San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory

From 2008 to 2014, SFBBO conducted a pilot study investigating the effects of oyster shell habitat enhancement on Snowy Plover nesting success. One hectare test plots were distributed on salt pond bottoms in Eden Landing Ecological Reserve (Eden Landing), Hayward, California.

This report serves as a data summary and coarse-scale assessment of waterbird and water quality monitoring efforts at Alviso, Eden Landing, Coyote Hills, Dumbarton, Mowry and Ravenswood pond complexes in the South San Francisco Bay.

The 30,000 acres of wetlands within the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) provide critical habitat for over one million waterbirds annually (Page et al. 1999, Warnock et al. 2002). These wetlands consist largely of tidal marshes and open water ponds.

Estuaries are among the most dynamic, complex, and biologically productive ecosystems in the world (Alongi 1998, Good 1999). Yet, they are also extremely vulnerable to human disturbance (Kennish 2002, Lotze et al. 2006).

This report serves as a data summary and preliminary, coarse-scale assessment of waterbird and water quality monitoring efforts at Coyote Hills, Dumbarton, and Mowry salt pond complexes in the South San Francisco Bay.

In 2011, we recorded Snowy Plover numbers, site use, nest success, fledging success, use of habitat enhancement project sites, species of nest predators and avian predator numbers throughout the Snowy Plover breeding season.

In 2010, we recorded Snowy Plover numbers, site use, nest success, fledging success, use of habitat enhancement project sites, species of nest predators and avian predator numbers throughout the Snowy Plover breeding season.

We surveyed on 22 salt ponds in the Coyote Hills, Dumbarton, and Mowry salt pond complexes from October 2009 – November 2010. During the surveys, we recorded the number of birds, species and behaviors. We also recorded the birds’ locations within the ponds, using a 250m X 250m grid system.