Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge

I visited the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, by Fremont California. The refuge is 30,000 acres of protected habitat for local and migratory wildlife.

Close to 300 species will stop by the refuge over the year. The refuge is often visible while flying into San Francisco International Airport with large brightly colored salt pools. The pools are used for commercial salt production and the color comes from different microorganisms that thrive in different levels of salinity. This visit gave me an opportunity to see shorebirds much closer than before, several being firsts for me.

Bird Facts: Sandpiper birds range widely in their body and bill size. Most forage for food by poking their bills into the sand, which are very sensitive at the ends. The varying bill-lengths across sandpiper species allow many to coexist without competing for the same food.