Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 06/10/2026Early-career bird banders are part of a rigorous training program, where they learn to capture birds safely and record data on each bird caught. The info collected allows us to understand how populations of birds are doing and in turn gives us insight into the health of the systems we research. 000
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 06/10/2026🦉🧪🌎 The Palomarin summer banding summary is here! We captured a total of 1,284 birds! Some highlights: the first Hermit Warbler of the season on 6/13, a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk, a tricky-to-identify Marsh Wren, and the rare capture of a Band-tailed Pigeon! Read the full blog: shorturl.at/rsimH 1202
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 05/10/2026🌎💧🧪 Sierra Nevada meadows may be small, but they are critical for wildlife, water storage, and water quality. Point Blue Senior Meadow Ecologist Cody Reed joined researchers and conservationists to discuss how we can better understand and protect these ecosystems. Read more: shorturl.at/KXXyP 0147
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 02/10/2026🗞️🌎🧪 Incredible @pressdemo.bsky.social feature on our Roots program! The Point Blue Roots program delivers wildlife-friendly, community-based, and community-centered restoration projects on working lands across California, including in Petaluma. Read more: shorturl.at/O4n38 052
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 01/10/2026🦉🧪🌎 🎉 We’re halfway through the 48th Annual Rich Stallcup Bird‑A‑Thon! Together, we’ve raised an incredible $95K toward our $125K goal! The Bird-A-Thon runs through October 15th, so there’s still time to join in on the fun! Learn more, sign up, and donate: www.pointblue.org/birdathon 192
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 30/09/2026🌎🧪🏔️ Tahoe summit explores nature-based solutions! Point Blue's Cody Reed attended and shared how restoring mountain meadows can support biodiversity, water quality, wildfire resilience and carbon storage. Learn more: shorturl.at/HGsMd 0184
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 29/09/2026🦉🧪🌎 The Palomarin spring banding summary is here! The season brought spring migrants, the return of summer residents, and a few exciting captures! Some highlights: Black-headed Grosbeaks, Sharp-shinned Hawks, Red-breasted Nuthatches, and juvenile Black Phoebes. Learn more: shorturl.at/X7ymm 1317
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 25/09/2026California sea lions bred sporadically on the Farallones for decades, but in 2010 the population began growing exponentially. In 2025, we counted a record 1,526 pups. This year, 1,420 pups were counted. A spring marine heatwave and severe El Niño may have contributed to the slight dip in pup counts. 043
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 25/09/2026🦭🦑🧪🌎 We just tagged 75 California sea lion pups on the Farallon Islands. But why? By tagging pups with unique flipper tags, we can follow them throughout their lives and learn how climate change, El Niño & marine heatwaves affect the population’s growth and survival. 14114
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 23/09/2026The data we collect is critical for informing effective conservation. All banding, marking, and sampling is conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey's Bird Banding Laboratory. 020
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Researchers on the Farallon Islands complete rigorous training at Point Blue in time-tested, safe bird-handling methods. By sampling a small percentage of the population, we gain insight into how bird populations—and the marine island ecosystem we steward—are faring overall. 110
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 23/09/2026We really appreciate your concern for wildlife, and we share it! 120
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 22/09/2026🍂 Your fall birding lineup is here! From Golden-crowned Sparrows and Varied Thrushes to Ferruginous Hawks and Red-throated Loons, fall is a great time to #bird in the Bay. Ready to make your next adventure count? Join the Rich Stallcup Bird-A-Thon (now through Oct 15): www.pointblue.org/birdathon 3203
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 18/09/2026🦉🧪🌎 A look back at #seabird season 2026. Since 1968, we’ve been working to protect seabirds on the Farallones. Thanks to our incredible staff, volunteers, and @deptfishwildlife.bsky.social partners for an amazing season in the field! Photo/video by Amanda Spears, Peter Tarrant, & Stella Solasz. 1218
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 17/09/2026🦉🧪🌎 New from @baynature.org Are Vagrant Birds Lost, or Pioneers? Vagrants (birds that show up outside their normal geographic range) are notoriously difficult to study. The Farallon Islands are one of the few places that attract enough birds for scientists to even try. Learn more: shorturl.at/ADygA 0173
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 15/09/2026🦉👀🧪🌎 🎉 Ready, set, bird! The 48th Annual Rich Stallcup Bird-A-Thon is here! From Sept 15th – Oct 15th, join America’s longest-running Bird-A-Thon and spot #birds while raising funds for #conservationscience. Register, donate, explore events + challenges, and more! 👉 www.pointblue.org/birdathon 0217
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 10/09/2026🆕 🧪🌎 New Point Blue Roots program research explores equity in working lands conservation. Learn more: shorturl.at/hYvKL 042
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 07/09/2026🦉🧪🌎 Happy California Biodiversity Day! At Point Blue, preserving and promoting biodiversity is at the heart of everything we do. Today, we celebrate California’s incredible #biodiversity and recognize the role it plays in sustaining healthy, resilient ecosystems. 0156
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 04/09/2026This work is especially significant because Ashy Storm-Petrels are a species of special conservation concern in California. About half of the population lives and breeds on the Farallon Islands, making the Farallones a critical colony for monitoring and conserving this species. 000
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 04/09/2026🌚🚨🦉🧪🌎 We’re back with another #FarallonFriday after-dark update! This time, the Farallon crew was focused on Ashy Storm-Petrels. Using mist nets deployed after dark, researchers safely capture, band, and collect valuable data from these elusive #seabirds before releasing them back into the night. 174
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 01/09/2026🌼🦉🦋🌿🦅 September in the San Francisco Bay Area is full of wildlife and wildflowers! From Golden-crowned Sparrows and Monarch Butterflies to American Avocets, Sharp-shinned Hawks, and Great White Sharks, there are plenty of seasonal highlights to spot this month. What are you most excited to see? 0134
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 26/08/2026#BirdReturns is made possible by The Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership, led by Audubon California, The Nature Conservancy in California, and Point Blue Conservation Science. 010
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 26/08/2026🦉🧪🌎 The #BirdReturns summer wetland habitat program just wrapped, and the results are in! This year, we provided habitat for dozens of species of breeding and migratory birds, including secretive species like bitterns and rails. Pictured: Least Bittern emerging from the marsh for a quick snapshot! 1257
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 25/08/2026Our work is strengthened by partnerships with SPCA Monterey County, Monterey Audubon Society, Point Reyes National Seashore, Point Reyes National Seashore Association (PRNSA), California State Parks, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife, and more. 000
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 25/08/2026That’s a wrap on another #WesternSnowyPlover nesting season! We’re celebrating the collaborative conservation work driving this species’ recovery and a major milestone: in 2025 (the most recent survey), Western Snowy Plover counts reached 3,000 for the first time in 20 years. 💙🦉🧪🌎 26422
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 21/08/2026🚨🌚🦉🧪🌎 Happy #FarallonFriday! The crew has been busy banding Brandt’s Cormorants! Since these #seabirds are active after dark, banding is a nighttime affair! Using mist nets, researchers safely capture, band, and collect valuable data from these birds before releasing them. 2114
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 19/08/2026🌎🧪🗳️ Good news: the Senate approved a provision temporarily blocking an OMB rule change that could destabilize science funding. Nearly 500,000 comments were submitted, including from Point Blue and many of you. We hope this delay will allow time for the policy to be reevaluated. 0229
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 18/08/2026#BirdReturns is made possible by The Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership, led by Audubon California, The Nature Conservancy in California, and Point Blue Conservation Science. 020
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 18/08/2026🦉🧪🌎 Drying wetlands? Try shorebird buffet! At the end of the #BirdReturns summer wetlands program, temporary wetlands gradually dry. Fish, crayfish, and insects concentrate in the remaining pools, which attract masses of #shorebirds. Newly exposed mudflats offer a feast. 1133
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 12/08/2026📅🦉👀🧪🌎 Save the date! Point Blue’s 48th Annual Rich Stallcup Bird-A-Thon is happening September 15th–October 15th! Choose any day during the event window to count as many bird species as you can and help raise funds to support conservation science. Learn more: www.pointblue.org/birdathon 196
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 11/08/2026🦑 🌎🧪 Krill may be small, but they play a big role in the ocean ecosystem! Studying #krill helps Point Blue scientists better understand changing ocean conditions and ocean health. Happy #WorldKrillDay! 🦐💙 02011
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 04/08/2026🦉🧪🌎 It's International Owl Awareness Day! From fluffy fledglings to watchful adults, Point Blue has been monitoring Northern Spotted Owls since 1997, collecting data on nesting activity, reproductive success, and population trends to better understand and protect this threatened species. 💙 1308
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 31/07/2026🦈🧪🌎🦑 It’s #SharkWeek! We’re celebrating by taking a closer look at one of the Farallon Islands’ most iconic visitors: the #GreatWhiteShark! Learn more about these incredible predators, their role in the marine ecosystem, and how their annual trip to the Farallones helps us study them! ⬇️ 086
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 30/07/2026🦉🌎🧪 Did you hear the good news? #SnowyPlover counts reached 3,000 for the first time in 20 years! We’re so proud to be a part of the collaborative #conservation work driving this species’ recovery! Read more from @kqednews.kqed.org ⬇️ shorturl.at/4qBZ7 05312
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 27/07/2026👀🐦 Grab your binoculars…we’re going to the Novato Baylands! Conveniently located on the Bay Trail, the tidal wetlands of the Novato Baylands are an absolute hotspot for #birds, wildlife, and native plants. All photos by Dick Evans. 072
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 22/07/2026📝🦉🌎🧪 The Palomarin late winter banding summary is here! In winter, we mostly catch resident species like Song Sparrows (3) and overwintering #birds like Hermit Thrushes (4), but we also captured an American Kestrel (1-the first since 2010!) and a Savannah Sparrow (2). shorturl.at/c9Hcn 1283
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 21/07/2026🔊 Sound on! There are few things better than the sound of Pigeon Guillemots. These birds are very social, and our Farallon crew loves hearing them sing, squabble, and chatter. Calls help with courtship, maintaining pair bonds, defending territory, and alerting one another to potential threats. 🌎🧪🦉 2297
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 14/07/2026🗞️🦉🌎🧪 In the news: #Snowy Plovers reach conservation milestone! Last year, annual counts reached 3,000–a major recovery benchmark for this federally threatened species! Read about our work with these tiny shorebirds and the collaborative conservation efforts driving their recovery: shorturl.at/KZSvL 2216
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 13/07/2026📓🦉🌎🧪 The Palomarin early winter banding summary is live! A #KingTide flooded our Pine Gulch banding station, leading to exciting captures—including two Marsh Wrens and a rare Northern House Wren. Back at Palomarin, we banded a White-throated Sparrow (the first since 2022)! shorturl.at/RAauB 0143
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 11/07/2026🌎🧪🗳️ There are 3 more days to stand up for science and make your voice heard on a potential federal policy change that could negatively affect science activities across the country. Learn more and consider submitting a public comment: shorturl.at/AqhuG 12315
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 08/07/2026🐣 It's peak Pigeon Guillemot season on the Farallones! Chicks began hatching about two weeks ago, and our researchers have just started banding the first mostly feathered chicks. See photos to learn more about this charismatic species and the #science that helps us understand and protect them. 🌎🧪🦉🦑 173
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 01/07/2026📊🌎🦉🧪 Good news from Point Blue’s Sierra Group: we found 40 breeding territories of endangered Willow Flycatchers at Warner Valley Wildlife Area—consistent with past survey numbers despite the 2021 Dixie Fire. Healthy wet meadow ecosystems can be remarkably resilient to wildfire! 🔥🌱 0245
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 30/06/2026🌎🧪🗳️ Proposed OMB rule to impact federal #science funding. Rule would allow federal grants be terminated at any time, shift award decisions from peer reviewers to political appointees, and destabilize science funding. If this news concerns you, submit a public comment by 7/13. shorturl.at/NNh7b 0810
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 29/06/2026🌲🦉🌎🎬✨ Steal the Look! From towering Douglas Firs to forest-floor-dwelling Rough-Skinned Newts, a mature mixed conifer forest supports incredible #biodiversity. We couldn’t resist taking fashion inspo from our favorite residents of this star-studded habitat. Which species' look are you stealing? 051
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 26/06/2026🌎🧪🐾 Exciting wildlife sighting! Just hours after partner org #AllHandsEcology let us know a tracked mountain lion (P60 "Pangui") was detected nearby, our off duty banding apprentice spotted it near Palo! Read more about this project shorturl.at/5CVcR + the capture of this lion: shorturl.at/uaaMV 0144
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 25/06/2026🌎🦉🧪 Fledgling season is here! Each spring, our crew works tirelessly to monitor every stage of the Northern Spotted Owl breeding season. By June, young owlets are beginning to leave the nest. They'll stay close to their parents this summer as they learn to hunt and become independent by late summer. 14410
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 24/06/2026🌎🦉🦑🧪 Point Blue collaborates: new @sfestuaryinstitute.bsky.social study measures microplastics in the Bay smaller than human hair. These microplastics are moving through the California Current food web and into forage species consumed by seabirds, marine mammals, and fisheries. shorturl.at/x0FQY 0177
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 21/06/2026☀️ Happy Summer Solstice! Today marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Wherever you are today, we hope you find a moment to get outside and celebrate the beauty of the natural world. 🌿🌸🐦 030
Point Blue Conservation Science @pointblue.bsky.social · 19/06/2026🌎🦉🧪 These Snowy Plovers are getting a second chance in the wild! On Friday, June 12th, we released two rehabilitated plovers at Zmudowski State Beach. Thank you to everyone who contributed to their rescue, rehabilitation, and successful release! 0144