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Event Recap: Wildlife Jewels’ New Year Sweep for Wildlife at Corona del Mar State Beach

What a fabulous day at the coast! 💙 Thank you to everyone who joined Wildlife Jewels for our New Year Sweep for Wildlife at Corona del Mar State Beach. Together, our community made the shoreline safer for both people and wildlife—while learning about our local seabirds and marine life, the threats they face, and simple actions we can all take to protect them.

Event Recap: Wildlife Jewels’ New Year Sweep for Wildlife at Corona del Mar State Beach

What a fabulous day at the coast! 💙 Thank you to everyone who joined Wildlife Jewels for our New Year Sweep for Wildlife at Corona del Mar State Beach.

Together, our community made the shoreline safer for both people and wildlife—while learning about our local seabirds and marine life, the threats they face, and simple actions we can all take to protect them.

Our Focus for the Day

Protecting Coastal Wildlife
We removed debris that can injure, entangle, or poison seabirds and marine animals—especially fishing line and small plastics that often go unnoticed.

Community Education
Along the way, we shared quick, engaging facts about the seabirds and marine life we observed, how to recognize signs of wildlife distress, and when and how to report injured coastal wildlife.

Threat Awareness
We highlighted common hazards found on our beaches—food waste, plastics, fishing gear, and hot coals—and discussed how everyday choices can help prevent harm.

What We Removed Together

Volunteers collected a wide range of debris, including:

  • Food & drink waste: soda and beer cans, bottle caps, plastic forks and knives, glass bottles, candy and chocolate wrappers, napkins, and straws

  • Beach fire debris: burnt wood, charcoal, and coal fragments found on the surface and buried beneath the sand, especially around fire pits

  • Plastics: fragments, packaging, balloon pieces, ribbons, wraps, and toys

  • Miscellaneous debris: rope pieces, foam, and other litter

  • Fishing line: numerous strands found near the seawall and shoreline edge, posing a serious entanglement risk for birds

A Close Call

One volunteer spotted a seabird attempting to reach food inside a plastic bag—an important reminder that feeding seabirds and leaving food unattended can be extremely dangerous. Wildlife can ingest plastic while trying to reach food, leading to serious injury or death.

Practical tip: Always pack out all food and wrappers, and never feed wildlife.

Wildlife We Observed

It’s always inspiring to learn from wildlife while we clean. Sightings included:

  • Heermann’s Gull

  • Western Gull

  • California Gull

  • Brown Pelican

  • Cormorants

Each sighting is a reminder of who we’re protecting with every piece of debris removed.

Learn & Help: Fast Tips

  • Spot & report distress: If you see an entangled or injured bird or marine mammal, keep a safe distance and immidiately contact the nearest wildlife rehabilitation or rescue centers. Refer to Wildlife Jewels’ wildlife rescue resources for information.

  • Pack it out: Take all food, wrappers, balloons, plastics, and gear with you.

  • Respect wildlife: Enjoy from a distance—never feed wildlife.

  • Fire-pit safety: Use only designated fire pits and fully cool and properly dispose of coals.

Thank you for starting the new year with purpose, care, and community. Every action—big or small—helps protect our coastal wildlife. 💙

Get Involved

Some of the highlights from the day!

Wildlife Jewels Sweep for Wildlife: Corona del Mar State Beach


Meet Wildlife Jewels Selenite Crystal the Gull ✨

Selenite Crystal the Gull, April 2025 at CDM State Beach

One of our dedicated volunteers spotted a precious bird with one missing foot and the other entangled in fishing line.

December 15th 2024, Corona del Mar State Beach

Fishing Gear

Every day, countless seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals suffer injuries or lose their lives due to entanglement in fishing lines and hooks. This includes the tragic consequence of swallowing fishing hooks.

Hooks and lines caught in debris can lead to devastating entanglements for animals, causing injuries to legs, wings, and beaks of birds. A single hook caught in a beak or mouth can be devastating leading to starvation and death.

Thanks to the dedication of our participants, we were able to locate and remove fishing lines and at least one fishing hook during our clean-up in Corona Del Mar. This debris poses a significant threat to seabirds and shorebirds, especially as lines and hooks become ensnared in branches and seaweed along the shoreline— where these birds search for food.

By picking up debris, even just one fishing hook, you are making a difference saving wildlife!

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