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academy roof garden hosts diverse species
At a symposium last weekend at the Academy of Sciences, Alana Hysert, Academy Naturalist, reported some interesting preliminary data on the living roof. Recognizing the research and education potential of the new green roof, Hysert has been overseeing a citizen science … Continue reading
hunting wild animals in golden gate park in 1905
A full page, illustrated article in the Sunday, August 27, 1905 edition of the San Francisco Call celebrated the many animals housed in the park at that time. The “head keeper,” William Leland was in charge, and his duties including birthing … Continue reading
Posted in "lost" golden gate park, history, people, wildlife
Tagged golden gate park, urban wildlife
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mystery bird identified: western gull, Larus occidentalis
Mystery bird: western gull, Larus occidentalis This leucistic individual is difficult to ID, but after staring at this bird through a magnifying glass for 3 hours and comparing it with a hundred or so photographs, I think I’ve got it! … Continue reading
mystery bird in the park | Science | guardian.co.uk
Here’s a fun challenge from the UK! The bird is in Golden Gate Park: “This beautiful North American mystery bird is quite special when compared to its brothers and sisters — how? Complaints about yesterday’s mystery bird being ‘too easy’ … Continue reading
a wildlife photographer shares twilight adventure in golden gate park
Janet Kessler took this delightful photograph of a raccoon in Golden Gate Park for an exhibit at the main San Francisco library last summer. The following is her description of capturing these elusive animals on film . . . “I … Continue reading
Posted in people, wildlife
Tagged golden gate park, urban parks, urban wildlife, wildlife photography
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riding the blades: golden gate park’s dutch windmill
Pranks and stunts, close calls and tragedies have become part of the lore of Golden Gate Park over the years! Here’s a report of some incidents involving the Dutch Windmill! (courtesy of Woody LaBounty; posted in The Ocean Beach Bulletin) … Continue reading
Posted in events in Golden Gate Park, history, people
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golden gate park after dark?
golden gate park at night (by photographer Chris MacArthur, SF Weekly) Marie Winn’s delightful book, Central Park in the Dark: More Mysteries of Urban Wildlife (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. 2008) begins: “The first time I walked through … Continue reading
Posted in arts, wildlife
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magnolia walk: precocious blossoms harbingers of spring
Take a magnolia walk in the San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park this month! Yesterday afternoon, on a docent-led tour we learned many interesting facts about the magnolias in this world-renowned collection, recently listed as the 4th best … Continue reading
flashback to 1971: 156,000 march to protest the vietnam war
This news flashback is from http://richmondsfblog.com/ “In this month’s issue of The Richmond Review newspaper, the above photo was featured, which shows thousands of citizens . . . in protest against the Vietnam War . . . The photos were … Continue reading
Posted in events in Golden Gate Park, history
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bowling on the green with shakespeare and friends
“To sleep: perchance to dream: ay there’s the rub; For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil Must give us pause. . .” In this passage from Hamlet’s famous … Continue reading
Posted in people, recreation
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golden gate park: views from the thicket 