Watch for hungry dragonflies and jays darting about: That can be a sign that the termites are emerging! Termites live mostly underground (or in our walls!) but as winter approaches, they grow wings and take to the air in droves to form new colonies.
The Midshipman’s Song
During summer, this glowing Pacific fish makes nests in the muds of the San Francisco Bay and attracts a mate with humming.
Rebuilding for California Condors
The Ventana Wildlife Society, which leads California condor restoration efforts, is looking for public support after Big Sur’s massive wildfire wiped out its rearing and release facility.
Chasing the West Coast Lady
If butterfly watching sounds sedate, perhaps you’ve never witnessed the excitement of the territorial chase…
Beavers in Martinez
Several beavers have taken up residence in downtown Martinez, and this summer may be the best time to see them, before they become more famous and attract bigger crowds or get forcibly ousted by the local government.
Whales at the Farallon Islands
Picture hungry tourists swarming around an all-you-can-eat buffet. Only the tourists are 100 feet long and weigh almost 200,000 pounds. These are blue whales, the largest animals ever, and they’ve come to feast on some of the tiniest animals on the planet: millions upon millions of tiny shrimplike krill.
Marine Protected Areas
Seaflow would like to see vessel no-traffic zones and ocean noise pollution regulations included in the redesign of the state’s marine protected areas (MPAs), a process that is nearing completion for the North Central Coast region. While noise reduction is … Read more
Mole Crab Decline
On sandy beaches from Alaska to Baja, you’ve likely seen plovers, sanderlings, willets, and other shorebirds foraging for food in the swash zone, where waves perpetually cover and uncover the sand. One of the creatures the shorebirds are hunting is … Read more
Monterey Birding Festival
Summer in the Bay Area can last well into late September, but by then many birds that overwinter here have already arrived after migrating from the north. While walking through the Monarch Butterfly Nature Preserve at Natural Bridges State Beach … Read more
Ocean Noise Pollution
We hadn’t yet reached the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, but we were far enough outside the Golden Gate that Angel Island looked like an extension of the Marin Headlands, an optical illusion that kept early explorers from … Read more