Ebird Checklist: https://ebird.org/checklist/S118742858
Date: September 14, 2022
Location: Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District
Latitude, Longitude: 38.0255, 122.5195
Elevation: 5.188 ft (1.581 m)
Site Description: Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District, located in Marin Country, California, is a wastewater treatment and recycling facility. This district currently serves over 30,000 people, and its original treatment plant was constructed to address the failing septic tanks and the subsequent health issues caused by those tanks. In the last couple of years, there were many new ponds and lakes created to hold the treated wastewater, which also subsequently became the home to many different kinds of animals, birds, and more.¹ The several miles of hiking trails, freshwater and saltwater marshes, irrigated pastures, and storage ponds called the reclamation area contain hundreds of bird species that come and go.² General examples include wide varieties of waterfowl, shorebirds, raptors, and songbirds that this diversity makes Las Gallinas one of the most popular birding spots in Marin. There are also resident birds such as Mallards, Canada Geese, Mute Swans, and migratory waterfowl, including the Cinnamon Teal, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, and Northern Shoveler. Shorebirds such as Least Sandpipers, Long-billed Dowitchers, Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs, and Kildeer and raptors such as Red-tailed Hawks, Red-shouldered Hawks, White-tailed Kites, and Northern Harriers also flourish in this area.³ Below is a map of the topography of the area.⁴
Species Account: Great Blue Heron – Ardea herodias (Species name), Pelecaniformes (Order) > Ardeidae (Family). These birds are very tall and large with long necks. They are grayish-blue in overall color with a long, almost orangish-yellow bill with a black crown and head plumes. They are about the size of a goose, sometimes larger, and both sexes are between 38.2-53.9 in (97-137 cm) in length and weigh about 74.1-88.2 oz (2100-2500 g) with a wingspan of 65.8-79.1 in (167-201 cm). In flight, the upper side of their wings is two-toned with pale forewing and dark flight feathers. These birds live in saltwater and freshwater habitats and grasslands and fields and eat anything from fish and amphibians to small mammals, insects, and even other birds. The Great Blue Heron usually forages alone across the United States, wading slowly or standing extremely still to peer into the water for prey such as fish. They use lightning-fast thrusts of their neck and head to stab with their strong bills to catch their prey. When flying, these birds have very slow wingbeats and a tucked-in neck as they trail their long legs behind them, which helps to prepare them for landing. Defensive tactics for feeding territories include the head thrown back, wings outstretched, and the bill pointing straight up; even humans can be a target of these displays. Great Blue Herons mainly build their nests in trees, bushes, or the ground, and they nest in colonies that can go up to several hundred pairs. The males arrive and usually settle on nest sites where they then court females with displays such as a ritualized greeting, stick transfers, and a nest relief ceremony in which the birds erect their plumes and “clapper” their bill tips. Pairs are mostly monogamous during a season, but they choose new partners each year, with the male collecting the nest material and presenting it to the female, who then weaves a nest. In terms of conservation, Great Blue Heron numbers are stable and increased in the U.S. between 1966 and 2019. Because Great Blue Herons depend on wetlands, habitat loss, and other human impacts such as traffic and motor boats that can disrupt nesting colonies. Similarly, chemical pollutants and other causes of reduced water quality can also affect the habitats that Great Blue Herons reside in and affect their species level as well.⁵
Picture taken in the power scope.
Narrative: We left at 8:15 am and took two cars to the site. The weather was extremely cloudy and foggy – the Golden Gate Bridge was so foggy you couldn’t even see the structures unless we were driving straight underneath it. When we reached, we parked near the treatment facility, where there was a repulsive smell coming. That quickly went away as we got closer to the actual wildlife area, and it quickly turned into beautiful lakes and marshes filled with birds. I was astonished at the amount of wildlife that was present. We started birding at around 8:54 am and circled almost the entire area before coming back and leaving at around 11:30 am. It was incredible the number of species I logged – almost 10 more than the other field trips. I think we all really did turn into twitchers. But it was an extensive day and a lot of fun as well. We also saw a couple of deer, including a mom and her faun, which got everyone extremely excited. Overall it was a productive day, and I got to add almost 30 new species to my overall list.
Additional photos or media:
Sources:
¹ About Us. Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.lgvsd.org/about-us/
² Wildlife information. Las Gallinas Valley Sanitary District. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.lgvsd.org/community-programs/public-access/wildlife-info/
³ Las Gallinas Ponds. Nature in Novato. (2018, July 6). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://natureinnovato.com/2018/01/24/las-gallinas-ponds/#:~:text=In%20the%20fall%20and%20winter,Say’s%20Phoebes%20and%20American%20Pipits.
⁴ San Francisco Topographic map, elevation, relief. topographic. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://en-us.topographic-map.com/maps/6gn/San-Francisco/
⁵ Great Blue Heron Overview, all about birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (n.d.). Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Great_Blue_Heron/overview