Winter 2026 Almanac: Sea Stars and Scoters
Life during winter can have ups and downs over the years.
Science and Nature
Being a Salamander
In a tiny hollow beneath a log, reflected in my headlamp’s glow, were two gold-flecked black eyes and a dull pinkish snout.
25 Years of Change
A quarter century of hard work has restored nature to the San Francisco Bay Area in places where it was once unimaginable.
That Time We Reared Spider Babies, and Other Memorable Stories of 2025
Stories that delighted us, enraged us, got us outside, got us thinking.
The Zombees Are Here (And That’s Probably OK)
A parasitic fly was found in San Francisco taking over a honeybee.
Why Is That Woodpecker White?
For years, the author has gathered photographs of local leucistic birds: white (or whitish) woodpeckers, hummingbirds, sparrows, turkeys, bald eagles, and more.
With Dams Removed, Spawning Salmon Are Heading Up Alameda Creek
These chinooks are likely hatchery strays. But they are still an ecosystem boon—and flaming-bright symbols of restoration at work.
Split Verdict Over State of the Estuary
This piece was originally published in KneeDeep Times, a digital magazine featuring stories from the frontlines of climate resilience in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. The 2025 State of Our Estuary assessment, released this fall at a regional conference, takes the … Read more
Invasive Golden Mussels Upend Life in the Delta
One year after the discovery that golden mussels had invaded the Delta, thick colonies coat boats and piers and threaten water supplies for cities and farms. Yet the state has no specific funding or plans to tackle harms in the heart of the invasion.
Burrowing Owls Return to César Chávez Park
Editor’s note On a Saturday evening in late October, my boyfriend and I were walking around César Chávez Park in Berkeley when we came across a man with a camera and tripod near the Burrowing Owl Sanctuary. I asked him … Read more
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