PACIFIC BEACH, Calif. (KGTV) — We all know about high tides, they happen twice a day, but King Tides happen only twice a year.
These roughly seven-foot tides change our coastline in a way that needs to be captured. Areas that we know and love are completely underwater. The Kendall-Frost Marsh is one spot where you can really see the difference. These are drastic changes for us, and more so for birds.
RELATED: California King Tides Project
“A lot of the birds that normally would be in the marsh come around the edges, and birders can see them,” said Nigella Hillgarth, a bird conservationist.
Plenty of bird conservationists came out to get a better look.
“We go out and try to estimate how many birds we’re anticipating will be part of the breeding population,” said Isabelle Kay, Manager at the Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Marsh Reserve.
They’re keeping track of these birds because some of them are going extinct. And this marsh is one of their last homes in Mission Bay.
“Mission Bay used to look like this all over the place. But now this is all we have left for this habitat,” said Andrew Meyer, Director of Conservation with the San Diego Audobon Society.
Meyer says this marsh also protects our coastline from flooding and erosion.
“This is the kind of coastal infrastructure we need and we need to restore throughout San Diego,” Meyer said.
These beautiful waters are a warning of what could come with the sea levels rising.
