Tuleyome Book Recommendations 2022

Nate Lillge • November 9, 2021

   December 2022

Otherlands: A Journey Through Earth's Extinct Worlds


by Thomas Halliday

November 2022

Yoshi and the Ocean: A Sea Turtle's Incredible Journey Home


by Lindsay Moore


In 1997, a loggerhead turtle was rescued after enduring injury to its shell. She was given the name Yoshi by her rescuer and taken to the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, South Africa where she spent 20 years being rehabilitated until finally scientists felt confident she could return to the sea. With the use of a tracking device, scientists were able to monitor Yoshi's remarkable journey home after so many years. Lindsay Moore's beautiful telling of this story through watercolor pictures and poetic, informative text is inspiring for kids and adults alike

This Contested Land


by McKenzie Long


McKenzie Long discusses thirteen national monuments, including Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, and the stories, controversies, and passions of each.

October 2022

The California Field Atlas


by Obi Kaufmann


Obi Kaufmann has spent years exploring the backcountry of California, striving to understand the state's many ecosystems. Through the pages of The California Field Atlas, Obi explains the wonders of the Golden State with poetic prose and colorful illustrations.

August 31, 2022

Resource Wars: The New Landscape of Global Conflict


by Michael T. Klare


International security expert Michael T. Klare argues that in the early decades of the new millennium, wars will be fought not over ideology but over access to dwindling supplies of precious natural commodities.

July 20, 2022

The Cold Canyon Fire Journals


by Robin Lee Carlson


This is Robin's first book and it details the impacts of fire on Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve - one of the area's most popular hiking spots.

June 22, 2022

The Davis Farmers Market Cookbook


by Ann M. Evans


Ann Evans is the co-founder of the Davis Farmers Market. The book includes recipes for year-round cooking from market offerings and provides information about some of the vendors

May 25, 2022

Pacific Coast Tree Finder: A Pocket Manual for Identifying Pacific Coast Trees


by Tom Watts


A handy book that easily fits in your pocket. Don't know what tree you're looking at? You will with this easy to follow, step-by-step guide!

April 27, 2022

Oaks of California


by Bruce M. Pavlik, Pamela C. Muick, Sharon G. Johnson, and Marjorie Popper


"The first book ever devoted to the state's native oaks..." This is a wonderful, detailed book about the diversity of oaks, human history with the trees, and their importance to wildlife.

March 30, 2022

The Cougar Conundrum: Sharing the World with a Successful Predator


by Mark Elbroch


Mark Elbroch, mountain lion biologist, discusses whether mountain lions are a threat to humans and domestic animals and their need for protection as they are forced to the edge of their habitat. This book provides information and advice for this wildlife modern wildlife challenge.


March 2, 2022

Gertrude's Oaks: The History & Legacy of Woodland's Urban Forest


by David L. Wilkinson


Woodland was founded as a small in the middle of a valley oak grove and given it's name by Gertrude Swain Freeman - whose husband founded the town. More information about David Wilkinson's book is available here. David will be signing books on Friday March 6 at 6 pm at Local Inspirations, 524 Main Street, Woodland.


February 2, 2022

The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees


by Douglas W. Tallamy


Oaks are very distinctive and full of stories. This book highlights the seasonal cycles of the trees and the connections they have with other living organisms - from woodpeckers to caterpillars. It also provides information about what species of oak is the best to plant in your area.


January 5, 2022

America's National Monuments: the Politics of Preservation


by Hal Rothman


Rothman investigates the history of national monuments, and follows the evolution of federal preservation which has saved many natural, cultural, and arhaeologically significant sites. In the twentieth century, national monuments tended to be behind the national park system. Laws, policies, personalities, and rivalries all affected efforts to preserve these important locations.


December 10, 2021

Sibley Birds West: Field Guide to Birds of Western North America


by David Allen Sibley


This is a comprehensive guide to birds in the western United States. Over 700 bird species found west of the Rocky Mountains are included with illustrations and maps. This is a great resource for beginner and expert birders. This comes in handy when trying to identify the millions of birds migrating through the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument region right now!



November 10, 2021

Our National Monuments: America's Hidden Gems


by QT Luong


Yes, we recommended this book a couple of weeks ago but we are excited to have been included in this wonderful book. QT Luong has assembled many wonderful pictures from 27 national monuments, including Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument! The book was published yesterday, November 9! Head to the website to get your own copy!


October 27, 2021

Our National Monuments: America's Hidden Gems


by QT Luong


This book showcases 27 national monuments - including Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument - with beautiful photographs and highlights the importance, significance, and wonder of the monuments. The author hiked and camped in the 22 land-based national monuments that were subject to the 2017 executive order questioning the designation of 27 national monuments. The book includes maps, descriptions of the author's explorations and highlights of the monuments. The book, set to be published November 2, is now available for pre-order via QT Luong's blog and Amazon.



September 29, 2021

The Largest Avian Radiation


by Jon Fjeldsa, Les Christidis, and Per G.P. Ericson (Editors)


This book explains how DNA has been used to complete a tree of life for the 6,200 perching bird species, which are 60% of all birds. It discusses how the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs had less of an impact on the southern hemisphere and therefore, the perching birds we see today can be traced back to that hemisphere.

by Robin Wall Kimmerer


GatheringMoss is a beautifully written mix of science and personal reflection that invites readers to explore and learn from the elegantly simple lives of mosses. Robin Wall Kimmerer shares a series of linked personal essays that lead readers to an understanding of how mosses live and how their lives are intertwined with the lives of countless other beings, as well as what these fascinating organisms have to teach us.

RECENT ARTICLES

Monumental Questions - What is iNaturalist?

By Kristie Ehrhardt • April 9, 2026
Have you ever been hiking in the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument (or almost anywhere else in the world for that matter) and come across a plant or animal and not been able to identify it? Have you ever thought, “hmmm, if only there was an easily accessible phone app that could help me identify this thing nearly instantly?” If that exact thought wandered through your cranium; boy, oh boy are you in luck! Enter iNaturalist! The iNaturalist app is primarily an online social community sharing their findings and information to network and help others learn about the environment. The iNaturalist website states that “INaturalist is crowdsourced species identification system and an organism occurrence recording tool. You can use it to record your own observations, get help with identifications, collaborate with others to collect this kind of information for a common purpose, or access the observational data collected by other iNaturalist users.” iNaturaist was developed as a Master’s final project by Ken-ichi Ueda, Nate Agrin and Jessica Kline at UC Berkeley’s School of Information back in 2005; the same year that YouTube and Reddit were initially introduced to the public - a vintage year for social media developments! It officially launched in 2008 and work continued on the site and iNaturalist, LLC was born in 2011. By 2017 National Geographic was onboard and in 2023, what began as a student project became an independent nonprofit organization that grew into a globally recognized Citizen Science driven platform that connects millions of people to the biodiversity around them. iNaturalist is a compilation database that contributes valuable collective intelligence to conservation and science from around the world. iNaturalist is a valuable tool for species identification as well as organism occurrence crowdsourced information, it is also a practical resource for species identification and distribution. And guess what else! It’s free to use. Sound good? Want to know how you can benefit from iNaturalist? You can use iNaturalist to record your own species observations and locations. You can use it to help identify species you aren’t sure about or may be new to by using other individuals' entries. You can even work with other users to collaborate and continue to add information to the site or you can access other’s information regarding species observations and occurrences. You can look up and enter data using scientific nomenclature or common names. You can look at other’s photos and locations for reference and contribute your observations. Students and Professors alike are using and recommending iNaturalist. So how’s it been going? On March 20, 2008, the very first entry was made into iNaturalist. To save you from doing the math I’ll tell you that iNaturalist just had its 18th birthday! Guess how many observations people have recorded in those 18 years… you’ll never guess so I’ll just tell you - iNaturalist has over 3.5 million individual observations ! And it’s increasing every moment, you can literally watch the counter on their homepage rise. Guess how many individual species have been recorded! Not to be disparaging but you’ll never get it...iNaturalist is up to just under 560,000 species ! There are currently over four million registered individuals making and recording observations and more than 483,000 people helping other people by making identifications. In just 18 years, a student project has grown into a globally recognized and respected tool to make and record species observations adding information to a world-wide biodiversity database. If you want to be a part of this community simply download the iNaturalist app or go to their website and get out there and start entering your observations. The Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument region is an incredible place to practice using iNaturalist because it hosts such a huge diversity of habitats and species.

Enjoying Outside! - Pestiferous Foxtails

By Kristie Ehrhardt • April 9, 2026
I’m sure a lot of us already know the danger that foxtails pose to our dog and cat friends and hopefully nobody reading this minds, but I’d like to try extra hard to make sure that everyone reading this knows about the menacing nature of foxtail barley. Foxtail barley ( Hordeum sp.) is a member of the grass (Poaceae) family and is native (I just learned this!) to North America. Although it is a native species, it is considered “weedy” because it readily establishes and can outcompete other species because it thrives in both moist and drought prone environments. It is also known by other cute little woodland creature names such as squirreltail barley, bobtail barley and skunktail barley but lemme tell you, it’s not as endearing as the common names suggest. The name “foxtail” is a general term for grasses in the Hordeum (barley genus). Foxtail barley (foxtail) is a perennial bunch grass that thrives in previously disturbed areas and is somewhat unique in that it is tolerant of saline and/or alkaline soils where the majority of other upland species cannot survive. Foxtails can germinate in the spring or the fall and those that germinate in the fall resume growing early the following spring often outcompeting other spring germinating plant species. Because it is salt tolerant it can be found on coastal beaches and along the edges of brackish and salt marshes as well as road sides, yards and fields. Foxtail usually doesn't exceed one three feet tall when left undisturbed but if the plants are mowed, they can flower and produce seed much closer to the ground as well. Seed heads are pale green and appear as a square-shaped (characteristic of barley) bushy spike. The stems are erect with soft blue-ish gray-green rolled leaves and seed heads have long awns. Since plants can’t get up and wander about, they need a method to disperse their seeds. That method for foxtails is mainly by hitchhiking on other things that move from one location to another. Up close, individual seeds look like a fox’s bushy tail and their shape helps them to attach to your pets and you. And because the seeds are barbed, they can get embedded in our furry friend’s ears, eyes and skin and often requires a vet’s steady hand (and your pocketbook) to remove them. They can be especially dangerous and sometimes fatal if they get into your pets nose or blood stream. Right now, at least for a few more days, the foxtails are still green and soft. But, as the temperatures rise and the vegetation begins to dry out, the hazards posed by foxtails begin to rise with the mercury. As the seed heads mature they become golden in color and very fragile. This is when they are the most dangerous to our pets as they are easily broken apart from the plant. Eventually the seeds get harder and drop to the ground where if stepped on they can embed themselves into your bare feet or your pet’s paws. Although it seems nearly impossible to avoid foxtails there are some ways to help you and your furry buddy continue to enjoy hiking through the Berryessa Snow Mountain National monument or a leisurely stroll through your neighborhood. Avoid areas where you’ve seen foxtails before and pay attention to where your friend wanders - especially during the summer months when the foxtails are dry and brittle Keep your dog’s fur trimmed and short so there’s less surface for the seeds to attach to Do a quick nose to tail check for foxtails after each walk or hike being sure to check between their foot pads A basket muzzle may help keep their nose and mouth clear of foxtails while still allowing your pup to pant If your furry friend is coughing, gagging, sneezing, snorting or pawing at their face or ears or limping, there may be an embedded foxtail that you aren’t able to see. It’s best to have them checked out by a vet to make sure they are all clear. If they have picked up a foxtail, removing it as soon as possible is usually less invasive for your companion and your wallet. Just by spending a little extra time and effort, you and your pets can still Enjoy Outside even during foxtail season!

Science Corner -Swainson’s Hawk, an impressive long-distance migrant!

By Kristie Ehrhardt • April 9, 2026
Finally, they’re back!! I’ve been waiting and watching for them and just this week I heard the first one of the summer. Swainson’s hawks ( Buteo swainsoni ) make an impressive journey every fall and then do it again in reverse every spring. Where do they go and why is it so impressive you ask? Stay tuned and find out! Our Swainson’s hawks, the hawks that summer here in California’s Central Valley, that raise their babies in old cottonwoods and valley oaks along our riparian areas, the same hawks that weigh less than two pounds and gorge themselves on grasshoppers and rodents all summer long, travel all the way to ARGENTINA! That is nearly 6,500 air miles and would take 18-20 hours on a commercial flight without any layovers. Are you impressed? If not, consider the fact that they do that epic journey TWICE a year! Swainson’s hawks are a close relative of our year-round resident, the Red-tailed hawk and are similar in size and habitat requirements. Swainson’s hawks have two color morphs; a light morph and a dark morph, and although both sexes wear the same colors and patterns, females are typically slightly larger and heavier than males. In the light color morph both females and males sport a chocolate-colored “bib” with a white throat and face patch and bright yellow rostrum. Their tails are barred and their flight feathers are dark with a light-colored leading edge - a unique color pattern in North American raptors. Dark morphs are all dark chocolate brown with the same barred tail with a light patch just under it. Swainson’s hawks occur roughly west of the Missouri River during the warm summer season and like some people I know, take off for warmer regions when the summer weather turns chilly. In California, Swainson’s hawks nest primarily in the Central Valley although there are small populations in northeastern California, Shasta Valley, Owens Valley and the Mojave Desert. Historically it was estimated that California supported over 17,000 breeding pairs but in 1980 that number had declined to only 375 breeding pairs. In 1988 it was up to an estimated 550 breeding pairs statewide and in 2005 the number of breeding pairs had inched up to just under 2100. They were listed as a threatened species in California in 1983 due primarily to habitat loss.  An endorsement of their adaptability, Swainson’s hawks have not only learned to co-exist with many agricultural practices but they in fact thrive alongside irrigated pastures and tractors which has helped their number improve. Swainson’s hawks have learned that the rumble of a tractor pulling a harrow disk equates to what we might consider a drive through meal. They’ve also learned that when a rancher turns on the water and begins to flood irrigate a pasture, that advancing waterline flushes out underground rodents resulting in a heavenly smorgasbord of unwelcome pests to the human behind the water controls. I’ve seen 20 hawks lined up following the waterline with 20 more circling waiting their turn at the chow line. If their migratory journey hasn’t impressed you, their rodent/lizard/grasshopper eating capacity surely will. These gourmands will gorge themselves so heavily that they realistically cannot lift themselves off the ground for a time which results in oodles of hawks hopping about like unathletic feathered toads. Mutualism at its finest - the hawks get a gourmet meal and farmers and ranchers get free pest control. If their stamina and gluttony doesn’t impress you, maybe this will. It’s not uncommon for wild Swainson’s hawks to live and continue breeding into their 20’s. But that’s not just hanging around and raising babies in the laid back summer months. During those 20 years, that individual bird has flown about 260,000 miles to safely return to the same area, perhaps the same tree, that held the nest that it fledged from. That’s undeniably impressive!