Berkeley

Many Coyote Sightings in Regional Parks

Published

8 years ago

February 6, 2019

It’s nearing the time of year when coyotes den up and give birth to pups, in the regional parks and other open space. And since there have been a lot of coyote sightings lately, this seems a good time to offer some information about them.

Coyotes are common throughout the western United States and beyond. They can be found in almost every East Bay regional park, from the inland hills to the bay shoreline. Adaptable and intelligent, they also prowl nearby suburban neighborhoods, including mine.

If you don’t see a coyote, you will often see its distinctive scat, which has a lot of fur mixed in with it from the small rodents that make up its basic diet. Through their eating habits, coyotes help to control the population of animals such as rabbits, ground squirrels, skunks and raccoons. They aren’t picky eaters; they will also go for fish, birds, reptiles and even insects on occasion.

Coyotes resemble smaller, skinnier versions of German shepherd dogs. Generally tan in color, they have long snouts and bushy, black-tipped tails.

Although they look like dogs, coyotes are wild and may occasionally be aggressive, especially if protecting a den. If you are walking with your dog and see a coyote approaching, it’s best to call your pet back to you and put it on leash. If a coyote follows you, make loud noises to scare it away. I have heard of no instances of coyotes attacking people in the regional parks.

For the benefit of both species, coyotes need to remain wary of humans. So coyotes should never be given handouts or fed unintentionally by leaving pet food or garbage where they can get to it. Especially if you live near open space, feed your pet indoors and use trash containers with lids that clamp shut.

It’s also advisable to keep pets such as cats, rabbits and small dogs indoors. If allowed to run free outside, they can become prey for coyotes. Large dogs should be brought indoors after dark and should not be allowed to run loose. Coyotes can and do mate with domestic dogs. Moreover if you let your large dog run free outside at night, it can pack up with similar pets and hunt wildlife in the parks, which is not a good outcome.

For more information about coyotes, check out the California State Fish and Game website, www.wildlife.ca.gov/keep-me-wild/coyote. There’s even more at the Washington state site: wdfw.wa.gov/living/coyotes.html.

* * *

Like coyotes, all other animals leave evidence of their presence. You can learn how to identify them in a “Critter Clues” program from 2 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9 at Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley.

Big Break is at 69 Big Break Road off Oakley’s Main Street. For information, call 888-327-2757, ext. 3050.

* * *

A search for winter blooms is in the works from 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday, Feb. 10 at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch.

Naturalist Eddie Willis will lead a steep, rocky hike to spectacular views and early season wildflowers, best for ages 8 and up.

Meet Eddie in the parking lot at the end of Somersville Road, 3½ miles south of Highway 4. For information, call 888-327-2757, ext. 2750.

* * *

At Tilden Nature Area near Berkeley, naturalist Anthony Fisher will lead a series of “Good Morning, Nature!” walks from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Sundays, Feb. 10, 17 and 24. Topics include tracks, scats, trees, rats, newts, mud, creeks and frost.

Meet Anthony at the Environmental Education Center, which is at the north end of Tilden’s Central Park Drive. Call 510-544-2233.

* * *

Do you love the bay beach? If so, you can help to clean it up during a pre-Valentine program from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 9 at Crab Cove Visitor Center in Alameda.

Bring your own gloves and bucket or borrow either from the visitor center to help pick up left-behind litter.

The center is at 1252 McKay Ave. off Alameda’s Central Avenue. Call 510-544-3187.

* * *

The secret language of animal tracks will be revealed in a program from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9 at Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont, led by naturalist Kristina Parkison.

It’s for ages seven and older. Meet at the visitor center for fun activities designed to help figure out which animals have left their marks on the trails.

* * *

This isn’t even half of what’s going on in the regional parks in coming days. For more information, check out the website, www.ebparks.org.

Ned MacKay

Posts by Ned MacKay

Related Topics:coyote danger coyote sightings

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Activism

Black Repertory Group Needs Volunteers to Help Shape the Next Generation of Artists and Leaders

Legendary performers such as Whoopi Goldberg and Danny Glover worked with and were inspired by BRG’s founders. More recently, Grammy award-winning artist Kehlani attended the Black Repertory Group Summer Day Camp for several years.

Published

3 months ago

June 26, 2026

Oakland Post

Courtesy image.

By Sean Vaughn Scott, Special to The Post

For more than 60 years, the Black Repertory Group (BRG) has changed lives through the arts.

Founded in 1964 by educators and visionaries Birel L. Vaughn and Nora Vaughn, BRG has become one of America’s oldest continuously operating Black theater institutions. For generations, it has preserved culture, developed talent, and provided opportunities for young people to discover their voices and their potential.

The results speak for themselves.

Long before international recognition, Kehlani performed on the BRG stage. During a summer day camp production of “Princess and da Frog,” she portrayed Ray, the lovable firefly whose light guided others through the darkness. Her journey is proof that today’s camper may become tomorrow’s artist, entrepreneur, educator, or leader.

Located at 3201 Adeline St. in Berkeley, BRG continues that mission through its Youth Summer Day Camp of the Arts.

BRG is currently accepting applications and maintains an open enrollment program. Students may enroll throughout the summer as space permits and immediately become part of the BRG family.

We are also proud to be a multicultural opportunity program, welcoming children and families from all backgrounds, cultures, and communities. Through theater, music, dance, public speaking, visual arts, technical theater, and leadership development, students gain confidence, discipline, creativity, and lifelong skills.

As our programs grow, so does our need for volunteers.

We are seeking community members to assist with youth mentoring, registration, costumes, set construction, painting, props, ushering, photography, social media, marketing, technical theater, and fundraising activities. Whether you volunteer for a few hours or throughout the season, your support directly impacts the lives of young people.

BRG also partners with churches, civic organizations, alumni associations, fraternities, sororities, and community groups through theater party fundraisers, group sales, and buy-out performances. These partnerships have helped organizations raise funds while supporting arts and cultural programming.

The theater also serves as the home of the Berkeley NAACP Chapter, which meets every second Saturday of the month from 1 to 3 p.m.

For more than six decades, the Black Repertory Group has remained committed to one belief: every child deserves an opportunity to shine.

The next great artist may already be among us.

The next Kehlani may already be walking through our doors.

We invite you to volunteer, enroll, participate, and become part of the legacy.

For more information please go to www.blackrepertorygroup.com, call (510) 652-2120, or email info@blackrepertorygroup.com

Sean Vaughn Scott is the director of the Black Repertory Group.

Oakland Post

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Bay Area

UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

3 months ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Arts and Culture

Farwest Region Deltas Celebrate Centennial With “September Breakfast” Honoring Vivian Osborne Marsh

The region was established in 1925 under the leadership of Vivian Osborne Marsh, who became its first Regional Director. Marsh was a pioneering scholar and civic leader, earning recognition as the first Black woman to receive both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in anthropology from UC Berkeley.

Published

1 year ago

September 14, 2025

Oakland Post

Farwest Regional Director, Kimberly Usher, Mayor Barbara Lee, US Representative Lateefah Simon, and Farwest Regional Representative, Radiya Ajibade. Photo courtesy of Farwest Regional Photographer Vicki P. Love.

By Antoinette Porter

Hundreds of members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and their guests gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union at the University of California, Berkeley, to mark the 100th anniversary of the sorority’s Farwest Region.

Marsh went on to serve as Delta Sigma Theta’s 7th National President, where she launched the sorority’s National Library Project to expand access to books in underserved Black communities in the South. During her presidency, the organization also became a prominent voice in the civil rights movement, lobbying Congress to pass anti-lynching legislation.

Bak in the Bay Area, Marsh devoted her career to advancing educational opportunities, mentoring young people, and strengthening community life. That commitment continues to shape the region, which supports initiatives in education, social justice, and economic development. Current projects include raising scholarship funds for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, voter education campaigns, and health and wellness programs.

A century after its founding, the Farwest Region of Delta Sigma Theta remains active across California and other western states, carrying forward Marsh’s vision of service and advocacy.