The Friends of Pajaro Dunes welcomes you to this unique coastal environment. Bounded by the Pacific Ocean and dunes on one side, and the Pajaro River and Watsonville Wetlands on the other, this area provides many opportunities to enjoy nature's gifts and observe coastal wildlife.
Articles in this issue:
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Do you you have a favorite photo of your recent visit to Pajaro Dunes? Click on the icon and quickly upload your photos to share! |
Changing Landscape Encourage Occasional Visitors
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What a thrill to observe a large group of seals basking in the sunshine at the estuary. When we bought our condominium seven years ago, I recall a rental agency touting seal sighting on their web site and thought Wow! Unfortunately, I was never privy to this spectacle until last May when I spotted eight on the sandbank. This spring I had observed a couple of sea lions so what a treat it was to come upon a group of seventeen sunbathing seals. The following morning we were both back again, this time there were five on the bank and a bunch of heads appeared in the river. Why have they returned? One can only surmise so I’ll give it a shot. Two years of above average rainfall has increased the volume of water flowing out the river and deepened the channel to the ocean. In turn this has increased the fish supply; certainly pelicans fishing activity would indicate an abundance of food. The spit or sandbar from Pelican has expanded south decreasing human intrusion. In any event, it’s great to have them back. Let’s keep our distance and enjoy this magical encounter. Kay Schroer |
Next walk planned for Saturday, September 2 @ 8:30 am
May Birdwalks a Mixed Success This year, Friends of Pajaro Dunes sponsored two birds walks to coincide with the homeowner's meetings. The first bird walk on May 13 brought out over two dozen participants who were treated to an early morning walk along the slough. Though Todd Newberry mentioned that May was not the best month for birding at the Last Mile, the group proceeded to make the most of the morning's visitors. The river mouth included a good number of Caspian Terns, Least Terns, Cormorants, and a wide assortment of gulls. In the midst, we spotted a single Red-Necked Phalarope, a first sighting for many of us. A good morning was enjoyed by all. The May 20 walk on the North Side was much less successful. The promise of a walk along the North lagoon was viewed as an great opportunity for the organizers. Unfortunately, we seem to not have been able to get the word out. As such, Todd only had the company of wild life for his walk which, he stated, was still very enjoyable for him. The Friends of Pajaro Dunes will continue to find ways to improve communications with residents and guests. Please send an email to info@friendsofpajarodunes.org is you wish to be included in a mailing list for future activities. |
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More walks are planned for 2006 Please email Friends of Pajaro Dunes if you can lead or coordinate additional bird walks. These are very popular with residents and guests and they are a good way to learn more about the Last Mile. |
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Yahoo! Group formed to encourage member exchange
In a continuing effort to extend the outreach and communication with the community, the Friends of Pajaro Dunes is sponsoring a Yahoo! group (fopd). Anyone can join the group and share bird sightings, ask questions, or discuss any topics that is relevant to the Last Mile and the surrounding area. In order to protect privacy, your email address will not be posted on emails (unless you specifically request to do so). This group will be moderated which simply means that all emails will be scanned by the Friends of Pajaro Dunes to verify that it is appropriate to the site and community. To join, simply click on the link on the right. Within a few days, you will be able to participate in the Friends of Pajaro Dunes community. |
 Click to join fopd |
| 2005 was a busy year for the volunteers of Friends of Pajaro Dunes. The fundraising push that started in late 2004 resulted in over $21,000 collected for projects. Here is a partial list of the activities that were sponsored by FoPD. You can click on any title to get detailed stories about each activity or event. | ||
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Pelican Point Restoration |
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| Interpretive Panels The addition of two interpretive panels graced the Pelican Point. Serving as guides for visitors, they help visitors better understand facts about the plant and wildlife habitat. Future plans include adding additional panels along the Last Mile. |
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Nature Gallery |
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Bird Walks Nature Talks |
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Monterey Bird Festival |
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Bird Brochure The Last Mile Newsletter Contributing to the Community Yes, 2005 was a busy year. Thank you to all the volunteers for the numerous hours that were provided. But more volunteers are needed to help coordinate the activities planned in 2006. If you are interested, please send a email to info@friendsofpajarodunes.org. Our work continues in 2006. For 2006, the Friends of Pajaro Dunes expects to:
Financial support is still required. If you are interested in supporting Friends of Pajaro Dunes, please send your tax deductible to contribution to the address listed at the end of the web page. |
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Fundraiser supports purchase of new computers for WERC Classrooms
Friends of Pajaro Dunes reached out beyond our local community to help our schools. The goal of the 2005 Fund-raising campaign was to assist in purchasing nine computers for the Wetlands Education Resource Center (WERC) located at the new Pajaro Valley High School. In addition, Friends of Pajaro Dunes will use these funds to design and print a map/brochure and a bird list for “walking tours” of our community’s native habitat. This brochure and list will be available at the Pajaro Dunes Nature Gallery next year. We will also be continuing our environmental talks and bird walks throughout 2006. We are pleased to announce that the 2005 Fundraising campaign was successful! Friends of Pajaro Dunes purchased nine computers for WERC. These have already been installed and will provide a key resource to the WERC curriculum. Full details on the fundraising results will be provided in a few weeks. |
BY LAURA NORTON  In a new building still smelling of fresh carpet fibers and clean paint Friday[January 20, 2005], 20 local teachers learned how to teach about tule and horned owls to students of all grades with paint and poetry.The River of Words Watershed Art and Poetry Workshop was the first event at Watsonville’s Wetlands Educational Resource Center, perched above the Pajaro Valley High School campus. The center will soon open to students, and docents will lead wetlands-centered science classes in the two-room building. Friday’s event not only allowed teachers to get a first glimpse, but also to refresh science-based art and poetry curriculum. “It was a wonderful day,” said fifth-grade Watsonville Charter School of the Arts teacher Lisa Kwan. “It was a very well-led class. It’s very important to make the connection through literature between science and nature. And I’m very excited that (the WERC) is working with kids to help them become more aware of our environment.” Watsonville Wetlands Watch staff and environmental educator and artist Linda Cover led the teachers through classroom training, art projects and nature walks. The teachers will use the curriculum to prepare for River of Words. Students will create art and poetry related to the wetlands to be displayed in the spring. Reprinted from the Register Pajaronian (http://www.register-pajaronian.com). |
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Todd Newberry has become the "unofficial" Pajaro Dunes Bird Walk guide. Over this summer, Todd has guided two tours that were a delight to all who participated.Todd is a professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Todd has recently published a book entitled, "The Ardent Birder: On the Craft of Birdwatching." This book was featured in a recent article in the Register Pajaronian ... click here to read. This book can be ordered locally from the Ten Speed Press, click here to order. |
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Contribute your best photos to the Friends of Pajaro Web Site!
Do you you have a favorite photo of your recent visit to Pajaro Dunes? The Friends of Pajaro Dunes wants to continue enhancing its web experience with more shots of landscapes, wildlife, and plants. Our goal is to capture and share the natural beauty of the Last Mile and share with all who visit. If you have a photo that you want to contribute, then upload it and we'll add it to our database. Uploading is easy and only takes a few minutes. Within a few days, we'll integrate it into the web site. And you, too, will be part of an exciting part of the Last Mile that we all can share! Click here to share! |
Friends of Pajaro Dunes is supported by people like you. People who care about the environment in which they live and the native wildlife with whom we share this habitat. The work of our organization (including nature walks and cleanups, native plant restoration, and educational projects) would not be possible without the continued support of concerned community members.
Please help us protect and preserve the natural beauty of Pajaro Dunes and the greater Pajaro Valley. Become a "friend" today with a tax-deductible donation.
Please make your check payable to:
Friends of Pajaro Dunes
2661 Beach Road, Bldg. 1,
Watsonville, CA 95076