Sunday at Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline Park in Oakland

Today, Golden Gate Audubon volunteers joined East Bay Regional Park District staff at Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline Park in Oakland to do some weeding on a rocky island within the restored wetlands that is used by American avocets and black-necked stilts for nesting. Avocets and stilts will start breeding soon. We are starting to see more of the avocets molting into their beautiful breeding plumage. It was a great opportunity to help the birds in a tangible way just before their breeding season and to get inside the area normally closed to the public. Braving the cold and rain, we pulled out a heeping truckload of weeds and hopefully made the island more inviting to nesting birds by making a dent in the tall stinkwort.

Through the rain, we got an up-close look at several species of birds, including:

• Two Northern pintail duck drakes (males) - whose population has declined by 77 percent in 40 years
  
• Marbled Godwits - on the Audubon Watchlist
  
• American avocets
• Black-necked stilts
• Greater scaups - another common bird in decline whose population has decreased 75 percent in 40 years
  
• Northern shovelers
• American widgeons
• Buffleheads
  
• American coots
  
• Western gulls
• Ring-billed gulls
  
• Turkey vulture
• Ravens
  

GGNRA Big Year kick-off to see the Western Snowy Plover at Ocean Beach

Yesterday, I attended the kick-off event for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area Big Year competition. We are trying to see the 33 threatened and endangered species in the GGNRA during the year and connecting that with a personal action to protect them. I encourage others to participate in this great project. Please visit the GGNRA Big Year website: http://www.ggnrabigyear.org/

At the event, we were treated with two raptor species that are success stories of the Endangered Species Act: a Bald Eagle and a Peregrine Falcon. Both raptor species recovered after receiving protection under the ESA and now are no longer listed, which proves that when the ESA is enforced and implemented properly we can preserve wildlife.

A great number of groups and over 250 people participated in the event. The other major highlight of the day was a trip over to Ocean Beach in San Francisco to see the Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus) that calls the beach home. Up to 100 of about 1,500-2,300 of the total population in California attempt to eek out a life on the busy beaches of San Francisco.

There are two Wildlife Protection Areas (Stairwell 21 to Sloat Ave on Ocean Beach and a section of Crissy Field) that should have limited activities because of the presence of plovers and other struggling shorebirds. In particular, you should ask the National Park Service to keep dogs out of the Wildlife Protection Areas and to have protection year-round, not just July through May. You can submit your comments on the subject by January 22:

By mail:
In the subject of your letter, include a reference to RIN 1024–AD53. Mail your letter to:

Attention: Snowy Plover Protection Rule
Superintendent, Golden Gate National
Recreation Area, Fort Mason, Building
201, San Francisco, CA 94123

Submit comments online at http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main

Look for comment reference RIN 1024–AD53.
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OK, back to birding... Additional new birds for my list seen at Ocean Beach:

Sanderling	Calidris alba
Marbled Godwit	Limosa fedoa
Willet	Catoptrophorus semipalmatus
California Gull	Larus californicus
Western Gull	Larus occidentalis