Events

Once again, Corky Quirk will bring live bats, disabled ones, to our Visitor Center, this time on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 3pm. However, they will still have the same voracious appetite that the flyers in the darkness have, as you will see when she dangles mealworms in front of their jagged-toothed mouths, realtime, on our screen.

Dr. V. Thomas Parker, who presented a program on the effects of climate change on California plants one year ago, will present again at 3pm on Saturday afternoon, the 25th of January. This time he will explore in some detail how wildfires have been a major ecological process in the “Golden State” for millennia, and how our state’s plants have adapted to it.

Join us at 3pm on Saturday, February 15, for Morgan Stickrod’s program on the ecosystems of these craggy islands. In his own words: “A mere 30 miles offshore from the bustling metropolis of San Francisco, the Farallon Islands can seem more wild and remote than some of North America’s most geographically isolated wilderness areas.

Thanks to the S.M. Co. Parks Foundation, we were able to secure this great Wildmind program on large reptiles: The Mojave tortoise, an awesome monitor lizard, a not-tiny alligator, a boa constrictor, and a bonus tarantula.

Join us for Dr. Ellen Natesan’s lecture on our water supply system, the natural resources found in the Peninsula Watershed, and how global warming is affecting this very important system.

Join us for Dr. Tiffany Yap’s lecture on the importance of wildlife corridors and habitat connectivity for native animals.

Biologist and entrepreneur, Zara McDonald heads Felidae and The Bay Area Puma Project research programs. She will talk about mountain lions in the Bay Area, their biology and the recent changes our study has uncovered about these shy and elusive animals living at the urban edge.

Healthy coral reefs are a beautiful sight to behold and we shall have the opportunity to view some wonderful undersea photographs taken by Dr. Luiz Rocha. Regretfully the wonderfully productive ecosystems coral reefs create are under attack, being severely damaged, and declining. Join us for an illuminating talk on the reefs with a world renowned scientist and an elite deep water scuba diver.

Mary Jean “Corky” Quirk is a favorite presenter at the Friends of San Pedro Valley Park lecture series with both children and adults. Yearly she gives us a talk and this time around, due to the pandemic, she will be coming to us live from Yolo County. Don’t miss this remarkable presentation which will give you a chance to see these cute little bats up close and to learn all about them. A program not to be missed!

In this talk, Dr. John Dumbacher will discuss the natural history and conservation concerns for Spotted Owls and Barred Owls , and discuss research and potential actions that are being considered by different management agencies.

December’s program is for all those folks interested in fungi and mushrooms. These fruiting bodies pop up out of the ground during the fall and winter, and J.R. Blair from San Francisco State University will help us better understand what they are and what they do. Do not miss this fascinating and informative program.

January’s program brings the eminent Dr. Tom Parker to begin our 2021 life sciences series to discuss manzanitas and their relatives with an emphasis on evolution. The talk involves several quite different processes such as fire, drought, animals, and hybridization, among others. According to Dr. Parker, differences among species have a great deal to do with the climates they live in, how they respond to fire, and their interactions with animals and not with the shape or color of the flowers.