IN THIS ISSUE

Discover your Marine Sanctuary

Genentech hits the beach!

Protect Our North Coast

Wildlife Spotlight: Forster's Tern (Sterna Forsteri)

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OceanFest raffle tickets are on sale now! Fabulous prizes include a kayaking trip to Baja, surf and sailing lessons and weekend get-aways. All proceeds benefit FMSA. Available at the Visitor Center or by calling 415-561-6625 x 307 or contacting jmohr@farallones.org

 

Sanctuary Explorers Camp enrollment now open! Explore the hidden treasures of our coast, become a junior marine scientist, and help protect our local marine sanctuaries – all in one exciting week.

Camp Sessions:
Session A (ages 8-11): July 23 - 27
Session B (ages 10-13): August 13-17

For more information call Sara Heintzelman at 415-561-6625 x304

 

June 19 Blue Ribbon Task Force meeting in Palo Alto. (Webcast)

 

June 26 First Science Advisory Team meeting at SFO. (Webcast)

 

July 7-11 High Sierra Wildflowers, Birds & Butterflies.  Go camping in the high country with Point Reyes Field Seminars.

 

July 10-11 Regional Stakeholder Group meeting. (Webcast)

 

July 12 Gulf of the Farallones SAC Meeting in Point Reyes, 9am - 4pm.

 

July 19 Join us from 6-9pm for a Sports Basement shopping party to benefit FMSA! You will receive a 15% discount on all merchandise. Refreshments will be served! For more information, contact Susanna Beck at 415-561-6625 x315 or sbeck@farallones.org.

 

July 28 Come whale watching out to the Farallon Islands with us!

 

Donate to FMSA today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discover your Marine Sanctuary

Humpback whales, elephant seals, hundreds of thousands of seabirds – all in your backyard!

Two errant humpback whales – nicknamed Delta and Dawn by an adoring public – garnered international attention when they meandered up the delta all the way to Sacramento a few weeks ago. It’s great news that this story had a happy ending and the humpback whales have returned to the Pacific Ocean. We’re hopeful that the attention lavished on these leviathans will encourage more Bay Area residents to consider the amazing wildlife and habitat in their own backyard.

Delta and Dawn join many other endangered marine mammals in the fertile and wild waters of the marine sanctuary just off our shore where a veritable Serengeti of wildlife feed, breed and thrive. 

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FMSA Teams Up with Genentech’s Green Genes

Last month Genentech hit the beach!  Their grassroots volunteer team Green Genes joined FMSA staff in Half Moon Bay and swept across Dunes Beach collecting trash and debris.

Blue skies abounded on Saturday May 12th and the biotech greenies and their families enjoyed a beautiful sunny day on the coast.  The volunteers were first briefed on the impacts debris has on the marine environment.  Then they all set out in teams of four, to clean up the trash.  Cigarette butts and Styrofoam were the most common forms of litter found on Dunes Beach. 

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A Rare Chance to Protect Our North Coast

As residents of the Redwood Empire, our spectacular coastline is among our most valued natural treasures. Our region's vibrant quality of life, our important visitor-serving business sector and a substantial part of the California economy depend on the lure of our rugged coves and pristine sandy beaches.

Whether you picnic on our beaches with your families, dine at local waterfront bistros or surf and dive in these waters, the places where the Pacific Ocean meets the North Coast inspire our art and culture and enhance each of our lives.

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Wildlife Spotlight: Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri)

The English used to call terns “sea swallows”, and as you watch these graceful white birds fly deftly in the blustery summer winds of the Farallones Marine Sanctuary, its easy to see how they got this name.  Forster’s Tern is one of the many tern species that frequent the sanctuary in late spring. 

Terns are small white seabirds with pointed wings and bills.  In the summer, Forster’s Tern is distinguished by its medium-sized, black-tipped, orange bill, a black cap that comes down to and includes the eyes, long orange legs, and silver primaries that are longer than the inner wing.

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Tern Photo Credit: Mark Trabue