top of page
Search

SF Bay Shoreline Bird Art Series

  • Writer: Aiden Chen
    Aiden Chen
  • Aug 24
  • 5 min read

The Sierra Club's Bay Alive campaign, as part of the broader CA 30x30 campaign to conserve 30% of California's lands and waters by 2030, is a campaign to protect the ecologically important San Francisco Bay wetlands and associated habitats as well as the human communities living around the bay.

As part of Bay Alive, I have helped make artworks of some of the many different bird species that rely on the SF Bay. Below are the pieces published in the Sierra Club Loma Prieta chapter's monthly newsletter.

Burrowing Owls - Burrowing owl nests are underground and face flooding from sea level rise. Compounded with increasing urban development, burrowing owls’ habitats along the bay are rapidly declining. To conserve and save these birds, the Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns promote the use of Nature Based Solutions to protect the San Francisco Bay wetlands, associated habitats, and human communities from sea level rise. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive webpage: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive.
Burrowing Owls - Burrowing owl nests are underground and face flooding from sea level rise. Compounded with increasing urban development, burrowing owls’ habitats along the bay are rapidly declining. To conserve and save these birds, the Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns promote the use of Nature Based Solutions to protect the San Francisco Bay wetlands, associated habitats, and human communities from sea level rise. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive webpage: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive.
Black Skimmer - Nests made by skimmers are on beaches and are vulnerable to flooding from sea level rise. Areas that skimmers settle in tend to also be frequented by humans, who trample and destroy nests. To conserve and save these birds, the Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns promote the use of Nature Based Solutions to protect the San Francisco Bay wetlands, associated habitats, and human communities from sea level rise. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive webpage: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive.
Black Skimmer - Nests made by skimmers are on beaches and are vulnerable to flooding from sea level rise. Areas that skimmers settle in tend to also be frequented by humans, who trample and destroy nests. To conserve and save these birds, the Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns promote the use of Nature Based Solutions to protect the San Francisco Bay wetlands, associated habitats, and human communities from sea level rise. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive webpage: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive.
Ridgway's Rail - The ridgway rail depends significantly on marsh habitats for survival. With the flooding of these marshes from sea level rise, the rails are pushed out from safety and face increased vulnerability to predators, which are the direct leading cause of mortality for the ridgway’s rail. To conserve and save these birds, the Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns promote the use of Nature Based Solutions to protect the San Francisco Bay wetlands, associated habitats, and human communities from sea level rise. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive webpage: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive.
Ridgway's Rail - The ridgway rail depends significantly on marsh habitats for survival. With the flooding of these marshes from sea level rise, the rails are pushed out from safety and face increased vulnerability to predators, which are the direct leading cause of mortality for the ridgway’s rail. To conserve and save these birds, the Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns promote the use of Nature Based Solutions to protect the San Francisco Bay wetlands, associated habitats, and human communities from sea level rise. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive webpage: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive.
Western Snowy Plover - The Western Snowy Plover is a threatened shorebird species with populations that nest on the beaches of California’s Pacific Coast. Because they rely on safe beaches, increased disturbances by humans and human-introduced predators have done increasing damage to their populations. With sea level rise encroaching on beaches as well, Snowy Plovers come into even further contact with disruptions to their nesting. As a result, Snowy Plovers have also taken up salt flats as alternative nesting sites. To conserve and save these birds, the Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns promote the use of Nature Based Solutions to protect the San Francisco Bay wetlands, associated habitats, and human communities from sea level rise. Some salt flats, such as the salt pond along the Bayfront Expressway in Menlo Park, are also managed to maintain their habitability. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive webpage: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive.
Western Snowy Plover - The Western Snowy Plover is a threatened shorebird species with populations that nest on the beaches of California’s Pacific Coast. Because they rely on safe beaches, increased disturbances by humans and human-introduced predators have done increasing damage to their populations. With sea level rise encroaching on beaches as well, Snowy Plovers come into even further contact with disruptions to their nesting. As a result, Snowy Plovers have also taken up salt flats as alternative nesting sites. To conserve and save these birds, the Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns promote the use of Nature Based Solutions to protect the San Francisco Bay wetlands, associated habitats, and human communities from sea level rise. Some salt flats, such as the salt pond along the Bayfront Expressway in Menlo Park, are also managed to maintain their habitability. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive webpage: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive.
California Least Tern - The California Least Terns are an endangered migratory seabird species that nest in colonies on the ground along parts of the coast of California. They rely heavily on open, sandy dune habitats both for nesting and for the anchovies and smelt in nearby waters for food. Increasing human disturbances, like development and beachgoers, along with other sources of habitat loss, like sea level rise, forces the terns to nest in urban environments and in concentrated areas so that access to food would be preserved. This, in turn, makes them very vulnerable to predation by threats ranging from feral cats to crows to raccoons. An example would be the tarmac at the closed Alameda Naval Air Station, which supports a successful colony but must be managed annually by the USFWS and its volunteers to limit urban predators. To protect and save these birds, the Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns promote nature based solutions to protect the San Francisco Bay from sea level rise and to conserve wetlands and associated habitats. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive webpage: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive.
California Least Tern - The California Least Terns are an endangered migratory seabird species that nest in colonies on the ground along parts of the coast of California. They rely heavily on open, sandy dune habitats both for nesting and for the anchovies and smelt in nearby waters for food. Increasing human disturbances, like development and beachgoers, along with other sources of habitat loss, like sea level rise, forces the terns to nest in urban environments and in concentrated areas so that access to food would be preserved. This, in turn, makes them very vulnerable to predation by threats ranging from feral cats to crows to raccoons. An example would be the tarmac at the closed Alameda Naval Air Station, which supports a successful colony but must be managed annually by the USFWS and its volunteers to limit urban predators. To protect and save these birds, the Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns promote nature based solutions to protect the San Francisco Bay from sea level rise and to conserve wetlands and associated habitats. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive webpage: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive.
California Brown Pelican - Shown in the animation above is the California Brown Pelican exhibiting a behavior of flipping a fish so that the spines don’t snag on its pouch as it gets swallowed. The California Brown Pelican is a seabird that lives off the California Coast with a remarkable conservation history. Like the Bald Eagle, it too suffered from DDT pollution. However, it too made a massive comeback, eventually being removed from the Endangered species list while retaining monitoring and some protections. Although their populations are much healthier now, these pelicans still face dangers from other types of pollution and to the variability of fish populations they rely on. In addition, sensitivity to human activity means encroachment and development are once again threats that must be considered as well. To ensure continued prosperity for Brown Pelicans, the Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns promote nature based solutions to protect the San Francisco Bay from sea level rise and to conserve wetlands and associated habitats. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive webpage: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive.
California Brown Pelican - Shown in the animation above is the California Brown Pelican exhibiting a behavior of flipping a fish so that the spines don’t snag on its pouch as it gets swallowed. The California Brown Pelican is a seabird that lives off the California Coast with a remarkable conservation history. Like the Bald Eagle, it too suffered from DDT pollution. However, it too made a massive comeback, eventually being removed from the Endangered species list while retaining monitoring and some protections. Although their populations are much healthier now, these pelicans still face dangers from other types of pollution and to the variability of fish populations they rely on. In addition, sensitivity to human activity means encroachment and development are once again threats that must be considered as well. To ensure continued prosperity for Brown Pelicans, the Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns promote nature based solutions to protect the San Francisco Bay from sea level rise and to conserve wetlands and associated habitats. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive webpage: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive.
Marbled Murrelet - The Marbled Murrelet is a threatened seabird species that lives off the western coast of the US. They, like the typical seabird, feed from the ocean, but where they begin to differ is their unique behavior of nesting high up on the branches of trees in mature and old growth forests. However, extensive logging and development have destroyed vast areas of their nesting grounds. Such destruction also means fragmentation of forests, increasing their exposure to predators. In addition, their shoreline feeding behavior makes them reliant on the health of oceans. To help protect these birds, the Sierra Club’s Loma Prieta chapter advocates for sustainable forestry practices to conserve vital nesting grounds. The Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns also protect oceans by promoting nature based solutions to conserve wetlands and associated habitats. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive and California Natural Resources Agency webpages: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive.
Marbled Murrelet - The Marbled Murrelet is a threatened seabird species that lives off the western coast of the US. They, like the typical seabird, feed from the ocean, but where they begin to differ is their unique behavior of nesting high up on the branches of trees in mature and old growth forests. However, extensive logging and development have destroyed vast areas of their nesting grounds. Such destruction also means fragmentation of forests, increasing their exposure to predators. In addition, their shoreline feeding behavior makes them reliant on the health of oceans. To help protect these birds, the Sierra Club’s Loma Prieta chapter advocates for sustainable forestry practices to conserve vital nesting grounds. The Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns also protect oceans by promoting nature based solutions to conserve wetlands and associated habitats. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive and California Natural Resources Agency webpages: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive.
Willet - Shown above is the Willet exhibiting the phenomena of male birds watching the nest at night instead of females. Willets are a shorebird species with two distinct populations: the Western Willets, inland breeders that winter on coasts, and Eastern Willets, coastal breeders that winter in the south of the US. The Western Willet population is forecasted by California Audubon to lose 70% of its wintering range by 2080. Willets have lost native grassland to agricultural conversion while also losing coastal wintering sites and wetlands to urban development and sea level rise. To help protect these birds, the Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns promote nature based solutions to protect the San Francisco Bay from sea level rise and to conserve wetlands and associated habitats. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive and California Natural Resources Agency webpages: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive. https://www.californianature.ca.gov/
Willet - Shown above is the Willet exhibiting the phenomena of male birds watching the nest at night instead of females. Willets are a shorebird species with two distinct populations: the Western Willets, inland breeders that winter on coasts, and Eastern Willets, coastal breeders that winter in the south of the US. The Western Willet population is forecasted by California Audubon to lose 70% of its wintering range by 2080. Willets have lost native grassland to agricultural conversion while also losing coastal wintering sites and wetlands to urban development and sea level rise. To help protect these birds, the Sierra Club’s 3 chapter Bay Alive and 30x30 campaigns promote nature based solutions to protect the San Francisco Bay from sea level rise and to conserve wetlands and associated habitats. The 30x30 campaign works to conserve 30% of California’s lands and waters by 2030. To learn more, visit the Bay Alive and California Natural Resources Agency webpages: https://www.sierraclub.org/sf-bay-alive. https://www.californianature.ca.gov/

 
 
 

Comments

Copyright © 2023 by  Aiden M. Chen - All rights reserved

bottom of page