Being a Salamander
In a tiny hollow beneath a log, reflected in my headlamp’s glow, were two gold-flecked black eyes and a dull pinkish snout.
The Winter 2026 Issue
Underneath California Forever
Tech billionaires are fighting for their proposed 400,000-person city in Solano County. At least 21 imperiled species depend on the ecosystems where the new city could be built.
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LATEST STORIES
From Tidepools to Tracking, Our Favorite Events of 2025
Bay Nature offered a record 85 events in 2025 reaching nearly 6,000 registrants!
IN SEASON IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
A New Story for Sperm Whales
Nearly 175 years after Moby-Dick, pioneering research from Monterey Canyon and beyond is transforming how we understand the life of an enigmatic ocean legend.
New Genetics Research May Shed Light on the Secretive Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse
Although many people are studying salt marsh harvest mice, or “salties,” as they are affectionately known, San Francisco State graduate student Anastasia Ennis is one of a few people studying harvest mouse population genetics.
Does the Moon Phase Affect Frog Calls?
A Bay Nature reader wonders if frogs are less afraid of predators when it’s a new moon.
Staff picks
Scientists Are Decoding the Love Language of Pacific Chorus Frogs
For a male frog wanting a mate, it is vitally important to stand out, to be heard in his declarations, for listeners to glean his meaning.
The Adder’s-Tongue—Our Fetid Friend in the Shadows
Deep in the shadows of redwood understory, when winter rains still drip on the mosses and ferns, an unusual flower heralds the beginning of the blooms—a sort of “flower new year” before spring.
Along With Its New Park, Ocean Beach Gets a Dunescaping
Sea-level rise is threatening San Francisco’s shores. Vegetating the sand dunes is part of the city’s answer.
From the Bottom Up
It’s small, it’s restless, and it changes sex halfway through its life. Plus, the humble bay shrimp occupies a crucial niche in the complex food web of San Francisco Bay. It once played a significant role in the economy and culture of the local Chinese community. Today, both the shrimp and those who fish for…
Mud Lovers
Get Dirty is the first rule at Crab Cove. Second is discover crabs and curlews in the Bay’s oozy silt. Third, bring a change of shoes.
A Nasty Salmon-Killing Tire Chemical Is in Bay Waterways. Can It Be Cleaned Up?
6PPD-quinone comes from a long-used chemical that will be hard to replace in tires. But green infrastructure like “living levees” may help trap it.
