Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What is the jumping fish in the lagoon?

A. The fish that jumps out of the water is a mullet. They jump to clean the muck from their gills and get oxygen.

Q. Is the cut firewood available for purchase?

A. Cut eucalyptus firewood is available for a donation, check in at the Nature Center from 9am-3pm,cash and checks accepted. You can then select and load your firewood, wheelbarrows are available for your use.

Q. Where are the trail markers mentioned in the trail guide?

A. The first marker on the trail is approximately 75 yards from the Nature Center. See the first bench past the trees as you look to the east from the Batiquitos Lagoon Nature Center (BLNC). The first trailmarker is 10 yards short of that. It is a wooden 2x4 post with a white painted number on the top of it.

Q. Are there endangered species in the Batiquitos Lagoon area?

A. The Least Tern and Belding’s Savannah Sparrow are two endangered species. The Western Snowy Plover and the California Gnatcatcher are on the Federal Threatened List. There are also sensitive plant species located in the lagoon. Please be respectful and stay on the trail behind the ropes as this is an ecological preserve.

Q. Where do the California Gnatcatchers live?

A. The California Gnatcatchers live in the coastal sage scrub adjacent to the lagoon. They typically nest on south facing slopes of native habitat.

Q. Where will the bricks for the fundraiser be placed?

A. The bricks will be placed on the path in front of the Batiquitos Lagoon Nature Center.

Q. Why is dredging the lagoon necessary?

A. A sand bar builds up just east of the railroad bridge, and it has to be removed periodically so that it doesn’t block tidal action.

Q. When will the lagoon be dredged again?

A. The lagoon is scheduled to be dredged periodically, usually every 2-5 years.

Q. How long and difficult is the trail?

A. The trail is approximately 3‐1/4 miles out‐and‐back along the northern border of the lagoon. It is flat and wide and easy to navigate.

Q. Why are there large white sandy areas in the lagoon?

A. There are several man‐made nesting sites for the endangered Least Tern and Western Snowy Plover. Both species require large sandy areas where they lay their eggs out in the open sand. The red adobe tiles are put there by the CDF&W to provide cover for the chicks who are highly prone to predation.

Q. Are there prehistoric sites at the lagoon?

A. Nearly 200 prehistoric sites dating back 8,000 years have been found at the lagoon.

Q. How many species of birds have been sighted at the lagoon?

A. More than 200 species of birds have been sighted at the lagoon since it was restored to tidal flushing in 1997.

Q. Is fishing allowed in the Batiquitos Lagoon?

A. Fishing with a license is allowed at Batiquitos Lagoon from two designated sites: The rock jetties at the mouth of the lagoon in South Ponto, and under the Interstate‐5 bridge and California Code of Hwy 101 bridge only. The fishing line is not permitted to drift into the lagoon area. The Batiquitos Lagoon is a Marine Protected Area (MPA) under California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section632(b). Call CALTIP at 888‐334‐2258 to report any violations.

Q. Are bikes allowed on the trail?

A. Bikes are not allowed on the trail.

Q. Are boating, SUP’s, surfing, swimming, wading, and/or diving allowed at Batiquitos Lagoon?

A. No. They are prohibited. An annual weekend kayak clean ‐up & fundraising event is held by the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation in late October. It is the only time when watercraft are allowed on the lagoon by participating in this event. Registration is available on our website usually starting in August.

Q. Are horses allowed on the trail at the lagoon?

A. Horses are not allowed on the trail.

Q. Are drones or unmanned aircraft systems allowed to fly at Batiquitos Lagoon?

A. No, they are not. Under California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Section 4351, they are prohibited in state wilderness areas, natural preserves, and cultural preserves.

Q. What is a description of the Batiquitos Lagoon by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife?

A. The Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve is a 544‐acre property. Habitat types include open water/subtidal, intertidal mudflats, southern coastal salt marsh, coastal brackish marsh, nesting areas, transitional zones, and southern arroyo willow riparian forest. Dominant flora includes eelgrass, pickleweed, alkali heath, and white sage. Dominant fauna includes striped mullet, great egret, horn snail, raccoon, woodrat, skunk, and ground squirrel. Past land use in the area includes ranching, and more recently, recreation. Batiquitos Lagoon was acquired to preserve, protect and maintain the improved coastal wetland habitat and associated species. The property was designated as an ecological reserve by the Fish and Game Commission in 1983.

Q. What does “Batiquitos” mean?

A. Batiquitos means little watering hole. It is thought the name was derived from the regional Native American word "batiqui," which referred to a shallow dirt trough used as a watering hole by the mule deer.

Q. What type of fish occupy the lagoon?

A. Several types of fish occupy the lagoon, including the California Killifish, Pipefish, White Sea bass, and California Halibut. There are also several kinds of rays and small sharks found in the lagoon. Occasionally we also have seals and turtles visit.

Q. When did the new Batiquitos Lagoon Nature Center open?

A. It opened in August 2016.

Q. When are the bird migrations at the Batiquitos Lagoon?

A. We are under the Pacific flyway and have records of monthly bird counts going back to 1991. Ask a host at the Nature Center to show you the Bird Count binder completed by the San Diego Audubon in our resource library.

Q. When are the Least Terns at the Batiquitos Lagoon?

A. Least terns are at the Batiquitos Lagoon from May through August.

Q. When are the herons at the Batiquitos Lagoon?

A. Herons are at the Batiquitos Lagoon year‐round.

Q. What kind of crabs are in the Batiquitos Lagoon?

A. Fiddler crabs,mudflat crabs, shore crabs, and swimming crabs live in the coastal salt marsh areas of the lagoon. The fiddler crabs are up to two inches long and feed on the algal mats in the lagoon.

Q. Where did the coyotes displayed in the BLNC come from?

A. The taxidermied coyote is approximately ten years old. It is a female, and the place of origin is Florida. Coyotes can always be distinguished from dogs because they always have their tail down even when running. They have adopted extremely well and have survived an ever developing urban environment. They are mostly nocturnal and hunt in packs.They will attack small animals such as household pets, but will generally avoid human contact. The coyote skin or pelt is from a young, approximately two‐year old male, who was hit by a car on Batiquitos Drive. The taxidermy body form can be ordered online. We put it together and painted it. We added plastic eyes, nose and mouth so children can understand how it is put together. A taxidermist would fit the skin over the form so it looks like the live animal.

Q. Where did the Native American Kumeyaay artifacts come from?

A. Many of the Kumeyaay artifacts were provided by Dennis Gallegos with Gallegos and Associates of Carlsbad, a well‐known expert on the culture and archaeology of San Diego County and Southern California. The large grinding stone was found here at Batiquitos.

Q. Can someone donate a bench for the Batiquitos Lagoon trail?

A. The Batiquitos Lagoon will not add more benches to the trail, but bench replacements may be purchased to replace those that are old and whose sponsorship has ended. The cost for a “bench dedication” is approximately $1500, plus sustaining sponsorship for five years ,which is $500, for a total due of around $2000, and then $500 every five years to reserve the sponsorship. Details are available on the website.

Q. When was construction started and finished on the Batiquitos Lagoon Restoration Process?

A. Construction started in 1994 and finished in 1997, the lagoon has been open to tidal flushing since then.

Q. How wide is the mouth of the Batiquitos Lagoon?

A. The lagoon mouth is 120 feet wide and 4 feet deep at low tide.