NPR reports
What does an outdoor cat do all day? According to new research, it could be taking a heavy toll on local wildlife.
A tracking study of more than 900 house cats shows when they kill small birds and mammals, their impact is concentrated in a small area, having a bigger effect than wild predators do.
Read more at Why House Cats Are God’s Perfect Little Killing Machines : NPR
Posted in Animals, Birds, Environment | Tags: House Cats Killing Wildlife
Photos taken along the streets of the North Berkeley Flatlands on April 19, 2020. All photos taken in this post and on previous Berkeley Street photo posts over the last two weeks have all been taken with in a mile and half of home.
Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Berkeley Street Photos
The San Francisco Chronicle reports
New levels of closures were ordered as the weekend arrived at parks on the Peninsula, with 15 county parks, 13 open space preserves, four state parks and three boat ramps shut down to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
In San Mateo County, health officials also ordered that travel be restricted to within 5 miles of a residence. Just a handful of city-operated parks were left open for recreational access over the weekend.
Read more Coronavirus shutdown of hiking, biking, boating near 100% on Peninsula – SFChronicle.com
Posted in Park, Uncategorized | Tags: San Mateo County Park Closures
Los Padres Forest Watch reports
Southern California and central coast mountain lions were placed under the protection of the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) while they are being considered as candidates for permanent protection under the law. The California Fish and Game Commission approved the protections unanimously at a hearing that was moved online due to health concerns related to COVID-19.
Posted in Uncategorized
ON APRIL 22, EARTH DAY GOES DIGITAL
Read more and find events you can attend virtually at Earth Day: The Official Site | Earth Day Network
Posted in Environment | Tags: Earth Day
YubaNet has an article from UC Davis on that discusses how Salmon might be able to cope with climate change through diet
if there’s enough food and there are slight increases in water temperature associated with climate change.
Read full article at Can Salmon Eat Their Way Out of Climate Change? | YubaNet
Posted in Animals | Tags: Salmon and Climate Change
Photos taken along the streets of the North Berkeley Flatlands on April 18, 2020. All photos taken in this post and on previous Berkeley Street photo posts over the last two weeks have all been taken with in a mile and half of home.
Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Berkeley Street Photos
from The Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology
This bird has eluded scientists for the last 130 years.
The South Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher (Ceyx mindanensis) was first described 130 years ago during the Steere Expedition to the Philippines in 1890. The bird is the tiniest species of forest kingfisher in the Philippines, and is characterized by its striking plumage of metallic lilac, orange, and bright blue spots.
See photos and read more at Ultra-Rare Dwarf Kingfisher Fledgling
Posted in Birds | Tags: Ceyx mindanensis, South Philippine Dwarf Kingfisher
Each April, during National Park Week, the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, to celebrate America’s treasures. National Park Week is a time to explore amazing places, discover stories of history and culture, help out, and find your park.
Get ready to celebrate National Park Week 2020 from April 18 to 26.Parks across the country host a variety of special programs and events with a focus on digital experiences in 2020. There are also special days during the week to highlight the different ways everyone can enjoy national parks.
Get involved in National Park Week on social media, find graphics to use, or stay caught up on news. Try to check off as many experiences on a list of 20 in ’20 virtual ideas for National Park Week.
Read more at National Park Week – NPS Celebrates! (U.S. National Park Service)
Posted in Park | Tags: National Park Week
Welcome to our National “Virtual” Junior Ranger Day.
Typically we would be inviting you into the park for special presentations; however, this year we are bringing the park into your homes. Today we have several posts lined up for you to interact with us as well as activities, games, and fun quizzes to share with your family.
But to start today off in celebration of this special day, we wanted to share our newly uploaded Junior Ranger Activity Book that you can access on our website: https://www.nps.gov/seki/learn/kidsyouth/beajuniorranger.htm
Be sure to check in today at 4pm to be sworn in by our park rangers.
Posted in Class/Workshop, Park | Tags: Virtual Junior Ranger Day
Center for Biological Diversity News Release
In response to a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity and the Mountain Lion Foundation, the California Fish and Game Commission voted 5-0 today to advance Southern California and Central Coast mountain lions to candidacy under the state’s Endangered Species Act. The vote follows a February 2020 finding by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife that increased protections may be warranted.
The unanimous vote triggers a year-long review by the department to determine if these populations should be formally protected under the Act. The Act’s protections apply during the candidacy period.
Posted in Animals | Tags: California Mountain Lion Protections
Photos taken along the streets of the North Berkeley Flatlands on April 17, 2020. All photos taken in this post and on previous Berkeley Street photo posts over the last two weeks have all been taken with in a mile and half of home.
Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Berkeley Street Photos
The New York Times reports
Climate change could result in a more abrupt collapse of many animal species than previously thought, starting in the next decade if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced, according to a study published this month in Nature.
The study predicted that large swaths of ecosystems would falter in waves, creating sudden die-offs that would be catastrophic not only for wildlife, but for the humans who depend on it.
Read more at Wildlife Collapse From Climate Change Is Predicted to Hit Suddenly and Sooner – The New York Times
Posted in Environment | Tags: Climate change, habitat loss, Species Loss
Bay Nature writes about What Are Bay Area Animals Doing Without People Around?
To find out if animals are acting differently, we asked local wildlife experts how animals are responding to a quieter Bay Area.
Read article “Nature “Without Us” … Looks Like Nature With Us? at What Are Bay Area Animals Doing Without People Around? – Bay Nature
See video of two coyotes howling in North Beach in San Francisco at Incredible video shows coyotes howling in SF’s North Beach – SFGate
Posted in Animals | Tags: Bay Area Animals
Photos taken along the streets of the North Berkeley Flatlands on April 15, 2020. All photos taken in this post and on previous Berkeley Street photo posts over the last two weeks have all been taken with in a mile and half of home.
Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Berkeley Street Photos
The SF Chronicle reports
Santa Cruz parks and beaches to reopen, but social distancing to continue, officials say: Parks, beaches, open spaces and multi-use trails in Santa Cruz County, including the Santa Cruz Wharf, are expected to reopen Thursday after a temporarily closure, city officials said, urging people to stay closer to home. Basketball courts, skate parks, playgrounds, swimming pools and several parking lots will remain closed. “While outdoor exercise is considered an essential activity, it should be done close to home. Residents are advised to use outdoor City facilities within their neighborhoods,” officials said in a statement.
Posted in Park | Tags: Santa Cruz Parks
Enjoy a virtual walk through the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden—complete with cherry blossoms—in this extraordinary video captured by cinematographer Nic Petry of Dancing Camera.
Immerse yourself in this 18-minute journey at full screen with sound.
Get link to this excellent video at Stroll through the Japanese Garden in Bloom (Video) – Brooklyn Botanic Garden
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Brooklyn Botanical Garden, Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden
The La Times reports
Joshua trees face the risk of extinction after decades of development, drought and more frequent wildfires due to climate change in their Mojave Desert stronghold, according to state wildlife authorities who are recommending that the trees be considered for listing as an endangered species.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife on Monday said it based its recommendation on a review of a petition submitted by the Center for Biological Diversity, which argues that the western Joshua tree’s spindly desert woodlands are “likely to become endangered in the foreseeable future” without protection under the California Endangered Species Act.
Read more Scientists say Joshua trees may warrant listing as a threatened species – Los Angeles Times
Posted in Environment | Tags: Joshua Trees
Check out the new copy of CornellLab’s newsletter for tips on enjoying birds from home at eNews: Just When We Need It—Ideas for Enjoying Birds at Home
It includes:
Posted in Birds | Tags: Birding at Home
Photos taken along the streets of the North Berkeley Flatlands on April 14, 2020. All photos taken in this post and on previous Berkeley Street photo posts over the last two weeks have all been taken with in a mile and half of home.
Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Berkeley Street Photos
The S. F. Chronicle reports
The idea is to stay close to home, yet at the same time, break free for fitness and nature. In many cases, marsh wetlands on the shore of the bay can provide that. The greater Bay Area has more than 20 wetland marshes that provide nesting and nursery habitat for resident waterfowl and shorebirds, and food and resting habitat for migrants. Many are within short range of Bay Area residents and qualify as a fitness/nature destination under shelter-in-place orders.
Read more at Park closed during coronavirus? Look to wetlands to get outdoors – SFChronicle.com
Posted in Park, Uncategorized | Tags: Bay Area Wetlands
All state parks have been closed to cars since late March to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, but for those looking to bring a little bit of spring into their homes virtually, there’s the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve’s live stream.
Posted in Park, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve
The LA Times reports on how wildlife are doing well at Yosemite and are enjoying having few people around
Bears, bobcats and other critters are roaming free in California’s most popular national park, closed to visitors since March 20
Read article and see video at Amid coronavirus shutdown, Yosemite wildlife roams free – Los Angeles Times
Posted in Animals, Park | Tags: Yosemite Wildlife
Photos taken along the streets of Albany and the North Berkeley Flatlands on April 13, 2020. All photos taken in this post and on previous Berkeley and Albany Street photo posts over the few two weeks have all been taken with in a mile and half of home.
Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Berkeley Street Photos
The Revelator reports
How COVID-19 Took Hold and Why We Must End the Wildlife Trade
Here’s what we can do to make sure the critical mistakes made after the SARS outbreak won’t be made again.
Read more at How COVID-19 Took Hold and Why We Must End the Wildlife Trade • The Revelator
Posted in Animals, Environment, Uncategorized | Tags: COVID-19 and Wildlife Trade
Western Swallowtail on Pride of Madera
Ceanothus
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Berkeley, Photos
Birds of the World is a powerful research database that brings together deep, scholarly content from four celebrated works of ornithology with millions of bird observations from eBird and multimedia from the Macaulay Library into a single platform where biologists and birders can explore comprehensive life history information on birds.
An in-depth overview of Birds of the World features can be found here.
Below is a description-in-brief:
Birds of the World is available by subscription to anyone in the world. View the links in the left sidebar for more information.
Posted in Birds | Tags: Bird Research
Photos taken along the streets of the North Berkeley Flatlands on April 11, 2020. All photos taken in this post and on previous Berkeley Street photo posts over the last two weeks have all been taken with in a mile and half of home.
Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Berkeley Street Photos
IGB News Release
Melatonin sets the internal clock. Researchers from IGB in an international team have analyzed data on the impact of light pollution on melatonin formation in humans and vertebrates. They found that even the low light intensities of urban skyglow can suppress melatonin production. Melatonin influences the metabolism and other body functions.
Melatonin synchronizes the day-night-rhythm in animals and humans. It adjusts the circadian clocks of cells, tissues and organs, and regulates other seasonal processes like reproduction. In vertebrates, differences in light levels are detected by photoreceptors for example in the retina. At high light levels, melatonin production is suppressed. In darkness, melatonin is produced.
Source: Light pollution can suppress melatonin production in humans and animals | IGB
Posted in Animals, Environment | Tags: Light pollution
Photos taken along the streets of the North Berkeley Flatlands on April 10, 2020. All photos taken in this post and on previous Berkeley Street photo posts over the last two weeks have all been taken with in a mile and half of home.
Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: Berkeley Street Photos
Natural History Wanderings 