Welcome to the second edition of the Sit List — great activities you can do while sitting on your couch, or even moving around, but all the while maintaining social distancing, naturally.
Golden Gate Audubon
Posted inNature
Rare burrowing owl found dead in West Berkeley park
This dead owl was found Sunday in a Berkeley park. Photo: Urban Bird Foundation A rare burrowing owl was found dead recently at Berkeley’s Cesar Chavez Park, raising some concern in the community. Local resident Heidi Sachs saw the dead bird on a bench during her run at the Berkeley Marina on Sunday and shared the […]
Posted inNature
How I became a docent for burrowing owls. What a hoot!
Burrowing owl at Berkeley’s Cesar Chavez Park in February. Photo: Doug Donaldson Burrowing owl at Berkeley’s Cesar Chavez Park in February. Photo: Doug Donaldson By Rubi Abrams Newly retired from a fulfilling career as a community college librarian last year, I was ready to plunge into as many birding activities as I could schedule. Birding-related […]
Posted inNature
In a Berkeley park, a bluebird displays unusual behavior
This young western bluebird — a “helper” — has been feeding wiggling meals to his baby siblings. Photo: Elaine Miller Bond Last year, Rusty Scalf, teacher and trip leader for the Audubon Society, introduced me to a family of western bluebirds living and nesting in Berkeley’s San Pablo Park. This year, Scalf called me back. […]
Posted inNature
How the Barn Owl became Berkeley’s official bird
The Barn Owl is the official bird of Berkeley. Photo: Bob Lewis By Lisa Owens Viani Lisa Owens Viani, co-founder of Raptors Are The Solution, recalls how her passion for owls began in Berkeley and led to possibly the least controversial Berkeley city council resolution ever passed: the designation of the Barn Owl as the city’s […]