Grebes, Cormorants and Terns, Oh My!

Talk by Carmen Minch at the Mountain View Public Library. Birds of SF Bay NWR.

Come learn about a few of the 227 species of birds you can find at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.

About the Refuge

The Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge is truly an "wildlife island in an urban sea." Sprawled over 30,000 acres in 3 counties and nine cities, the nation's first National Wildlife Refuge provides habitat for migratory birds, endangered species, and other wildlife.

It is home to the endangered Ridgway's Rail and Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse. Common birds sited on the refuge are egrets, red-tailed hawks, mallards, teals, and grebes. It is currently involved with the largest tidal wetland restoration west of the Mississippi River.

The refuge offers wildlife-oriented recreational activities including free weekend programs at two locations, environmental education, and special events throughout the year. More than 30 miles of hiking and bicycling trails are scattered throughout the east and south bay offering ample opportunities for wildlife viewing.

Come visit the Visitor Center at 1 Marshlands Rd. Fremont or the Environmental Education Center in Alviso for more information. Fremont Phone: 510-792-0222 ext. 363. Alviso Phone: 408-262-5513.

About the presenter

Carmen Minch has been the San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge Complex's Outdoor Recreation Planner for over 15 years. She graduated from Humboldt State University with a Wildlife Management degree and has worked at various National Wildlife Refuges in the west including Humboldt Bay NWR, Julia Butler Hansen NWR for the Columbian White-tailed Deer, Klamath Basin NWR Complex, and Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR Complex. She is a Bay Area native and enjoys planning events that motivate people to get outdoors and learn about the environment.

Fall and winter are the best seasons to birdwatch at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Photograph courtesy Cecilia Craig. Copyright Creative Commons CC BY-SA 3.0.

Fall and winter are the best seasons to birdwatch at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Photograph courtesy Cecilia Craig. Copyright Creative Commons CC BY-SA 3.0.