It’s Raining…Rain Beetles?

October 31, 2008 •  by

As April showers are to May flowers in other parts of the country, so are autumn rains to the rain beetle here in the Bay Area. The rainy season’s first soaking precipitation (an inch or more) beckons forth this remarkable insect.

The Sandhill Homecoming

October 24, 2008 •  by

Every fall, thousands of graceful sandhill cranes arrive in the Central Valley to spend the winter. They’re a sight not to be missed!

Tule Elk Rutting

October 17, 2008 •  by

You can still see tule elk, the smallest of North America’s elk, fighting for territory, mating, and raising their young in the Bay Area.

Bats Threatened by Wind Power

October 8, 2008 •  by

Studies elsewhere in the country suggest that bats may be suffering even more than birds as more and more windmills get built. And there are no easy answers: New, larger windmills considered safer for birds might be more dangerous to bats.

Wildfire in California

October 1, 2008 •  by

On the first day of summer, a thunderstorm crackled across much of California. Eight thousand lightning strikes ignited over 2,000 fires that burned more than 1.1 million acres by late July. California ecosystems have evolved with lightning-induced fires, but the … Read more

Give Me Shelter

October 1, 2008 •  by

Harbor seals, migrating seabirds, and other wildlife find shelter in the productive waters of Drakes Estero at Point Reyes.

Letter from the Publisher

October 1, 2008 •  by

Springtime certainly has its charms–the hills turn green, wildflowers emerge, the days get longer. And summer is the traditional time to get outside. But fall is the season I look forward to most. True, the days are shorter, and the … Read more