Out of an Ancient Sea
The oak-dotted, rounded hills of Contra Costa and eastern Alameda counties are a familiar sight, but do you know how they got to be that way?
Science and Nature
Peering into Muddy Waters
One measure of the ecological richness of the Bay is its role as a major nursery for five resident species of sharks.
Elephant Seals at Ano Nuevo
It’s time to make your reservations to witness one of local nature’s most dramatic spectacles: the annual return of the world’s largest mainland breeding colony of Northern elephant seals to...
Letter from the Publisher: Introducing Bay Nature Magazine
For most of the nearly four years it has taken to turn BAY NATURE from an idea into the magazine you now hold in your hands, I worked out of...
A Natural History of Oakland’s Lake Merritt
Lake Merritt changed dramatically over the centuries, but it still supports estuarine habitat -- in addition to the recreation needs of a growing city.
Are there any resident animal species in the region that hibernate in winter, even though we don’t usually have snow or freezing temperatures?
That depends on what you mean by hibernation. All but one of the Bay Area’s 13 species of bats are capable of hibernating; the exception is the abundant Mexican free-tailed...
Shy Albatross Sightings
Over the past 16 months, there have been three separate sightings of the Shy Albatross(Thalassarche cauta) off the coast of northern California. These very large (nine-foot wingspan), powerful seagoing birds...
Sudden Oak Death Introduction
In five coastal counties of central and northern California, thousands of oak trees are dying. The cause of this increased mortality in coast live oaks, tan oaks, and black oaks...
Rivers in the Bay
San Francisco Bay presented a thrilling—yet possibly lethal—mystery to a young Spanish captain as he sailed up to probe the entry to the Golden Gate for the first time on...
The Art of Restoration
The air over Cullinan Ranch is cool and moist. Only the faintest gray line marks the location, south across San Pablo Bay, of the East Bay hills. The wetlands here,...
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