Walking along the levees above the salt evaporation ponds or sitting on the hills above the sloughs and tidal marshes, visitors are treated to a wildlife show.
Jackrabbits dart through the brush, terns bank and descend over shallow waters, egrets and ibis fish in the tidal marsh and killdeer cry from their nests on the shore.
From October through February, thousands of migratory birds using the Pacific Flyway stop off at Shoreline, where they are offered sanctuary on their flight from Canada to Mexico.
At Shoreline, endangered wildlife are offered habitat that supports preservation of their species. An example is the creation of a habitat for the burrowing owls, which are a currently listed as a "Species of Special Concern" under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Discover the dynamic system of the marshlands at Shoreline. These estuaries and tidal marsh systems are, in fact, the most productive natural lands on earth. The nutrients produced here nourish organisms in the Bay and beyond. An acre of cordgrass growing in a salt marsh produces at least twice as much organic material as the best cultivated agricultural land and many times the organic matter as natural inland grasslands and forests.
The importance of these estuaries for humans is directly felt. They work for the entire marine ecosystem, using the sun for energy and the moon for tides, producing the energy to support the fishing industry and to put food on our tables. In addition, these open spaces and natural areas provide valuable habitats for wildlife. The salt marsh plants purify the air and if left alone, the water helps detoxify pollutants deposited in the Bay. Just as important, this dramatic example of Nature's interaction allows us, as visitors, to enjoy the quiet and serenity of open space... a place more in tune with the pulses of nature than with those of man.
Visitors taking the time to explore the marshlands at Shoreline will be rewarded by the sights and sounds of thousands of birds that migrate through the area yearly. Form the smallest wren to the largest endangered pelican, these diverse species of birds perform their daily rituals of existence in a habitat that requires some very special adaptations for survival. The stillness and infinite patience of the Great Blue Heron combines with the energetic song of the Marsh Wren to create an environment in which we, as "guests," are allowed to view this spectacle of nature's bounty.
The Wildlife Habitats at Shoreline
Charleston Slough, over 130 acres of active tidal salt marsh and slough, is home to some of the most distinctive species of birds at Shoreline. While changes continue on the Slough, the birds have claimed this area as a safe, productive sanctuary in which to nest and roost.
Coast Casey Forebay is a very special small, fresh and salt water area which serves as a flood control basin for Mountain View and surrounding communities and as a home for many interesting and some rare species of birds, including an exceptional concentration of 25 different types of shorebirds.
Shoreline Lake, planned primarily for non-motorized recreational use, because of its depth and high water quality, now plays host to species of birds not commonly found on this part of the Bay.
Permanente Creek and Mountain View Slough and Tidal Marsh give us an overview of the wildlife of this interconnecting system.
Stevens Creek and the adjacent tidal marsh provide habitat for birds as diverse as dabbling ducks and owls. It also serves as habitat to the endangered salt harvest mouse.
Meadowlands and natural grasslands and wildflower areas border the marshes and provide habitat for upland birds.
The neighboring Flood Control Basin (west) and Crittenden Marsh (east) are valuable marsh habitats to be explored by those interested in the wildlife of the South Bay.
Show caution: Because of the fragile nature of some of the habitats and the likelihood for disturbance of the creatures living there, Shoreline is closed to all domestic animals. Please observe these valuable wildlife areas from a respectable distance.
