East Brother Lighthouse – 2010

East Brother Lighthouse.

East Brother island lies in the passage between San Francisco Bay and the San Pablo Bay, just north of Point San Pablo. Less than an acre in size, East Brother is rich in history. Per U.S. Federal order, a lighthouse was opened on the island in 1874, which was manned for many decades by keepers living on the island. The … Read More

Nesting Boxes & Boardwalks on Año Nuevo Island – 2008, 2009

Rhinoceros Auklet, Ano Nuevo Island.

Many seabirds nest on islands in burrows which can collapse for several reasons including human foot traffic and pinniped activity. Año Nuevo is home to over 9,000 seabirds (and 18,000 marine mammals) and is thus one of the most important islands in California. Rhinoceros Auklets Cerorhinca monocerata were extirpated from California in the 1800s but have been re-colonizing their historical nesting sites … Read More

Research Facility Improvements on Año Nuevo Island – 2003

Ano Nuevo Island

The University of California at Santa Cruz is a renowned center for the marine sciences and is committed to the principle of teaching through research. The nearby small island of Año Nuevo is an ideal site for research into pinnipeds and seabirds as it is home to a rich variety of native and migratory wildlife – Steller and California sea … Read More

Dual Pane Window Retrofit – 1999

Point Reyes Bird Observatory and the US Fish and Wildlife Service aim to have the buildings on the Farallon Islands as self sufficient as possible. There are two buildings in use; one houses the resident scientists, and the other is used as office and laboratory space. Both are old and, prior to these improvements, not energy-efficient. FIF made a grant … Read More

Farallon Islands Boardwalk Replacement – 1999

Boardwalk replacement on the Farallon Islands, 2000.

  The Farallon Islands National Wildlife Refuge boardwalk project was developed to protect burrow-nesting seabirds (Cassin’s and Rhinoceros Auklets, in particular). These birds, as well as Tufted Puffins, Pigeon Guillemots and Ashy Storm-Petrels lay their eggs and seek shelter in crevices, as well as burrows that they excavate in the soil. Burrows in the loose soil of the marine terrace … Read More