According to the San Francisco Chronicle, yesterday’s oil spill may have been larger than originally estimated, but still not nearly as large as the Cosco Busan spill two years ago. Apparently, the mayor’s office and other officials are estimating that as much as 1,000 gallons of bunker fuel may have spilled into the bay, quite a [...]

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What if someone committed to sketching one bird a day and putting in online? It might look something like this. Share on Facebook

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While today’s spill appears to be relatively small (at this point), officials are saying that it’s unlikely that no birds will be affected. Then there’s this, from the latest coverage in the Chronicle: Lt. Rob Roberts, of the Department of Fish and Game, said state officials had found no evidence of oil on birds or [...]

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Still not a lot of information about today’s oil spill in San Francisco Bay, but we do have some. Preliminary estimates are that less than 100 gallons of bunker oil escaped into the water. Bear in mind, that’s VERY preliminary. No one claims to know for sure. What we do know for sure is that [...]

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We’re not sure how big this morning’s spill is at this point — in fact, no one seems to know. But we’re following it closely. We all remember the Cosco Busan spill and the horrible impact it had on Bay birds. Share on Facebook

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By working together, Audubon California and several Southern California chapters and members may have successfully ensured that the interests of seabirds will be taken into consideration during deliberations on the creation of marine protected areas from Point Conception to the border with Mexico. Last week, Audubon presented a coordinated position before a key Blue Ribbon [...]

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That’s today’s headline from the Capitol Weekly, a publication that supposedly has the inside track on doings in Sacramento. It’s a little more optimistic than the Los Angeles Times’ take on things. Our inside information tells us that there is a decent chance that lawmakers will pull off some kind of water legislation, but that [...]

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Audubon California staff at our Bobcat Ranch Sanctuary in Yolo County just completed a survey of Lewis’s Woodpecker, and counted a whopping 206 birds. They report at most seeing 10-12 at a time before this, so this qualifies as a huge irruption year. Share on Facebook

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Always amazing to hear about the travels of albatrosses, which makes this story particularly interesting. This is the first time that albatrosses bred in captivity have been tracked so far. Share on Facebook

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That’s the headline of today’s article in the Los Angeles Times describing the current state of talks to reform California troubled water infrastructure. While many of the big issues seem to be resolved, lawmakers are locked up on myriad details and regional issues. Just so you know, Audubon California is still involved, advocating for birds [...]

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This morning, the House Natural Resources Committee passed a bill reauthorizing the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act at significantly higher funding levels than previous years. The committee passed an amendment to HR 2213 that increases the funding level for the program from $6.5 million to $15 million by 2015. The Senate Environment and Public Works [...]

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A bunch of folks from Audubon California were out at the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge today watching work get started on our 250-acre project to restore and enhance wetland habitat. The area is part of the San Pablo Bay Wetlands Important Bird Area. We’ll be doing lots of stuff out there over the [...]

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Peter Fimrite at the San Francisco Chronicle takes a closer look at that promise to keep all State Parks open, despite massive budget cuts. He finds out that many parks are going to only be open on weekends, and nearly all will experience partial closures: The California State Parks won’t be closed, except during the [...]

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A joint report from the Ventana Wildlife Society and the Stanford Solar and Wind Energy Project says that smaller, community wind energy projects can be done in Monterey County without hurting the California Condor. The findings isolate a specific area — a stretch of the Salinas Valley between Gonzales and King City — that should [...]

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Just a reminder that voting is underway for Audubon California’s 2009 Bird of the Year. Cast your vote today: Share on Facebook

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