Humble Caretaker Upgrades Our Coyote Creek Field Station

By Plover Intern Illianna Termuehlen

​As the rain stops and it begins to look like spring again, the Coyote Creek Field Station will take advantage of the sunny days and continue banding birds. The Coyote Creek Field Station would not be the same without volunteers like Gerry Ellis. A lifelong birder, Gerry discovered CCFS decades ago through an article in the paper advertising bird banding training. He came for a few classes and stayed for years. Gerry has been an asset to SFBBO, not only as a bird bander but as a humble caretaker of the field station. 

Gerry says that what kept him at CCFS for so many years were the people, the positive atmosphere and supportive learning environment and being able to witness the families and visitors inspired by the banding demonstrations.
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Recently, with a donation of used deck boards from Gail Richardson and Dave Austin, Gerry rebuild the deck at CCFS. This is only one of many projects Gerry has completed to keep CCFS running and looking it’s best. On your next visit to the field station note the signs: the new stairs, the poles for the nets, and the newly deck, all completed by Gerry.

There are few people who know as much about CCFS as Gerry, and his love for the place is clear. Just ask him about the ecological history of the area and he will tell you about the indigenous plants and notable wildlife sightings. To many, CCFS is an island of semi-wild in the midst of a city, a place to be treasured and taken care of, just as Gerry and other volunteers have. Thank you so much, Gerry, for all you’ve invested in CCFS, it would not be the same without you!

Illianna Termuehlen is a plover intern at SFBBO. She grew up in Wisconsin and graduated from Mount Holyoke College with a BA in Environmental Studies in 2018. She previously worked with UCCE and the U.S Forest Service monitoring wild horse populations in Northern California. She also spent a summer monitoring terns with Project Puffin on an island off the coast of Southern Maine.