Free public event highlights osprey nesting on San Francisco Bay with Guided Hikes, Car Caravans and Presentations Mare Island, Vallejo, California
We hope you will join them and us, to celebrate their resilience…and ours. It’s been nearly 3 years since our nonprofit land trust that founded, funded and operated the Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve, the epicenter of osprey nesting in the San Francisco Bay, has been locked out as the wildlands manager of the Preserve, following a suspicious series of fires in 2019. This makes it hard to daily monitor and record “our” osprey. Our team of dedicated scientists, researchers, guides, volunteers and board of the Mare Island Heritage Trust, want to thank you for your understanding and your incredible support. After 13 years of trusted and protective care of the Preserve, we are still as confused and troubled as you are and look to better times ahead, for our wildlife and you.
Friday, June 24, Saturday, June 25 and Sunday, June 26, 2022 the 10th Annual San Francisco Bay Osprey Days will take place at the Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve and other locations throughout Mare Island in Vallejo. Mare Island is teaming with recently fledged young osprey in the sky and perched on high spots in the vicinity of their nest sites. There is no cost or preregistration required to attend the in-person field trips and zoom presentations. Two-hour guided boat trips departing the Vallejo Marina are $45 per person and do require advanced registration with Dolphin Charters. The free event features numerous car caravan and walking tours scheduled all three days led by field guides from the local Napa-Solano Audubon Society and the Golden Gate Raptor Observatory, other naturalists and the Mare Island Heritage Trust volunteer team.
Guided hikes in the Mare Island Preserve and car caravan tours of nest sites throughout Mare Island
Starting Friday morning, at 8:15am, Fairfield resident, Bill George, former Mare Island Shipyard worker and avid “unofficial” photographer of the Mare Island Preserve, will guide a free walk in the Preserve on the lookout for osprey and other wildlife to photograph in the one hour 1/2 mile walk. Myrna Hayes, Osprey Days Co-founder and Co-founder and volunteer Mare Island Preserve manager from 2007-2019 will guide a number of afternoon and evening guided walks. She will also lead a car caravan tour of the Island nest sites, Friday afternoon, June 24, 1:30-3:00pm. Saturday, Jun 25. Tony Brake will guide a similar car caravan, leaving from the Preserve main gate from 1:15pm-3:15pm, as well. All car caravan tours will meet at and depart from the Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve Entrance Park, Correa Ct @ Azuar Dr. at the South end of Mare Island in Vallejo. “We really want people taking the tours to understand how critical it is to permanently protect the wildlife and cultural history of the southern Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve area of Mare Island and to work to protect nest sites throughout Mare Island”, said Myrna Hayes.
Osprey viewing boat tours of the Mare Island Strait/Napa River with Dolphin Charters
Four, 2-hour boat cruises are scheduled by Dolphin Charters on both Saturday and Sunday. “Although due to the pandemic, we are restricting the number of passengers, we still hope to accommodate everyone who wishes to view osprey easily visible along the Mare Island and Napa River/Mare Island Strait shoreline”, said Barbara Fitzgerald, of Dolphin Charters. Limited seating is still available for all tours. Departure times from the Vallejo Marina for the 2-hour osprey viewing boat trips are, Saturday and Sunday, 9:00am-11:00am and 1:00pm-3:00pm. The cost is $45 per person. Pre-registration is required. For Reservations: call 510-527-9622 or 800-472-9942 or visit dolphincharters.com