Pollination Celebration Join us this Saturday, June 25 as we celebrate National Pollinator Week with a look at our local pollinators. We’ll be launching the celebration with a 10am talk by Chris Lay from UCSC’s Museum of Natural History Collections. You’ll have a chance to look at a variety of bee specimens under a microscope before heading out to the garden at 11am to help us plant a new pollinator garden, designed specifically to attract native bees. Learn about how to attract native pollinators to your own garden and sow your own wildflower seeds to take home. There will be activities for kids, too!
Endangered Neighbors: Inside the Collections If you’ve seen our current exhibit, you know what caused some of our local endangered species to become endangered. California Condors face modern threats like lead poisoning, power lines, and habitat loss, but their populations have been declining for over a century. Last week Frank Perry, the Museum’s Research Associate, found another piece of this puzzle hidden in our collections. This photo (click to enlarge) is of a page from The Standard Catalogue of North American Birds’ Eggs, dated April, 1905. Collecting bird egg specimens was once a popular hobby among natural history fans. A single “California Vulture” (also known as California Condor) egg could be sold for $225 – in today’s currency that would be over $5,000! Considering that a nesting pair of Condors produces only one egg each year, the impact of egg collecting was devastating for the population. Fortunately this type of poaching has fallen out of fashion and is now illegal.
Why are there goats at Neary Lagoon? Find out here, then stop by for a visit.
The Garden Faire is happening this weekend from 9-5 on Saturday, June 25 at Skypark in Scotts Valley. Stop by for educational exhibits and speakers, vendors, and activities for kids. Admission is free.
Sign up now for the Endangered Neighbors Gallery Walk Join Sebastian Kennerknecht, creator of the Endangered Neighbors exhibit, for a private viewing of the exhibit. Sebastian will share the inside stories behind the images, and explain the process of creating this important exhibit. Friday June 1 @ 5:30pm. Pre-registration required.
Super Summer Saturdays starts July 2 It’s that time of year again – this series of family events features live animals, musical performances, and children’s craft activities every Saturday in July. Visit our website for the complete schedule.
