USGS Video: Unraveling the Mystery of Avian Navigation

The USGS (U.S. Geological Survey) in Menlo Park holds a monthly lecture series on scientific topics for the general public. Unfortunately I often can’t make it down to Menlo Park, but the good news is that they post a video archive of all the lectures online.

(Click the video to view on USGS website.)

This past Thursday the lecture was: “Unraveling the Mystery of Avian Navigation: New research indicates that birds are listening to the landscape to find their way.” By Jon Hagstrum, Research Geophysicist. It’s basically this scientists research about “infrasound” and how pigeons may use it to navigate. There have been many theories over the years about how birds find their way “home” particularly pigeons, and none of them have really stood up to scientific testing. There is a little bit of physics involved in this lecture, but not too much, and these videos are really aimed at the general public viewing audience. I found it to be a really interesting topic, and if you are in to birds or navigation you should check it out.

Other USGS links:

USGS Home

USGS Menlo Park Campus

USGS YouTube Channel

USGS Social Media

Happy Super Moon Vernal Equinox!

(Not a perigee moon but big nonetheless. Full Moon Set over Oakland, CA, March 21, 2008. Photo by Rebecca Bond.)

Tomorrow, March 19, 2011, we will not only have a full moon, but the moon’s orbit of the earth will be at Perigee (<—click for NASA explanation webpage)—meaning the closest distance of the moon to the earth in the moon’s orbit. Full moon perigee this close to the earth only happens approximately every 18 years. If you are lucky enough to have clear skies tomorrow evening, be sure to get out your camera and be ready to shoot as the moon shows up over the horizon. It should look super huge! Well actually 14% bigger and 30% brighter according to NASA. But, once it's up in the sky it may not look that much different than a regular full moon except brighter, and unfortunately, we are predicted to have rain all weekend long in most of California, so no go for me.

But wait, there’s more! Astronomical events that is... The Vernal, or Spring, Equinox is on Sunday, March 20, 2011, meaning the sun will be directly above the equator and daylight will be about 12 hours. A better explanation can be found at timeanddate.com.

Here’s a youtube video from NASAScience explaining the “Super Full Moon”:

Unique ecology classes at the community college level are being threatened with cancelation

This fall I discovered natural history courses offered through the Biology department at Merritt College in Oakland. In my last blog post, Lassen Volcanic National Park Field Trip, I wrote about my experience. If you are into hiking, camping, fishing, adventure travel etc., these classes are great opportunities to learn about the natural world around you.

Ever wonder what kind of wildflower that is blooming along the trail? Or what kind of bird that is you always see wading on the shore? These are excellent classes to take to answer your questions, and because they are offered through the community college system, they are open to anybody and are often offered nights and weekends. Unfortunately, these classes are on the chopping block. Enrollment needs to increase or they will be eliminated.

Also at risk of landing on the chopping block, Merritt College has an Environmental Science and Technology department. It offers certificates in:

• Fundamentals of Environmental Management: Stewardship and Ranger/Naturalist
• Greening the Urban Environment
• Agroecology

I believe these programs are very unique at the community college level, and a great opportunity for students that can’t afford the exponentially exploding university fees to earn credit towards a degree in environmental studies.

This semester Merritt is offering the following courses:

• Natural History of Maritime Provinces and Newfoundland (BIOL 48OZ)
• Bird Songing: The Ecology of Bird Songs/ID By Ear (BIOL 80B)
• Introduction to Sustainable Systems (ENVMT 2)
• Introduction to Ranger/ Naturalist Outdoor Education (ENVMT 8)
• Introduction to Urban Argo Ecology (ENVMT 35)
• Special Projects in Ecological Planning, Implementation and Maintenance (ENVMT 50)
• Sustainable Projects (ENVMT 501)
• Environmental Photography & Photo Monitoring I (ENVMT 210A)
• Environmental Geology (through the geology department) (GEOL 12)

For more information visit the following links:

• District site for class schedule search, application & enrollment info: www.peralta.edu
• Merritt College homepage: www.merritt.edu
• The Environmental Management and Technology Program: www.ecomerritt.org
• The Environmental Management and Technology Program on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ecomerritt
• Birding/Bird Watching course instructor site: danielsmerrittclasses.blogspot.com

Lassen Volcanic National Park Field Trip

This fall I’m taking two classes: one is an Introduction to Geographic Information Systems at Diablo Valley College, and the other is a field studies class through Merritt College: Biol62H — Natural History of Lassen Volcanic National Park. This past weekend I went on the field trip portion of the natural history class to Lassen Volcanic National Park. I camped at Manzanita Lake Campground in the northwest corner of the park on Friday and Saturday nights in the “Tents Only” loop D.

Day One:

1. We met at the Loomis Visitor’s Center/Museum at 8:30 am to check out the interpretive displays and watch a film about the park.
2. Drove to the northeast section of the park and did the hike to Cinder Cone rim near Butte Lake.
3. Later we did the Lily Pond Nature Trail with an additional walk around Reflection Lake.

Day Two:

1. We met at the Manzanita Lake boat launch to do some bird watching but there was not too many birds out. We did see a Dipper (water ouzel), American Robin, a Stellar's Jay, Belted Kingfisher, and an immature Wood Duck.
2. After, we drove to the Devastated Area to do the interpretive trail there, but it was closed for trail work.
3. Met the trailhead for Lassen Peak (trail also under construction) for a short discussion about the flora/fauna/geology of Lassen Peak area.
4. After we drove to the Bumpass Hell trailhead for a hike into Bumpass Hell, an active hydrothermal area.

A few volcanic fun facts I learned about Lassen on the trip:

• Lassen Peak is one of the largest lava plug dome volcanoes in the world.
• Currently, it is the last volcano to have erupted in California with major events happening from May 14, 1914 through May 22, 1915.
• Lassen V. N. P. has examples of all four types of volcanoes: sheild—Prospect Peak, cinder cone—Cinder Cone, lava plug dome—Lassen Peak, and composite/stratovolcano—old Brokeoff/Tehama.
• Cinder Cone National Monument and Lassen Peak National Monument were both established by Theodore Roosevelt on May 6, 1907.
• After the eruption of Lassen Peak, Congress created Lassen Volcanic National Park in 1916.

A few common species of trees in the Lassen area that we identified:

• White fir, Abies concolor
  
• Red fir, Abies magnifica
  
• Mountain Hemlock, Tsuga mertensiana
  
• Jeffrey Pine, Pinus jeffreyi
  

• For more information visit the official Lassen Volcanic National Park website: www.nps.gov/lavo
• View my photo album slideshow on flickr

~OR~

• Here is my GPS track map with photos at Everytrail:

Lassen Volcanic National Park Field Studies
EveryTrail - Find the best hikes in California and beyond

Backpacking: Point Reyes National Seashore—Sky Camp

I went on my first official backpack (not including snowcamping) of 2010 this past weekend in Point Reyes National Seashore to Sky Camp near Mt. Wittenberg. On Saturday, I hiked in by myself, but planned on meeting up later with some friends from a Yahoo! hiking group I’m a member of—Nor Cal Hikers. I really liked hiking in alone and then meeting a fun group of people in camp. I was able to have a leisurely no rush morning and peaceful hike at my own pace and then an evening of laughter and good company.

On Sunday it rained on and off in the morning, so I decided to try cooking in the partially open vestibule of my tent. Luckily the tent was a steal of a deal on clearance for a third of the original price, so I was not heartbroken when I discovered I melted a little hole in the vestibule fabric that drooped near the flame—nothing a little duct tape can’t fix!

I hiked in via Mt. Wittenberg Trail and out via Meadow Trail. Round trip mileage from Bear Valley Visitor Center to Sky Camp and back is less than eight miles (with a side trip to the disappointing summit of Mt. Wittenberg) but a good climb. An easier and shorter route is from the trailhead on Limantour Rd. via Sky Trail which is the route my friends took.

Related Link:

• Point Reyes N.S. Backcountry Campgrounds

View my pictures and GPS track & Map on EveryTrail:
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