Eric Galan

Eric Galan is a Bay Nature editorial intern.

Amongst marshes, a salty past

May 18, 2012 •  by

The Hayward regional shoreline consists of over a thousand acres of marshes and seasonal wetlands. At low tide sandpipers and black stilts wander about the mud flats searching for food, while cyclists and runners exercise along a 5-mile trail.It’s hard to imagine that more than a hundred years ago, mounds of salt covered these same Hayward marshes like a fresh blanket of snow. The salt attracted harvesters, going way back to the original inhabitants.

Spotted owls lose turf war at Muir Woods

March 22, 2012 •  by

If you’re fortunate to be hiking Muir Woods at sunset, be sure to keep your ears open and eyes peeled. You may just encounter one of the parks more stealthy inhabitants.On any of the park’s many trails, you may hear the low-pitched “ho-ho-hooo,” of a horned owl, or the distinctive “who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all” hooting of the barred owl. But one owl species remains conspicuously quiet — the northern spotted owl.

Experts, amateurs pair up to build real-time field guide

February 10, 2012 •  by

Scientists and citizen scientists may share a love of nature, but they have few tools to exchange information. A new online tool called the Bay Area Bio-Atlas seeks to deepen those links in an effort to provide a real-time field guide to the region’s flora and fauna.

Where the wild birds live

December 22, 2011 •  by

It may not be the most bucolic locale, but Alameda County’s backyard, parks, and city scapes are nesting spots for 175 bird species. A decade effort to track them down has resulted in the Alameda County Breeding Bird Atlas, released this week.

Twilight hiking reveals nature’s night owls

November 11, 2011 •  by

To some, daylight saving time means losing an hour of sunshine. But to Crissy Field Park Ranger Fatima Colindres, it means more opportunities to explore the night. Twilight walks are among the park’s most popular activities, and Colindres treks with groups under the dark sky twice a month.

Insecta-Palooza Takes the Creepy out of Lots of Crawlies

October 26, 2011 •  by

With Halloween right around the corner, it’s only natural to think of cobwebs and hairy creatures lurking in dark places. Just the thought of these creepy, crawling, eight-legged, web tangling, multi-eyed arachnids can frighten even the toughest individuals. Even yours truly. Luckily, the third installment of Sonoma State University’s Insecta-Palooza is here to remind us that these crawlers aren’t so creepy after all.

Got Kids? Take ’em outside!

September 29, 2011 •  by

In an alarming poll conducted by the Nature Conservancy, only ten percent of kids said they’re spending time outside everyday. That’s no typo folks, a whopping ten percent! Before you shut off your computer and run outside, check out our list of top kid-friendly picks from our events calendar in October!

Coastal Cleanup, This Saturday!

September 14, 2011 •  by

This Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, more than 80,000 people will hit the California coast for a not-so-typical day at the beach. Coastal Cleanup Day is right around the corner and the state’s largest volunteering event will likely net some 1.2 million pounds of trash. A staggering number indeed, which raises the question — How does all this debris end up on the shore?

Catching Up to Texas, California Now Has Certified Naturalists

September 6, 2011 •  by

If someone asked you to name the 26 states that offer certified “master naturalist” programs, there’s a good chance you’d class California among those. Until recently, you’d have been wrong. But, like Texas before us, we in the Golden State now finally have such a program.

Crissy Field Youth Program Wins National Award

August 12, 2011 •  by

As the Crissy Field Center celebrates its 10th anniversary, the center continues to bridge the gap between urban youth and environmental education. In July 2011, the center’s Inspiring Young Emerging Leaders (I-YEL) program won the “Take Pride in America” national award given by the Department of Interior for outstanding youth program. Jie Chen, a former student intern and current manager of the I-YEL program described the award as “amazing to see and be a part of.”