Bay Area Naturalist Events Calendar
Your one-stop guide to bird walks, fungus forays, work parties, wildflower hikes, beach cleanups, exhibit openings, garden tours, wildlife festivals, star parties, ecology classes, science symposia, employment opportunities, and natural history lectures. Compiled by Patrick Schlemmer. If you have an event to list on the calendar, please submit it to jkodiak@earthlink.net. It is always good to confirm locations and times before heading out, as these sometimes change. This calendar is updated every day, so check back often!
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Fri., May 24 Scientists, including carnivore experts, urged the Obama administration this week not to strip wolves of their protection under the Endangered Species Act. In two sharply worded letters, the scientists said a draft proposal to halt protections was premature and failed to follow the best science. One letter came from 16 prominent conservation and carnivore biologists, the other from the American Society of Mammalogists. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been poised to propose its delisting rule, which would end federal protections for all wolves in the lower 48 states (except in Arizona and New Mexico). Read about the scientists' letter in our press release and then take action to tell the Obama administration not to delist wolves.
Fri., May 24 Amazon Be Dammed: Deforestation Undermines Future Viability of Brazil's Hydropower Projects. Although Brazil's energy-hungry economic boom has driven the nation to tap the Amazon's vast hydroelectric potential, the resulting deforestation accompanying its dam projects has reduced the available waterpower: http://links.email.scientificamerican.com/ctt?kn=34&ms=NDE1MTg0MjMS1&r=NTM5NzIzNTA1NgS2&b=2&j=MTg4MzM1NDA2S0&mt=1&rt=0.
Sat., May 25 Newark Slough Trail Walk– 5.8 miles roundtrip. Visitor Center, Fremont. 9 am. Meet new people while getting fit and healthy! This is the 3rd walk featured in the Refuge Rambler club. This trail is compacted dirt, flat and level. The walk is self-paced and you may turn back at any time. You do not need to be a Refuge Rambler to join this walk. No reservations are needed. A Refuge Representative will be there to greet you. Hats, water, and sunscreen are strongly recommended. Free.
Sat., May 25 Habitat restoration workparty at Corona Heights with the Natural Areas Program. Lots of weeding and trimming to do and it's forecast to be a beautiful day. 10 am-noon. Free.
Sat., May 25 Sunol Butterfly and Bird Walk. Join the Alameda Creek Alliance for a spring walk along Alameda Creek in Sunol to Little Yosemite to learn more about our native local butterflies with expert Bay Area lepidopterist Liam O'Brien. Jeff Miller of the ACA will also help identify local birds along our hike. Meet at 11 am at the Sunol Regional Park Visitor Center. Bring a lunch, water, sunscreen, hat and binoculars. Please RSVP to Ralph Boniello at ralph@alamedacreek.org.
Sun., May 26 400 PPM: Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere Reaches Prehistoric Levels: http://links.email.scientificamerican.com/ctt?kn=4&ms=NDE1MTg0MjMS1&r=NTM5NzIzNTA1NgS2&b=2&j=MTg4MzM1NDA2S0&mt=1&rt=0
Mon., May 27 The Wilderness Arts and Literacy Collaborative (WALC) at Downtown Continuation High School is looking for a new teacher. WALC is an interdisciplinary environmental education program that organizes its curriculum around environmental themes and field studies. While a WALC teacher must be credentialed, subject area is flexible. Teachers must be willing to teach more than one subject area, regardless of credential. As Downtown High is an urban continuation school, experience working with a diverse population of high need students is necessary. Check out www.walcsf.net and email catherinesalvin@gmail.com if interested.
Tues., May 28 Rare Plants of the Tiburon Peninsula. The late season bloom on this ridge includes one of the rarest and most unusual plants in the world, the Tiburon mariposa lily. We'll look for this and other flowers as well as butterflies, birds, and other wildlife. After lunch, we'll drive over to Old Saint Hilary's Preserve to see the lovely Tiburon jewelflower and a number of other late blooming beauties. This walk is for adults. 10 am-3 pm. David Herlocker will lead. Questions: Contact David at DHerlocker@marincounty.org. Free.
Tues., May 28 Exploring Botswana and Namibia, with Gerald Corsi. The Kippings invite you to Potluck Slideshows on the 4th Tuesday of each month. Please bring your own plates & service & a dish & beverage to serve 8 people. San Francisco County Fair Building, GG Park, 7 pm. For more information, please contact Ted Kipping at tkippingsprint@earthlink.net.
Tues., May 28 Ship Strike Issue Panel. Ship strikes of whales have been recognized as a growing concern worldwide. Protecting endangered species and sanctuary resources is a priority issue for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). To address this issue locally, Gulf of the Farallones (GF) and Cordell Bank (CB) Sanctuary Advisory Councils formed a Joint Working Group (JWG) on Vessel Strikes and Acoustic Impacts, represented by a diversity of stakeholders including the shipping industry, and the conservation and scientific communities. Over one year, the JWG met and came to consensus on a set of recommendations to the sanctuary: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/protect/shipstrike/pdfs/strikes_acoustic.pdf ). This panel consists of members of that Joint Working Group. Experts in their field, they will discuss the process and how stakeholders came together to achieve consensus on a set of specific, solution-oriented recommendations. Bay Model Visitor Center, 2100 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA. 7 pm. $5 Suggested Donation goes toward student research grants.
Wed., May 29 The so-called unicorn horns once prized by Renaissance collectors and thought to have magical powers likely belonged not to mythical white horses but to the chunky, odd-looking whales we know as narwhals, which are now among the marine animals threatened by climate change in the far North. Narwhals are hunted by Inuit, polar bears and orca, and mostly live in Canada and western Greenland. Narwhals' long, single tusk, it turns out, is in fact an 8-foot-long spiral tooth whose evolutionary mysteries have baffled scientists for decades. Now Martin Nweeia of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine has discovered that narwhals' extraordinary-looking megatooth actually contains 10 million hypersensitive nerve connections, which can suss out changes in water temperature, water pressure and "particle gradients," helping the animals navigate and hunt. In other words, these "unicorn horns" do have magical properties after all. Read more in the Harvard University Gazette and check out National Geographic 's "World's Weirdest" video on the narwhal and its monster tooth.
Wed., May 29 Regional Parks Botanic Garden schedule of interesting classes for summer/fall 2013: http://us1.campaign-archive2.com/?u=01091d83e4aa193c78a888704&id=c87495e37e&e=dc1584429c
through May 31 Lights Out for Birds! Over 250 species of birds migrate through San Francisco Bay. Most birds migrate at night and can be drawn off course by building lights. Lights Out for Birds is a voluntary program where building owners, managers, and tenants work together to ensure that any and all unnecessary lighting is turned off during Lights Out dates and times. Learn how you can get involved. More…
May 31-Jun. 7 Shelter: Hawk Hill Design Challenge. Registration opens April 1; workshop is May 31-Jun 7. Heavily visited by hikers, bikers, tourists, bird-watchers and fire-works viewers, Hawk Hill is also an important part of the non-human ecosystem, as the primary West Coast migration path for both raptors and the endangered Mission Blue Butterfly. In a recent effort to restore this habitat, invasive Monterey Cypress trees were removed, eliminating the shelter they provided from the hilltop's often harsh climate. Workshop participants will work together to design a shelter that is practical to the local climate, facilitates current recreational and interpretive programming, and does not adversely affect the delicate ecological conditions. Activity highlights include guided hikes and field research, presentations by guest speakers, individual and group studio work, prototype construction, and critique sessions.
through June 1 Photography Exhibit - Salvatore Ventura.
Sat., June 8 The 19th Annual San Francisco Butterfly Count is an intense, one-day inventory of all the butterfly species / individuals flying in our county. We will begin at the Randall Museum (199 Museum Way) and head out with assigned groups. Each group will have at least one copy of Nature in the City's Butterflies of San Francisco Field Guide to make it easier on the novice. 9 am-5 pm. For more information, contact Liam O'Brien at liammail56@yahoo.com.
Wed., June 12 San Francisco Beekeepers Association General Meeting. Randall Museum, 7:30 pm. Free.
Sat., June 15 Wisdom of the Oaks. This is a great workshop for children. Explore the world of oaks and Native People with ethnobotanist Jolie Lonner Egert. Take an ecological culinary adventure into the world of oaks and how to prepare acorn food. $25 adult, $15 child. Get Tickets …
Sat., June 15 Second Annual SFNS Campout! Alice Eastwood Group Campground, Mount Tamalpais State Park. The site has bathrooms, running water, bbqs, picnic tables, and a fire pit. Space is limited to 25 people. Contact Patrick at (415) 225-3830 to reserve your spot. Bring your own tent and supplies. $5.
Wed., June 19 Building the World's Largest Telescopes: The Future of Ground-Based Astronomy. Join Dr. Tom Zobrist, currently at the National Ignition Facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, for an intriguing talk on Building the World's Largest Telescopes: the Future of Ground-Based Astronomy. Tom Zobrist will recap his experience working at the Stewart Observatory Mirror Laboratory (SOML) helping to build the world's largest astronomical telescopes. The Large Binocular Telescope (LBT), currently the world's largest telescope, will be highlighted to show the comparison between ground-based and space-based astronomy. SOML is currently fabricating the mirrors for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) and the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT), which will each revolutionize ground-based astronomy when they are completed. Dr. Zobrist will discuss how LSST will allow every amateur astronomer to have access to a research-grade telescope, and about the race between GMT and its competitors for the title of World's Largest Telescope. Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way, SF. 7:30 pm. For more information, go to www.randallmuseum.org. Free.
Thurs., June 20 Stories in the Sand. Join author Lorri Ungaretti for a presentation on the speedy development of San Francisco's Sunset District from “inaccessible” sand dunes to city suburb. Her talk is based on her books, Stories in the Sand: San Francisco's Sunset District, 1847-1964 and Then & Now: San Francisco's Sunset District. Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way, SF, 7:30 pm. Free.
Sat., June 22 Honey Tasting & Pollinator's Tour. In celebration of Pollinator's Week, join us in the Arboretum's Native Garden stone circle for an array of honey flavors and textures harvested locally by Robert Mackimmie of City Bees, a guided pollinator's garden tour and a discussion of Urban Beekeeping. $15. Get Tickets …
Sat., June 22 Collect seed on the Solstice ! Every year, the Backyard Native Nursery Network collects seeds from Green Hairstreak sites. Learn how to collect seeds that will grow into new plants to expand the project for years to come. Meet at 14th & Pacheco for a casual stroll of the Green Hairstreak Corridor. 10 am-2 pm. Seed collection expertise and seed envelopes will be provided. Suggested donation of $15, no one turned away for lack of funds.
Tues., June 25 Exploring Mts & Rock Art of S.F. Mts of Baja California del Sur, with Mike Uhler. The Kippings invite you to Potluck Slideshows on the 4th Tuesday of each month. Please bring your own plates & service & a dish & beverage to serve 8 people. San Francisco County Fair Building, GG Park, 7 pm. For more information, please contact Ted Kipping at tkippingsprint@earthlink.net.
June 26-July 6 Join SF Bay American Cetacean Society chapter to Swim with Dolphins. Award winning Conscious Breath Adventures' Captain Gene Flipse, and Jeff Pantukhoff, founder and president of the WhaleMan Foundation present one-week expeditions to swim with the world-famous spotted dolphins on the Little Bahama Bank. The trip offers a mix of diving and snorkeling, with an emphasis on swimming with the dolphins, the most highly interactive and friendliest population of wild dolphins on the planet. No tanks, no SeaWorld: wild and free dolphins the way it was meant to be! For general information about the trip, please go to http://consciousbreathadventures.com/swim-with-dolphins/ . Three week-long cruises in 2013: Sat–Sat June 26–July 6 • Jul 6–13 • July 13–20. Gene is being so gracious to give our SF Bay ACS members a 10% discount! If you are not already a member, please go to www.acs-sfbay.org and become a member. Not only are you supporting your chapter, getting our quarterly national Spyhopper periodical, yearly national Whalewatcher magazine (yearly specializing on a specific cetacean species), but fabulous discounts on all our whale watching trips and special events! Please contact me, Lynette Koftinow @ acs-sfbay@gmail.com and Captain Gene Flipse to sign up.
June 30-July 5 Exploring Sierra Nevada Natural History with David Lukas. This class is a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in a complete study of all aspects of Sierra Nevada Natural History as we study everything from flowers to insects to birds in a wide variety of habitats around Yuba Pass in the northern Sierra Nevada. Sierra Nevada Field Campus. For more information, go to www.sfsu.edu/~sierra/Courses.html.
July 7-12 Natural History of Sierra Nevada Birds, with David Lukas. This class is a fun and exciting chance to learn about a full range of birds found in the northern Sierra Nevada. Over the course of five days we will explore a wide variety of habitats, including the rich marshes of Sierra Valley, while learning about bird behavior, bird songs, bird habitats, and bird anatomy. Sierra Nevada Field Campus. For more information, go to www.sfsu.edu/~sierra/Courses.html.
Thurs., July 11 Beavers of Martinez, with Heidi Perryman, Founder of Worth A Dam. Randall Museum Theater, 199 Museum Way, San Francisco CA 94114. 7:30-9 pm. For more information, go to www.sfns.org or contact Patrick Schlemmer at JKodiak@earthlink.net or (415) 225-3830. Free and open to everyone.
through July 14 Audubon Canyon Ranch is open on weekends and holidays through July 14. 10 am-4 pm. Watch egrets and great blue herons courting and nesting and see chicks take their first flights in one of the major West Coast colonies. 4900 Shoreline Hwy One, three miles north of Stinson Beach. For more information, call (415) 868-9244.
Thurs., July 18 Bay Area Natural Soundscapes: Celebrate World Listening Day with a surround-sound tour presented by Dan Dugan, sound engineer. Learn about the theory of soundscape analysis and the parks' struggles for soundscape preservation. There will be an opportunity to try on some bionic ears! Randall Museum, 7:30 pm. Free.
July 19-21 Sierra Nevada Natural History with David Lukas. Camp out under the stars, watch the sun rise, and relax with three days of hiking and exploring the natural history of the High Sierra with David Lukas. This is an incredible opportunity to experience alpine meadows full of flowers, buzzing insects, and singing birds. For more information, contact the Yosemite Conservancy at www.yosemiteconservancystore.com/Prod-235-1-422-36/Sierra_Nevada_Natural_History__July_19-21.htm.
through July 23 Paddle to the Sea: Tuolumne River Trust's annual Paddle-A-Thon.
July 29-Aug. 3 Great Basin Camping with Michael Ellis. Gentle streams cascade through alpine fields and meadows are bursting with wildflowers. We will have the option of climbing the second highest mountain in Nevada, Wheeler Peak at 13,063'. We can taste a remnant from the last ice age, an honest-to-goodness glacier. Ancient bristlecone pine forests cling to the scree slopes. In fact the Forest Service cut the oldest living tree in the world down here in 1964 (your government at work). With the park's naturalists we'll explore Lehman Cave. As an added delight is the nearby town of Ely, where steam trains still ply the historic Northern Nevada Rail line. This is a car camping trip but there are motels nearby. For more information, go to Footloose Forays. $525.
Thurs., Aug. 15 Past, Present, & Future of Presidio's Mountain Lake: Jonathan Young & Brian Hildebidle will talk about the historic/cultural aspects as well as the current aquatic ecological remediation and restoration project. Randall Museum, 7:30 pm. Free.
Aug. 17-18 Tuolumne Birds with David Lukas. For more information, contact the Yosemite Conservancy at
www.yosemiteconservancystore.com/Prod-235-1-405/Tuolumne_Birds__August_17-18.htm
through August 25 The California Historical Society's latest exhibit, Curating the Bay: Crowdsourcing a New Environmental History, gives you a new look into their collections, inviting you to participate in telling the story of the Bay. Beyond its participatory nature, this exhibit intersects with a couple interest areas of ours starting with our Ecology Emerges project of 2010, and our involvement with Historypin's Year of the Bay crowdsourced photo collection. 678 Mission Street (at 3rd), open Tuesday-Sunday 12-5 PM.
Thurs., Sept. 19 Ancient Monuments and Funerary Places in the San Francisco Bay: Perry Matlock, archivist for the Sacred Sites Preservation & Rights of Indigenous Tribes, will talk about the shellmounds and the people who made them. Randall Museum, 7:30 pm. Free.
Fri., Oct. 4 Mystery of Bird Song. David Lukas will present his popular "Mystery of Bird Song" talk for the Rescue Center's annual Natural History of the Wild Birds of Northern California lecture series. The Bird Rescue Center, Santa Rosa, 7-9 p.m. For more informaiton, go to www.birdrescuecenter.org/
Thurs., Oct. 10 ZomBees! with Professor John Hafernik. Randall Museum Theater, 199 Museum Way, San Francisco CA 94114. 7:30-9 pm. For more information, go to www.sfns.org or contact Patrick Schlemmer at JKodiak@earthlink.net or (415) 225-3830. Free and open to everyone.
Sun., Oct. 20 Wine Country Optics & Nature Festival. Cornerstone Gardens, Sonoma, 9 am-5 pm. For more information, go to www.sonomabirding.com.