Kendall Frost Wildlife Preserve

Such a beautiful preserve wrapping around Pacific Beach Drive and Crown Point Drive. Depending on tide and weather, the water level rises and recedes, and the view is always different.
I am no bird expert, but so lovely to see Clapper Rails (check out their elevated nests), and Egrets and Herons. I enjoy the monthly photos posted on the fence of birds recently spotted in the estuary.
Maintained by UCSD (with occasional notice to the public to come help out), there is a big project happening lately — dirt being shifted, removal of non-​indigenous shrubs — in an effort to give Mother Nature an ecological boost. Word is Campland will be moved (in my lifetime?) to increase the Preserve’s size and scope.
If there is one demerit, so to speak, it is the artwork on the trailer. It’s, um, really busy. Not so appealing. Okay, it’s bad. Sez me.

Kendall Frost Wildlife Preserve is that little swath of set-​aside Marsh land right next to Campland-​on-​the Bay. If you drive by too fast, you might blink and not notice it.
The Preserve is small and heart-​shaped but still an important ecological niche that allows endangered birds and plant species to somewhat flourish in the confines of heavily trafficked Mission Bay.
Adjacent also to Crown Point Shores beach, Kendall Frost is fenced off with an information kiosk right at the front. Not as user-​friendly as Famosa Slough in Ocean Beach-​it is more of a passive preserve and all you can do technically-​is observe.
Still it is nice to see the mudflats, coastal salt marshes, and acres of eelgrass that offer protection to so many skittish birds and environmentally-​touchy plant species. I will ride by on my bike and gaze out on the marsh-​hopeful that this little bit of nature preservation on northern Mission Bay will help keep Mission Bay ecologically-​competitive.
UCSD seems to be the one in charge here and I have seen Mission Bay High students at the Preserve-​doing clean-​ups and study groups.
I am of the inclination, that no nature set-​aside such as this can be anything less that 4 Stars on Unilocal.I just wish it didn’t feel so «roped-​off» and had friendly paths that people might stay on for some up-​close observations.