Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 13, 2020

Berkeley Street Photos October 12, 2020

Photographed in the North Berkeley Flatlands on October 12, 2020. Today’s selection is a little different as Halloween seems to be a strong theme.

This is part of my continuing project,  the “Stay at Home Photo Project”.  It includes many street photos from Berkeley and Albany as well as photos from the UC Berkeley campus, my yard and neighbors’ yards  You can see larger higher quality versions of many of the photos at Flickr in my collection Stay at Home Photo Project which includes the following albums

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 13, 2020

How Do California’s Megafires Impact Birds?

Audubon reports

We are in uncharted territory. Birds are on the move to escape the smoke and stress. What will happen to them and the habitat they need to survive?

Learn about the impact of wildfires on birds at How Do California’s Megafires Impact Birds? | Audubon California

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 12, 2020

Happy Indigenous People’s Day

from the Eastern Sierra Land Trust

It’s a great day to keep learning about local Native American history. Learn about the Owens Valley, a place traditionally called the Payahuunadu, at the Owens Valley Indian Water Commission’s website: oviwc.org Or learn about Native American history in Bridgeport Valley and the U.S. Forest Service-Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest at the Forest Service website: https://bit.ly/30SmLfr
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 12, 2020

How Indigenous-led Efforts Protect Birds and the Places We All Need

Amid a biodiversity freefall, indigenous-led groups are fighting back—and winning.
Recent reports offer clear recommendations on solutions aimed at reversing catastrophic biodiversity loss.

One such recommendation is to increase the funding for indigenous-led conservation efforts. The report emphasizes the importance of expanding indigenous-led efforts to support the creation of more Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) and their management by Indigenous Guardians. Such projects have already led to millions of protected acres in Canada and millions more could benefit from Indigenous stewardship.

These recommendations align with Audubon’s own vision for collaboration and partnership with Indigenous-led efforts. We’ve worked with Indigenous groups to help fulfill our shared goal of protecting the Boreal forest, one of the largest intact forests left on Earth and nesting grounds and migratory stopovers for nearly half of the common bird species found in North America. You can watch our recent interview with Indigenous Leadership Initiative’s Shaunna Morgan Siegers to learn about her organization’s work.

Read our analysis of these new reports and learn more about how Indigenous groups are leading this charge.

Read More
Today is Indigenous Peoples’ Day. As Smithsonian Magazine states: “Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognizes that Native people are the first inhabitants of the Americas, including the lands that later became the United States of America. And it urges Americans to rethink history.”
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 12, 2020

Avian Botulism Kills 40,000 Birds at National Wildlife Refuge

The Revelator reports

It is not surprising then, that a massive avian botulism outbreak is ravaging the birds of the Lower Klamath and some of the surrounding refuges. At last estimate, 40,000 birds have died in the last month due to botulism and thousands more are at an emergency “duck hospital” operated by staff from Bird Ally X, California Waterfowl Association, and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

Heat, drought and water policy have created a slow-motion catastrophe at a refuge on the California-Oregon border.

Read article at Avian Botulism Kills 40,000 Birds at National Wildlife Refuge • The Revelator

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 11, 2020

Webinar: Mapping Migration 10/13/20

Mapping Migraciones: Afrolatinidad in Conservation

October 13th, 2020 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM PST
Zoom and Facebook Live
FREE

Join Audubon and Latino Outdoors for a conversation with some of our favorite Afrolatinx conservationists as they discuss their experiences in conservation, colorism, deconstructing stereotypes, and celebrating the diversity within the Latinx community!

Register Now

This event will kick off “Mapping Migraciones,” a year-long celebration of migration (for both people and birds). Every year, the Audubon community celebrates and maps the journeys and diversity of migrant birds. This diverse set of journeys without borders holds a strong resonance for many birders in the Latinx community.

This year, we would like to map some of the journeys of our Latinx community members and explore the rich intersections of birds and culture, aiming to represent as many identities as possible. Find out how you can participate too!
_______________________________________________________________________________
Acompáñe Audubon y Latino Outdoors para una conversación entre algunos de nuestros ambientalistas Afrolatinos favoritos. ¡Venga a escuchar sobre sus experiencias en conservación, con colorismo, luchando contra estereotipos en una celebración de diversidad en la comunidad Latinx!

Read More…

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 11, 2020

UC – Berkeley Botanical Garden Photos 10/10/20

Photos from a visit to the UC-Berkeley Botanical Garden on Oct. 10. The garden is currently open daily from noon to five by reservation.  There is an entrance fee and paid parking. For more information and to make reservations  go to UC-Botanical Garden.

 

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 11, 2020

California Academy Of Sciences To Reopen

The Academy will reopen to the public on Friday, October 23! Reserve your tickets starting Wednesday, October 14, and prepare to fall in love with science all over again under your favorite Living Roof. Enjoy new exhibits, old aquarium friends (hiya, Claude!), and research-backed, CDC-aligned safety precautions to keep everyone safe and healthy during your treasured time in Golden Gate Park.

A few new-to-you highlights:

  • Members and donors visit first, from Tuesday, October 13 through Thursday, October 22!
  • Starting Wednesday, October 14, you’ll need to reserve tickets on our website for a specific entry time and follow a few simple steps to protect yourself, our grateful staff, and San Francisco community.
  • Embrace our three favorite Ws: Wear a mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance. We can’t wait to welcome you back soon!
  • We’re limiting guest reservations to help keep everyone safe. Get ready to wind your way from wildflowers on the roof down to a vibrant coral reef—and everything in between.

Read more at Cal Academy Reopening

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 10, 2020

Berkeley Street Photos October 9, 2020

Photographed in the North Berkeley Flatlands on October 9, 2020.

This is part of my continuing project,  the “Stay at Home Photo Project”.  It includes many street photos from Berkeley and Albany as well as photos from the UC Berkeley campus, my yard and neighbors’ yards  You can see larger higher quality versions of many of the photos at Flickr in my collection Stay at Home Photo Project which includes the following albums

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 10, 2020

October Santa Clara CNPS Plant Sale

Fall Plant Sale: Order Online by October 15 Virtual Nursery Tour October 10
No-Contact Order Pickup October 17
In May, we moved our nursery sales online with limited delivery-only service. Fall planting season is rapidly approaching, and we want to make it easier for everyone to buy plants. Our nursery is too small for safe in-person shopping, so for our fall sale this year, we’ll stay online but will provide scheduled no-contact order pick-up on October 17. If our pickup times fill up for October 17, we will open up another pickup day.

Rather than lining up early on sale day, you’ll now be able to browse our selection from the comfort of your home, make your purchases and then choose a time to come by and have plants loaded into your vehicle. We’ll be kicking off the online sale at the live Going Native Garden Tour (GNGT) Session on Saturday, October 10, where we’ll have a tour of the nursery followed by Q & A with nursery staff. Bring those questions you’d ask if you were shopping in the nursery, and we’ll do our best to help you!

Since our Fall Sale has always been a tremendous volunteer teamwork effort as well as a resource for socializing and learning about native plants and gardening, please keep these important differences from previous sales in mind:

  1. Orders must be placed online in advance of pickup. We will not be able to accommodate browsing or pickup day purchases.
  2. We will not be able to provide entry to Hidden Villa to anyone who has not pre-ordered and scheduled a pick- up time. There will be no access to the nursery itself on the pickup day.
  3. Customers will not be allowed to park or leave their vehicles. You will need to arrange space in your vehicle for plants to be loaded into your vehicle before arriving.
  4. Please do not bring boxes for your plants. Orders will be boxed ahead of time.

After your order is processed you will receive a message with detailed instructions about the pickup process. CNPS volunteers will be at the ready in the pickup area to load your pre-ordered plants into your vehicle. We want everyone to stay safe, so all volunteers will be socially distancing and wearing masks.

Our online store will be available for delivery sales through the end of September. It will be closed from October 1 to October 9 while we prepare for the sale. The store will be open for orders immediately after the October 10 GNGT session. Orders for pickup on October 17 must be placed by the end of the day on Thursday, October 15.

Visit the store here: california-native-plant-society-santa- clara-valley-chapter.square.site

We appreciate everyone’s cooperation, patience and patronage as we navigate these challenging times!

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 9, 2020

Good Fall Color In The Sierras Right Now

California Fall Color is reporting very good color in a number of places in the Sierra including Hope Valley, Carson Pass, Inyo National Forest and Bishop Creek. See reports and photos at California Fall Color.

 

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 9, 2020

How The Pandemic Changed Bird Song

Science.org  reports on how how the Pandemic changed bird song in the S.F. Bay Area

Actions taken to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have conspicuously reduced motor vehicle traffic, potentially alleviating auditory pressures on animals that rely on sound for survival and reproduction. Here we evaluate whether a common songbird responsively exploited newly emptied acoustic space by comparing soundscapes and songs across the San Francisco Bay Area prior to and during the recent statewide shutdown. We show that noise levels in urban areas were dramatically lower during the shutdown, characteristic of traffic in the mid-1950s. We also show that birds responded by producing higher performance songs at lower amplitudes, effectively maximizing communication distance and salience. These findings illustrate that behavioral traits can change rapidly in response to newly favorable conditions, indicating an inherent resilience to long-standing anthropogenic pressures like noise pollution.

Read full article at Singing in a silent spring: Birds respond to a half-century soundscape reversion during the COVID-19 shutdown | Science

 

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 8, 2020

Newsom Actions To Preserve California Land & Coastal Waters

The Mercury News reports

Newsom’s conservation push: An executive order by Gov. Gavin Newsom makes California the first state to commit to the “30 x 30” goal — to preserve at least 30% of its land and coastal waters in their natural state by 2030. Newsom framed the initiative as a key step in reducing climate change.

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 8, 2020

Today StartsBird Day LIVE – Virtual Bird Day Festival 

World Migratory Bird Day (WMBD) is a global event that celebrates the phenomenon of bird migrations and serves as a call to action to protect the birds we share. Environment for the Americas organizes WMBD in the Americas, connecting people to bird conservation from Canada to Argentina and the Caribbean. WMBD is officially celebrated on the second Saturday in May (May 9, 2020) and the second Saturday in October each year (October 10, 2020). Because of the nature of bird migrations, however, on-the-ground events take place year-round. Every Day is Bird Day!

See activities and events from Oct. 8 to 10 at Bird Day LIVE – Virtual Bird Day Festival

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 8, 2020

Mountain Lion Baby Boom

The Guardian reports

A mountain lion baby boom has occurred this summer in the Santa Monica Mountains and Simi Hills west of Los Angeles.

Thirteen kittens were born to five mountain lion mothers between May and August, according to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

It’s the first time so many mountain lion dens have been found within such a short period of time during the 18 years in which the region’s cougar population has been studied by the National Park Service.

 

Read full article at: Mountain lion baby boom: summer is roaring success as 13 kittens born near LA | US news | The Guardian

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 7, 2020

Berkeley Street Photos October 6, 2020

A series of quick photos all taken with an iPhone with walking around the North Berkeley Flatlands on October 6, 2020.

This is part of my continuing project,  the “Stay at Home Photo Project”.  It includes many street photos from Berkeley and Albany as well as photos from the UC Berkeley campus, my yard and neighbors’ yards  You can see larger higher quality versions of many of the photos at Flickr in my collection Stay at Home Photo Project which includes the following albums

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 7, 2020

South Taurid meteors to peak in October?

EarthSky reports

The South Taurid meteor shower rarely produces more than 5 meteors per hour, but has been known to produce fireballs. The shower is long-running. Watch for it in October and November. Considering the moon phase, the weekend starting on Friday, October 16, 2020, might be your best bet for watching.

Read more at South Taurid meteors to peak in October? | Astronomy Essentials | EarthSky

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 7, 2020

Job Opportunity: Conservation Technician

Conservation Technician at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

The Conservation Technician 2B assists with a wide range of field, lab, and office work supporting the inventory, conservation, and restoration of California’s flora and ecological communities. This full-time (40 hours per week), non-exempt position, reports to the Director of Conservation and Research and works primarily with the Ecology team (Conservation Director, Applied Ecologist, Invertebrate Biologist).
TO APPLY, please visit our website at www.sbbg.org

Essential Duties:

  • Conduct plant and insect surveys and monitoring;
  • Conduct ecological restoration field work, including rare plant recovery, invasive plant control, native seed collection, seeding, and outplanting;
  • Sort, curate, and identify insect/arthropod specimens to order and family level;
  • Collect and curate herbarium specimens;
  • Image arthropod specimens with state-of-the-art microscopy equipment;
  • Conduct basic soils analyses (e.g. salinity, pH, texture);
  • Enter data, and maintain and assist in the development of botany/insect/bibliography/rare plant databases;
  • Maintain an up-to-date, orderly GIS program, including ordering and maintaining equipment, downloading and differentially correcting GPS data, producing maps in ArcGIS, and summarizing data;
  • Help to coordinate collaborators, tasks, workflows and timelines for large complex projects;
  • Perform education/outreach, including producing videos, leading interns, writing newsletter articles, or giving presentations and tours;
  • Assist and manage volunteers as needed;
  • Occasionally collect, clean, prepare, and database seed for conservation collections;
  • Occasionally conduct greenhouse work, including seed bank analysis and germination studies.

Read More…

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 7, 2020

Coyote Valley: $18 million deal preserves landmark ranch property

The Mercury News reports

Less than a year after a historic deal to preserve 937 acres in Coyote Valley where tech giants Apple and Cisco once proposed building massive headquarters on San Jose’s southern reaches, a coalition of government agencies and environmental groups has completed a new $18 million deal to buy another key property in the area. In a sale that closed Monday, the groups purchased Tilton Ranch, an 1,861-acre expanse of rolling grasslands, oak trees and serpentine rock outcroppings in South Coyote Valley, north of Morgan Hill.

Read full story at  Coyote Valley: $18 million deal preserves landmark ranch property

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 7, 2020

Marmot Life

Yosemite National Park describes the life of a marmot

Throughout the summer, Yosemite marmots were at the top of their game, feeding every morning and evening, napping all afternoon, building up body fat, and screaming from their rocky perches. But where are they now?

Today, yellow-bellied marmots are deep in hibernation, huddled together in their burrows. They’ll spend up to eight months a year asleep, perhaps dreaming of warm summer meadows and their next meal. To use their ample fat reserves efficiently, marmots let their body temperature drop as low as 41 degrees Fahrenheit, and their heart rate can plummet from an average of 200 beats per minute to only 30 beats per minute! Can you imagine spending a greater percentage of your life asleep than awake?

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 6, 2020

Webinar: Bird Migration in Latin American 9/8/20

Bird Migration Through Different Lenses
Webinar: Thursday, October 8 at 9 am Pacific Time

In honor of World Migratory Bird Day and Latinx Heritage Month, join us for a bilingual webinar on migratory bird conservation across the Western Hemisphere. Learn how on-the-ground efforts are giving a voice to the birds; and how the birds in turn can give a voice to local communities.

The U.S. traditionally celebrates World Migratory Bird Day in May, but across Latin America, the celebration starts in October as millions of migratory birds make their way down to the tropical rainforests, savanna grasslands, montane Andean ecosystems, mangrove swamps, and other rich habitat types that sustain these birds outside of their northern breeding grounds. This momentous day also takes place as the United States honors Latinx Heritage Month, a month dedicated to celebrating the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive history of the Latinx community—one closely linked to tales of migration.

Joining us will be Karolina Fierro from Asociacion Calidris, Camila Gomez from Fundación Selva, environmentalist and conservation leader in Colombia Narli Aldana, and the Executive Director of Panama Audubon Society Rosabel Miró. Register today and join us in celebrating the joy of migration and Latinx culture!

Register Today
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 6, 2020

When Will We Decide To Save The Earth

 

Make Sure to Vote

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 5, 2020

Secret to having a “‘green thumb”

from Native Here
(native plant nursery)

Mendocino Land Trust Outreach and Development Coordinator

Job Description: Permanent Part-Time Position – 0.6 FTE Reports to: Executive Director

Compensation: $22/hr.
Benefits: 50% Contribution to medical, dental, and vision insurance.
Life insurance, paid vacation, holidays and retirement package

Location: Currently, during the Covid-19 Pandemic, this position will be based in the employee’s home in or near Fort Bragg, California. When safe, MLT will reopen its Fort Bragg office and staff will be based in the office.

The Mendocino Land Trust (MLT) is a community land conservation organization working to conserve open space and natural habitats across Mendocino County and beyond. We are seeking a highly motivated individual with a commitment to conservation who is interested in growing with the organization.

This is a part time, 24 hours per week position, that works closely with all staff. There is the potential for more hours irregularly, assisting with MLT administrative tasks. There is also the potential for this position to become full-time sometime next year.

The primary focus of the Outreach and Development Coordinator position is to assure that Mendocino County residents and visitors recognize the Land Trust and support its mission.

The position involves a wide variety of tasks, with a strong focus on developing and disseminating communications for the organization through various media, both electronic and print. It will also involve getting to know the Land Trust donors and tracking donor gifts and communications in our online donor database. In addition, the

Read More…

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 5, 2020

Online Presentation: Animals & Their Habitats 10/7/20

Tune in to watch East Bay Regional Parks naturalist Virginia Delgado-Martinez virtually introduce you to the Black Diamond animal ambassadors. Find out what you have in common with animals, and learn how animals use their senses to survive and explore what makes the perfect habitat for our local creatures! Wednesday, October 7, 2020  4:00PM
You can view the recorded video on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ccclib or YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/theccclib

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 5, 2020

Mine-Sniffing Rat Receives Award for Bravery

The New York times  reports

Magawa, a 5-year-old African giant pouched rat, was recognized with a prestigious honor for his work detecting mines and explosives in Cambodia.

“Magawa’s work directly saves and changes the lives of men, women and children who are impacted by these land mines,” said Jan McLoughlin, the director general of the charity, which bestowed the award in an online ceremony. “Every discovery he makes reduces the risk of injury or death for local people.”

Read more at Magawa the Mine-Sniffing Rat Receives Award for Bravery in Cambodia – The New York Times

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 4, 2020

Bishop Creek Getting Excellent Fall Color Reports

There are a number of excellent fall color reports coming in for Bishop Creek right now, especially for the North Lake Area

Parcher’s Resort Fall Color: https://www.parchersresort.net/fallcolorreport

California Fall Color: https://www.californiafallcolor.com/2020/10/03/north-lake-best-ever/

https://www.californiafallcolor.com/2020/10/02/bishop-creek-go-now/ 

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 4, 2020

Berkeley Street Photos October 3, 2020

Photographed in the North Berkeley Flatlands on October 3, 2020.

This is part of my continuing project,  the “Stay at Home Photo Project”.  It includes many street photos from Berkeley and Albany as well as photos from the UC Berkeley campus, my yard and neighbors’ yards  You can see larger higher quality versions of many of the photos at Flickr in my collection Stay at Home Photo Project which includes the following albums

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 4, 2020

Bay Nature Talks

Infectious Disease and the Environment  Tuesday, October 6th at 4:00 pm

Not everyone’s heard the story of how plague reached the U.S. in the early 1900s via San Francisco ports, and even fewer know that the infectious disease found a reservoir in western wildlife.

In this Bay Nature Talks webinar, editor in chief Victoria Schlesinger will be joined by writer and historian Elena Conis to discuss Conis’s new Bay Nature article.

The webinar will cover the history of plague in the Bay Area, its movement from wildlife to humans back to wildlife, and what we can learn about COVID-19 from the 120-year history of plague in the West.

Register Today!

Tennessee Hollow Watershed Restoration  Tuesday, October 13th at 4:00 pm

Twenty years ago, planners in San Francisco’s Presidio had a once-in-a-generation opportunity: take a former Army Base in the middle of the second most dense urban area in the country and restore its buried-and-forgotten watershed.

Today, the project is nearly complete, with the newest section, Quartermaster Reach, opening to the public in December.

How did they do it? We’ll talk with Presidio Trust ecologist and Associate Director of Natural Resources Lew Stringer about the ideas, challenges, and successes of the restoration of the Tennessee Hollow Watershed in the heart of the city.

Register Today!

Past Bay Nature Talks Are you all caught up on your Bay Nature Talks? You can view recordings of past talks and keep up-to-date on what’s next at baynature.org/bay-nature-talks.

Watch Past Talks
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 4, 2020

UC Santa Barbara Natural Reserve System Seminar Series

The UC Santa Barbara Natural Reserve System is excited to offer a Fall 2020 Seminar Series: “From The First Humans To Forest Fires: Scientific Discoveries Spanning UC Santa Barbara’s Seven Spectacular Natural Reserves”

Please join us this fall for a series of presentations focused on some of the latest research and findings from across UCSB’s seven natural reserve sites. UCSB’s Reserves are part of the 41-site University of California Natural Reserve System, one of the largest and most unique networks of protected lands in the world, supporting the university mission of research, university-level education and public service. UCSB operates 7 of these Reserves in unique ecosystems ranging from coastal (Coal Oil Point Reserve, Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve, Santa Cruz Island Reserve and K.S.N. Rancho Marino Reserve) to inland valleys (Sedgwick Reserve) to Great Basin (Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory; SNARL) and montane forest (Valentine Reserve). Each week will provide a brief introduction to the Reserve site by the Reserve Director, followed by an engaging presentation by one of the Reserve’s expert scientists focused on the highlights of their research.

Registration is free! Join us every Thursday evening, from October 8 – November 19, from 7 – 8 PM, in this virtual tour of research highlights from across the state. Registration opens one week prior to each seminar at nrs.ucsb.edu/events.

Fall 2020 Schedulepage1image3243825216

October 8 | Santa Cruz Island Reserve

Small Island, Big Impact: Santa Cruz Island and its Contribution to Understanding Initial Human Occupation of the New World

Dr. Amy Gusick,Associate Curator, Anthropology, LA Museum of Natural History

October 15 | Carpinteria Salt Marsh Reserve

Do parasites run the natural reserve system?

Dr. Kevin Lafferty,Marine Ecologist, Western Ecological Research Center, US Geological Survey Principal Investigator, Marine Science Institute, UCSB
Adjunct Faculty, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, UCSB

Read More…

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