name,description,icon_color,long,lat,pic_url,thumb_url Welcome to the reserve,"The reserve is managed jointly. The Kendall Frost Mission Bay Reserve is part of the University of California Natural Reserve System (UC NRS) and is managed by the University of California San Diego (UCSD). The adjacent Northern Wildlife Reserve is managed by the City of San Diego. More Info",R,-117.2296755,32.7920955,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/marsh_intro_picture.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/marsh_intro_picture_thumbnail.jpg Viewing platform,"Although the reserve is normally closed to public access, there are great views over the marsh from Crown Point Drive.",R,-117.2314357,32.7925510,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/viewing_platform.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/viewing_platform_thumbnail.jpg Tidal creek at low tide,"In this view looking south over the marsh you can see downtown San Diego, six miles away on the horizon. The next photo shows the same view at high tide.",R,-117.2313054,32.7922587,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/marsh_creek_low_tide.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/marsh_creek_low_tide_thumbnail.jpg Tidal creek at high tide,All the plants and animals of the marsh are adapted to the twice-daily stress of being inundated with saltwater.,R,-117.2313007,32.7921787,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/marsh_creek_high_tide.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/marsh_creek_high_tide_thumbnail.jpg What good is a marsh?,"The marsh acts as a nursery for multiple fish, snails, crustaceans, and also as a water purification mechanism by filtering out contaminants and storing nutrients.",R,-117.2303956,32.7911462,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/marsh_ecosystem.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/marsh_ecosystem_thumbnail.jpg Egrets,"These beautiful birds hunt patiently for fish in the marsh and creeks. The Great Egret (left) is taller than the Snowy Egret (right) and has a yellow beak rather than a black one, and black feet rather than yellow feet.",R,-117.2299153,32.7933734,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/egrets.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/egrets_thumbnail.jpg Great Blue Heron,"These are common in the marsh, where they spend the day fishing and hunting for small animals. They are the tallest birds seen in the reserve, but only weigh about 5lbs. Most of these local birds nest and roost in trees in the nearby Sea World theme park.",R,-117.2308109,32.7927772,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/great_blue_heron.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/great_blue_heron_thumbnail.jpg Little Blue Herons,"Frequently seen in the creek near the viewing platform, these birds only arrived in the San Diego area some 50 years ago, following the Snowy Egrets here. The egrets and herons are often seen together and nest in the same places, especially in Sea World. ",R,-117.2299096,32.7933430,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/little_blue_herons.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/little_blue_herons_thumbnail.jpg Cooper's Hawk,Raptors are the major predators in the marsh. The Cooper's Hawk mainly eats small birds and has recently adapted to urban life. Usually seen on high perches along the edges of the marsh.,R,-117.2307709,32.7933894,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/coopers_hawk.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/coopers_hawk_thumbnail.jpg Red Tailed Hawk,"These beautiful raptors are relatively common throughout San Diego County, having adapted to suburban situations. The adults have a distinctive red tail, visible in flight. The one pictured here is a juvenile.",R,-117.2302480,32.7948975,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/juvenile_red_tailed_hawk.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/juvenile_red_tailed_hawk_thumbnail.jpg Urban setting,A striking feature of the marsh preserve is its urban setting. This high tide shot shows the condos and apartments at the water's edge in the Crown Point neighborhood.,R,-117.2320107,32.7913634,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/urban_setting.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/urban_setting_thumbnail.jpg Light-footed Clapper Rail ,"These endangered birds are the signature species in the marsh. They mainly eat crabs and are very poor flyers, so they depend on cover to hide. Their sounds are very unmusical, but provide a way to count them. There are only 10-20 birds in this marsh.",R,-117.2291243,32.7919580,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/clapper_rail.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/clapper_rail_thumbnail.jpg Artificial nest,"Clapper Rails only nest in thick cordgrass and their nests have to rise and fall with the tide. Because the cordgrass in the marsh is not adequately healthy, artificial floating nests are provided with covers so that predators cannot easily take the eggs or chicks. ",R,-117.2290939,32.7918034,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/clapper_rails_on_nest.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/clapper_rails_on_nest_thumbnail.jpg Recreation in the bay,"The marsh reserve shares Mission Bay Park with various recreational activities, including the hydroplane thunderboats that race here in the annual San Diego Bayfair.",R,-117.2234562,32.7915691,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/mission_bay_recreation.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/mission_bay_recreation_thumbnail.jpg Marsh vegetation,"From here you can see a range of habitats: dry upland with sagebrush in the foreground, flatter areas with pickleweed, light green cordgrass alongside the tidal creek, and a sandbar beyond.",R,-117.2324632,32.7899434,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/marsh_creek_vegetation.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/marsh_creek_vegetation_thumbnail.jpg Jimson Weed,"This is a typical upland marsh plant. This attractive white, funnel-like flower is actually poisonous.",R,-117.2323986,32.7898303,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/jimson_weed.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/jimson_weed_thumbnail.jpg California Buckwheat,This is another upland plant. It's a good native plant for habitat restoration work because it can grow in poor quality soil such as sand or gravel. California buckwheat produces many seeds and can be used to make flour.,R,-117.2323986,32.7897344,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/california_buckwheat.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/california_buckwheat_thumbnail.jpg Estuary Seablite,This is a relatively rare perennial plant of the mid-to-high salt marsh and local to Southern California and Baja California.,R,-117.2318253,32.7897680,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/estuary_seablite.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/estuary_seablite_thumbnail.jpg Cordgrass,"Cordgrass is essential habitat for Clapper Rails, such as the one in this picture. Cordgrass grows best alongside creeks and can be up to 7 feet tall, but not in this marsh: there aren't enough nutrients here because there's not a natural freshwater creek running directly into the marsh. ",R,-117.2313803,32.7897896,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/cordgrass.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/cordgrass_thumbnail.jpg Sandbar,"Although it is 3 miles from here to the ocean, this part of Mission Bay has currents that are slowly moving sand from west to east, forming sandbars at the edge of the marsh.",R,-117.2305817,32.7900341,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/sandbar.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/sandbar_thumbnail.jpg Shorebirds,The large flock here contains a mix of brown Marbled Godwits and grey Willets. The small grey and white birds in the foreground are Western Sandpipers.,R,-117.2301767,32.7902835,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/sandbar_birds.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/sandbar_birds_thumbnail.jpg Brant,"These geese used to be very common winter migrants, but almost disappeared due to a major die-off of eelgrass they depend on for food. Medium size flocks have returned as the eelgrass is re-appearing in Mission Bay thanks to water quality improvements by the City of San Diego and less dredging.",R,-117.2296976,32.7904082,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/brant.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/brant_thumbnail.jpg American Wigeons,Many ducks migrate here for the winter as these American Wigeons do. They can be seen in small flocks around the marsh.,R,-117.2291728,32.7906288,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/american_wigeons.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/american_wigeons_thumbnail.jpg Black Skimmer,These nest mainly in the south end of San Diego Bay and winter mainly in the marsh and around Crown Point. They fish by flying just above the water with their long lower bill in the water to scoop up small fish and other edibles.,R,-117.2283742,32.7904993,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/black_skimmer.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/black_skimmer_thumbnail.jpg Western Grebe,"These are mainly winter visitors to this area, and spend a lot of time in flocks along the coast. In this photo a Western Grebe is trolling for fish in the creek, closely followed by two Snowy Egrets hoping to catch food disturbed by the grebe. ",R,-117.2280832,32.7911275,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/western_grebe.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/western_grebe_thumbnail.jpg Research and education,"As part of the UCSD Natural Reserve System, the marsh reserve is used in classes and student research projects. In this picture, students from the UCSD Scripps Institute of Oceanography learn about the marsh.",R,-117.2286746,32.7941021,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/education_at_the_marsh.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/education_at_the_marsh_thumbnail.jpg Small birds,"Small land birds are common on a narrow band of land between the marsh and the surrounding streets. This is a Belding's Savannah Sparrow, endangered in California. It usually nests in pickleweed that does not get frequently inundated by tides, but forages in much of the marsh.",R,-117.2316970,32.7920402,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/beldings_sparrow.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/beldings_sparrow_thumbnail.jpg Northern Mockingbird,These are common in most of San Diego County and are now a fixture of suburban life. They like to nest in bushes with protective thorns.,R,-117.2318270,32.7917717,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/mockingbird.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/mockingbird_thumbnail.jpg Coyote,Coyotes visit the marsh sometimes presumably using nearby Rose Creek as a wildlife corridor. They are not entirely welcome visitors because the marsh is too small to absorb much predation of endangered birds and their nesting young.,R,-117.2280620,32.7955695,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/coyote.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/coyote_thumbnail.jpg Robin Stribley marsh ,"Robin Stribley was a manager in the Parks & Recreation Department of the City of San Diego who championed the restoration of the southernmost section of the marsh reserve, which is owned by the City, in the 1990s.",R,-117.2316090,32.7902380,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/robin_stribley_marsh.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/robin_stribley_marsh_thumbnail.jpg Spider's web,We end with this photo that perhaps symbolizes the delicate balance between man and nature here at the marsh reserve. All the remarkable photographs used in this tour are by Roy Little of Friends of Mission Bay Marshes.,R,-117.2321846,32.7904780,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/marsh_closing_picture.jpg,http://downloads.esri.com/blogs/places/missionbaymarsh/marsh_closing_picture_thumbnail.jpg