GGAS

Bald Eagles at Corica Park Golf Course

Bald Eagles are nesting at Corica Park golf course in Alameda, and we couldn’t be more excited about it! Bald Eagles, a symbol of our nation, were once rare in most parts of the US, including in the San Francisco Bay Area, due to pesticides, habitat destruction and hunting. Fortunately, they have made a tremendous comeback through environmental protections including the banning of DDT. In recent years we have seen Bald Eagle nests in the Bay Area in Milpitas and at Del Valle Regional Park near Livermore. Now a pair are building a nest in Alameda in the midst of our dense urban Bay Area.

Bald Eagle building nest by Rick Lewis

While Bald Eagle populations are expanding, these birds still need the support of conservation efforts, and continue to be protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act. As of January 2023, the Alameda eagles have not yet seemed upset by activity on the ground near the nest but precautions are needed through their nesting period.

As of January 2023, the Bald Eagle pair in Alameda has built two nests, both towards the top of large trees, one on the North Course and one on the South Course. A pair building more than one nest is not uncommon, but they are expected to lay and tend young only in one of the nests. They may switch between alternate nests in different years.

 

Bald Eagles at Corica Park by Rick Lewis

We currently have monitors out at the nesting site on a regular basis. For more information on the Bald Eagles at Corica please contact Golden Gate Audubon’s Friends of Alameda Wildlife Reserve (FAWR) at fawr@goldengateaudubon.org

Guidelines to Keep the Bald Eagles Safe and Happy

No unauthorized admittance to the golf course. Do not enter the golf course for photography or bird watching unless specifically authorized. Learn where you can see the eagles from outside the course here. We expect to offer limited public guided walks; check back later for information.

● If an eagle is on the ground (perhaps seeking nesting material or food), do not move any closer to it.
● If there are barriers in the area of the nesting trees, respect the barriers and do not enter the restricted area.
● Do not attempt to climb a nest tree.
● Do not attempt to lure the birds with food or other attractants.…

Introduce young people to the wonder of birds and nature as a volunteer with our Eco-Education program!

We’re holding a training session on Wednesday, August 25 in preparation for the 2021-22 school year. Under the leadership of our Youth Education Manager Clay Anderson, accompany elementary school classes on field trips in San Francisco, Oakland, or Richmond.

Eco-Ed volunteer and students from 2019, before the Covid pandemic. Photo by Katherine briccetti.

This is a great volunteer opportunity if you need a flexible schedule because of travel or work. What’s needed: Commit to accompany at least one field trip each month between October-December and March-May. Choose days and locations that work for your schedule; trips last from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

You do NOT need to be an expert birder. You DO need a love of nature, a willingness to get down in the dirt helping kids plant native plants, and an ability to talk with them on a very basic level about pollution in our natural environment.

For details, email Clay at canderson@goldengateaudubon.org. If you’re unable to attend the training on August 25, we can arrange for you to get trained by shadowing an experienced volunteer on a field trip during the year.

Marissa Ortega-Welch with Eco-Ed students / Photo by Pipi Ray Diamond Eco-Ed students at Point Pinole / Photo by Eva Guralnick…