Audubon Magazine reports
Limited to Central and South America until a few short years ago, Yellow-headed Caracaras are turning heads from California to Delaware as their range expands northward.
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 27, 2026
This Roaming Raptor Has Been Surprising U.S. Birders—and More Could Be on the Way
Posted in Birds | Tags: ellow-headed Caracaras
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 26, 2026
Toucans reintroduced 50 years ago disperse seeds of endangered trees in Brazil
Monga Bay reported
More than 50 years ago, the ariel toucan was reintroduced to Tijuca National Park, the world’s largest urban forest, located in Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil. Now, a new study finds that the bird, which became locally extinct in the 1960s, has almost entirely settled back into its original role in the ecosystem, serving as a critical species for forest restoration.
Read more Toucans reintroduced 50 years ago disperse seeds of endangered trees in BrazilToucans reintroduced 50 years ago disperse seeds of endangered trees in Brazil
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 26, 2026
This conservation practice boosts wildlife species on farmland
WPR reported
Dense tree cover can be hard to come by in farm country. But new research shows that more trees close to rivers and streams are linked to higher biodiversity
Read more This conservation practice boosts wildlife species on farmland, new research finds
Posted in Environment | Tags: Biodiversity
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 26, 2026
Mice perform first aid when their friends are in distress
Earth.com reported
Scientists have long wondered whether other social animals show any consistent response to a companion that stops responding.
When a mouse spots another mouse lying still, it may paw at its friend, chew on its snout, or even yank its limp tongue aside in what closely resembles an attempt at first aid. Is this behavior the same as what we humans call CPR?
Read more Amazing study finds that mice perform first aid when their friends are in distress
Posted in Animals | Tags: Animal First Aid, Mice
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 25, 2026
Siskiyou Land Trust Upcoming Events
See upcoming events for the Siskiyou Land Trust at Upcoming events
Posted in Walks & Hikes | Tags: Siskiyou Land Trust Upcoming Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 25, 2026
Busting Through the Hype and Politics of Forest Thinning
The Revelator reported
‘Forest managers conduct hundreds of thousands of acres of forest “thinning” projects annually in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and elsewhere, resulting in substantial ecological and financial costs.
Read more https://therevelator.org/forest-thinning-hype/?utm_source=rev&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=rev400&emci=886ce917-7512-f111-a69a-000d3a57593f&emdi=a05b6f35-2c13-f111-a69a-000d3a57593f&ceid=1867382Busting Through the Hype and Politics of Forest Thinning
Posted in Environment | Tags: Forest Thinning
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 24, 2026
Toucans reintroduced 50 years ago disperse seeds of endangered trees in Brazil
Monga Bay reported
More than 50 years ago, the ariel toucan was reintroduced to Tijuca National Park, the world’s largest urban forest, located in Rio de Janeiro in southeastern Brazil. Now, a new study finds that the bird, which became locally extinct in the 1960s, has almost entirely settled back into its original role in the ecosystem, serving as a critical species for forest restoration.
Read more Toucans reintroduced 50 years ago disperse seeds of endangered trees in BrazilToucans reintroduced 50 years ago disperse seeds of endangered trees in Brazil
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 24, 2026
California Condors Are Still Dying — Despite a Lead Ammo Ban
KQED reported
Condors are the largest land bird in North America. When their population shrunk to just 23, a substantial conservation campaign in California followed, spanning several decades. Now there are more than 600 alive, but they aren’t doing as well as scientists expected. That’s even after the state banned hunters from using lead bullets, fragments of which the birds swallow when they eat animal carcasses left behind. Scientists believe the reason these birds may be struggling are due to condors changing their behavior to act like more wild birds. The birds are foraging further away from sites where conservationists leave food and finding animals to eat that are sometimes shot with lead.
Read article at California Condors Are Still Dying — Despite a Lead Ammo Ban
Posted in Birds | Tags: California Condors
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 24, 2026
Air Pollution Is Wreaking Havoc on Ants, And The Effects Are Alarming
Science Alert reported
Scent is essential to ant society: every ant within a colony wears the badge of membership in the form of smelly hydrocarbons. Human air pollution, a new study from Max-Planck Institute researchers suggests, is wreaking havoc on ant society by interfering with these characteristic scents.
Read more Air Pollution Is Wreaking Havoc on Ants, And The Effects Are Alarming
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 23, 2026
Scientists discover a new deep sea animal that glows in the dark
Earth.com reported
Scientists have confirmed a bright yellow deep-sea animal, Corallizoanthus aureus, as a new species of marine coral. It emits green light when disturbed, marking the first known case of bioluminescence documented inside a deep-sea cave.
Read more Scientists discover a new deep sea animal that glows in the dark
Posted in Animals | Tags: Corallizoanthus aureus, Marine Coral, New Species
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 22, 2026
Mexico’s monarch butterfly population jumps 64%, offering hope for at-risk species
The Guardian reported
The insects covered its largest area since 2018, despite threats from habitat loss, climate crisis and pesticides
Read on www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/20/mexico-monarch-butterfly-population-increases
Posted in Butterflies | Tags: Mexican Monarch Butterfly Population
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 22, 2026
Regional Parks Botanic Garden Photos 3/19/26
Photographed in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA on March 19, 2026.
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.
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 22, 2026
In Criminal Cases, Moss Is Often Underfoot and Overlooked
DNYUZ reported
A remote forest in south central Pennsylvania seems to be the perfect place for a body to disappear, shrouded in leaves and covered in moss over time.
For the police who were investigating the skeleton of a woman believed to be in her 20s or 30s, discovered deep in those Pennsylvania woods in the first half of 2025, how long her remains had been there was an important question.
Soil samples and plant material such as roots, seeds and pollen have yielded crime-scene evidence for decades, but moss tends to be overlooked. Yet moss holds clues for investigators who know how to look for them.
read more In Criminal Cases, Moss Is Often Underfoot and OverlookedIn Criminal Cases, Moss Is Often Underfoot and Overlooked
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: forensic Botany, Moss
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 22, 2026
Hoping for a Lively Spring? Welcome the Woodpeckers
The New York Times reported
The males of the species prepare for mating season by excavating nests for the approval of the females — and even other birds and animals.
Read more Hoping for a Lively Spring? Welcome the Woodpeckers
Posted in Birds | Tags: Woodpeckers
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 21, 2026
The world’s largest cloned organism is discovered in the Baltic Sea – Earth.com
Earth.com reported
The world’s largest cloned organism, bladderwrack seaweed, has been discovered in the Baltic Sea, a finding that raises concerns.
Read on www.earth.com/news/worlds-largest-cloned-organism-bladderwrack-seaweed-discovered-in-the-baltic-sea/
Posted in Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: bladderwrack seaweed, Largest Clonal Species
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 21, 2026
How Canada’s rarest mammal was pulled back from the brink of extinction
Discover Wildlife reports
It was once on the verge of disappearing altogether, but Canada’s most endangered mammal (Vancouver Island Marmot) is making a comeback, thanks to a dedicated team of scientists, researchers and conservationists climbing mountains – quite literally – to save it.
Read more at “We did this. People did this.” How Canada’s rarest mammal was pulled back from the brink of extinction
Posted in Animals | Tags: Vancouver Island Marmot
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 20, 2026
Los Padres ForestWatch Upcoming Events
See Upcoming Los Padres ForestWatch Upcoming Events at Home | Los Padres ForestWatch
Posted in Birds, Talks | Tags: Los Padres ForestWatch Upcoming Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 20, 2026
CNPS 2026 plant science workshops
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CNPS plant science workshops support conservation by giving you the tools to make a difference for California’s imperiled biodiversity. This year’s workshops include:
Learn from our expert instructors and get to know other plant science professionals. Our workshops bring you hands-on learning, small class sizes, and science-backed skills. They are specifically designed to provide botanists, biologists, land managers, ecologists, and enthusiasts with the scientific skills and practical experience necessary to assess, manage, and protect native plants and lands in California and beyond. A scholarship application is available for students, early career professionals, or anyone who may not otherwise be able to attend. |
Posted in Class/Workshop, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: CNPS Plant Science Workshops
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 20, 2026
Junior Ranger items on Trump’s national parks chopping block
SF Gate reported
Pamphlets, booklets and activities educating children on history and science in national parks have come under review as the Trump administration works to eliminate informative materials that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living” or fail to “emphasize the beauty, abundance, or grandeur of landscapes and other natural features.”
These “Junior Ranger” materials are among hundreds of items that appear in an internal government database leaked to the public in early March. And while much of the leak’s content has been publicized in news stories, this report is the first to surface how the Trump administration is poised to alter what young people learn in national parks, including everything from Indigenous history to the Civil Rights Movement to light pollution in the night sky.
Read more Junior Ranger items on Trump’s national parks chopping block
Posted in Park | Tags: Junior Ranger Program
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 20, 2026
California Botanic Gardens
Here is the combined list of notable botanical gardens in California compiled by Geminia
Posted in Garden | Tags: California Botanic Gardens
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 19, 2026
Wildflowers of the Bay Area @Central – Berkeley Public Library
Learn what’s about to bloom and where. Event starts at March 21, 2026 12:00 PM PDT
— Read on berkeleypubliclibrary.libnet.info/event/15846847
Posted in Talks, Wildflowers and Other Plants | Tags: Wildflower Talk
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 19, 2026
UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Photos 3/12/26
Photos from the UC- Berkeley Botanical Garden taken on March 12, 2026.
Posted in Garden, Photos (Sandy's) | Tags: UC Berkeley Botancial Garden
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 19, 2026
‘Birdbrain’ benefits: How being an expert birdwatcher may boost cognition
NBC News reported
New research shows that seasoned birders — including older adults — had denser tissue in parts of the brain tied to attention and perception.
Read more at Birdbrain’ benefits: How being an expert birdwatcher may boost cognition
Posted in Uncategorized
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 18, 2026
Volunteer opportunity: Garden Greeter in Tilden Regional Parks Botanic Garden
Garden Greeters offer a warm welcome and helpful orientation to Botanic Garden visitors on weekends and holidays. Volunteer greeters hand out maps, offer general information, and provide games for children. The next Garden Greeter training will take place on Saturday, March 28, and Saturday, April 4, from 9 to 11 a.m. Attending both dates is required. To learn more and apply for the training, email greeter_coordinator@nativeplants.org.
Posted in Garden | Tags: Regional Parks Botanic Garden
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 18, 2026
Regional Parks Botanic Garden Photos 3/17/26
Photographed in the East Bay Regional Parks Botanic Garden in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA on March 17, 2026.
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.
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 18, 2026
Upcoming UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Events
See the events calendar for the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden at Garden Events
Posted in Class/Workshop, Garden | Tags: UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Events
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 18, 2026
Free Talks at East Bay Nurseries
from Bring Back the Natives
the times and locations of the free Talks in the Nurseries, which will take place this Saturday, March 21, during the next Native Plant Extravaganza. Shop during this event and a percentage of your sales will go to support the Tour.
Native Plant Extravaganza
Saturday, March 21, 10:00-4:00
Shop in-person on Saturday, March 21, or shop online at participating native plant nurseries on Saturday or Sunday March 21 or 22, and a percentage of your purchases will go to support the Tour.
A link to each nursery’s plant inventory is included. Call ahead if there is a plant you specifically want, as inventories change rapidly.
Free Talks in the Nurseries!
The Watershed Nursery Cooperative, 601 A Canal Blvd. Richmond
11:00 “Best pruning practices for California native plants” by Nicholas Crawford, ISA Board Certified Master Arborist at The Davey Tree Expert Company
Nicholas will discuss native plant care, demonstrate hands-on pruning skills, and provide information on California’s evolving fire clearance requirements.
See the Watershed Nursery Cooperative’s plant inventory here, and their nifty Plant Finder page here.
Posted in Garden, Talks | Tags: Bring Back the Natives
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 18, 2026
Giant tortoises return to Galápagos island after nearly 200 years
The BBC reported
Giant tortoises are roaming the Galápagos island of Floreana for the first time in more than 180 years, in what conservationists have called a “hugely significant milestone”.
One hundred and fifty eight captive-bred juvenile tortoises were released on the island as part of the Floreana Ecological Restoration Project led by the Galápagos National Park Directorate.
Read more Giant tortoises return to Galápagos island after nearly 200 years
Posted in Animals | Tags: Gallapagos, Giant Tortoises
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 17, 2026
Drawing and Painting Wildflowers Throughout the West 3/20/25
From the Regional Parks Botanic Garden
MAR
20
Drawing and Painting Wildflowers Throughout the West
Join Linda Ann Vorobik, botanist and botanical artist, for an illustrated talk. There will also be a show of botanical art and hand-painted silks with 25% of sales donated to the Botanic Garden.
For more information and details about event and upcoming 2-Day Botanical Watercolor Workshop
go to View Event →
Posted in Talks | Tags: Drawing and Painting Wildflowers Throughout the West
Posted by: Sandy Steinman | March 17, 2026
‘Sly stowaway’ UK fox finds new home at Bronx Zoo after illicit transatlantic trip
The Guardian reported
The fox is said to be ‘settling in well’ after mischievous 3,400 mile journey from Southampton to New York
Read on www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/mar/11/stowaway-fox-travels-on-cargo-ship-from-england-to-us
Posted in Animals | Tags: Fox Stowaway
Natural History Wanderings 