GGAS Blog
Earth Day 2020: Reflections
Editor’s Note: Some of our GGAS staff and board have compiled their reflections on what Earth Day means to them and the actions we can collectively take to continue to protect the environment—and birds—we love. Pam Young, Executive Director I am very fortunate to be alive on another Earth Day, to take stock
Earth Day at 50
By Maureen Lahiff I was born in Cleveland, Ohio, famous for the burning Cuyahoga River in summer 1969. There had been several fires on the water before that one, the largest in 1952. There were steel mills, chemical companies, and lots of other manufacturing in the Flats along the river. Here on the West
Now Is The Time To Garden For Birds
By Kathy Kramer Birding from home has become more important than ever in our current sheltered situation. Many of us are learning that it is possible to bird from our windows, yards and sidewalks. There are easy ways to make your home (and surrounding areas) hospitable for birdlife, even while sheltering-at-home. When we learn
Street Life: The San Francisco Edition
By Richard Bradus One of the (few) benefits of this crisis is the marked reduction of traffic and the attendant noise, allowing us to hear so much more of what is going on along our neighborhood streets. I have been doing exercise walks around Western Addition, Pacific Heights, and Presidio Heights over the past
Sheltering in Place: Zuihitsu
By Gerry Traucht Editor’s Note: Gerry offers us glimpses of what he sees on his Berkeley strolls. This unique collection embodies the qualities of the beloved Japanese poetic form, Zuihitsu. Zuihitsu is genre of Japanese literature (since adapted by many Western writers) consisting of loosely connected personal essays and fragmented ideas that typically respond
Birding Through the Feelings
By Megan Fradley-Smith One of my earliest childhood memories, one that brings me much joy, is of a moment in kindergarten on a class field trip. I cannot remember where we were, why we were out, or who was there with me, but I can remember looking high up at the sky, and becoming
When Birds Are More Than a Hobby
By Alan Krakauer Like many of you, I count birds as a “necessary luxury,” something I feel I can’t live without, or at least I’m loathe to try. I’m one of those people who will temporarily exit a human conversation if an accipiter zips by or I catch a different bird song in
Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve: An Oasis in SF
By Whitney Grover There’s something magical about stepping off a concrete sidewalk and onto a dirt path. The claustrophobic buildings are replaced by comforting trees. Car alarms and ambulance sirens are replaced by singing robins and the soft chips of sparrows. The Mount Sutro Open Space Reserve is one of these places, a green
House Listing near Corona Heights under Coronavirus Restrictions
By Brian Fitch For many years now, I’ve been compiling a list of bird species that I’ve seen from my home near Corona Heights Park in San Francisco. It’s not technically a “yard list,” partly because I live in a third story flat, with no deck or yard space at all, and partly because
You Never Know Who Might Show Up On Your Doorstep One Morning
By Elliot Janca Editor’s Note: Elliot is one of GGAS’s youngest birders. Before our Birdathon postponement, Elliot was an active participant in our Young Birders Contest, where he helped fundraise on behalf of GGAS while promoting his love of birding. Even during difficult times like these, we can all find inspiration in Elliot’s
A Walk in Our Redwoods
By Miles and Teresa Tuffli We’re always attuned to the bird activity at our house, but since our beloved pup died this past October, it’s been hard to take long walks in the surrounding woods without our boy. But, needing to stay near home and away from others, we’ve mustered up the nerve to
Breakfast with Towhees, Lunch with Finches
By Kseniya Tuchinskaya The world is upside down but the House Finches outside my window don’t know this. Every morning, I eat breakfast in our kitchen nook, which looks onto my neighbors’ overgrown fence. And every morning, the finches show up to keep me company. I love seeing their bright red heads bob between