Spots Unknown Under the skin of San Francisco

Alien Life: San Carlos Alley Sprites

San Carlos Alley Sprites

Captured here in high summer, the sprites of San Carlos alley begin to emerge in late spring, just off 19th Street. These photonic flowers only bloom in the afternoon when the sun reflects mysteriously off some top-floor windows.

So keep an eye out for these special visitors when winter ends.

Native San Francisco Shrub – Not Dead Yet!

Franciscan Manzanita, San Francisco Native Shrub

The Franciscan Manzanita, a shrub thought to have been made extinct when its habitat in the SF cemeteries of old was eradicated, has been discovered growing wild near the Golden Gate Bridge. More after the jump...

Blackie the Wonder Horse Swims the San Francisco Bay


Why on God's green earth did anyone dream up this 1938 stunt? To quote the narrator, "Your guess is as good as mine."

This poor horse chased a handful of sugar and towed a fat, useless human named "Shorty Roberts," as it swam the Golden Gate just to settle a bet about whether horses can swim:

The swim took 23 minutes and 15 seconds---an hour less than it had taken an Olympic swimmer. When Blackie and Shorty arrived in SF, the SPCA was waiting, but admitted that Shorty looked much worse than the horse and didn't cite him. Shorty always insisted that the horse loved swimming in the bay.

Sure he did, and why not?

(Spotted@)

Recommended book: Historic Photos of San Francisco

Has Anyone Seen the Twin Peaks Coyote?

Coyote on Twin Peaks, San Francisco, photo by Janet Kessler

I guess I've been a little behind in the city's coyote news. I know of its presence in the Presidio, Golden Gate Park, Glen Park, and Bernal Hill, sometimes with lethal consequences. But until my girlfriend gave me a small self-printed booklet from (of course) Dog Eared Books, I was unaware that there was a coyote on Twin Peaks.

Aside from the author's account, I've been unable to find any mention of this urban canine carnivore. Have you seen it? Can you point to any online resources about it? I hope it has fared better than some of the others.

And, if you get a chance, don't miss the KQED special, "Wild at Heart," about SF's urban wildlife. Here's a trailer from a derivative DVD: