This is a season of change for Bay Nature, as we welcome new people and say goodbye to others who have shaped the magazine.
Tag: Ask the Naturalist
Fall Issue 2022
Michael Ellis Says Farewell With A Squawk, a Snort and a Whistle
Time to say adieu! I have relished researching and answering the questions that you all have sent in through the years.
Ask the Naturalist
Bay Area Wildlife Tracking 101
What are some of the first things I should look for when tracking animals? —Nick in Fremont I used to think I was a good tracker. I even taught classes, but the more I learned about tracking, the more I … Read more
Spring Issue 2022
How Do You Tell the Difference Between Shrews, Moles, and Shrew Moles?
A reader finds a dead small mammal. Is it a mole? A shrew? A shrew mole?
Spring Issue 2020
How Do Birds Know How to Build Nests?
There are 10,000-plus species of birds in the world, about 1,100 species in the United States, and 350 or so in the greater Bay Area, so there is great variability in nests. But the basic purpose of any nest is … Read more
Wildlife
Nature to Look for Every Month in 2020
Californians like to complain about missing true “seasons.” But expand your definition beyond humid summer nights and winter sleet and you’ll find nature all around us responding to seasonal change. Here are some of our suggestions of seasonal favorites to … Read more
Ask the Naturalist
Which Bay Area Salamander Are You?
What salamanders live in the Bay Area? Ahh yes, salamanders. The under-appreciated amphibians, second to their more well-known and vocal (if slightly obnoxious) cousin the frog. For these slimy critters, existence under the forest floor or in murky bodies of … Read more
Ask the Naturalist
What are These Small, White, Circular Needle-Like Things?
I found this on my front door — it looks like needles in a circular motion with white tips. What is it? The small “needles” that start to decorate doors, plants, and just about any surface imaginable this time of … Read more
Ask the Naturalist
As Temperatures Change, What Organisms Move North to California?
What are some the biological consequences of climate change in Northern California?
Fall Issue 2019
Where Do Turtles Go in Winter and Summer?
Where do turtles go in the winter and summer? —Alma, Sebastopol I am assuming you are referring to our only native freshwater turtle—the western pond turtle—which you might see basking in the sun and then quickly kerplunking right into the … Read more
