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>Map >Satellite Situated in the northern portion of Humboldt Bay, this island has several features of note.
Approximately 60% of the island is a salt marsh, with such species as Spartina foliosa, Salicornia virginica, Triglochin maritima and Distichlis spicata. This marsh is the largest single block remaining on the California coast north of San Francisco and is one of the only two marsh areas of any significant size left in Humboldt Bay. Two rare plants occur here, Castilleja ambigua ssp. humboldtiensis and Cordylanthus maritimus.
On a small mound on the island, with introduced Monterey cypress, Cupressus macrocarpa, there is a heron rookery with great blue herons, Ardea herodias, black-crowned night herons, Nycticorax nycticorax, snowy egrets, Egretta thula, and the American egret, Casmerodius albus. The latter is at its northernmost coastal breeding site in the State.
There are two large Indian shell mounds present that date back more than 1,500 years.
Integrity: A bridge traverses a section of the marsh; however, for the most part, the marsh is relatively undisturbed.
Use: Research, educational, observational; some private. The island will be included in the Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge.
August 1977
Inventory of California Natural Areas
Revision © 2008 Steven Louis Hartman
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