Alameda Wildlife Refuge

This morning, I joined about a whopping 80 participants who came to the Alameda Wildlife Refuge for the last workday of the year before the California least terns come back to breed. The Friends of Alameda Wildlife Refuge (http://www.fawr.org) organize work parties on the second Sunday of each month from September through March, then keep watch over the terns during their nesting season from April through August. The endangered California least tern colony is threatened with construction of a VA facility inside what was supposed to be a wildlife refuge.

Each year, about 800 California least terns fly over a thousand miles from the south to Alameda, CA, to breed. The nearest large colony is 150 miles to the south! Habitat loss has driven the terns northward looking for a refuge and now that refuge is threatened despite alternative locations nearby that are outside of the refuge. Look at Golden Gate Audubon's website for information about how you can help fight to protect this endangered species habitat and community open space.

I saw a few birds in between cleaning up the mountains of plastic rubble. There was a redtail hawk on a nearby building with its nest. In the wetlands, the American avocets had changed into their orange breeding plumage. Killdeer flew about chastising the people for being in their territory. I saw a Pacific loon among the Canada geese, scaups, and western grebes.

Afterward, I stopped by Lake Merritt - the center of my "birdiverse" - to see what changes are happening amongst the birds. The tufted duck remained near the bird islands and was spotted among the Greater and Lesser Scaups. The Western and Clarke's Grebes were dancing on the lake at times. In addition to the pied-billed grebe, I saw eared grebes and horned grebes that are beginning to shift into their amazing breeding plumage - a sure sign that spring has come. Five species of grebes calling Lake Merritt home right now. I also saw -

• Common Goldeneyes
• Canvasback Ducks
• Ruddy Ducks
• Bufflehead Ducks
  
• Mallard Ducks
• American Coots
  
• Snowy Egrets
• Great Egret
• Black-crowned Night Herons
  
• Double-crested Cormorants
  
• Ring-billed Gulls
• Western Gulls
  

Now if only people would stop feeding the birds! I can't even tell you how many people were feeding the pigeons and ducks. It's too bad Oakland won't post signs. Bread to a hungry bird is like popcorn to a human - just filler without much nutritional value. Plus, it ends up benefiting birds like pigeons and geese, which are overabundant in the area. The leftovers can attract rats and other pests. Please don't feed wildlife! It's a lot of fun, but the consequences are too great for birds, people, and the environment.

Instead, plant a bird-friendly backyard or restore wildlife habitat if you love birds and other wildlife. That's the best thing you can do for them!