Vandenberg Finds Ducky Use for Ponds

Vandenberg Air Force Base, between Lompoc and Santa Maria, is letting the public view a whole other class of flying objects: birds.

In a little-publicized project, the base, aided by the La Purisima chapter of the Audubon Society, has converted four obsolete waste-water treatment ponds into 17 acres of wetlands and 25 acres of willow habitat, and opened the area to bird-watchers.

The area, in the Santa Ynez River flood plain, is one of the few remaining riparian willow habitats on the Central Coast, according to the Audubon Society’s John Ayres. More than 200 species of birds have been spotted there since 1994, according to Master Sgt. David M. Leslie, the base’s fish and wildlife protection officer. They include various waterfowl, woodpeckers and vireos, as well as rare willow flycatchers, he said.

To arrange free access to the Waterfowl Natural Resource Area, call the Fish and Wildlife Office at (805) 734-8232, Ext. 66804, at least 24 hours in advance. Phones are answered 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. There is a limit of 25 vehicles per day, and no pets are allowed. At the base, visitors receive a map for a self-guided tour. Separately, there is also a regular tour of the base from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays (free except for lunch, about $4 to $8); for reservations, call (805) 734-8232, Ext. 63595.