Comments on the "Scope of Services" for the State Parks Waterbird Study of the North Sailing Basin

Thanks you for making this available to the Cal Sailing club for comment. If there is anyway the club can help in the future please let me know. I am avalible for water based tours of the North Sailing Basin and conversations about how boats would be limited in their use of the Basin just because of it geograghy. If nessecary to help the study I can arrange some boats and skippers to help with water based counts/observations.

It seems a little weighted to prove that boats disturb birds, it doesn't ask the surveyorrs to identify if/when boats do not flush birds, only when they do and at what distance. Assuming that flushing birds from non-motorized boating is more harmful then any other flushing. It doesn't ask the surverys to identify shore bird flushing from dogs, cats, hikers, etc, or request flush estimates from these sources.  This would  directly affect how the perimiter trail would be laid out, and limit beach access particulary prior to and during storms when many birds attempt to hide out on the high beach or dune areas above the water line.

It would be nice if public comment could be required, particulary for documentation of both historical and present boat use.  The way it reads now it leaves it to the reasearchers to find the info or not as they choose.

Saul Schumsky
Cal Sailing Club