Golden Gate Audubon Society

The Bay Area has a rich diversity of wildlife. Millions of birds rest, feed, or overwinter here along their migratory route. Among them are the raptors that fly over the Golden Gate, songbirds that rely upon our wildlands, parks, and backyards, and shorebirds and waterfowl that depend on the San Francisco Bay’s shorelines and tidal wetlands. Countless other birds and wildlife species rely year-round on our native habitats.

Increasing human activity and development pressures put our wildlife and their natural territories ever more at risk. Golden Gate Audubon plays a critical role in preserving key habitats in the Bay Area. Working with our volunteer Conservation Committees, we restore habitats, advocate to conserve wildlife areas, and encourage Bay Area residents to get involved in protecting our local birds and wildlife.

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  Make the City Safe for Wildlife

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  Wetlands and Wildlands

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  Birds at Risk

Join Golden Gate Audubon and environmentally conscious businesses in turning off unnecessary lights during the fall migration.  Please pull shades, blinds or curtains if lights are needed.  This small act saves natural resources, money and potentially birds.

Golden Gate Audubon is a member of the Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) and works closely with the International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC) in Cordelia, CA to prepare for oil spill emergencies in San Francisco Bay.

GGA’s experience surveying and documenting oiled birds and assisting local agencies during the Bay Area’s major 2007 Cosco Busan spill led us to become an OWCN member. Staff and volunteers completed important instruction including certification and we developed an emergency plan which was implemented during the 2009 Dubai Star oil spill. These local oil spill events served as invaluable training and preparation for regional and national oil spills and their impacts on birds and wildlife.

IBRRC and National Audubon are wildlife responders on-site in the Gulf of Mexico at the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (Audubon alone has mobilized 20,000 oil spill volunteers). And Golden Gate Audubon’s trained staff & volunteers are on-call to respond in the Gulf of Mexico if needed.

Please make a charitable donation to Golden Gate Audubon today. Your gift supports all of GGA’s programs, including staff and volunteers on alert to respond to the current national tragedy and those who are preparing for future oil emergencies here in San Francisco Bay.

Update on the Beach Chalet Soccer Fields project:

On April 30, 2010 the San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department announced that they will perform an Environmental Impact Report for the Beach Chalet Soccer Fields project. 

Read the article from the San Francisco Chronicle here

Read Golden Gate Audubon’s press release here

Please continue to stay informed and comment on the EIR scoping process. Golden Gate Audubon and other groups will ask for a scoping hearing, at which the focus of the EIR will be discussed and determined.  Your letters can be a part of this process..

We will continue to keep you informed.

Below is a summary of the background:

On April 28, 2010 Golden Gate Audubon and 14 other community and environmental groups joined in filing an appeal to the categorical exemption of the Beach Chalet soccer fields renovation.   While the San Francisco Planning Department claimed a categorical exemption under classes 1, 3 and 4 of the CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act) we are challenging this exemption.  These exemptions are for minor projects with no impact to the environment for existing facitlities, new construction and conversions of small structures, and minor alterations to land because these projects have no significant environmental impact.
Despite strong opposition from the environmental community, the historic preservation community, neighborhood groups, and many individuals, the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission approved the Beach Chalet Soccer Fields project on April 15th, 2010.  Testimony submitted included statements by over 35 opponents,  200 personal letters, the concerns of 80 neighborhood groups and organizations and petitions from over 1,400 individuals questioning this project.
 
This project will have a significant adverse impact on Golden Gate Park and Ocean Beach from the standpoint of the environment, the historic character of the Park, the sports field lighting on 60 foot poles, the plastic grass, the introduction of paving into parkland, the expansion of the parking lot, the increase in traffic into the park and at Ocean Beach, the damage to the windbreak that protects the park, and so many other issues.  An EIR is vital to explore the adverse impacts on this parkland, evaluate them, and propose mitigations or alternatives.  

The Planning Department issued a categorical exemption for the Beach Chalet Soccer Fields project. That means that they determined that the following would not have a substantial adverse impact on the environment or on Golden Gate Park:
·         loss of 6 acres of natural grass and topsoil
·         installation of 6 acres of artificial turf  = gravel, plastic carpet, old tires
·         60 foot tall stadium lighting spread over four fields
·         16 foot tall fencing
·         new sidewalks through and all around the fields and up to the parking lot
·         a 25% larger parking lot
·         more traffic in the park; less parking at Ocean Beach
·         15 foot lights on all the paths around the field and in the parking lot
·         lighting to be on from before sunset until 10:00 p.m. at night EVERY NIGHT OF THE YEAR
·         loss of over 58 trees and many more shrubs
·         loss of habitat for birds, butterflies, and other wildlife
·         located next to a new native plant area, which was meant to attract wildlife
·         runs contrary to the Golden Gate Park Master Plan
·         runs contrary to the National Register of Historic Places
·         destroys the historic character of the western end of Golden Gate Park
·         destroy views of the windmills, the Beach Chalet, and the Millwright’s house
·         excludes use as parkland by everyone else – dogwalkers, kite flyers, bird watchers, amateur astronomers, and people out for a walk.

We disagree!

The Golden Gate Audubon Society, Sierra Club, California  Preservation Foundation, Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods, Coalition to Save Ocean Beach, Friends of Lands End, Friends of Sutro Heights Park, Golden Gate Park Preservation Alliance, In Defense of Animals, Richmond Community Association, San Francisco Tomorrow, SF Ocean Edge, Save the Stow Lake Boathouse Coalition, Sunset Parkside Education and Action Committee (SPEAK) and the Sunset District Neighborhood Coalition appealed the Planning Department’s decision to deny an EIR, to the Board of Supervisors. 

Please write letters to the Board of Supervisors and to the Mayor, asking for an EIR.  Copy us on your letters.

Read more here…

Observers recorded 138,155 birds comprised of 93 species using the mudflats and wetlands along the Shoreline. The most common waterfowl were scaup (with significantly more Greater Scaup than Lesser Scaup). The most common shorebirds were small sandpipers (Western and Least Sandpipers) and Willets. Western Gulls were the most common gull species. Data indicate that birds use different parts of the Shoreline during different tides and seasons, particularly waterfowl and shorebirds, indicating a need to protect and restore a diverse mosaic of habitats to be used by birds and other wildlife.

Click here to read this newly released North Richmond Shoreline report.

We are asking participants to turn off building lights during the bird migration (February through May and August though November each year). “Participants in the Lights Out for Birds program can save natural resources, money, and birds by turning off lighting after dusk each evening and leaving lights off until dawn,” said Mike Lynes, Conservation Director for Golden Gate Audubon. “Over 250 species of birds migrate through San Francisco Bay in the spring and fall, and many that migrate at night can become confused by the City’s lights and collide with tall buildings and towers. The Lights Out for Birds program can reduce bird deaths while cutting energy costs and saving participants thousands of dollars each year.”

Collisions kill hundreds of millions of birds each year. The North American Bird Conservation Initiative—a joint effort of federal agencies and non-profit conservation organizations—released the “2010 State of the Birds” in which it reported that the majority of migratory birds in North America are suffering significant population declines due to human-induced causes, including habitat loss and collisions.

Effective Lights Out programs can help stem these population declines. Participants in the Lights Out for Birds program also gain significant financial benefits. Building operators and tenants have reported significant savings on energy bills as a result of participation—one business in Toronto reported a savings of $200,000 in 2006. Mayor Gavin Newsom announced energy efficient retrofit funding for 2,000 small to mid-sized businesses and 500 homes. By installing timers or motion detectors and turning off unnecessary lights, building owners and operators can significantly reduce their energy bill. Reduced energy consumption decreases overall greenhouse gas emissions, which is essential in the effort to combat climate change.

San Francisco was one of the first cities to implement a Lights Out program in 2008. Now over 21 cities in the US and Canada have a Lights Out program. Conservationists hope that the program extends to every major city in North America, to save birds, energy and money. Building owners, managers and tenants that are interested in participating should contact the San Francisco Department of the Environment or a PG&E representative to learn about how to participate in this program. For more information about local bird populations and how to help, contact us at 650-843-6551.

Earth Hour

 Thank you for participating on March 27, 2010.

Join Us

Here is a flyer to print and post : click here

Golden Gate Audubon is deeply concerned about the shooting of at least 60 birds near the Oakland Airport on December 23, 2009.  Current reports state that several thousand birds were directly in line with one of the airport’s runways, likely because of a high concentration of fish, and that the birds were unresponsive to the non-lethal “hazing” techniques that normally disperse 90-95% of the birds.  While we understand that human safety is paramount and that some birds do pose risks to aircraft, we are discussing the matter with airport officials, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, the Port of Oakland, and the California Dept. of Fish & Game to determine whether all available non-lethal means were attempted before the birds were killed.  We also hope to work with these agencies to reduce the likelihood that similar lethal measures will be necessary in the future.

More than 200 avid Bay Area birders will fan out over San Francisco to count all the birds they see in a single day.

San Francisco, CA. — On December 29, from before dawn until dusk, hundreds of hardy birders will trek through parks, neighborhoods, wetlands, and woods to count birds.

WHAT: 2009 Christmas Bird Count (CBC)

WHERE: San Francisco

WHEN: Tuesday, December 29

WHY: To provide insight into the past and present status and health of our bird populations and the general health of our environment, as well as being a social, sporting, and competitive event.

MEDIA CONTACT: Dan Murphy, 415.564.0074

SPONSORS: San Francisco – Golden Gate Audubon and Presidio Trust

Some will venture onto the bay in kayaks and boats. Others will traverse city streets, cross remote streams and creeks, and skirt reservoirs and bay mudflats, with their binoculars and scopes trained on trees, bushes, buildings, wires, poles, land, water, and sky. They will call out the names and numbers of birds they see at every site and carefully record them. Then the count participants will gather at the end of the day over dinner to tally their results and share stories of their day in the field.

“For Bay Area birders, these two Christmas counts are an integral part of the holiday season,” says Oakland co-organizer Dave Quady. “A great day of birding, then a fine compilation dinner, friends sharing adventures in the field, then telling stories of rare birds over dessert – what could be finer?”

Coordinated by the National Audubon Society, nearly 60,000 people participated in more than 2,100 counts on three continents last year, the 109^th year of Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs). Each count attempts to identify and record every individual bird encountered within a defined 15-mile-diameter circle — about 177 square miles — during one calendar day. Golden Gate Audubon sponsors the Oakland count and co-sponsors the San Francisco counts with the Presidio Trust.  Both counts finished among the top 31 in North America in numbers of species found, with 172 or more species in each. Oakland attracted 189 field observers, the fourth-highest number worldwide; San Francisco’s 117 bird counters placed it among the 18 highest in the world.

“Christmas Bird Counts combine many of the things Golden Gate Audubon stands for,” says Executive Director Mark Welther. “It’s a fine day where everyday bird-watchers become citizen scientists, contributing data that helps everyone understand Bay Area birdlife and its habitat a little better, capped off with a wonderful dinner.”

Location Details

The San Francisco CBC circle extends from the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge to San Bruno Avenue in San Bruno.  The teams cover the wetlands just north of the San Francisco International Airport, arcing west to Sharp Park and north to include the parks, open space, and neighborhoods of the north peninsula.

Christmas Bird Count History

Christmas Bird Counts began in the northeast United States on December 25, 1900, when 27 bird-watcher/conservationists in 25 localities, led by scientist Frank Chapman, changed the course of ornithological history.  On that day, they created an alternative to the “side hunt,” a long-standing Christmas day activity in which teams competed to see who could shoot the most birds and small mammals.  Instead of hunting, Chapman was determined to identify, count, and record all the birds they saw, thus founding a conservation effort that has grown exponentially over the last 109 years.  Locally, Christmas Bird Counts have been conducted most years in San Francisco since the first in 1915 and in Oakland since 1938.

The data collected at each count are sent to the National Audubon Society. CBC results from 1900 to the present are available to all at www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/hr/.  Generated entirely by volunteers, these data are a crucial part of this country’s natural history monitoring database.  For over a century, the Christmas Bird Count has provided valuable insight into the past and present status and health of our bird populations and the general health of our environment, as well as being a social, sporting, and competitive event.

About Golden Gate Audubon

Golden Gate Audubon has been dedicated to protecting Bay Area birds, other wildlife, and their natural habitat since 1917. We conserve and restore wildlife habitat, connect people of all ages and backgrounds with the natural world, and educate and engage Bay Area residents in the protection of our shared, local environment.

About the Presidio Trust

The Presidio Trust was established by the United States Congress in 1996 to administer the Presidio of San Francisco, an urban national park located at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge. The areas under management include expansive open space and spectacular views, a 300-acre historic forest, and rare and endangered plants and wildlife. The Presidio Trust’s mission is to preserve and enhance the Presidio as an enduring resource for the American public.

Contact and for more information:

Dan Murphy (San Francisco count): murphsf@yahoo.com, 415.564.0074 (home) or 415.342.7306 (cell)

Mark Welther, Executive Director: markwelther@goldengateaudubon.org, 510.843.2222

Golden Gate Audubon supports the restoration of the wetland habitat at Sharp Park.

Sharp Park should be converted to a wetland park to preserve habitat for the two protected species (the San Francisco Garter Snake is state and federally listed as endangered and the Red-legged Frog is federally listed as threatened).  Current golf course operations including mowing and water management practices threaten these species at Sharp Park. 

On November 6, 2009 SF Recreation & Park’s Department released a report with three alternatives for the future of Sharp Park.  The General Manager of SF Recreation & Parks Department recommended the all golf alternative which provides the least habitat for the endangered and threatened species.  The report did not contain a schedule or complete budget to restore Sharp Park habitat for the California Red-legged Frog and SF Garter Snake.  The report did not consider transferring the property to or developing a joint management agreement with the Golden Gate National Recreation Area . 

The National Park Service has experience managing threatened and endangered species. This is a great opportunity for the public to experience the area while providing a wildlife corridor with the adjacent Mori Point for the threatened species and other wildlife.  Mori Point is managed by the National Park Service.

Continuing the Sharp Park golf course does not make financial sense for these reasons: 

  *Between 2007 and 2012 San Francisco Recreation & Parks Department’s internal financial analysis projects a minimum $2million loss at Sharp Park (Kamalanthan, 2007)

  *A $5million SF Public Utilities Commission project to convert up to 50 million gallons of water to irrigate the golf course using recycled water is on hold pending a City report about Sharp Park.  If the golf course is converted to a wetland park, then this project will be unnecessary and funds can be used elsewhere.  

  *The 2008 San Francisco Golf Course Task Force recommended private fundraising to invest $12-14million for golf course improvements to Sharp Park.  Rounds of golf played have dropped 40% at Sharp Park since 2000.

  *Continuing the golf course at Sharp Park will require San Francisco to pay an estimated $32million to improve the seawall (Battalio).  If the golf course is closed and the park is restored to the natural dune and wetland habitat, then a much smaller seawall project would be needed.

Please contact Mayor Newsom and your supervisor to let them know that you support the restoration of the wetland at Sharp Park.  Ask that they let you know their position on the future of Sharp Park.   Send of a copy of this letter to us.  Thank You!

For more information see Restore Sharp Park

Mayor Gavin Newsom (415) 554-6141- Voice
Email: gavin.newsom@sfgov.org

Eric Mar, District 1                                        Michela Alioto-Pier, District 2
(415) 554-7410 – Voice                              (415) 554-7752 – Voice
Eric.L.Mar@sfgov.org                                  Michela.Alioto-Pier@sfgov.org

David Chiu – Board President, District 3    Carmen Chu, District 4
(415) 554-7450 – Voice                              (415) 554-7460 – Voice
David.Chiu@sfgov.org                                 Carmen.Chu@sfgov.org

Ross Mirkarimi, District 5                            Chris Daly, District 6
(415) 554-7630 – Voice                              (415) 554-7970 – Voice
Ross.Mirkarimi@sfgov.org                          Chris.Daly@sfgov.org

Sean Elsbernd, District 7                             Bevan Dufty, District 8
(415) 554-6516 – Voice                              (415) 554-6968 – Voice
Sean.Elsbernd@sfgov.org                          Bevan.Dufty@sfgov.org

David Campos, District 9                            Sophie Maxwell, District 10
(415) 554-5144 – Voice                              (415) 554-7670 – Voice
David.Campos@sfgov.org                          Sophie.Maxwell@sfgov.org

John Avalos, District 11                             ggas@goldengateaudubon.org
(415) 554-6975 – Voice
John.Avalos@sfgov.org

The recent GGA docent training for Burrowing Owls at Cesar Chavez Park had a special guest star, and garnered this story on Channel 2 News