Nature Awakens for Spring on Alameda Point Airfield

The wetlands and grasslands on the airfield at Alameda Point are looking alive with flowers and wildlife after a boost from heavy rainfall in April and temperatures in the high 70s.

A seasonal wetland next to the shoreline, created by the Navy in 2016 as mitigation for covering a nearby wetland, is finally reaching maturity with a rich and colorful palette of vegetation. This comes after years of failed attempts at growing new vegetation, mainly due to recurring drought conditions, which led to installing an irrigation system connected to a fire hydrant.

Nearby, another seasonal wetland between runway and taxiway pavement at a lower elevation, which was designed to be a drainage area for rainwater, is alive with the sounds of birds and crickets.

Below is a gallery of some of the sights and sounds captured during two visits to the area in April and May of this year. A previous gallery from the area was featured in the Alameda Post in May 2024. The area is slated to one day become a regional park.

Alameda Post - A lush wetland area in Alameda Point with the S.F. skyline in the background. — New seasonal wetland created by the Navy at Alameda Point, as seen on May 3, 2026. San Francisco is in the background. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post - purple and yellow flowers. — Purple owl’s clover in the new seasonal wetland. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post - light purple and bright yellow flowers. — Bird’s-foot trefoil (yellow) and common stork’s-bill (purple) stand out in the new seasonal wetland. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post - A close up photo of delicate, bright yellow flowers. — Bird’s-foot trefoil in the new seasonal wetland. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post - Yarrow, a clumped group of white flowers. — Yarrow in the new seasonal wetland. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post - Two purple flowers with five petals each. — Common stork’s-bill in the new seasonal wetland. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post - Groups of flowers that appear almost geometric in their flowering pattern. They are white and slightly purple and grouped together. — Salt heliotrope in the new seasonal wetland. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post - Grasses and flowers in a wetland. — Brome grass in the new seasonal wetland. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post - A bird perched atop some vegetation in a wetland. — Savannah sparrow in the new seasonal wetland. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post - Two hares in a wetland. — Black-tailed jackrabbits, also known as American desert hares, in the new seasonal wetland. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post - A hare hops away from the camera. — Black tail and extra large feet of a black-tailed jackrabbit in the new seasonal wetland. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post - A group of small birds in a wetland. — Rock doves in the new seasonal wetland. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post - a lizard on dirt and rocks. — Eastern fence lizard between new seasonal wetland and rocky shoreline. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post - A barely visible grasshopper that is well camouflaged into the rock and twigs around it. — Pallid-winged grasshopper with exquisite camouflage, including eyeballs, on paved area near historic wetland. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post- A tall green plant with small yellow flowers. — *Bellardia viscosa* plant in the historic wetland. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post - A small black, white, and brown bird. — Killdeer, a regular visitor and nester, near the historic wetland. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Alameda Post - An aerial view of a dry patch of land. — Aerial view of the Navy’s almost barren new seasonal wetland on June 4, 2023 with recently installed irrigation system. Photo by Richard Bangert.

Contributing writer Richard Bangert posts stories and photos about environmental issues on his blog Alameda Point Environmental Report. His writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Richard-Bangert.