What's in Your Watershed?
Read about some of the amazing critters crawling, flying, running, and swimming through your watershed. We feature a new watershed dweller every month, so check back for updates!
The Beneficent Ground Beetle
Most gardeners know that lady bugs are master defenders. They protect plants from menacing aphids right before your eyes in the light of day. But cute lady bugs are not the only garden guards. There are other beneficial creatures living in your garden, working the night shift to control pest populations.
The Feisty Tidewater Goby
Get out your calendars. May marks the beginning of the tidewater goby breeding season! As you read this article, the mating drama of this small fish is unfolding in the brackish water of lagoons, estuaries, and marshes near you.
The Roguish River Otter
Fast, furry and fearless, the North American River Otter has come back from the brink of extinction. Once hunted relentlessly for their jacket-worthy fur, these playful creatures managed to survive in the Russian River watershed. Recently, they have also been spotted in nearby Bolinas Lagoon.
The Mighty Red Knot
What weighs less than half a pound and travels over 9,000 miles each year? The Mighty Red Knot, Calidris canutus, is a truly remarkable bird. It makes one of the longest yearly migrations of any bird: it travels over 15,000 km from its Arctic breeding grounds to Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America, flashing its colorful body and wings the entire way.
