About This BlogCabrillo National Monument protects a unique and diverse landscape thriving with life. Follow our science teams into the field and discover the stories of our park’s natural resources and beyond. Excuse Me, What Do You Keep in Your Gular Pouch?
January 23, 2020
Dixon Lanier Merritt wrote a great limerick regarding our fine feathered friend in 1910: IF We Empower a Woman in STEM, THEN She Can Change the World
November 27, 2019
If you’ve ever met Cabrillo National Monument scientist Samantha Wynns, then you know that she is a super geek for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). She’s so into STEM, in fact, that she’s been nationally recognized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Read on to hear how Sam’s AAAS year-long Ambassadorship is supporting scientists, students, and the mission of the National Park Service. Albinism versus Leucism: In the Wild and at Our Parks
October 01, 2019
Meet Summer, an albino California Kingsnake and one of our ambassador snakes here at Cabrillo. In this field note, we’ll be observing the differences between albinism and leucism in organisms, specifically snakes and other reptiles. Femmes in STEM
September 27, 2019
For most, the end of summer means the conclusion of beach days and ice cream breaks. For Cabrillo National Monument, the changing season means another successful STEM summer camp for girls in the books. Read on to learn about this year’s incredible campers! Popular Arts with Your National Parks: Comic-Con Edition
August 02, 2019
Cabrillo National Monument is at it again – they’re bringing the parks to the people with an outreach initiative that represented at San Diego Comic-Con! But how do the National Parks fit into one of the world’s largest popular arts festival? Read on to find out! Three Summer Blooms
June 28, 2019
As we move into the summer months and the drought deciduous plants of spring begin to go dormant, the summer blooms arrive to add their splash of color to Cabrillo National Monument. Clustered Tarweed (Deinandra fasciculate), California Flattop Buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum), and Tall Stephanomeria (Stepanomeria virgate ssp. Pleurocarpa) are currently in bloom at our park. We Brake for Snakes!
June 18, 2019
Cabrillo National Monument is home to six different snake species – one of these species, the San Diego Gopher Snake (Pituophis catenifer annectens), is an oft-misidentified and harmless backyard reptile that keeps our ecosystems healthy. Read on to learn more about this slithering species, and why it’s important to break for snakes! The Beautiful Mallow Are Out
May 16, 2019
The Coastal Bushmallow (Malacothamnus fasciculatus) has just started blooming at Cabrillo National Monument. This shrub from the Coastal Sage Scrub plant community is loved by bees and visitors to the park. The lovely light pink blooms are dotted along the stems of this late spring bloomer. City Nature Challenge at Cabrillo National Monument – A Celebration of Science for the Entire Community
May 15, 2019
With the growing popularity of citizen science National Park Service scientists are employing the power of the people to help them solve the problems they face. Read on to learn about one such project that just concluded at Cabrillo National Monument. Hummingbirds: Aerial Acrobats
April 24, 2019
Cabrillo National Monument is home to many different species of birds. One of the most remarkable is also one of the smallest, and most iconic – the hummingbird! Read on to learn more about these masters of the air. Rising To The Top
March 20, 2019
With the consistent rains of this rainy season, the Wild Cucumber is the first to come out of dormancy and spread its vines across the Coastal Sage Scrub. This perennial is one of the early blooming plants at Cabrillo National Monument and its white flowers and spectacular seed pods can be seen in many areas of the park. Strange Birds Caught by Observant Community Scientists
August 22, 2018
Field scientists do their best to observe and catalogue every species on the Earth, but there just isn’t enough of them to be all places at all times. Because of this, community scientists are playing an increasingly vital role in keeping track of the world’s organisms – are you one of them? The Remarkable Adaptations of Birds to Their Environment
May 26, 2018
Birds, like all living things, are sculpted by natural selection. Every adaptation they sport serves a purpose: beaks are designed to eat a specific kind of food, feet help them to navigate their preferred environments, and plumage advertises a bird’s fitness or disguises its presence. Ready to learn about some of the interesting adaptations that make birds unique? Read on! |
Last updated: November 4, 2016