Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 3, 2024

Participate in the Western Monarch Count

from the East Bay Regional Parks

Fall is in the air and monarch butterflies will soon be arriving at their overwintering locations. Are you interested in helping protect monarchs? Become a community scientist and participate in the Western Monarch Count. The East Bay Regional Park District is partnering with the Xerces Society, an organization dedicated to helping invertebrates, to hold monarch counts. Volunteers, ages 18 and up, will count and record observations at least four times from late October through January at one or more overwintering sites in the East Bay.

Register for the Virtual Training Information Session on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 6:30 p.m. to learn more. Virtual Training Information Session Registration

Registration is required to participate in the Western Monarch Count. Register for the Western Monarch Count.

To learn more about the in-person field training opportunities to be held at East Bay locations throughout the season, contact Naturalist Susan Ramos at sramos@ebparks.org or at 510-544-3182.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 3, 2024

Regional Parks Botanic Garden Native Plant Sale 10/5/24

The Fall plant sale is on October 5, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., with exclusive access for Friends members starting at 9:00 a.m. You can purchase Friends memberships at the Garden starting at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the sale, or in advance on the Garden website. Here is the Plant Sale List.

To receive email notices of plant sales and other garden events, join our email list.

You can purchase seeds at the Visitor Center. Click for directions and a map.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 3, 2024

Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve Events 

See upcoming events at the Taft Gardesn and Nature Preserve at  Events — Taft Gardens & Nature Preserve

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Posted in Birds, Garden, Talks, Walks & Hikes | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 3, 2024

Los Padres Forest Association Upcoming Events

The Los Padres Forest Association upcoming events at Los Padres Forest Association

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 3, 2024

Over 100 miles of Tahoe trails in a controversial decison could be opened to e-bikes

SF Gate reports

On Friday, Sept. 27, the Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit released a draft decision and final environmental assessment of the Basin Wide Trails Analysis Project, initiating the last phase of a highly anticipated project to provide trail access in Lake Tahoe to Class 1 e-bikes (pedal-assist e-bikes).

In the decision, the LTBMU looks to open more than 112 miles of existing trails in Tahoe to e-bikes. The plan also includes building 27.5 miles of new trails that would be open to e-bikes.

Read full article at  Over 100 miles of Tahoe trails could see a hotly debated change

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 3, 2024

New ‘super alien’ species discovered on California beach

SF Gate  reports on the finding of 11 new species by a UC Davis undergraduate researcher.

Read story at  New ‘super alien’ species discovered on California beach

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 2, 2024

Nature Conservancy’s  October Nature News

Read the October Issue of the Nature Conservancy’ monthly newsletter at  Nature News

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 2, 2024

Upcoming CNPS Events

See the calendar of upcoming events of the California Native Plants Society at https://www.cnps.org/events

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 2, 2024

WildPhotos conference – 13 October 2024

We’ve partnered with Wildscreen to host a day of panels and talks exploring the triumphs and challenges of capturing nature in photography, as well as the future of the genre.   

A world-class line-up of speakers will kickstart a vital conversation on the challenges and rewards of being a wildlife photographer in a modern world.

Find out more

WildPhotosison13 October 2024 at the Bristol Aquarium.

Can’ttravel to Bristol?Book an online pass.

Book your in person or online ticket

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 2, 2024

A Bay Area scientist made a game-changing find — entirely by accident

SF Gate reports

Brent Hughes, an assistant professor of marine ecology and conservation at Sonoma State University, is a self-proclaimed “algal nerd.” But last week, while speaking at a Garden Club of America event, he wasn’t just talking gardens or algae — he was talking otters.

Hughes’ dive into studying otters was accidental. While studying eelgrass at San Jose State University’s Moss Landing Marine Laboratories around 2008, he noticed the marine plant was actually starting to recover amid a large, normally destructive algal bloom.

Read more  A Bay Area scientist made a game-changing find — entirely by accident

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 2, 2024

Guide: Seven Incredibly Old Mojave Desert Plants | SoCal Connected 

PBS SoCal reports

The desert is a harsh place to live. Plants that grow here for more than a single growing season grow slowly, a few inches or less in a good year. And as is the case with the fabled bristlecone pine of California’s White Mountains, which can live for 5,000 years or more, that slow growth habit can bring with it immense longevity. Many of the plants native to the Mojave Desert have astonishingly long lifespans. But not necessarily the plants you might guess.

Read more at  Guide: Seven Incredibly Old Mojave Desert Plants | SoCal Connected | News & Public Affairs | PBS SoCal

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 1, 2024

Job Opening: The Xerces Society – Pollinator Conservation Specialist and NRCS Partner Biologist, Mid-Atlantic Region

Pollinator Conservation Specialist and NRCS Partner Biologist, Mid-Atlantic Region
— Read on for job description and application process at recruiting.paylocity.com/Recruiting/Jobs/Details/2728208

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 1, 2024

White-tailed eagles breed in Northern Ireland for first time in 150 years

MSN reports

Conservationists are celebrating after white-tailed eagles bred in Northern Ireland for the first time for more than 150 years. Two first-time breeders in Co Fermanagh successfully fledged one chick. It has been hailed by the Northern Ireland Raptor Study Group (NIRSG) and the RSPB as correcting a multi-generational absence. White-tailed eagles, …

Read on www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/white-tailed-eagles-breed-in-northern-ireland-for-first-time-in-150-years/ar-AA1rjNYQ

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 1, 2024

Pt. Isabel Regional Shoreline Photos

Photos from Sept. 30 at Pt. Isabel Regional Shoreline in Richmond, CA

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 1, 2024

Marin Upcoming Bird Walks and Nature Events

From Wild Birds Unlimited

Thurs, 10/3: Las Gallinas Ponds, San Rafael, Marin Audubon
Weds, 10/9: Rodeo Lagoon, Marin Headlands, Marin Audubon
Thurs, 10/17: Jack Gedney Birds in the Oaks talk, Bookshop West Portal, SF
Sat, 10/19: Nature walk at Lake Lagunitas, Marin Water
Sun, 10/20: Family walk at Bahia, Novato, Marin Parks
Fri, 10/25: Jack Gedney Birds in the Oaks talk, Buteo Books, San Rafael
Weds, 10/30: Oaks at Deer Island, Novato, Marin Parks
Sat, 11/2: Las Gallinas and Hamilton Wetlands, Marin Audubon

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 1, 2024

California OKs Strongest Rat Poison Restrictions in Nation 

Center for Biological Diversity News Release

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed tighter rat poison restrictions into law today, expanding an existing moratorium to include all blood-thinning rat poisons, known as anticoagulant rodenticides. The Poison-Free Wildlife Act, or Assembly Bill 2552, offers the strongest protections in the country against these toxic rat poisons, which unintentionally harm and kill wildlife.

Read more California OKs Strongest Rat Poison Restrictions in Nation – Center for Biological Diversity

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Posted in Animals, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags:

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | October 1, 2024

October Big Day, Oct. 12th

from eBird

Mark your calendars for October Big Day—12 Oct 2024! Like Global Big Day, October Big Day is an opportunity to unite around our shared love of birds. Last October, nearly 36,332 people from 191 countries submitted 83,735 checklists with eBird, demonstrating the power of birds to bring people together.

Wherever you are on 12 October, take a few minutes to join in this global celebration. Participate from anywhere—even from home! By taking part in October Big Day you’re also celebrating Global Bird Weekend and World Migratory Bird Day.

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 30, 2024

The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Northern California

From California State Parks Foundation

One of the things we’re most excited about with The Disabled Hiker’s Guide to Northern California is a new trail finder! The same lists that categorize hikes by area and spoon rating are still there, but I also added a new chart to more easily reference other accessibility features in the guide. It includes type of wheelchair accessibility, audio and tactile features, resting areas, directional signage, and public transit.
Much more detail, as well as other amenities like restrooms and cell service, are in the trail descriptions, but I wanted to provide an easier way to cross reference some of the key accessibility features.

Read More…

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 30, 2024

Glaciers covered with rocks may hold untapped water potential

NPR reports

In the American West, white glaciers and snow fields are outnumbered by long-overlooked “rock glaciers.” The rock covering these vast hunks of ice makes them far less affected by warming temperatures.

Read on www.npr.org/2024/09/30/nx-s1-5109050/climate-resistant-glaciers-hold-water-cooler-temperatues

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 30, 2024

‘Every tree used to be blanketed with them’: photographer captures campaign to save monarch butterfly

The Guardian reports

Climate change and pesticides have combined to pose a deadly threat to the vivid species. The Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards celebrate the fightback

Read on www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/sep/29/every-tree-used-to-be-blanketed-with-them-photographer-captures-campaign-to-save-monarch-butterfly

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 30, 2024

Study shows reduced inflammation in residents after adding trees to their neighborhoods

ScienceDaily reports

A new project has found that people living in neighborhoods where the number of trees and shrubs was more than doubled showed lower levels of a blood marker of inflammation than those living outside the planted areas. General inflammation is an important risk indicator for heart disease and other chronic diseases.

Read more at  Study shows reduced inflammation in residents after adding trees to their neighborhoods | ScienceDaily

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 29, 2024

Draconid meteor shower 2024 October 7

EarthSky reports onDraconid meteor shower 2024: All you need to know
— Read on earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-draconid-meteor-shower/

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 29, 2024

California governor signs bill to ban octopus farming

LA Times reports

Gov. Gavin Newsom signs a bipartisan bill banning octopus farming in the state. California is now the second state to do so.

Read on www.latimes.com/environment/story/2024-09-29/newsom-signs-bill-to-ban-octopus-farming-in-california

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 29, 2024

Rare and Elusive Australian Bird, Once Thought Extinct for 100 Years, Discovered by Indigenous Rangers and Scientists

Smithsonian reported

Using sound recordings, the team identified the largest known population of the night parrot, a secretive species known as the “Holy Grail of birdwatching”

Read more: Rare and Elusive Australian Bird, Once Thought Extinct for 100 Years, Discovered by Indigenous Rangers and Scientists | Smithsonian

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 29, 2024

Organism new to science found in Mono Lake’s water

Mono Lake Committe reports

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley discovered a new organism living in Mono Lake’s water—a species of choanoflagellate they named Barroeca monosierra.

Choanoflagellates are single-celled, microscopic organisms that primarily feed on bacteria. Scientists have found that B. monosierra is unique because instead of only consuming bacteria, the organism forms large colonies that contain live bacteria and form a stable relationship with them. “To our knowledge, this is the first report of such an interaction between choanoflagellates and bacteria,” reads the researchers’ paper, which was published in the American Society for Microbiology.

Source: Organism new to science found in Mono Lake’s water

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Posted in Animals | Tags: ,

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 29, 2024

A surprising culprit for plummeting nighttime pollination

Anthropocene  reports

A big part of the problem, it turns out, is that nighttime air pollution (more so than daytime pollution) blinds pollinators to the smell of flowers.

Read story at  A surprising culprit for plummeting nighttime pollination

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Posted in Animals, Environment, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: ,

Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 28, 2024

Climate-change-triggered landslide caused Earth to vibrate for nine days

University College London reported

A landslide in a remote part of Greenland caused a mega-tsunami that sloshed back and forth across a fjord for nine days, generating vibrations throughout Earth, according to a new study involving UCL researchers.

Read on www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2024/sep/climate-change-triggered-landslide-caused-earth-vibrate-nine-days

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 28, 2024

Group of California condors recently spotted flying over the East Bay

 CBS San Francisco reported

California condors are moving farther into the East Bay.

Seven of the endangered birds flew north into Alameda and Contra Costa counties on a circuitous aerial tour on Aug. 18, the conservation group Save Mount Diablo said Monday.

Read more Group of California condors recently spotted flying over the East Bay

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 28, 2024

Birds have cultural traditions that affect nest building, new study finds 

 NPR reports

Nest-building isn’t just instinct. Birds can learn from others, letting groups within one species develop their own distinctive nest-building traditions.

Read more or listen at: Birds have cultural traditions that affect nest building, new study finds : NPR

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Posted by: Sandy Steinman | September 27, 2024

A New Park in San Francisco’s Mission Bay Neighborhood

from Bay Nature Magazine

China Basin Park in Mission Bay is open as of April 2024.

Below looming high-rises, the new five-acre China Basin Park provides urban green space and views of San Francisco Bay in the rapidly developing Mission Bay neighborhood. A new snippet of Bay Trail wraps around the park’s edge, contributing to the vision of a greenway along San Francisco’s southeastern waterfront.

Open as of April 2024, the park was created by the Mission Rock Partners development team, a collaboration between the Tishman Speyer real estate development company, the San Francisco Giants, and the Port of San Francisco, which owns the property. The park is part of the greater Mission Rock development project, 14 years in the making, which includes two commercial buildings and two residential towers on what was previously a parking lot.

Read more at A New Park in San Francisco’s Mission Bay Neighborhood – Bay Nature

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