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, employment opportunites, 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. This calendar is updated every day, so check back often.
May Conditions in San Francisco
Temperature (F.): Average Maximum 60/Minimum 47. Record extremes 94/32
Rainfall (in.): Average 3/Maximum 8
Wind (mph.): Average 25/Maximum gust 45
May 14-June 4 Birding by Ear II. Wednesdays, May 14 – June 4, 7-8:30 pm, plus four Saturday field trips, May 17 – June 7, 8:30-11:30 am. Birdsongs continue into the late spring with the arrival of late migrants. Broaden your knowledge. For more information, visit instructor Denise Wight's website at www.blkittiwake.com.
Thurs., May 15 The Making of a Wildlife Refuge. Leora Feeney, from the Golden Gate Audubon Society, and Susan Euing, from theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, talk about the Alameda wildlife refuge and its star inhabitant, the California Least Tern. Presented by Natural Sciences Guild. Oakland Museum of California, 12:30 pm. Free.
Thurs., May 15 The Search for Exoplanets and Earth-like Planets. Speakers: Debra Fischer (San Francisco State University) and Didier Queloz (University of Geneva , Switzerland). Both speakers are world-leading researchers in this field. Well known planet portraitist Lynette cook will paint the planet to be presented during the event. For more information, go to www.swissnexsanfrancisco.org/activities/events/exoplanets. The event is free but registration is needed. Go to www.thinkswiss.org .
Fri., May 16 Explore Corona Heights Park and check out its avian inhabitants! Birders will circle the hill to look into several habitats, each of which is enjoyed by different bird species. The east canyon, the south cliffs, the north forest, and the hilltop grasslands will all be explored. Beginning birders are welcome! The walk lasts about two hours and includes several stairs and a steep path to climb. Meet in front of the Randall Museum at 8 am; call ahead if you need to borrow binoculars at (415) 554-9600 ext. 16. Great for ages 5 and up; kids under 10 must be accompanied by an adult. Free.
Sat., May 17 Black Diamond Mines - Hazel-Atlas Mine Tour. Join Bay Nature and East Bay Regional Park naturalists for a new, extended tour of the Hazel-Atlas sand mine. From the mid-1920s to the mid-1940s, the Hazel-Atlas Mine produced silica sand to make jars, bottles, and other glass items. Our subterranean tour will take us over 800 feet into the ground to see mine workings, ore chutes, the shifter's office (mine boss), and geological features such as a fault and ancient sand ripples once underwater. The tour will last about 2 hours and will cover one level of the mine, so no stairs are involved. We will meet at the Preserve Parking lot. 9:30 am-12:30 pm. Temperatures in the mine range from 55 to 60 degrees, so a light jacket is recommended. Also remember to wear sturdy shoes and bring along water and snacks. Flashlights and hard hats will be provided. Bathrooms and drinking water are available at the parking lot. This event is limited to 30 people. RSVP by Thursday, May 15. Email the name(s) of people in your group to hikes@baynature.com, or call (510) 528-8550. All participants for this hike must be age 7 or older. The Park District charges $3 per person for the tour, and there is a $5 per-vehicle fee for parking at the Preserve. Due to railroad tracks that run on the floor for about half the tour, use of wheelchairs and walkers is not possible. Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve is located in Contra Costa County, south of Pittsburg and Antioch. Take Highway 4 to the Somersville Road exit in Antioch, then drive south (toward the hills) on Somersville Road to the Preserve entrance. We will meet at the large parking lot at the end of Somersville Road. There is no direct public transportation to the park. Read the Bay Nature article Black Coal, Bright Flowers. Find out more about the preserve at the official Park District page.
Sat., May 17 Heron Watch. Observe the Magnificent Great Blue Herons and Their Chicks at Stow Lake During the Spring Nesting Season in April and May. 2008 Season dates are April 12, 19, 26; and May 3, 10 ,17. In 1993, Nancy DeStefanis, Director of San Francisco Nature Education, discovered the first pair of nesting Great Blue Herons. This turned out to be the first recorded sighting of nesting Great Blue Herons in the city of San Francisco. The herons court, build their nests, mate and lay eggs between January and March. By April, at least one or more nests have chicks in them. We start our interpretive program in April. The public can experience the excitement of these four-foot tall birds with six-foot wingspans flying in and out of the nests-brooding the chicks, feeding the chicks, etc. Naturalists and interns from San Francisco Nature Education are stationed at the observation site with spotting scopes, ready to offer spectacular views into the Great Blue Heron nests and answer questions. From the Stow Lake Boathouse in Golden Gate Park, follow signs to observation site. Drop by anytime between 10 am and 1 pm. Nature Walks to see other nesting birds start at 10:30 am and conclude at noon. Free - donations are welcome.
Sat., May 17 The Bay Area Paneurhythmy Circle Brings a Sacred Rite of Spring to San Bruno Mountain. This early morning dance, paneurhythmy, performed in a beautiful, natural place, is a tradition that comes to us from Bulgaria. Part prayer, meditation, exercise and thoroughly joyful, the simple steps of the paneurhythmy - "beautiful, harmonious rhythm" - are easy to follow. Meet at the Meadow in San Bruno Mountain County Park, which is located on Guadalupe Canyon Parkway. 9:30-11 am. For information, directions, or to RSVP, call (650) 326-6394, or e-mail paneurhythmy@yahoo.com. Free.
Wed., May 21 Presidio Clarkia and Marin dwarf-flax. Join Lew Stringer of the National Park Service at Inspiration Point to help count flowering Presidio clarkia and Marin dwarf-flax. RSVP required: call (415) 561-4856. Meet at the Crissy Field Center. Free.
Mon., May 26 UAS Green Movie Night and Forum - A Convenient Truth. This is a great place to meet allies and forge community through exploring solutions together! We will present Inspirational (solution-oriented), provide a platform for local organizations and engage the community in a group discussion about the UAS monthly theme. As part of the global response to the "Inconvenient Truth" of climate change pioneers of urban ecological design are implementing solutions with large scale impact. A Convenient Truth: Urban Solutions from Curitiba, Brazil is an informative, inspirational documentary aimed at sharing ideas to provoke environment-friendly and cost-effective changes in cities worldwide. The documentary focuses on innovations in transportation, recycling, social benefits including affordable housing, seasonal parks, and the processes that transformed Curitiba into one of the most livable cities in the world. Cities should be a solution not a problem for human beings. Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th Street, San Francisco. 6:30-9 pm. After the movie, prolong the conversation by walking down a couple blocks to ELIXIR. For more information, go to http://uas.coop/node/1188. $10 general admission, $5 students & seniors.
Sat., May 31 Spot the nesting seabirds of Alcatraz in San Francisco Bay. Join Alcatraz Island Wildlife Intern Stephanie Bishop to view cormorants, guillemots, gulls, egrets, and night-herons nesting, courting, incubating their eggs and feeding their young. After tour, participants may choose to stay on Alcatraz and return on a later ferry. Space is limited. 8:30-11:30 am. For registration, contact Justin Holl at (415) 561-6625 x308 or Justin.Holl@noaa.gov. $20 (includes ferry).
Sat., May 31 Join habitat restoration volunteers to keep the hill at Corona Heights Park healthy for birds, insects and other native wildlife. Enjoy a spectacular view of the City while you help remove invasive weeds, maintain trails, and learn about our San Francisco ecosystem. Meet at the Randall Museum at 10 am. Please call ahead, (415) 554-9600 x16, to sign up. Free.
June 1-6 Spring Fungi of the Sierra Nevada. Students will be introduced to the different kinds of mushrooms and other large fungi that occur in the spring in the Sierra Nevada. Emphasis will be placed on the analysis of macro- and micromorphological features, as well as ecological roles, to aid in the identification of taxa. Held at the SFSU Sierra Nevada Field Campus. More information at www.sfsu.edu/~sierra/Course_Fungi.html.
Mon., June 9 Thomas Lovejoy, Conservation Biologist, In Conversation at Herbst Theatre, 8 pm. For more information, call (415) 392-4400 or go to www.cityboxoffice.com. $19.
Sat., June 14 Join us for a paddle in Pillar Point Harbor, Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County. 10 am-2 pm. Kayak with naturalist Pete Winch and explore the harbor seals, seabirds and other marine sanctuary wildlife. Pack a lunch for a relaxing picnic on the beach. First time paddlers as well as experienced kayakers are welcome on this fun sanctuary excursion. Minimum age is 14 years. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Space is limited. Cost: $49, including kayak. For registration, contact California Canoe and Kayak at 1 (800) 366-9804 or www.calkayak.com and ask for the sanctuary excursion on June 14th.
Sun., June 15 People Paddle for the Planet. Looking for the perfect Father's Day gift? How about the gift of a healthy ocean? Join us for this exciting three-mile paddle-a-thon in Foster City Lagoon and raise funds for our valuable education and monitoring programs. After paddling, spend the day in the park for AquanFest. Learn about environmental organizations, explore vendors booths and enjoy great food and music! Celebrate father's day in the park! Leo J. Ryan Park, Foster City, 10 am-1 pm. Register to paddle! Sponsor a paddler! For more information, visit the People Paddle for the Planet website. Questions? Contact Susanna Beck at (415) 561-6625 x315 or sbeck@farallones.org.
Wed., July 2 San Francisco lessingia. Join Lew Stringer of the National Park Service at Lobos Creek Valley to help count flowering San Francisco Lessingia. RSVP required. Call (415) 561-4856. Meet at the Crissy Field Center. Free.
July 7-19 Two-Week Intensive Permaculture Design Course, Tunitas Creek Ranch, Half Moon Bay, CA. Join us for our first annual Permaculture Design Course on the San Mateo Coastside. Participants in this inaugural event will play a critical role in creating a center for Permaculture right here in San Mateo County . Your efforts will help build a legacy of sustainability for San Mateo County that will carry on for generations to come. For details, go to http:// www.conexions.org/permaculture .
May 30-31 Los Angeles BioBlitz. Most of you have probably heard of bioblitzes. They are events in which biologists of all specialties come together to identify the fauna and flora of one specific place on a given day. The event lasts 24 hours, and everything that can be collected and studied is. These have generally been held in the eastern part of the country, but one such event will take place in the Santa Monica Mountains near Los Angeles on May 30-31, 2008, from noon until noon. This 24-hour inventory will be presented by National Geographic, the National Park Service, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and the California State Parks. You are invited to join the groups participating. The goals of the bioblitz are to add to species lists for as many taxonomic groups as possible and to increase public awareness about biodiversity in an urban environment. In 2007, the event was held in Rock Creek Park in urban Washington, D.C., and a total of 666 species of plants and animals were identified. Advanced registration is required for full participation. Send an email to BioBlitz@ngs.org to be notified when online registration begins. For more information, go online to nationalgeographic.com/bioblitz or call (800) 638-6400.
Sat., Sept. 27 California Academy of Sciences Grand Reopening in Golden Gate Park. Questions? Call (415) 379-8000.
Thurs., Oct. 9 Wildlife of Golden Gate Park: Why We Need a Management Plan. Slideshow and talk by Nancy DeStefanis, Executive Director of San Francisco Nature Education. Learn about the opossums, raccoons, skunks, foxes, coyotes, owls, and great blue herons that call Golden Gate Park and other parks home! San Francisco Naturalist Society general meeting. Open to the public. Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way, San Francisco, CA 94114. 7:30-9 pm. For more information, go to www.sfns.org, email JKodiak@earthlink.net, or call (415) 225-3830. Free.