The Albany Mudflats Ecological Reserve is a 160-acre nature reserve in San Francisco, California. History. The property was leased to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) from the California State Lands Commission in 1982, as a means to preserve local endangered marine wildlife. Wildlife. The reserve is home to a range of biodiversity. Over 150 species of birds have been identified in the reserve, including Shorebirds (Waders), Herons, Egrets and Dabbling Ducks.