Point Blue

A Milestone for Science and Conservation

Point Blue was excited to see that, last night, after seven hours of presentations, expert testimony, public comment, and discussion, the California Coastal Commission voted yes (5-3 and with a few minor conditions) to find the Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposal to eradicate invasive mice from the Farallon Islands consistent with the California Coastal act.

Restoring the Farallon Islands

We are at a critical moment in safeguarding the future of the Farallon Islands ecosystem and the wildlife that depend on it. The US Fish and Wildlife Service, our partners in managing the islands, have a significant opportunity for ecological restoration: the eradication of the invasive house mouse from the Farallon Islands. Point

Science News: Birds in the Valley, Restoration in the City

Teaming up for Drought Response As Californians work to address the increasing threat of severe drought as part of climate change, Point Blue is playing a critical role in making sure that waterbirds have a voice at the table. Over the last three months, and continuing into this winter, Point Blue, in partnership with The

Conscious Conservation Methods: Tracking Blue Carbon and Environmental Justice at COP26

Imagine this – you started graduate school in the midst of a pandemic, and you only recently started going to class in person (socially distanced and masked, of course), but the bulk of your time has been spent on Zoom in your tiny studio. This was me. So, one could easily imagine the elation that I felt following the announcement that COP26 had the “Green Light” for our school.

Looking Back at How Good We Looked

We had a great group of Lookers looking their best in West Marin. A couple members of the team (Diana Humple and Renee Cormier) couldn’t join us in person because they were responding to the oil spill in Southern California, but they were with us in spirit and broaches (thanks Renee!). The team consisted of Maia Nguyen, Kevin Garcia, Wren Leader, Mike Mahoney, Mark Dettling, Megan Elrod, Kristy Dybala, Hilary Allen (and Brynn), Dennis Jongsomjit, and Lishka Arata, all of which are current or former Palo interns. We started birding at 4:08pm on October 10 at the bluffs above Agate Beach in Bolinas scanning the ocean for the birds of the near shore (cormorants, pelicans, gulls, murres). Within 20 minutes we had seen most of the expected species, so headed out on a walk around the nearby neighborhood.

Congratulations and Highlights from the 2021 Bird-A-Thon

Congratulations and thank you to all who participated in the 43rd annual Rich Stallcup Bird-A-Thon from September 15–October 15, 2021. Your efforts helped raise over $65,000 to benefit Point Blue Conservation Science! Over 24 teams and 99 counters spent time connecting with nature in unique and creative ways, whether remotely from varied geographic locations, individually,

Faculty Flock Photos & Bird List

Here are some pictures from the Faculty Flock’s Bird-A-Thon outing on October 14th at the Loch Lomond Marina. Also our list of sightings. A beautiful day shared with great friends! Best wishes, Patti Vance Our Bird List: Mallard Greater Scaup Surf Scoter Bufflehead Common Goldeneye California Quail Rock Pigeon Anna’s Hummingbird American Coot Black

123 Species: A Birding Breakers to the Bay by Bicycle

There was a solid gray overcast sky on the morning of October 15. I had hardly moved from my car in the parking lot above Tomales Bay State Park. It was very quiet, not a coyote howl, nor a wood rat scurrying, certainly not a Great Horned Owl hooting. It was not a good start to my Point Blue Conservation Science Birdathon.

And, they’re off! Point Blue team departs for Glasgow.

As our COP26 team gets ready to fly to Glasgow, Scotland for the United Nations’ annual climate change conference, we’re filled with excitement and a sense of urgency. Excitement because this is the premier gathering of the governments, scientists, non-governmental organizations, and activists who care most about addressing one of the most serious environmental problems threatening our planet.

Ecological restoration works for urban birds in San Francisco’s Presidio

While cities and towns have not historically been considered priorities for ecological restoration projects, the UN Decade effort explicitly calls for urban restoration. The Presidio Trust, the National Park Service, and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy were visionary in their pursuit of restoration in San Francisco’s Presidio, and since 2001 they have restored 78 acres.

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