In a dark year, citizen science can shine a light on the natural world — and on humanity.
I Used Facial Recognition Technology on Birds
Birders know you can recognize individual birds. Can a computer scientist train a machine to do so?
Why I Go Outside in this Era of Contempt
A citizen scientist and amateur naturalist on the value of nature.
Where Do Birds Go When it Rains?
Guest naturalist Josiah Clark reveals how birds cope with stormy weather.
Which Species of Woodpecker Can You Find in Golden Gate Park?
As you walk through Golden Gate park you may here the ‘knock, knock, knock’ of a woodpecker working for its lunch. But as one reader asked, what species can you find in the park?
Fox Sparrows Plentiful at Palomarin Field Station
This fall’s government shutdown left a two-week gap in Point Blue Conservation Science’s bird monitoring and banding data. But with the counts now in, the second half of October appears to have been a success, with researchers capturing and banding a surprisingly high number of fox sparrows.
Lake Merced Birds: A Lone Wrentit
Every so often I see a note from a local birder or amateur botanist that reminds me that there’s a whole world of animal and plant movement under our noses all the time, comings and goings of which we just … Read more
How do you make a teeny hummingbird chick comfy?
Imagine fitting your little eggs inside a nest the size of a golf ball? Hummingbirds are back, and raising the next generation.
New records set in Bay Area’s Christmas bird counts
The annual Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count, the longest running citizen science survey in the world, has finished up in the Bay Area with some important findings.
Virginia rail peeks through reeds at Lake Merced
A Virginia rail made a surprise year-end appearance at Lake Merced in San Francisco.