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Burrowing Owls Return to Cesar Chavez Park
One of the Bay Area’s most beloved birds is making a comeback.
–birds of the bay area–
THE BAY AREA’S MOST FASCINATING BIRDS
do hummingbirds reuse their nests?
A San Francisco reader accidentally destroyed a hummingbird nest. Bay Nature asked an expert what happens next.
Flying in for the Crow Funeral
All it takes is one dead crow and one witness. Within moments, up to 70 birds arrive. Bay Nature investigates what crows do around their dead – and what it might tell us about ourselves.
What Species Are San Francisco’s Parrots?
They started as escaped pets from two separate species in South America. A new genomic study suggests San Francisco’s wild parrots have become something else entirely.
Why Is That Woodpecker White?
A birder noticed a white-capped house sparrow in her garden for years before understanding what she was seeing. Birder and Golden Gate Bird Alliance instructor Eric Schroeder explains the rare condition causing Bay Area birds to lose their color.
–wild neighbors–
THE CREATURES SHARING YOUR BACKYARD
My Mediterranean Arachnid Houseguest
You’ve probably seen one in your bathroom and had no idea where it came from. Meet the Zoropsis spinimana, a Mediterranean spider that has quietly colonized the Bay Area.
The Coyotes Arrived. Now, They’re Changing Angel Island
Coyotes probably swam a mile of open water to reach Angel Island. Deer and raccoons that once roamed fearlessly have become prey. Bay Nature reports on a predator remaking an ecosystem.
Are Fox Squirrels Replacing Gray Squirrels?
A Solano County reader noticed the native western gray squirrels near his home had nearly vanished, replaced by a rust-colored stranger. Bay Nature’s naturalists explain what’s happening.
See the Long-Tailed Weasel in Half Moon Bay
A photographer poking around a Half Moon Bay sand dune heard rustling in the bushes. What appeared in his viewfinder was one of the Bay Area’s most elusive predators.
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Bay Nature Talks and Hikes
from the page to the trail
Bay Nature’s guided hikes and talks put you in the field alongside the ecologists, ornithologists, and naturalists behind our stories. Whether you’re tracking burrowing owls at Cesar Chavez Park or learning to identify raptors at Hawk Hill, every event is a chance to see the Bay Area through expert eyes.
75+
Events Per Year
5,000+
Members and Guests Annually
25+
Years of Bay Nature
Upcoming Bay Nature Events and Talks
Sea Otters as Summer Begins at Elkhorn Slough
A guided boat tour aboard an electric catamaran through Elkhorn Slough in search of sea otters, harbor seals, and coastal birdlife, followed by a naturalist-led walk through the Elkhorn Slough Reserve. A box lunch is included.
Register NowAlso in June — Join the Waitlist
Butterflies of Mount Diablo with Liam O’Brien
A guided butterfly hike through Mitchell Canyon aiming to spot 15 species, including the Two-tailed Tiger Swallowtail, with lepidopterist and illustrator Liam O’Brien.
Join the Waitlist
Las Gallinas Valley Birding Loop with Eric Schroeder
A birding walk through tidal marsh with UC Davis lecturer Eric Schroeder. Expect herons, egrets, nesting Cliff Swallows, and a chance sighting of the river otters now living at this San Rafael hotspot.
Join the Waitlist
The Stewards Return at Quiroste Valley
A guided hike through the Quiroste Valley Cultural Preserve exploring Indigenous stewardship, native grassland recovery, and ongoing restoration led by the Amah Mutsun Land Trust.
Join the WaitlistBecome a Member
Join the Bay Area’s essential nature community.
For 25 years, Bay Nature has connected people to the natural world of the San Francisco Bay Area through award-winning journalism, guided outdoor experiences, and a community built on curiosity and care. Your membership makes all of it possible.
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Bay Nature Magazine, Print and Digital Four issues a year of in-depth stories, stunning photography, and original artwork delivered to your door and available online.
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Naturalist-Led Hikes and Field Trips Free access to guided outdoor experiences across the Bay Area led by ecologists, scientists, and expert naturalists.
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Live Talks with Scientists and Writers Free access to online seminars featuring the experts and storytellers behind our reporting. Live Q&A included, recordings available anytime.
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Member Rates to Special Events Discounted access to the annual Local Hero Awards and other ticketed Bay Nature events and gatherings.
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Support Independent Nature Journalism Your membership directly supports independent, nonprofit, award-winning environmental journalism for the San Francisco Bay Area.
About BAY NATURE
Bay Nature is an independent nonprofit publication based in Berkeley, California.
For 25 years we have covered the natural world of the San Francisco Bay Area, from the wildlife of the East Bay hills to the tide pools of the Sonoma Coast.
We publish a quarterly print magazine, report new stories every week, and run one of the Bay Area’s largest nature events programs, from naturalist-guided hikes to expert-led talks. As an independent nonprofit, we rely on the support of readers, members, and donors who believe the Bay Area’s natural world is worth covering.
25+
Years covering Bay Area nature, science, and conservation
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Annual visitors reading Bay Nature’s award-winning stories online.
75+
Events per year including hikes, expert talks and special events.
