Wingbeat Blog

​One of my favorite aspects of working with SFBBO has been community involvement. Over the past six months, I have had the opportunity to help lead corporate volunteer events with Intuitive Surgical, Cisco, and Electronic Arts.

​It is truly powerful having people from different backgrounds and professions coming together to make a difference. With the continuing rise in sea level, it is now more important than ever to protect tidal marshes. Tidal marshes not only provide habitat for wildlife, but also act as refuge for sensitive species at high tide and protect …

“I’m officially a bird now!” a 6th grader said, pointing to the new “bird band” made of pipe cleaner and numbered beads on her ankle.
 
Another middle schooler laughed, “I’m trying to measure him, but he won’t stop dabbing!”
 
They and around 60 of their classmates were visiting SFBBO’s Coyote Creek Field Station in May. They’d arrived in a yellow bus at 8:00 a.m., early enough to see bird species they had learned about in class. The kids were separated into three groups. I led the station where …

By Executive Director Yiwei Wang 

​Last month, we had over 250 6th grade students from Windmill Springs Elementary School and Sheppard Middle School visit our banding station near Coyote Creek. If you watch this video, you can sense and hear the excitement as students see bushtits for the first time or learn about the science behind bird banding, only miles away from where they go to school. These field trips for local students are some of our newest educational initiatives, and SFBBO is excited to continue bringing our science to local communities, but we need your help to …

​Last month, we had over 250 6th grade students from Windmill Springs Elementary School and Sheppard Middle School visit our banding station near Coyote Creek.

If you watch this video, you can sense and hear the excitement as students see bushtits for the first time or learn about the science behind bird banding, only miles away from where they go to school. These field trips for local students are some of our newest educational initiatives, and SFBBO is excited to continue bringing our science to local communities, but we need your help to …

By Guest Blogger Jackie Vargo

I’ve been a citizen scientist for SFBBO’s Colonial Waterbird Program since 2014 and monitor a colony of Great Blue Herons that nest at Coyote Ranch Road in San Jose. Over the past four years I’ve noticed that weather has impacted my colony, but I am happy to report that this year my Great Blues are on the rise! ​ In 2013, there had only been  4 nests, 3 adults, and 3 young in the Fremont Cottonwoods where they liked to nest. The year I started volunteering I observed that the small canyon below the land where Fremont Cottonwoods stood was mostly dry, ​as was much of the …

I’ve been a citizen scientist for SFBBO’s Colonial Waterbird Program since 2014 and monitor a colony of Great Blue Herons that nest at Coyote Ranch Road in San Jose. Over the past four years I’ve noticed that weather has impacted my colony, but I am happy to report that this year my Great Blues are on the rise!
​
In 2013, there had only been  4 nests, 3 adults, and 3 young in the Fremont Cottonwoods where they liked to nest. The year I started volunteering I observed that the small canyon below the land where Fremont Cottonwoods stood was mostly dry, ​as was much of the …

​I’ve always had a penchant for spotting birds in the wild. But for years the number of times I’d spotted a “life bird” (a fancy way of saying a new bird species sighting I can’t wait to boast about) were few and far between. So I started to piggyback with other hobbyist birders to learn more about the birds around us and with their help I got better at striking more birds from my “lifers” list.

I’d thought I’d seen it all until I joined an SFBBO bird walk led by birder Chris Johnson on a Sunday morning earlier this month ​at Ulistac Natural Area in Santa Clara. Interestingly, Chris’s …

By Science Outreach Intern Kyle Wong

​During my time interning at SFFBO so far, our Family Science Nights have rapidly become one my favorite programs! Last month, we had a blast at the Family Science Night at Forest Hill Elementary in San Jose. We brought three interactive stations to the multi-purpose room on May 21st that challenged both the kids’ and their parents’ analytical and artistic skills. ​At the event one of our volunteers, former SFBBO biologist Emily Moffitt, and I facilitated the Snowy Plover activity table. First, we united the …

​During my time interning at SFFBO so far, our Family Science Nights have rapidly become one my favorite programs! Last month, we had a blast at the Family Science Night at Forest Hill Elementary in San Jose.

We brought three interactive stations to the multi-purpose room on May 21st that challenged both the kids’ and their parents’ analytical and artistic skills.

​At the event one of our volunteers, former SFBBO biologist Emily Moffitt, and I facilitated the Snowy Plover activity table. First, we united the …

​​In our new blog you will find interesting and inspiring stories about our work to conserve birds and their habitats through science and outreach.

Whether it’s information about our latest scientific discovery, a story about our wonderful volunteers, an invitation to an upcoming event, or a call to action for bird conservation, Wingbeat will engage readers in our mission. Many of our blog articles will be penned by our science and …