Point Blue Conservation Science

06/19/2026

🐣🌾 These Snowy Plovers are getting a second chance in the wild! On Friday, June 12th, with the help of several Snowy Plover Guardian Program volunteers, we released two rehabilitated Snowy Plovers at Zmudowski State Beach.

The older juvenile had been rescued as an egg. He came from a successful nest where two other chicks had hatched, but the father had turned his focus to the chicks and was no longer caring for this egg, which was delayed in hatching. During a nest-monitoring visit, our biologists saw signs of life (tapping and peeping from the egg), so we transported him to our friends at SPCA Monterey County, who performed an assisted hatch. Turns out this chick was mispositioned and would have had significant difficulties hatching on its own.

Our second juvenile was “chick-napped” by a well-meaning member of the public who thought he was in distress. This chick was only one or two days old at the time, so its main defense is camouflage: freezing in place and blending in with the sand. Once a chick has been disturbed, reunification with the male is difficult.

Luckily, our friends at SPCA Monterey County were able to care for these chicks until they were strong enough to be released back into the wild! Thank you to everyone who contributed to this successful release! It’s always special to see a rehabilitated bird back where they belong. 💛

📸: photo credit Yvonne Wright

06/18/2026

We rescued these Snowy Plovers as eggs and our friends at SPCA Monterey County watched over them until they were ready to hatch. Thankful for such amazing partners and conservation outcomes!

Welcome babies! These two tiny Snowy Plover chicks hatched today under our watchful eyes. They are the 15th and 16th Snowy Plover chicks hatched at our Wildlife Center so far this year.

Our friends at Point Blue Conservation Science rescued these Snowy Plover eggs and brought them to us for care. Because Snowy Plovers are a threatened species, when we receive an egg that might be viable, our skilled SPCA wildlife rescue team will incubate and attempt to hatch the eggs.

The Snowy Plovers will stay in our care for the next month, learning and growing strong enough for release back into the wild.

You can help our snowy plover population to thrive during the March through September breeding season when visiting nesting beaches: please leave your pets at home, respect fenced nesting habitat areas, take only photos, and leave only footprints. Thank you for your support that makes all our rescues possible!

06/18/2026

📊 🦀🐋 New Point Blue study examines where California’s commercial Dungeness crab fleet actually fishes and how that information can help reduce whale entanglements.

By mapping these fishing “hot spots,” the study provides a practical tool for managers to better understand where crab gear and whales are most likely to overlap. This information can support targeted measures that reduce whale entanglement risk while helping maintain a sustainable and economically important fishery. The work also demonstrates how modern GPS technology can improve fisheries management and conservation planning along California’s coast.

Read the full study: https://shorturl.at/lH0Tf

06/16/2026

Father’s Day is just around the corner! Celebrate by learning about all the incredible responsibilities of Snowy Plover dads. 💙 

P.S. If you’re looking for a fun Father’s Day activity, consider making the snowy plover cotton ball craft Esther and Isabella are working on here! Find the supply list and instructions at the link in our bio or watch the full Instagram Live recap. ✂️☁️🐦

06/12/2026

🎉🌱 We’re excited to introduce the 8th cohort of the STRAW Community College Conservation Internship (CCCI)!

The Community College Conservation Internship is a summer program designed to uplift Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) community college students in the conservation field. This week our CCCI interns visited Point Blue HQ for the first time and spent time building community, defining group values, and meeting their mentors for the summer.
We’re thrilled to kick off the season with such a passionate and inspiring group of emerging conservation leaders! 💚

06/10/2026

Meet the Common Murre! Often called the “penguins of the north” because of their tuxedo coloring and upright stance, Common Murres are the most numerous seabird species on the Farallon Islands. The Farallones are home to the largest breeding colony in California, and we’re just getting into peak egg-laying season! ✨🐧🥚

06/09/2026

🗳️🔬🧪Standing up for Science: in support of .

SB 895, the California Science and Health Research Bond Act, is being heard in the state assembly this afternoon, and if passed, will place a bond on the ballot to fund critical scientific research in California, including climate and environmental science that informs conservation action across the state. If approved by voters in November 2026, it would represent the largest state-level investment in scientific research in United States history.

Read our blog post to learn more. Safeguarding science has never been more important. https://shorturl.at/11MOB

📸 : Point Blue Working Lands Soil Survey. Photo by Lishka Arata/Point Blue.

06/09/2026

Mark your calendars for our next Novato Baylands Bird Walk on Saturday, June 20th!

Join us for two hours of birding around the tidal wetlands of the Novato Baylands with Point Blue Avian Ecologist Carleton Eyster and Outreach Specialist Matt Keller, during a leisurely walk along the Bay Trail. Bird enthusiasts and nature lovers of all experience levels are welcome to join! The walk will be at a relaxed pace along a flat trail. We will hope to see many species of shorebirds, ducks, herons, and other unique wetland birds!

Learn more and RSVP: https://shorturl.at/Tx5n0

06/08/2026

Happy World Ocean Day! 🌎🌊

From regulating the climate to sustaining extraordinary biodiversity, healthy oceans are essential to life on Earth. This year’s action theme, “Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet,” highlights the importance of creating and strengthening the global network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to achieve the collective goal of protecting 30% of our Lands, Waters, and Ocean by 2030 (30x30).

Today, we’re highlighting the many ways Point Blue supports science and conservation in marine protected areas around the world. Swipe ➡️to learn more.