientists from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) indicates that the weakening of the trade winds was the cause of this event. This finding highlights the climate’s impact on fundamental oceanic processes and the coastal communities that depend on them
Read on Upwelling Failure | Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Posted in Environment | Tags: Gulf of Panama, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, trade winds
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 5, 2025
Lodi Sandhill Crane Festival Nov 7 – 9, 2025
Hutchins Street Square 125 S. Hutchins Street, Lodi, California
-
-
- To Register go to:
TOURS – Calling wildlife enthusiasts of all ages to join us for a tour during the Festival. We offer a wide range of tours featuring cranes, raptors, waterfowl, and many more resident birds and winter visitors. Tours are on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, November 7 to 9, and cost varies based on the tour. For tours with available space, please see Available Tours. You can click on any tour on this list to view the tour description and register online. You can see all the tours, including tours with a wait list, at 2025 Tours. Event Registration
-
Posted in Bird Festivals | Tags: Lodi Bird Festival
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 5, 2025
Some of Cal’s most majestic trees are looking sickly. Here’s why
Berkeleyside reported
Coast live oaks around UC Berkeley have dropped their leaves and turned gray and brown, even though they’re evergreens.
Read on www.berkeleyside.org/2025/09/30/uc-berkeley-oak-trees-moth
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 5, 2025
Not All National Park Areas Are Open During The Government Shutdown
National Parks Traveler reported
Exploring the underground labyrinths of the National Park System or admiring shimmering minerals locked within trees that have turned to rock are most likely impossible during the government shutdown, for while the park system theoretically remains open, not all areas of it are.
Posted in Park | Tags: National Park Closures
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 5, 2025
85 new subglacial lakes detected below Antarctica
European Space Agency reported
Hidden beneath the biggest ice mass on Earth, hundreds of subglacial lakes form a crucial part of Antarctica’s icy structure, affecting the movement and stability of glaciers, and consequentially influencing global sea level rise.
Thanks to a decade of data from the European Space Agency’s CryoSat satellite, researchers have identified 85 previously unknown lakes several kilometres under the frozen surface surrounding the South Pole. This increases the number of known active subglacial lakes below Antarctica by more than half to 231.
Read more ESA – 85 new subglacial lakes detected below Antarctica
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 5, 2025
By listening to these birds for decades, scientists track signs of a changing forest
NPR reported
Scientists tracking the birds in an experimental forest in New Hampshire have also tracked changes in the forest ecosystem over decades.
Read on www.npr.org/2025/09/10/nx-s1-5535788/songbirds-experimental-forest-change-new-hampshire
Posted in Birds, Environment | Tags: Bird Sounds
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 4, 2025
‘Secretive’ creature with ‘enlarged’ teeth found in China. It’s a new species
MSN reported
In a forest of southeastern China, a 1-foot-long creature with “enlarged” teeth moved through the foliage. Its “cryptic appearance” and “secretive habits” kept it largely hidden – until recently.
It turned out to be a new species.
Posted in Animals | Tags: New Species
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 4, 2025
Photos from the Great Basin
A set of photos taken in the Great Basin on July 11, 2025. Mainly taken along Highway 395 and the Mono Lake South Tufa area.
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Mono Basin, Great Basin
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 4, 2025
Trump Administration Set to Remove Look-Alike Protections From 11 Species
Center for Biological Diversity News Release
The Trump administration today proposed removing protections for several species that look similar to threatened and endangered wildlife, including the puma, shovelnose sturgeon and several species of blue butterflies and turtles.
These protections are critical tools to prevent threats to the federally protected Florida panther, Miami blue butterfly, pallid sturgeon, bog turtle, desert tortoise and Pearl River map turtle.
Posted in Animals | Tags: Endangered Species Protections
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 4, 2025
Why some plants are taking over the world
ScienceDaily reported
Plants are spreading across the globe faster than ever, largely due to human activity, and new research shows that the very same traits that make plants thrive in their native lands also drive their success abroad. A study of nearly 4,000 European species reveals that tall, adaptable, nutrient-loving generalists dominate both at home and in foreign ecosystems.
Read more Why some plants are taking over the world | ScienceDaily
Posted in Environment, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Invasive Plants
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 3, 2025
Regional Parks Botanic Garden Photos 10/2/25
Photographed in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA on October 2, 2025 on a foggy day in a light rain.
The Regional Parks Botanic Garden is a California native plant garden. It is located within Tilden Park in the hills above Berkeley, California, It is a 10-acre garden includes many of the state’s rare and endangered plants and a place for visitors to wander among trees, shrubs, flowers, and grasses from plant communities throughout the state. There are free weekend and holiday tours. Admission and parking are free. For more information about the garden visit the Friends of the Regional Parks Botanic Garden.
Natural History Wanderings 