Green Heron Nesting

The Green Heron skulks in reeds and occasionally delights the dedicated birder. Although present in low densities, it is the most widespread of the breeding herons according to the 1993 Monterey County Breeding Bird Atlas (BBA). Found along rivers, streams, and forested edges of large ponds, Butorides virescens chooses secluded nesting sites with

access to food sources. This relatively small heron nests in trees or bushes with branches large enough to support the nest, which can be found from ground level up to 10 meters. A clutch is generally 3 to 5 eggs, laid sequentially.

On July 12, California Breeding Bird Atlasers Gail Griffin and Della Bossart spotted Green Heron fledglings. Della Bossart returned on July 13 and was able to photograph four chicks waiting hungrily in the reeds as a parent feeds them and splashes off to continue foraging. Both parents brood and feed the chicks, which will jump from nest to branches by day 15, and take short flights by day 21. They will become independent of their parents approximately 30 to 35 days after hatching.

Read more about the Green Heron at Cornell Lab's All About Birds or Birds of the

World.

Learn more about the California Breeding Atlas, a large-scale effort that tells us not just where birds are, but how birds actually use our landscapes. This initiative is critical to understanding the current status of birds in our state.

Green Heron wading, photo by Della Bossart, https://macaulaylibrary.org/asset/661177321

All photos by Della Bossart.

The Collaborative Conservation Efforts Behind Seaside’s Heermann’s Gulls

A Partnership Rooted in Conservation

Aidan Randall and Maxwell Frantz, two CSU Monterey Bay students united by a shared passion for wildlife conservation, have formed an unexpectedly strong research partnership in the City of Seaside. Earlier this year, they joined the Monterey Audubon Society's Seaside Heermann’s Gull Monitoring Project, which monitors the only known U.S. breeding colony of a Near Threatened species. Since 1999, Heermann’s Gulls have nested at several rooftop sites across the peninsula area, with the current colony now established on Broadway in Seaside, where Aidan and Maxwell meet every Monday to gather data. Their work blends rooftop observations, GoPro footage, and drone surveys to track nest locations, chick development, and interactions with neighboring California Gull colonies, while also evaluating whether drone flights disturb the birds to ensure ethical research practices. The collaborative network of community members, business owners, city officials, and the Monterey Audubon Society makes their conservation work possible. 

• Left photo: Viewing site from the rooftop access.  The viewing point is on the far/opposite end of the building where one of the nesting sites is located (795 Broadway in Seaside). The nesting rooftop for the Heerman’s Gull is past the roof with the netting.

• Center photo: Aidan making observations/taking photos for analysis on the rooftop, opposite end of the nesting site

• Right photo: Two Heermann’s Gull chicks on the rooftop nesting site

Building Knowledge Through Fieldwork and Community Partnerships

Although Aidan and Maxwell have made meaningful progress, many questions remain about the future of the Seaside Heermann’s Gull population, guiding their push toward expanded monitoring and new research opportunities. Potential next steps include:

• Increasing banding efforts to track individual birds

• Strengthening long‑term population surveys

• Recruiting additional trained drone operators to supplement data collection

Researchers are especially interested in understanding breeding success, site fidelity, and interactions with neighboring California and Western Gull colonies, all of which influence the stability of this rare population. Their work also highlights why Heermann’s Gulls are listed as Near Threatened: roughly 95% of the species breeds on Isla Rasa, meaning a single catastrophic weather or health event could devastate the global population—making Seaside’s colony an important potential buffer. For Aidan, this first independent research project has been both challenging and deeply rewarding, from problem‑solving in the field to discovering the charm of the gulls themselves—through close observation of their cat-like calls and tiny chicks.  

• Left photo: Maxwell readying the drone

• Middle photo: Aidan and Maxwell checking the GoPro behind 795 Broadway (below the nesting area)

• Right photo: Aidan with the GoPro collecting data (nests; # of chicks)

Conclusion: Conservation Through Collaboration

Collaboration ultimately shapes every aspect of building research design and community partnerships, which make the project possible. By merging biology, technology, rooftop fieldwork, and citizen‑driven conservation, Aidan and Maxwell are answering critical questions about this Heermann’s Gull colony that impact the future of the species. Their community engagement reinforces the critical role of informed stewardship in conservation.  Their project demonstrates that meaningful conservation is never solitary; it thrives when passionate people come together with a common purpose. As their research continues, Aidan and Maxwell stand as ambassadors for collaborative environmental science, showing how community‑centered partnerships can safeguard one of the most unique bird populations in the United States.

California Bird Atlas Big Weekend

California Bird Atlas Big Weekend was held on June 4-7, 2026. You can find more information about this event at: https://www.californiabirdatlas.org/bigweekend

It’s early on Sunday morning, and Kai Russell leads a small group of birders onto the Laguna Seca Golf Ranch for a stroll along the back nine holes of the golf course. It is the first time Monterey Audubon has hosted an event there, and it is especially important since this Sunday is part of the California Bird Atlas Big Weekend. Despite the typical gloomy summer weather, the outing is successful

The California Bird Atlas Big Weekend is an opportunity to engage many people throughout California as a celebration of birds and the new California Bird Atlas. The weekend featured dozens of field trips, community events, and a collective mission to document as many species breeding in as many blocks, or regions, as possible. Learn more about the California Bird Atlas 

Four trip leaders from Monterey Audubon Society took small groups of relatively new to experienced birders to four locations for the Big Weekend. The Big Weekend was a local success since we were able to introduce people to atlasing.

To learn more about the species seen by Monterey Audubon Society during this time period, visit the eBird page.

World Oceans Day at Glen Deven Glen Deven

Big Sur Land Trust co-hosted a field trip to their property Glen Deven Ranch, with Fred Hochstaedter as trip leader, including six participants, three of whom were new to birding. One, originally from Peru, had just moved here from Maine and found the area beautiful. Our three experienced birders are regulars with Monterey Audubon and saw a Black Swift, which is rare in Monterey County due to its patchy distribution. Both the Cliff Swallows outside the barn and Barn Swallows in the barn had nests. Fred pointed out the difference in how the nests are manufactured. 

They also heard singing birds, but didn’t see them, sadly. However, the group saw and heard an olive flycatcher, which was a treat since their numbers are declining.

Since this was Fred’s third year leading the World Oceans Day at Glen Deven Ranch, he had planned to head out for the beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean. Unfortunately, the weather was windy and gloomy, so he opted to take the group into the canyon instead of the ridge. The creek in the canyon had running water with chaparral almost down to the bottom. Pines, willows, and poison oak were abundant. 

This trip’s checklist is available on eBird at  https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S352550929 

Laguna Seca Golf Ranch 

For his first time leading a trip to Laguna Seca Golf Ranch, Kai Russell was hoping for great weather to see and record a diversity of birds. Alas, the group of five attendees was treated to a cool and windy morning. 

Despite the developed habitat of the golf course, they were still able to see quite a bit of wildlife. They walked the back nine holes and were even permitted to walk on the greens by the Golf Manager. For the Atlas, they were able to list baby coot, baby barn swallows (recent fledglings with orange gape/fleshy mouth, down), granary trees and acorn woodpeckers,

Kai said that if the weather had been nicer (e.g., warmer and sunnier), they would have seen hawks, who loop above the course quite a bit. However, this small group enjoyed the outing, especially a new location with privileged access.

This trip’s checklist is available on eBird at https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S353986364

Palo Corona Regional Park

As we left the main parking lot, we took in the major construction at this site. Palo Corona is undergoing a significant floodplain restoration to bring it back. Andrew Vernon shares the story of this effort by the Monterey Peninsula Regional Parks District while our small group of 10 watches giant earth-moving equipment push giant mounds of dirt to create contours. The Rancho Cañada Floodplain Restoration Project “transforms a former golf course into thriving riparian habitat for rare steelhead and other wildlife.” And, “transform” it is doing.

We documented some foraging birds singing and swallows flying near us, but we saw significantly more bird activity as we moved west from the construction and closer to the Carmel River. Since we were conducting an Atlas of the area, we observed a variety of behaviors, including singing and fledglings.

The group led by Andrew Vernon at the bridge crossing the Carmel River.

As we approached the river, we observed more birds flying and singing. We crossed the bridge and saw quite a bit of water, but sadly, no birds wading. Our patience was rewarded as we saw recently fledged bluebirds playing on a branch while a common yellowthroat sang sweetly.  

This trip’s checklist is available on eBird at https://ebird.org/atlascalifornia/checklist/S352879765