Happy New Year! 

We hope 2023 brings you more time spent outside, more special moments with wildlife, and an even greater appreciation for the unparalleled beauty and biodiversity of San Diego County. 

We also hope you'll think of us when you're looking for local science news, searching for stuff to do on your weekend, or when you're curious about the state of our native ecosystems. 

Below you'll find opportunities to strengthen your relationship with our special home and the plants and animals we share it with. Enjoy!

Native Plants Bring all the Birds to the Yard 
Darn right, they're better than lawns.

Ready to turn your neighborhood into a naturehood? Tune in Thursday Feb. 2 at 5:30 PM for a free webinar from the California Native Plant Society. This edition is about attracting birds to your yard with the most ethical lure possible—native plants! 

Want to know how to plant for droughts? What about attracting butterflies? Is there such thing as "dog-scaping"? What about urban gardens? All this and more is available in the Society's gardening webinar archive.

Learn more

World's Biggest Bird Count is Coming
(It's also the world's easiest)

With the 123rd Christmas Bird Count in the books, we've already got our sights on the next bird-watching opportunity: The Great Backyard Bird Count.

Don’t feel like leaving the house? Don’t have binoculars? Still curious about birds? Then the Great Backyard Bird Count is for you. All you need is a window, a computer or smartphone, and about 20 minutes from Feb. 17-20.

Learn more

Sea Lions, Humpbacks, and Dolphins Oh My!
Our winter seas are busy with life.

The winter whale watching season is underway! In the final week of 2022, our Museum Whalers and their guests saw 11 grey whales, 5 humpback whales, over 1400 common dolphins (!) as well as sea lions, pacific white sided dolphins, and a Mola mola.

Check out the daily report from City Cruises anchored by Hornblower to see what's swimming through our waters this week.

I want to see whales!

Have You Heard?
Winter is frog-call season.

If you watched the video in last month's newsletter, you already know that Pacific treefrog calls are a staple of Hollywood's sound effect library. Here are a few more toadally cool frog facts.

San Diego County is home to nine species of native frogs. Toads (a subset of frogs) generally have shorter legs (for walking) and lumpier skin, while frogs have longer legs (for big jumps) and smoother skin. 

The arroyo toad is squat and small, eats mostly ants, and is federally endangered due to habitat loss. Our researchers are monitoring local arroyo toad populations to ensure they don't blink out forever. 

The California red-legged frog, another species we're working to protect, is the largest native frog west of the Mississippi (pictured above). The largest native toad in the U.S., the Sonoran Desert toad, once called Southern California home, but has since been extirpated. These toads live on in Arizona. 

Like many frogs, western spadefoots secrete mild toxins through their skin to defend against predators. Unlike many frogs, spadefoot secretions smell like peanut butter and may cause sneezing—so don't spread them on your toast!

More frog facts please

Hike of the Month: Black Mountain Road Trailhead
Short or long, easy or hard. Choose your adventure.

Where: Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve

Why: The Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve has tons of beginner-friendly trails (think wide, well-maintained paths) as well as a longer, steeper routes for anyone looking for a challenge. The preserve's trails are pretty sunny, so winter is a great time of year to explore them via foot or bike. 

What You'll See: The Black Mountain Road Trail follows along the Peñasquitos Creek. Huge oaks and majestic sycamores abound. The longer hike takes you to a fantastic waterfall tumbling through some of the oldest rock formations in San Diego County. Pacific treefrogs, herons, and largemouth bass live along the creek. 

The Terrain: The shorter trail option is a flat and easy 2-mile out-and-back hike. The longer option is 6 miles out-and-back with 300 feet of elevation gain (still rated as easy).

Know Before You Go: There's a $3 day-use fee due at the park entrance (unless you have an SD Parks and Recreation Parking Pass). Dogs allowed on leash only. More information and trail maps of the preserve available here. 

If you want to get more out of this hike than you ever thought possible, join our Canyoneers! They'll be hiking this trail on Feb. 11 at 9 AM.

Hike it with us

Want more recommendations? Get some inspiration for your next destination with the Canyoneers’ Ten Great Hikes for Winter. Or get their book, Coast to Cactus: The Canyoneer Trail Guide to San Diego Outdoors.

Subaru is a proud partner of the Canyoneers program.

Click Here for more information.