R: American Avocets and Willet
Last Saturday I had my 2nd and last field trip for my class, Ecology of San Francisco Bay. We started at Heron’s Head to learn about the history of that park, then went to the Baylands Nature Preserve in Palo Alto for our lunch break, visited Adobe Creek Loop in Mountain View for birding (Green-winged Teals and American Avocets and Willets and Killdeer and a variety of Sandpipers and a White-tailed Kite and Northern Shovelers and Black-necked Stilts!), and ended at Ravenswood Preserve to see a salt pond (that we heard talked about a lot during the last field trip).
And, I did my presentation of my research paper! I believe my laminated visuals of the Pacific Flyway and examples of migratory shorebirds kicked ass, if I do say so myself.
The Bay has a pretty fascinating history, much of it negative since Europeans arrived. It’s kind of amazing the shape it’s in, given all that it’s been through. After learning a lot about what it was originally through the course of my class, it’s tough not to think of that when I see the Bay’s edge and even rolling hills where lush Oak Woodlands habitat used to be.
Still felt like I wanted just a bit of Naturing time to myself at each spot along the field trip (surprise, surprise), but I can always go back and take my time another day. Nice to add more places to my list to look forward to!
The Afternoon Naturalist 