Death Valley National Park reports
What’s the possibility of another superbloom??
The results are in… and it’s not looking good. Last year’s superbloom was a once-in-a-decade event at best by trends (last were ’98, ’05, ’16). We also have received 13% (.23 inches) of the precipitation that we did last year (1.76 inches) in the same amount of time (October-January). It is likely that the seed bank that took at least a decade to build was exhausted last year.
Posted in Desert, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Death Valley Wildflowers
Desert Wildflower Reports – DesertUSA reports
Jan 11, 2017 – Rainstorms in California’s deserts, Arizona and Nevada are still active. We could have a good 2017 wildflower seasons in some areas.
Posted in Desert, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Desert Rain, Desert Wildflowers
Merritt College is offering an Outdoor Education Naturalist Class starting this month
ENVMT 8 (3 units)
Intro to Outdoor Education, Ranger Naturalist (code 24271) Instructor: Staff
Saturdays 10:00AM – 12:50PM, 01/23/2017 – 05/26/2017
Overview of nature/culture interpretation and education: Planning for age-, theme-, and place- appropriate presentations leading towards employment opportunities in the environmental management field.
Posted in Talks | Tags: Outdoor Education
The New York Times reports
The Obama administration, rushing to secure its environmental legacy, has increased protection for a humble bumblebee.
The rusty-patched bumblebee, once common across the continental United States, has been designated an endangered species by the Fish and Wildlife Service: the country’s first bumblebee, and the first bee from the lower 48 states, to be added to the register.
Read article and see photo at A Bumblebee Gets New Protection on Obama’s Way Out – The New York Times
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Endangered Species Act, Rusty-patched Bumblebee
Nature reports
Shorebird populations have shrunk, on average, by an estimated 70% across North America since 1973, and the species that breed in the Arctic are among the hardest hit1. The crashing numbers, seen in many shorebird populations around the world, have prompted wildlife agencies and scientists to warn that, without action, some species might go extinct.
Read story at What’s killing the world’s shorebirds? : Nature News & Comment
Posted in Birds | Tags: What’s killing the world’s shorebirds?
The Guardian reports
More than 600 businesses and investors signed and released a letter on Tuesday urging president-elect Donald Trump to fight climate change – a move that coincides with the start of the Senate hearings to confirm his cabinet nominees, who are poised to gut existing climate policies.
The letter contains signatures from roughly 200 more companies and investors than when it was initially submitted after the election in November, including Campbell Soup, Johnson & Johnson and the New York State Retirement Fund. The previous plea was signed by companies like Monsanto, eBay, Levi Strauss and Staples.
Read full article at Businesses and investors renew plea to Trump: don’t ignore climate change | Guardian Sustainable Business | The Guardian
Posted in Environment | Tags: Trump and Climate Change
The New York Times reported
Federal wildlife officials on Monday called climate change the biggest threat to the survival of the polar bear and warned that without decisive action to combat global warming, the bears would almost certainly disappear from much of the Arctic.
“It cannot be overstated that the single most important action for the recovery of polar bears is to significantly reduce the present levels of global greenhouse gas emissions,” the officials wrote in a report released by the Fish and Wildlife Service.
Read full story at Human-Driven Global Warming Is Biggest Threat to Polar Bears, Report Says – The New York Times
Posted in Animals, Environment | Tags: Climate change, Global warming, Polar Bears
Yosemite National Park reports
Yosemite Valley will reopen for day-use visitors tomorrow morning, January 10, 2017 at 8:00 a.m. There is no access to Yosemite Valley via the El Portal Road (Highway 140) due to a rockfall that occurred early this morning. There is no estimated day or time for the road to reopen. The Hetch Hetchy Road is also closed due to a rockfall. Visitors should be aware that there will be limited visitor services and plan accordingly. Overnight accommodations and commercial services operated by the park concessioner are slated to reopen on Wednesday, January 11, 2017. Campgrounds in Yosemite Valley are slated to be open for tomorrow evening.
Posted in Park | Tags: Yosemite Valley
NPR reported
A powerful winter storm in California has brought down an ancient tree, carved into a living tunnel more than a century ago.
Read story at Iconic Sequoia ‘Tunnel Tree’ Brought Down By California Storm : The Two-Way : NPR.
Posted in Park | Tags: Tunnel Tree Falls
Wood Biological Consulting has an excellent collection of detailed plant lists at San Francisco Plant Checklist. They include the following:
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: San Francisco Plant Lists
Center for Biological Diversity News Release
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed today to remove the lesser long-nosed bat and gypsum wild buckwheat from the list of endangered species and to downlist the Kuenzler hedgehog cactus from endangered to threatened, reflecting full recovery of the first two species and significant progress with the third.
So far 32 species have fully or partially recovered under the Obama administration, while another 12 have been proposed as recovered. This means more species were declared recover under President Obama than in all past administrations combined, since President Richard Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act into law in 1973.
Posted in Animals, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Endangered Species Act
Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks posted the following storm update are 4:30 pm today
The Generals Highway is #now closed at the Foothills Visitor Center in Sequoia National Park due to rock slides and flooding until further notice.
This means visitors will #not be able to access the big trees, Potwisha Campground, Giant Forest Museum, and the Lodgepole area. Guests with reservations to Wuksachi Lodge are encouraged to call them at this time. www.visitsequoia.com/Wuksachi/Lodging
Visitors are able to exit the park at this time. Kings Canyon National Park remains open. We will provide more information as it becomes available. #castorm #cawx
Posted in Park | Tags: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks
Henry Coe State Park has a new wildflower bloom report for January 6 at the Pine Ridge Association website with photos and a list of flowers now in bloom at: Henry W. Coe – Wildflower Guide.
Posted on the Yosemite National Park Website last night
January 06, 2017
All roads leading into Yosemite Valley will close today at 5:00 pm in anticipation of a significant winter storm moving into the region early tomorrow morning, Saturday, January 7, 2017. There will be no visitor services available throughout the storm. Visitors intending to visit Yosemite National Park are highly encouraged to monitor weather reports and check road conditions before departing. These closures are being implemented to ensure the safety of park visitors and employees during the coming storm.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tags: Yosemite
Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility – News Releases
Washington, DC — The year that just concluded tied for the deadliest on record for the endangered population of Florida panthers, according to official figures posted today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER). In 2016, 42 Florida panthers died in the wild, matching the then-record 2015 total. In 2014, another 31 big cats were killed – each an all-time high in the last three years.
Posted in Animals, Uncategorized | Tags: Florida Panthers
The LA Times reports
California was bracing for an epic series of storms this weekend that could bring flooding, avalanches, blizzards and road closures.Northern California is expected to be hit Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
From Our Partners: West Coast Snow SurgeUp to 12 inches of rain below 8,500 feet is expected, and massive amounts of snow — up to 6 feet — above that elevation. A fourth, colder storm two days behind will drop yet more heavy snow.“It’s a once-in-10-year event,” said Zach Tolby, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Reno. “It’s the strongest storm we’ve seen in a long time, the kind of setup we look for to get significant flooding.”
Read full story at
Posted in Environment, Uncategorized | Tags: Ten Year Record Storm in California
Center for Biological Diversity News Release
WASHINGTON— On the first day of the new Congress, House Republicans approved a package of rules Tuesday that included a provision that would treat giving away America’s public lands as “budget neutral,” meaning that they have no monetary value when it comes to giving, selling or trading them away to states. The rules are part of a larger effort by politicians like Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) who want to hand over control of federal public lands to states and corporate interests.
Posted in Park | Tags: Giving away public lands
Yosemite National Park News Release
Date: January 4, 2017
Yosemite National Park is making preparations for visitor and employee safety in response to weather reports predicting significant precipitation, and possible flooding, over the next several days and through the weekend. The predictions for significant rainfall in Yosemite Valley, well above flood stage on the Merced River, could prompt the park to be closed in the next few days. People planning trips to the park, beginning tomorrow, Thursday January 5, 2017, should make alternate plans if the park does close.
Read More…
Posted in Park | Tags: Yosemite National Park
Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association reports
interesting and beautiful photo today – fog – something rarely seen in the desert, and it speaks to the high moisture level in the ground. We even had DEW this morning in Borrego Springs! Fred reports a few flowers here and there and even the very first desert lilies of the season but this is not the beginning of any significant bloom, that will happen when temperatures warm up in February or March. In the meanwhile a continuation of the wet and cool weather pattern is exactly what is needed for a really nice bloom this spring. We’ll keep you all posted on that!
See photo at Anza-Borrego Desert Wildflowers Update
Posted in Desert, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Anza-Borrego Wildflowers, Desert Wildflowers
News Release Center for Biological Diversity
LOS ANGELES, Calif.— The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed today to remove the Hidden Lake bluecurls, a rare alpine wildflower from Southern California, from the endangered species list due to its recovery. The beautiful plant is found on the shores of a high-elevation seasonal lake in the San Jacinto Mountains of Riverside County and nowhere else on Earth. Hidden Lake bluecurls was protected under the Endangered Species Act in 1998 because its limited range was overrun with hikers and equestrians who trampled the flower. With protection the habitat and flower have recovered.
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Endangered Species Act, Hidden Lake Bluecurls
The Sacramento Bee reported
An extremely rare duck spotted in Humboldt County has bird lovers feeling both delighted at the discovery and fearful that a hunter will shoot the waterfowl, which wandered far from its usual range.
Since Dec. 20, word has spread quickly via social media and email lists that a common pochard – a “mega rarity” in the birdwatching world – is mingling with several hundred other ducks on Freshwater Lagoon, about 45 miles from the California-Oregon border
Read full story at Birders fear for life of rare duck spotted in Humboldt County | The Sacramento Bee
Posted in Birding Reports, Birds | Tags: Common Pochard
The BBC reported on a study showing the impact of climate change on bird migration
Migrating birds are arriving at their breeding grounds earlier as global temperatures rise, a study has found.
Birds have reached their summer breeding grounds on average about one day earlier per degree of increasing global temperatures, according to the research by Edinburgh University.
The study looked at hundreds of species across five continents.
Read full article at Birds migrating earlier as temperatures rise – BBC News
Posted in Birds | Tags: Bird migration, Climate change
Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association reports
Today we have this flower prediction from Betsy Knaak.
Betsy has lived in Borrego Springs for more than 30 years in her affiliation with ABDNHA, she has watched many flower seasons, and her prediction now is……
We all know the saying, “April Showers Bring May Flowers.” That same principle holds true for our desert region, “Winter Showers Bring Spring Flowers.” Especially, slow-moving storms that hang over the desert for several days, including overcast skies, cool temperatures, and light or little wind, all of which we experienced over the holidays. Nearly two inches of rain fell, and rather than evaporating due to heat and wind, favorable weather conditions gave the rain a chance to soak into the desert’s porous soil, providing the moisture to germinate the seeds of colorful spring wildflowers.
Weather conditions remain favorable with continued cloud cover, cool day and nighttime temperatures, and light winds. If we’re lucky, another storm or two will cross our western mountains yet this winter.
Plan your desert springtime visits, as we are expecting a good wildflower season.
Betsy Knaak
Executive Director
Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association (ABDNHA)
www.abdnha.org
Center for Biological Diversity News Release
OAKLAND, Calif.— Hundreds of people in Oakland and Seattle on Monday kicked off the cross-country Earth2Trump roadshow, a two-route, 16-stop tour building a network of resistance against President-elect Trump’s attacks on the environment and civil rights.
The free shows include live music, national and local speakers and a chance for participants to write personalized Earth2Trump messages that will be delivered to Washington, D.C., on inauguration day Jan. 20. The Center for Biological Diversity is organizing the shows in coordination with allied groups around the country.
“This wave of resistance against Trump is only starting to build. What we saw in Oakland and Seattle will continue to grow bigger and stronger in the coming weeks,” said Kierán Suckling, executive director of the Center. “And after Trump is in office, we’ll be there every day to oppose every policy that hurts wildlife, poisons our air and water, destroys our climate, promotes racism, misogyny or homophobia, or marginalizes entire segments of our society.”
Posted in Environment | Tags: Earth2Trump
National Geographic reported a number of skywatching events happening this month
A flurry of amazing sky-watching events visible from around the world will usher in the new year. With a prolific meteor shower and the moon posing with planets, there are definitely plenty of reasons to look up at the night sky this month.
Read article at New Year’s Shooting Stars and 6 More Great Sky Events in January
Posted in Astronomy, Uncategorized | Tags: Astronomy, Skywatching
The Santa Cruz Fungus Fair is January 13 to 15, 2017. There will be a habitat display, lectures, culinary demonstrations, mushroom identification and a kids room with mushroom related activities for children.
To see schedule and learn more go to : Santa Cruz Fungus Fair.
Posted in Mushrooms, Talks | Tags: Fungi, Mushrooms, Mycological Society of America, Santa Cruz Fungus Fair
DesertUSA has the following reports
Overview Rainstorms in California’s deserts, Arizona and Nevada. Still early, but we could have a good 2017 wildflower seasons in most areas.
Joshua Tree They’ve had lots of rain and many plants are starting to put out leaves. We didn’t see many wildflowers yet, but between mile markers 28 and 29 on the Pinto Basin Road I stopped to look at many blooming Bladderpods and shot some not very good pictures of blooming Filaree (Erodium cicutarium) by the side of the road.
See early season reports at Desert Wildflower Reports – DesertUSA
Friends of Edgewood Park have updated its website to show what plants are typically blooming in January. There are 30 photos of plants you might see. Explore plant locations, plant species, which plant blooms when, and answers to a host of other questions at What’s Blooming This Month
Henry Coe State Park has a new wildflower bloom report for December 30 at the Pine Ridge Association website with photos and a list of flowers now in bloom at: Henry W. Coe – Wildflower Guide.
See attached email from Bay Area Mycological Society
Hi Sandy,
Thanks for the mention. Due to the extreme storm predicted for this weekend, the Park Service has cancelled ALL public events, including our Fungus Fair.
It is more important that people be safe! We are attempting to reschedule for later this year.
Please show this event as cancelled.
Thank you!
Debbie Viess, Co-founder
Bay Area Mycological Society
The Point Reyes Fungus Fair is at the Bear Valley Visitor Center Sunday January 8, 2017 from 10 to 4 at the Bear Valley Visitor Center parking lot. Fair on Sunday, with lectures, displays and mushroom tables, starting at 10:00 am at the Visitor Center.
Mushrooms and fungus will be on display at the Bear Valley Visitor Center and visitors are invited to attend free lectures presented area mycologists
Visitors are also welcome to help collect for the fair on local mushroom walks on the day before the Fungus Fair, Saturday, January 7. Meet at the Bear Valley Visitor Center at 10 am. Bring your finds to the Red Barn Classroom at 1 pm for identification. Park visitors and local residents are welcome to take part!
For more information go to Fungus Fair at Pt. Reyes
Posted in Mushrooms | Tags: Fungus Fair, Mushroom, Point Reyes Fungus Fair, Point Reyes National Seashore
Natural History Wanderings 