Bolinas Lagoon
November 29, 2023
(37.9210° N, 122.6800° W)
Elevation = ~ sea level
https://ebird.org/checklist/S155567608
Site Description:
Bolinas Lagoon is a beautiful estuary located in Marin County. Surrounded by trees and hills, it’s scenic and calming. The lagoon is about 1,100 acres in size and is bordered by the town of Bolinas, Highway 1, and Stinson Beach. When we went it was a low tide, so the water was at a level where we could walk in the marsh. It’s home to many birds, and is used as a place to rest and find food for migrating birds.
Species Account:
Willet (Tringa semipalmata)
I chose to write about the Willet as we saw over 100! Willets are shorebirds with long legs and thick straight bills. They’re about the size of a crow, and have a short tail. They have a brownish gray plumage, and bluish grey legs. They’re often seen probing the mud or ground in search of food such as insects. They’re shorebirds so their habitat is the shorelines, and they tend to nest on the ground near water, in grasslands. The males tend to build the nests. Their clutches tend be made up of 4 eggs, and the incubation period is typically 22-29 days. They tend to be found in North and South America, and are unfortunately declining in population size. I was sad to learn this as they are really cute birds and it’s always nice to see them near the shores.
Narrative:
The drive to Bolinas Lagoon was a little longer than usual, but it was really scenic and calming. I took a nap on the way to the Lagoon, which I enjoyed. Once we arrived we walked through a bunch of trees on a thin narrow path, which was a foreshadowing of what was to come as the trees were all dripping water and the ground was super wet. It was cool because there was a little creek nearby and we heard a frog croaking. Afterwards we made it to the lagoon, and I was shocked at how beautiful the view was. The water and surrounding marsh was such a beautiful site I had to take a minute to take it all in. We had to carefully walk towards the edge of the lagoon, making sure to not step in the water. Once we got to the edge we took our timing looking out for the birds, and just birding. In the distance we saw a prescribed fire being lit, which was interesting as I’ve never seen one before. Afterwards the water started rising so we made our way back towards the vans. Unfortunately me, Fiza, Tammy, and Rahul stepped into water and got our shoes and socks soaked, which is one of the worst feelings ever. Soggy socks🤢🤢. It was funny because Fiza started yelling when she stepped into the water. I took a nap the whole way back to campus which was much needed, unfortunately Sunaina and Tammy got pics of me knocked out in the back, but the nap was so worth it so I don’t even mind (as long as they don’t end up on their blog). Overall it was a fun trip and I’m really bummed that my time in this class is coming to an end!! 🙁