Shadows in Flight
Rarely seen and, until recently, poorly understood, bats are a significant component of the Bay Area's natural environment. Now, researchers are filling in the gaps by studying several of the area's most at-risk species.
Wildlife
Taxonomy 101
Over 200 years ago, Swedish naturalist Karl von Linne (or, as he Latinized the name, Carolus Linneaus) devised a system for classifying all living things based on anatomical structures. Although Linneaus lived before Darwin, his method presaged later concepts of … Read more
Fall 2000 Hawk Hill Survey Results
The largest concentration of raptors in the Pacific States occurs over the Marin Headlands every fall when tens of thousands of hawks, falcons, and eagles are on the move. From August through December, volunteers from the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory … Read more
Stowe Lake Herons, With 2000 Viewing Dates
Springtime is mating time, and the Bay Area provides its residents with a splendid opportunity to view the new families of one of our most majestic birds—the great blue heron. The largest heron in North America, great blues average nearly … Read more
Coho Salmon Run Returns To West Marin
Late fall and winter are the time to witness the return of endangered coho salmon to their natal streams in west Marin. After many years of declining populations, this spectacular fish finally received listing as an endangered species in 1996. … Read more
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 Año Nuevo State Reserve on the San Mateo coast. Weighing … Read more
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 bat. But according to bat rehabilitator Patricia Winters, “No bat … Read more
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 breed on rocky islands off the coasts of Tasmania and … Read more
East Bay Regional Newts
This article was the first nature article published by Bay Nature cofounder David Loeb. It originally appeared in Terrain, the magazine once published by the Berkeley Ecology Center. The small pond sits deep in an old quarry pit. Actually, it’s partly a pond … Read more
