Wavecrest Raptor Walk with San Mateo County Bird Alliance (Formerly Sequoia Audubon Society)

Join us as we explore our local overwintering raptor population. Wavecrest Open Space is the single most important site on the San Mateo Coast for wintering raptors, which can be seen hunting in the property's broad fields. Raptors and other species rely on its expansive grasslands, wetlands, and roosting sites. Wavecrest is the place to see many raptors, including White-tailed Kites, Northern Harriers, Owls, Turkey Vultures, Sharp-shinned/ Cooper's/ Red- tailed/ Rough-legged Hawks, American Kestrels and Falcons.

We will tour the open space preserve in small groups, each led by a docent from the San Mateo County Bird Alliance.

Cost: $15

Please watch Raptors of Wavecrest with Alvaro Jaramillo to prepare for this walk. It will provide a significant background and education on local raptors.

Photo Credit: Steve Maller and Alvaro Jaramillo

Photo credit- Steve Maller and Alvaro Jaramillo

Wavecrest Bioblitz happening this Saturday!

Word from the fields with the Junior Land Stewards

Over these last couple of weeks, all of our Junior Land Stewards from each of the Cabrillo elementary schools got to spend a day caring for their garden plots and the land around them with energy, teamwork, and curiosity. Together, the students cleared away piles of invasive plants—bristly oxtongue, wild radish, field mustard, English plantain, Bermuda grass, and curly dock. This simple but important work gives their future pollinator gardens a better chance to thrive. By removing these plants before they go to seed, the students also help protect the surrounding landscape from further spread over the winter.

To build on their restoration work, the Junior Stewards carefully sheet mulched their garden plots—layering cardboard and mulch to protect the soil and help prevent new weeds from sprouting.

After their stewardship efforts, Half Moon Bay High School field guides led the students in a naturalist scavenger hunt, encouraging them to slow down and look closely. The 4th graders searched for birds of prey, native and invasive plants, and signs of wildlife preparing for the cooler months ahead. They recorded their discoveries in nature journals, beginning a practice of observation that will grow each time they visit these open spaces through the changing seasons.

All elementary schools in the Cabrillo Unified School District take part in the Junior Land Stewards Program, totaling 188 fourth graders who are learning what it means to care for the coastside—one small act at a time.

Highlights from the day included:

• Watching a Cooper’s Hawk catch a rodent

• Spotting the first mushrooms of the season

• Welcoming the first migrating monarchs

• Observing overwintering raptors such as White-tailed Kites and Northern Harriers

• Noticing how previous Junior Land Stewards’ pollinator gardens continue to flourish

We’re grateful to the students, teachers, and field guides who make this program possible. Their collective efforts remind us that stewardship begins with connection—learning to notice, care for, and celebrate the living world right here in our community.

Thank you to the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation, Cabrillo Unified School District, Granada Community Service District, and everyone who contributed during Coastside Gives for their generous support of this program.

If you would like to help this program continue to grow, please consider making a donation to support the Junior Land Stewards and the ongoing protection and stewardship of our precious open spaces.

Happy Halloween from the Coastside Land Trust!

While we Coastsiders are busy pulling on wigs and wings, nature’s trick-or-treaters have been in costume all year. Out in the Wavecrest Open Space there are a number of contenders for best-dressed. Two of the “Creepiest and Most Beautiful” are the banded garden spider and the anise swallowtail caterpillar.

The banded garden spider (Argiope trifasciata) spins its web in tall grasses, decked out in bold black, white, and gold stripes—like it just walked off the set of Arachnids of the Caribbean. Its striking pattern is part fashion statement, part stealth technology. Those bands help the spider disappear into sunlight and shadow while waiting for a passing meal to stumble into its sticky masterpiece. This is like nature’s version of a haunted house!

Meanwhile, the anise swallowtail caterpillar (Papilio zelicaon) goes for something brighter—lime green with black-and-yellow stripes, like a piece of Halloween taffy come to life. But beware this sweet disguise: when threatened, the caterpillar pops out a tiny orange forked organ (called an osmeterium) from behind its head and releases a surprisingly pungent smell. It’s equal parts “boo!” and “pew!”

Both of these creatures remind us that our local gardens, meadows, and trails are full of tiny marvels and spooky surprises. Every web, leaf, and coyote brush holds a story of survival, adaptation, and transformation.

So as you wander past any of our shared open spaces on the coast this week, keep an eye out—you might just meet the original masters of disguise, always dressed to impress for the season.

Happy haunting, and happy habitat-watching!

Wavecrest Trail Extension Update: South Staircase and Restoration Progress

The past few weeks have brought steady progress—and a few weather delays—at the Wavecrest construction site…

Week 11:
The contractor began work at the location of the future south staircase, constructing a sturdy supporting crib wall made of redwood beams. This structure will form the foundation of the new stairway. Please note that there is no beach access from the south side of the ravine at this time. Visitors should follow the newly built Coastal Trail around the ravine to reach the beach from the north side. Updated maps are available online and onsite to help guide your route.

Week 12:
Rain early in the week slowed construction, but the crew completed the carpentry work on the redwood crib wall, reinforcing the base of the future south staircase.

Week 13:
This was a big week for both access improvements and habitat restoration. The construction team laid down compacted gravel to winterize the new beach access way on the north side of the ravine—an area that once contained a large eroded gully that has now been repaired. Beach access remains closed from the south side—please continue to use the Coastal Trail detour to reach the north beach access point.

Meanwhile, on the blufftops above, the restoration area was seeded with native coastal prairie and scrub species, raked, mulched with weed-free straw, and covered with jute netting to stabilize the soil. This work will encourage regrowth of healthy native habitat where casual trails had previously caused erosion.

Coming Up Next Week…

The contractor will begin excavating the footprint of the second parking lot. The soil from that work will be used to rebuild and stabilize bare areas on the blufftops above the future stairway on the south side of the ravine.

Expect increased truck activity for a couple of days. If you’re visiting Wavecrest, please follow all directions from construction crews and Coastside Land Trust volunteers to ensure safe trail access.

As always, thank you for your patience and enthusiasm as this transformative project continues to take shape—connecting our community to the coast while restoring and protecting the habitats that make this landscape so special.

Coastal Prairies: The Redwoods Beneath Your Feet- Webinar Recording and Resources…

Please enjoy this recording, as ecologists Cleopatra Tuday and Mel Preston team up to discuss one of their favorite ecosystems, coastal prairies. Join us as we all nerd out on wildflowers, perennial grasses, and grassland obligate wildlife. They'll also discuss threats facing remnant coastal prairies and examples of stewardship projects to help our coastal grasslands thrive for generations to come.
Special thanks to San Mateo County Bird Alliance for supporting the Wavecrest Stewardship Plan, which is in progress right now, with the help of Mel Preston. It will focus on stewardship of grassland birds and their coastal prairie habitat at Wavecrest!
Thank you also so much to our presenters for these resources to help us learn and connect more: 
Guide to the Pasture Plants of Coastal San Mateo County- Beautifully illustrated by Mel Preston
MROSD Burrowing Owl and Badger Habitat Suitability Study
North American bird declines (3 Billion birds lost since 1970, grassland birds hit hard)
Grasshopper Sparrow article in Grasslands journal (CNGA, page 10)

If you are able please help to support the important work of the Coastside Land Trust as we preserve, protect, and steward our shared open spaces (including these vital grasslands)—by donating at: coastsidelandtrust.org/donate

Coastal Prairies: The Redwoods Beneath Your Feet - Free Community Webinar

Coastal Prairies: The Redwoods Beneath Your Feet

Presented by Cleopatra Tuday and Mel Preston 

This Saturday, October 25, 2025

10:00 AM
Free Community Webinar

Ecologists, Cleopatra Tuday and Mel Preston are teaming up to discuss one of their favorite ecosystems... Coastal Prairies. Did you know that California's coastal prairies are one of the rarest and most biodiverse ecosystems in North America? Although their short stature may fool you, coastal prairies form old-growth communities just like redwood forests! Join us as we nerd out on wildflowers, perennial grasses, and grassland obligate wildlife. We'll also discuss threats facing remnant coastal prairies and examples of stewardship projects to help our coastal grasslands thrive for generations to come.

Artwork by Mel Preston

Connecting with Nature at Wavecrest: A POST Adventure

On October 11, Coastside Land Trust was delighted to welcome a group of young explorers from the East Palo Alto Center for their first Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) Adventure at Wavecrest Open Space. About 23 children joined us for a morning of hands-on nature discovery and creativity.

Led by our Education Coordinator, Haley, the students took part in a nature journaling session and a coastal scavenger hunt, engaging all their senses as they observed plants, wildlife, and the beauty of the coastal landscape. The activity encouraged the children to slow down, notice details, and express their observations through art and writing.

This outing was one of three POST/EPA Adventures designed to connect youth from East Palo Alto with the natural spaces of the Peninsula. During each adventure, the participants also spend time taking photographs—capturing moments of curiosity, wonder, and joy in the outdoors.

Their collective work will be featured in an art show this December, celebrating their creative perspectives and deepening appreciation for the environment.

Coastside Land Trust is proud to partner with POST in inspiring the next generation of nature stewards through these meaningful coastal experiences

October 8 Update: Wavecrest Trail Extension Update on the Stairway and Trail Connection

This week, the construction crew made significant progress at the Wavecrest Ravine site. They are stabilizing a large gully where the north staircase will eventually be installed. For now, this repaired area is also serving as the temporary construction access route down to the beach, allowing the team to begin work on the south staircase, which must be built first.

On the north side of the ravine, the crew successfully completed all restoration work, carefully reusing stockpiled soil from the trail excavation to restore the surrounding habitat.

Coming Up Next Week…

Work will shift to the south side of the ravine, where the contractor will begin building a supporting crib wall made of redwood beams—forming the sturdy foundation for the future south stairway.

Please note: there will be no beach access from the south side during construction. Visitors can continue to reach the beach by following the newly built Coastal Trail around the ravine to the north side.

Check the maps online or posted onsite for updated access routes and to see how this exciting project is taking shape!

High Schoolers Dive into Nature Journaling with Junior Land Stewards

This week, students in Marine Ecology and AP Environmental Science classes spent Monday and Tuesday connecting more deeply with the natural world. Four classes participated, led by teachers Joseph Centoni and Kate Walera, who both teach Marine Ecology and AP Environmental Science.

Some of the students have been part of the Junior Land Stewards (JLS) program before, but for most, this was their first experience! After a warm-up field journaling activity a few weeks ago, Elexis Padrón returned to introduce students to the foundations of nature journaling. Together, they explored how to observe closely, stay intentionally curious, and approach science with a growth mindset.

These new skills aren’t just for the classroom — they’ll help high school students become mentors. Over the school year, they’ll volunteer on four field trips with the Junior Land Stewards Program, guiding 4th graders through hands-on ecology activities and inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards.

Beyond that, these journaling and inquiry-based learning techniques will serve students in their own studies and future careers — building habits of observation, reflection, and curiosity that are at the heart of great science.

Thank you to the Maxwell/Hanrahan Foundation, Cabrillo Unified School District, Granada Community Service District, and everyone who contributed during Coastside Gives for their generous support of this program.

If you would like to help this program continue to grow, please consider making a donation to support the Junior Land Stewards and the ongoing protection and stewardship of our precious open spaces.

A Heartfelt Thank You...

We’d like to give a heartfelt thank-you to John Blackwell, who went above and beyond, and brought his tractor all the way down from the hills to help us recycle mulch from the Wavecrest fuel reduction project, making sure it didn’t go to waste. Thanks to his hard work and generous spirit, that mulch will now be put to great use in our Junior Land Stewards’ habitat restoration gardens—helping native plants thrive and supporting local wildlife.

October 1 Wavecrest Trail Extension Update

WEEK 9:
It’s official—the Coastal Trail is now fully connected through the Wavecrest Open Space! This is a milestone worth celebrating, and we’re so grateful to everyone who has been supporting and encouraging this project along the way. Out on the trail, people are already enjoying this new connection—hiking, biking, and walking their dogs along the fresh stretch of Coastal Trail.

In addition to this exciting achievement, the crew also carried out extensive restoration work on compacted casual trails and finished gravelling the existing road between the Smith Field Ballpark and the ravine crossing. Each of these steps helps ensure the trail is not only connected, but also resilient and ready to serve the community for years to come.

And in a special moment of celebration, our Wavecrest Trail Project Manager, Sara Polgar, took a well-deserved ride along the newly connected path to enjoy the fruits of her tireless work on this project.

WEEK 10:
Next up, the crew is stabilizing a large gully at the northwest end of the ravine where the north stairs will eventually be installed. For now, this repaired gully will also serve as the construction access route to the beach, making it possible to begin work on the south stairs—which must be built first.

Junior Land Stewards Field Guide Orientation

The Junior Land Stewards kicked off their orientation with an action-packed morning at Wavecrest Open Space. Half Moon Bay High School AP Environmental Science and Marine Ecology students explored 50 acres of coastal habitat while soaking up knowledge from local experts. In just under two hours, they rotated through four immersive mini-sessions, each building on the last as students examined different parts of the coastal environment. All of this preparation helps them become field guides for the local 4th-grade students participating in the Junior Land Stewards program.

Guest speakers shared their expertise with energy and enthusiasm. Sara Polgar COO from CLT introduced trail building, fuel reduction, and land stewardship. Malia DeFelice led students in the art of birding, while Elexis Padron encouraged them to use all their senses in nature journaling. Finally, Barbara Dye and Barbara Lohman wove together the rich history, geology, and ecology of the open space, highlighting both native and invasive plants.

The students eagerly took notes in their field notebooks, asked thoughtful questions, and explored the property with curiosity and care. By the end of the morning, they had not only learned a tremendous amount but also gained a deeper connection to the natural world they’ll help protect as Junior Land Stewards.

The birds stole the show—students spotted white-tailed kites, northern harriers, American kestrels, red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks, and even an American barn owl. Along the coast, hundreds of seabirds were in a feeding frenzy, including elegant terns, gulls, cormorants, western grebes, and pelicans. Smaller feathered friends like black phoebes, Bewick’s wrens, California towhees, Townsend’s warblers, and goldfinches delighted aspiring birders. But the discoveries didn’t stop in the air—students also encountered praying mantises, a shamrock orbweaver spider, voles, other rodents, and even owl pellets.

Thank you to the Maxwell Hanrahan Foundation, Cabrillo Unified School District, Granada Community Service District, and everyone who contributed during Coastside Gives for their generous support of this program.

If you would like to help this program continue to grow, please consider making a donation to support the Junior Land Stewards and the ongoing protection and stewardship of our precious open spaces.

Seeds of Renewal with Barbara Lohman at Wavecrest

Out at the Wavecrest Open Space, our Board President, Barbara Lohman, carefully gathers seeds from California buckwheat. It may look like a small act, but these seeds will help restore native plants and heal the “casual trails” left by many footsteps.

California buckwheat (Eriogonum fasciculatum) is a hardy, native shrub that plays a big role in supporting local ecosystems. Its tiny flowers attract bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, while birds and small mammals feed on its seeds. Its deep roots help stabilize soil, making it a great ally in erosion control, especially along bluffs and open spaces like Wavecrest. Plus, once established, it thrives with little care, perfectly adapted to our coastal climate.

For Barbara, these quiet moments in the field reflect the heart of our work—each seed helping to bring balance back to the land.

Please help to support this important work—and help preserve, protect, and steward our shared open space

September 25 Wavecrest Trail Extension Update

WEEK 8:
The contractor wrapped up laying compacted gravel on the north side of the ravine—about 1,800 linear feet of trail! This crucial stretch ties together the finished trail on both the north and south sides of the ravine. With this connection nearly complete, the Coastal Trail at Wavecrest is so close to being fully linked!

COMING UP NEXT WEEK:
The crew will shift focus to the northwest end of the ravine, where they’ll stabilize a large gully in preparation for installing the north stairs. For now, this repaired gully will also serve as the construction access point down to the beach so work can begin on the south stairs (which need to go in first). In addition, the team plans to lay down gravel on the existing road between Smith Field Ballpark and the ravine crossing.

Here’s a glimpse of the beauty that greets us all as we spend time walking and working on this trail…

And a glimpse of someone quietly watching it all unfold…

Coyote Brush: Fall Magic on the Coast

If you’ve walked the bluffs, trails, or open fields along the San Mateo Coast lately, you’ve probably noticed clouds of white fluff drifting through the air. It looks almost like snow, but it’s not winter weather—it’s coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis) going to seed.

What’s Happening Right Now

In early fall, female coyote brush plants burst into bloom with cream-colored flowers. Soon after, those flowers transform into silky seed heads, each attached to a tiny parachute of fluff. The wind carries these seeds far and wide, a natural strategy to help the plant spread and thrive. On breezy days, you can actually see the seeds floating across the landscape, sometimes catching the sunlight like sparkling confetti.

Why It Matters

Coyote brush is one of the most important native plants on our coast. It’s a pioneer species, meaning it’s often one of the first shrubs to grow back in disturbed or bare areas. Its deep roots help prevent erosion, while its dense growth offers shelter for birds, insects, and small mammals.

This plant also supports pollinators. In late summer and early fall, when many other flowers have finished blooming, coyote brush provides a vital nectar source for native bees, butterflies, and flies. If you stop and listen, you’ll often hear the buzzing and humming of insects hard at work.

The Cool Factor

• Natural Snowfall: The airborne seeds create a magical scene, turning coastal trails into living snow globes.

• Resilient Beauty: Coyote brush can survive salty winds, poor soils, and drought, making it a champion of coastal resilience.

• Wildlife Haven: Birds use it for cover, deer browse on it, and countless insects depend on its flowers.

• Restoration Hero: Land stewards often plant coyote brush first in restoration projects, knowing it will prepare the ground for other native species to follow.

So… next time you see the fluff- take a moment to notice the beauty and purpose of coyote brush seeds drifting on the wind. They’re a reminder that our coast is alive with seasonal rhythms, and that even something as small as a seed can play a big role in shaping the landscape we love.

Thank You for Joining Coastal Cleanup Day!

We are so grateful to everyone who came out to Venice Beach in Half Moon Bay for California Coastal Cleanup Day with Coastside Land Trust. Together with 60,000 other Californians, we rolled up our sleeves to keep our beaches and waterways clean — and what a beautiful day it was!

Thanks to our amazing volunteers — residents and visitors of all ages, and many Seacrest School families — we collected a wide variety of debris including plastics, metals, shoes, glass, clothes, and other items that might otherwise have ended up in the ocean. Every piece removed makes a difference.

A special thank-you to the Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay for treating our volunteers to delicious donuts, fueling the energy that powered this important effort.

This incredible turnout showed the strength of our community and the care we share for our coast. Thank you all for being part of the solution and helping protect the place we love.

A number of volunteers were treated to a large show of gratitude from some humpback whales feeding and playing closely off shore! Not sure who was having more fun, though…

California Coastal Cleanup Day is this Saturday- Join us at Venice Beach!

California Coastal Cleanup Day 2025
Saturday, September 20
9am - Noon
Venice Beach, Half Moon Bay

Attention Coastside community! Join the Coastside Land Trust for a meaningful coastal cleanup event shared by communities all along the California coast. Let’s unite here in Half Moon Bay to protect and preserve our beautiful coastline. This year, the Coastside Land Trust’s cleanup site will be Venice Beach in Half Moon Bay.

Meeting location: Venice beach 

What to bring: Sun protection

Parking: Free parking permits will be provided at the event. 

September 18 Wavecrest Trail Extension Update

WEEK 8:
The contractors excavated much of the remaining trail north of the ravine and began laying compacted gravel from the north end. They completed more than half a mile of trail—and it looks fantastic! The crew also carried out some casual trail restoration in a couple of high-priority areas, with more of this work planned in the weeks ahead.

COMING UP NEXT WEEK:
The crew will continue trail-building all the way to the northwest side of the ravine. They’ll also refine the newly graveled sections by cleaning up the edges for a finished look.

Recorded Video: Mammoth in the Artichokes community webinar

Mammoth in the Artichokes

Encounter with an Ice Age Landscape in Monterey County and Implication for the First Native Americans

Join us as we welcome back the very popular Mark Hylkema to discuss the remains of an Ice Age mammal found in our region and the research team that investigated and recovered these remains. His abstract is as follows:

In the spring of 2011, the remains of a Columbian Mammoth were exposed in an artichoke field near the town of Castroville, California. During the grading to create additional planting areas, the operator of the heavy machinery observed bones that turned out to be the partial, but articulated remains of the mammoth, along with fragments of bone representative of other Late Pleistocene (Ice Age) animals. In the hope of finding a link between the mammoth and early ancestral Native Americans, a research team involving many different colleges and universities was organized to learn what we could before active agricultural activities closed the opportunity to investigate. The process of learning about these animals led to a journey of discovery about the landscape and natural history of the Monterey Bay region at the end of the Great Ice Age. This lecture will highlight some of the many insights gained and will share information about the recovery of the remains of creatures that were once on the menu for the first people of the Americas- but have since vanished from our world as if they had never been.

Donate to support the Coastside Land Trust free webinar programs and the protection and stewardship of our shared open spaces at www.coastsidelandtrust.org/donate.