San Francisquito Creek, however, looks in many ways as it did in 1772 when Gaspar de Portolá and Juan Crespí first saw it. The creek is the last South Bay creek that runs above ground as it meanders to the Bay. The others have been confined in pipes and buried for at least a portion of their length. Thanks to its inclusion in the Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve, the wetland habitat at the mouth of San Francisquito Creek remains a refuge for many native species, including shorebirds and anadromous fish like the steelhead trout. Established in 1921 with the purchase of 40 acres of land, the Baylands Preserve, which is managed by the City of Palo Alto, now covers 1,940 acres and is the largest undisturbed marshland on the Bay.

(Phil Gordon)

Shorebirds from all over the South Bay take advantage of the abundant resources in the natural marshes and nearby industrial salt ponds. At low tide, waders such as stilts, egrets, sandpipers, curlews and avocets poke around in the shallow water for benthic invertebrates. As the water gets deeper, waterfowl like northern shovelers and teal are found. Venturing into the uplands, one has a better than average chance of seeing the feisty burrowing owl, Forster’s terns soaring overhead, and the same species of geese that Portolá and Crespí dined on over 200 years ago.

Wetland restoration improves  habitat for shorebirds, fish, and wildlife. Volunteers learn a lot and have fun while doing it. If you would like more information on how you or a group can get involved with wetland restoration at San Francisquito Creek, please check our calendar of Bay Events for upcoming restoration dates or email Natalie LaVan at natalie@saveSFbay.org.