Every summer, changing ocean conditions can bring unusual – and sometimes dangerous – conditions for marine wildlife along our coast. And one of the strangest examples happened in August 1961.

Thousands of disoriented seabirds suddenly descended on Capitola, crashing into buildings and covering streets and beaches. The bizarre event helped inspire Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds”, but what caused it remained a mystery for decades.

We’re excited to announce new funding from the California Ocean Protection Council for Shifting Shorelines, a Coastal Resilience project that will use more than 30 years of Beach Watch observations and photographs to understand how beaches and dunes across north-central California have changed over time and may respond to future sea-level rise. By combining this remarkable long-term record with shoreline analysis and coastal modeling, the project will identify patterns of erosion and recovery, examine how shoreline change affects wildlife, and help coastal managers make better-informed decisions about restoration, habitat protection, and climate adaptation.

Endurance swimmer Catherine Breed is making history with her 900-mile Swim California journey. As she passes through the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, she’s highlighting the extraordinary marine life, conservation partnerships, and restoration efforts that make these waters so special.

This spring marked a major milestone in our efforts to restore California’s underwater forests, with lab-grown bull kelp successfully transplanted from the nursery to the ocean. These exciting breakthroughs are helping pave the way for large-scale kelp recovery in the Greater Farallones sanctuary region and beyond.

Students along California’s sanctuary coastlines are getting their feet wet in real science — and the results are making waves. LiMPETS is a collaborative education and community science program that connects students directly with the science happening in their own coastal backyards. A recent evaluation analysis highlights just how impactful the program has been.