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
Dan Rademacher
Who builds those stick houses, anyway? Woodrats!
Stewart Gilbert of San Rafael writes to ask: “Who makes these homes built out of sticks? They’re very common at China Camp. From a wood rat of some sort? The sticks can be large, requiring strength to pile up. I’ve … Read more
Surge of pine siskins means dead birds, but also new neighbors
We’ve been hearing a lot about dead pine siskins all over the country. Turns out it’s natural, and it might mean more siskins in more places for a while.
Dinosaur eggs on Point Reyes Estero Trail?
Tim Hastings wrote to us wondering about “many large round, almost ‘dinosaur-egg’ like rocks dotting the muddy sands” when he was hiking the Estero Trail. Tim’s guess is that the soft rock is susceptible to erosive shaping during the rise and … Read more
Satellites to the rescue for Clear Lake algae problems?
Clear Lake algae problems persist, but a new effort aims to use satellite imagery to track pollution and find solutions.
What’s the California newt’s lifespan?
What’s a California newt’s lifespan? Surprisingly long for captive newts, and wild newts’ potent poison likely helps them live longer than other amphibians.
Are deer twins common?
Are deer twins common? Turns out, yes, even though any individual twin fawn is less likely to survive than its singleton cousins. What gives, nature?
Santa Rosa’s Taylor Mountain throws open the gates
Santa Rosa gets a brand-new park this weekend. Taylor Mountain, above the Roseland neighborhood, is a great hiking spot and a model of park planning.
Songbirds dying at birdfeeders
A number of local bird rescue groups are reporting an outbreak of salmonella among pine siskins, small songbirds that are common at Bay Area bird feeders this time of year. Wildcare of Marin sent dead birds to a lab for testing … Read more
Painting the Delta, from “frankenanimals” to finished artwork
When we decided to commission an original illustration for our January feature about Big Break Regional Shoreline, I did what I often do in these situations: I contacted Ann Caudle, who runs the scientific illustration program at Cal State Monterey. … Read more