Caitlin Dempsey
Plants That Don’t use Photosynthesis in the Bay Area
Some Bay Area plants survive without photosynthesis, relying on host roots or fungi for nutrients—including rare albino redwoods and striped coralroot.
Guided Wildflower Hikes at Máyyan ‘Ooyákma
Spring weekend guided hikes at Máyyan 'Ooyákma–Coyote Ridge let visitors see native wildflowers, Bay checkerspot butterflies, and tule elk.
Birds in Flight: Great Egret Versus American White Pelican
Learn how to tell the difference between a great egret and an American white pelican in flight by examining their size, beaks, wings, and flight patterns.
Identifying Poison Oak Through the Seasons: A Hiker’s Guide
Learn how poison oak changes seasonally, and distinguish it from Himalayan blackberry to hike safely year-round.
How to Tell Scrub Jays from Steller’s Jays
Scrub jays or Steller’s jays? Learn how to identify these birds along Silicon Valley’s trails by sight, habitat, and calls.
Wildflowers in Silicon Valley
Open space preserves in the Silicon Valley are popular destinations for hikers wanting to see wildflower blooms in the spring.
McAbee Trailhead: Birding at Almaden Quicksilver County Park
Almaden Quicksilver County Park's oak woodlands and grasslands are great for hiking and birding in the spring.
Thornewood Preserve: a Short Redwood Hike
Thornewood Open Space Preserve features a short hike through a second-growth redwood forest in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Woodside.
Black and White Birds in Silicon Valley
Here are some common birds with black and white plumage found in the Silicon Valley area.
