I used to work for the International Bird Rescue and Research Center in Emeryville. It seems to have come a long way. Someone brought in a cockatiel that escaped and I swam into the lake to save it after watching that it couldn't fly with clipped wings. Ahh, Emeryville.
Wow! That's quite an experience, it must have been fascinating working there.
It was really cool for a while there. I got to release Laysan Albatrosses (we had a spate there for a bit) from whale watching boats and one on the Farallons.n It was so great to release rehabilitated wildlife that you put your heart and soul into. The org was flawed, but the work was awesome.
It sounds really interesting!