Contra Costa Egg Hunt On Jersey Island Will Help Nesting Birds

EASTERN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY - This weekend will feature a belated egg hunt with a different purpose from last weekend's Easter festivities - helping eastern Contra Costa County's nesting birds.

Both children and adults have been asked to assist an effort to gather eggs Saturday on Jersey Island, which is bounded by the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in an unincorporated section of the county.

The program is being hosted by Ironhouse Sanitary District, which maintains sanitary water services for customers in the Oakley and unincorporated Bethel Island areas and releases recycled water for Jersey Island's hay fields, where some birds choose to nest.

"This will be the first time hosting this event on Jersey Island," Michael Painter, director of the district's board, said in a statement. "There are several farmers doing this same thing in Northern California to help rescue ducks, pheasants and other ground nesters."

Egg salvage programs have been popularized in the region due to outreach done by California Waterfowl Association, district officials said. Such programs are designed to restore waterfowl breeding habitats.

The district's local iteration of the salvage program starts at 9 a.m. Saturday on Jersey Island.

Some volunteers will be provided a cowbell to ring, temporarily chasing the birds away, while other volunteers collect eggs and baby birds to bring them to safety, district officials explained.

The eggs will then be brought to an incubation area where the eggs will be hatched before the birds are released in safer locations throughout the island.

"Everyone is invited to come out and help," Painter said in a statement. "This doesn't take any experience, just a someone willing to give a helping hand."

-Bay City News, image via Ironhorse Sanitary District Facebook page