• Community Science in an Urban Park

    By Noreen Weeden

     

    The Bison Paddock in Golden Gate Park sounds like an unlikely site for a community science project, but indeed it is. Golden Gate Bird Alliance (GGBA) volunteers and the San Francisco Park and Recreation Department (SFRPD) have partnered on a project for Tree Swallows and Western Bluebirds.  Since 2009, GGBA and SFRPD have been supporting habitat for native birds at the Bison Paddock. Over the last 10 years, this project has presented opportunities and challenges.

    The Bison Paddock is the largest local meadow habitat in the park with nearby freshwater (Chain of Lakes). Every spring the park blooms with biodiversity, where native plants attract insects, which in turn brings birds back to the area.

    Our story begins with Tyler Lorillo, a Boy Scout who was interested in local, nesting birds and contacted GGBA. After getting in touch GGBA, he proposed to work with 6 other scouts to build and install nest boxes. The GGBA connected Tyler with Gloria Koch-Gonzales, then Manager of Golden Gate Park, and Josiah Clark of Habitat Potential regarding the Bison Paddock site.  At the time, 2 Western Bluebird and 6 Tree Swallow nest boxes were recommended.

    Under Cornell University’s Lab of Ornithology, Tree Swallows and Western Bluebirds are identified as Western Focal bird species, meaning there is a lack of information regarding these birds. NestWatch is a nationwide monitoring program designed to track status and trends in the reproductive biology of birds. Volunteers in many places record important data including when nesting occurs, number of eggs laid versus the number of eggs hatched, and how many hatchlings survive. Their database is intended to be used to study the current condition of breeding bird populations and how they may be changing over time as a result of climate change, habitat degradation and loss, expansion of urban areas, and the introduction of non-native plants and animals. Cornell’s NestWatch program allows community scientists the opportunity to learn how to monitor and collect data. Throughout the 10-year project, NestWatch’s data formatting has been used to monitor the Tree Swallows in the bison paddock.

    Tree Swallow by Noreen Weeden

    Both Tree Swallows and Western Bluebirds nest in the cavities of decaying trees. In Golden Gate Park, and in other parts of the City dead and decaying trees are removed due to potential danger to the public or property. The consequence of this safety measure means that the cavity-nesting birds have fewer places to build a nest.…

  • Lake Merced: San Francisco’s Birding Jewel

    By Angie Geiger

     

    Located in the southwest corner of San Francisco, Lake Merced is one of only three remaining freshwater lakes in the city. There are multiple excellent birding areas within this 614 acre park. At 267 species, Lake Merced is the number two hotspot in San Francisco, (not including the Farallon Islands) according to eBird. It is home to quite a few breeding birds, the wintering grounds for numerous others and an important resting stop for many migrants.

    Ruddy Duck by Angie Geiger

    While it is possible to see birds anywhere around Lake Merced, the three most commonly birded areas are “the concrete bridge”, Sunset Circle, and Harding Park. All are directly on the lake and offer excellent views of the waterfowl on the lake, as well as lots of songbird activity in the reeds, trees and shrubs surrounding the lake. All three have parking lots and are also accessible by bike and public transportation.

    Bird tour at Lake Merced by Angie Geiger

    The concrete bridge area can be accessed on the east side via a small parking area on Lake Merced Blvd. or on the west side via John Muir Drive. If Gull identification is one of your avocations, this is the place to practice in the winter. Gulls of all ages are often on land and/or perched on the railings of the bridge for close-up views. Most common are Western, California, Mew and Glaucous-winged, with the odd Herring and Iceland Gull sometimes in the mix. Some years, Bonaparte’s Gulls have been spotted foraging on the lake in winter. In addition to the gulls, there are many species of Ducks and Grebes in among the Coots on the water. Breeding plumaged Ruddy Ducks can be seen with their neon-blue bills and the concrete bridge is a good place to watch the courtship behavior of Grebes. Both Western and Clark’s Grebes breed here, sometimes with each other producing consternating hybrids. You will spot begging offspring throughout the Spring and Summer. Once in a while the Concrete Bridge area attracts a Common Galinule. In addition to the Waterfowl, this area is also fairly reliable for Sora and Virginia Rail, more often heard than seen. Summer is a great time to practice your Swallow identification skills – six Swallow species can reliably be seen over the lake and perched on trees at the water’s edge. On the east side of the concrete bridge is a slight tree-covered hill featuring a Penguin sculpture.…

  • Play Ball! But Where?

    By Carla Din

     

    It’s been over two years since the Oakland A’s proposed building a new baseball stadium alongside Lake Merritt. Golden Gate Bird Alliance led the environmental opposition to this proposal that threatened to undermine the progress made in reconnecting Lake Merritt to the Bay and providing healthy habitat for waterbirds there.  It was gratifying to see GGBA partner with other community opponents of the Lake Merritt site, including Laney College students and faculty unions and the Asian Pacific Environmental Network that were concerned about gentrification to surrounding cultural communities.

    In December 2017, the Peralta Community College District responded to the strong opposition and nixed plans for a ballpark on Laney College land near Lake Merritt. The A’s then shifted their focus to another site – Howard Terminal alongside the Port of Oakland, next to the Oakland-Alameda Estuary.

    (INSERT A MAP GRAPHIC THAT SHOWS THE HOWARD TERMINAL LOCATION AND POSSIBLY A DRAWING OF BALLPARK)

    This waterside site also presents potential dangers to wildlife. Like many other ballparks, possible hazards include:

    • Bright scoreboard lights and parking/security lights that can disrupt birds’ sleep patterns, facilitate nocturnal predation, and disrupt night foraging. Migratory bird behavior is radically impacted by light sources such as stadiums, according to a University of Oxford study
    • Glass walls located next to large bodies of water or green space can cause fatal bird collisions. Since birds cannot see reflective glass as a barrier, they fly into that which is reflected by the window, such as the sky or the trees and collide with the glass
    • Noise from crowds, traffic, public address systems, and amplified music can frighten birds away from their habitat and into roadways.
    • Fireworks can panic birds and sometimes lead them to abandon their nests and young. The Port of Oakland discontinued its annual 4th of July fireworks show over Jack London Square after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ruled that fireworks displays would harm the Least Tern, an endangered species that nests across the estuary in Alameda.
    • Plastic and other trash dropped into waterways that can kill birds who eat it or get tangled in it.

    (place doug’s photo of shorebirds here)

     

    GGBA Enters the Policy Arena

    In 2018, to streamline the A’s ballpark development process, State Assembly member Rob Bonta proposed a measure limiting the time during which environmental lawsuits could be filed against an A’s ballpark at Howard Terminal.…

  • GGBA Launches New Strategic Plan

    GGBA Launches New Strategic Plan

    By Carol Baird

     

    How often have you come across a bird and stood motionless to determine what it was doing— whether it was near its nest, what does it eat, or how many eggs are in that nest? You’re certainly not alone: the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimates there are some 48 million Americans who watch birds. And, if you enjoy watching birds, you doubtless are also reminded that you are a member of a species that poses a colossal threat to global avifauna.

    Black-crowned Night-Heron (the official bird of Oakland) by Jerry Ting

    In an effort to further protect bird life, face the challenges and opportunities for birds in this new millennium, expand our horizons, and deepen our outreach, the Golden Gate Bird Alliance Board of Directors devoted a full year to reinvigorating our 100 plus year-old organization through strategic planning.

    In January, 2019, we created a planning committee to lead this effort. That committee subsequently hired a consultant, who met frequently with the committee throughout the year. From March onward, the consultant also conferred with over 200 GGBA members who represented various parts of the organization.

    Black Phoebe by Carree Michel

    For many of us on the Board, it was an eye-opening venture. At first, we prepared the traditional papers and entertained the usual ideas about the status of GGBA in the community. But we soon had to confront a truer reality: we are not at all reflective of the Bay Area and its diverse human populations, all of whom do interface with birds in one way or another. 

    We realized that it is vital that we “step out of our silos and start working with the community as a whole.”

    One of many examples of GGBA’s community outreach. Here, Salesforce volunteers collaborate with GGBA to help restore Pier 94. Photo by Janet Carpinelli

    What are some of our key takeaways from the planning process? First is proclaiming anew the importance of birds in our living landscape, and how birds play a pivotal role in ecosystem functioning. 

    Christmas Bird Count 2019. Volunteers admiring both the landscape and birds. Photo by Chris Okon

    And, of course, a second key point is the need to share the astounding diversity of our local avifauna with others and the need to learn the myriad ways local people already do celebrate our birds.  Bay Area residents connect with birds in many ways that go beyond taking part in organized field trips or birding classes.…