San Diego Natural History Museum

SCIENCE NEWS Specimens collected in Antarctica have allowed a team of scientists, including our very own Dr. Ashley Poust, to update the fossil record. The 50 million-year-old fossils belong to an extinct group of ocean-going birds with large tooth-like spikes in their beaks. This discovery may be the oldest example of truly giant flying birds and adds to our understanding of the evolution of coastal ecosystems worldwide.

Bloodsucking relatives? Moths have varied diets, but some species have blood on the menu. How did this come to be? Consider the pictured moths: the deep brown and tan and the tan . These two species use a specialized proboscis to pierce through tough fruit skin and drink the juice. This adaptation was likely the precursor to the blood-sucking behavior of several species in the Calyptra genus. Only the males of the vampiric species have been known to bite humans (likely using the blood to supplement their sodium intake, which aids them in successful breeding - we’re salty). But don’t worry about it this spooky season. Thankfully, the only Calyptra species in the United States, , is not known to be a bloodsucker. Happy #MothMonday!

Thinking about a hike this weekend? Here's a Canyoneer favorite: the Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve. Why we love it: The reserve is a birding paradise, home to more than 180 species, from Redwing blackbirds singing in the cattails to egrets and great blue herons on the shore. It's also cooler this time of year than most inland hikes. We've picked out 10 of our favorite hikes for fall. Learn about them all and get some hiking tips at sdnat.org/canyoneers. ... Planning on a visit? Tag us in your photos!

The Nat's staff likes to nerd-out over lunch. Join us for a talk from one of our paleontologists, Ashley Poust.

#TBT A Place to Call Home It's still our birthday month, so we're sharing this photo from 1932, which shows the walls going up on the new construction for the San Diego Natural History Museum in Balboa Park. A large part of the cost was donated by philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps. Only the first portion of the building as designed was constructed since not enough funds had been raised for the entire building. In January 1933 the new building was formally dedicated and opened to the public. After almost 60 years of moving from one location to another, The Nat finally had a place to call home!

#WhatIsItWednesday: Know this juvenile bird? It was picked up at Del Mar for rehabilitation. ANSWER UPDATED. Dan King . . . .... . . . . . . . Answer: This juvenile Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra), was picked up for rehabilitation due to being underweight and showing no fear of people. Honestly, that’s just boobies. says our Curator of Birds and Mammals Philip Unitt, referring to the lack of fear. The bird’s English name booby likely comes from the Spanish slang bobo meaning dummy or stupid. Sailors started using the term after realizing these birds were easily captured (and generally eaten) after landing aboard sailing ships since they were utterly unimpressed by humans. We’ve since heard that this juvenile was released after gaining 500 g in captivity.

What a creeper... You’ve probably seen Creeping Spurge or . Serpens means snake-like and refers to the way this species lies flat against the soil and kind-of slithers along the ground as it grows. It’s native to South America, but has naturalized as a weed in disturbed habitats like gardens, roadsides, and sidewalks throughout much of the world. In the close-up, you can see the stem with leaves and tiny flowers called cyathia, which are actually highly... reduced flowering stalks with many flowers in each. As we near Halloween, it only seemed right that we start the spooky season of #SidewalkBotany with a creeper. _____________ Weeds. They grow out of cracks in the sidewalk, between the rows of our preferred plants, and seemingly straight out of rock. But they have names and curious stories behind them. Stay tuned for a new biweekly series where we get to know our weedy neighbors. Courtesy San Diego Natural History Museum Botany Department.

Bats, birds, holly, and webs! This is fall in Southern California. Learn more about what it is you're seeing outside and revel in our autumn: bit.ly/FallInSoCal

It's that time of year! Today's story is about a little bat, flying out into the world using only his good sense.

#WhatIsItWednesday returns with an extra fuzzy cutie observed by Director of BioServices Kevin Clark. Do you know this species? . . . .... . . . . . Answer: You're looking at a Gray Fox kit (Urocyon cinereoargenteus). This little one was observed in its den back in April. Spring is generally pupping season for foxes and coyotes. This image was uploaded to @iNaturalist, helping scientists understand the distribution of these charismatic mammals. So don’t forget to add your own observations! See more

We have two fascinating Nat Talks coming up. First up, the power of pure chance in our evolution with Dr. Sean B. Carroll in Nat Talk: A Series of Fortunate Events. The following week, join Dr. Megan Jennings for Nat Talk: Wildfire A Tale of Two Backcountries. RSVP soon!

This month, we turn 146 years young! Founded in October 1874, the San Diego Society of Natural History was made up of nature-loving nerds, community scientists, and folks well-known to climb up into cactus, stick their heads in trees, and trek everywhere to learn about the natural world. We miss having you in the museum, but in truth, we wouldn't be here without the love and passion of people like you: amazing nature nerds. So blow out a candle, eat that cupcake, and step outside to observe some nature. We're right there with you. Happy birthday to us.