From our blogs

Dead whale from an algal bloom. Credit National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Les Neuhaus writes in today's New York Times Science section:

In May, a 33-square-mile algal bloom crept over Lake Okeechobee, the vast headwaters of the Everglades. The mess in Florida is only the latest in a string of algal blooms that some experts believe are increasing in frequency and in severity. An immense plume of blue-green algae last September covered a 636-mile stretch of the Ohio River. A month earlier, the city of Toledo, Ohio, warned more than 400,000 residents to avoid drinking tap water after toxic algae spread over an intake in Lake Erie. The vast algal bloom in the Pacific last year was also fed in part by El Niño, the mass of warm water that forms periodically off the West Coast. But longer-term climate change may also be playing a role, some experts say.

By Pam Bierce, USFWS

“It was April Fool’s Day, so naturally my reaction was disbelief at first,” says 16-year-old Stacy Shen, describing her initial reaction to winning Best of Show in the California Junior Duck Stamp Art and Conservation Contest.

Shen’s color pencil drawing of a pair of Ross’s geese was one of over 5,000 entries in the 2016 contest held earlier this spring at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge.

“It’s great knowing that I get to pursue my passion while raising awareness and funds for waterfowl and habitat conservation,” says Stacy Shen, 2016 national Junior Duck Stamp winning artist.

However, winning in California was only the beginning for the Fremont, California, native. Shen’s artwork also was selected by a panel of judges to appear on the 2016-17 Federal Junior Duck Stamp, placing first among over 27,000 national entries.

By Steve Martarano, USFWS

The instructions were clear. “If you see a bud,” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Susan Euing said to her group of about 15 survey volunteers. “Count it as a bloomer!”

Those instructions began the recent annual two-day survey for the endangered Antioch Dunes evening primrose (Oenothera deltoides var. howellii) at the Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Antioch, the only place in the world naturally-occurring populations of the plant species is found.

Euing and wildlife refuge specialist, Louis Terrazas, headed up the counts at both units of the refuge, and also for an earlier two-day survey for Contra Costa wallflower (Erysimum capitatum var. angustatum).

We need a volunteer to lead tours or community service projects on the refuge.

We often receive requests from companies wanting to offer their employees a team-building experience by learning more about the refuge or by participating in a group project (especially around Earth Day).

As a San Francisco Bay Wildlife Society (Society) docent, you would give introductory talks and lead the groups on a guided walk or service project. Contact: mary.deschene@sfbws.com or 510-792-0222 ext.364.