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