Bob Barnes returns to guide a unique, refreshing, & confidence-building approach where absolute beginning & novice birders are the stars; NOT Bob! Helpful, for those experienced birders who take them birding, too. Brief classroom session then extended field trip. As desired, bring binoculars, bird guides, cameras, cell phones, small notebooks/sketch pads, snacks, water. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay, Lounge.
Join Emma Cox, Nora Livingston and Reef Comer for a BIG DAY of birding! Expect a fast-paced day, with the possibility of rapid ID of over 100 species at hot spots in SLO County. Special effort on regional specialties and rarities. Pace to be determined by the leader with input from the group. Travel in bus with leader and many in/out stops. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
Are you a birder and would like to learn more about your camera and how to capture your own photos? Join professional Nature Photographer Krisztina with KS Nature Photography for a casual session of birding with the added bonus of photography. This program is open to all ages, birders, photographers, and anyone who would like to learn more about the birds and about basic camera techniques for bird photography. Bring your binoculars and any camera, if you like (point and shoot, DSLR, Mirrorless – and any lens). To read more about Krisztina, please visit www.KSNaturePhotography.com. Specific meeting instructions will be emailed beforehand. Meets in the parking lot across from 150 Azure Street, Morro Bay.
Join Doug Stinson and Steve McMasters for a slow-paced walk of 1.5-2 miles along a beautiful and wild ocean bluff trail. Expect rock-loving shorebirds such as Black and Ruddy Turnstones, Surfbirds, Whimbrels, scoters, terns, gulls and maybe a Harlequin Duck. 20 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Moderate. Meets at the "Fig Tree" parking lot on CA-1 north of Cayucos. The Fig Tree Parking lot is the third parking area 2.1 miles north of where CA-1 becomes single-lane.
Join a guided kayak tour of Morro Bay for an up-close look at birds in their natural habitat. Possible sightings include White Pelicans, Brant, Common Loons, and a variety of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. Along the way, you’ll paddle past the Heron Rookery, Grassy Island oyster farm, expansive mudflats, and winding Back Bay channels.
The tour uses stable double kayaks, and no prior kayaking experience is required. Please dress in layers and follow these guidelines: wear synthetic or wool clothing (avoid cotton), bring a windbreaker jacket, a hat for sun and wind protection, and shoes that can get wet. Note: trips may be canceled due to weather conditions.
Meets at the Morro Bay State Park Marina Kayak Shop. 10 State Park Road, Morro Bay.
Montana de Oro is a spectacular 8,600-acre state park with untamed coastline and coastal uplands. Join Grace Hayes & Marin Romero to search for rocky-shore shorebirds, water birds, raptors, and passerines in various habitats. Includes 1-2 miles of slow walking. 20 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Moderate. Meets at the Spooner Ranch House, 3550 Pecho Valley Road, Los Osos. From Los Osos, west on Los Osos Valley Road, becomes Pecho Valley Road. Ranch House is 5.2 miles from Los Osos.
Bird with Dorian Anderson & Van Pierszalowski on Cambria's Fiscalini Ranch on a moderate three-mile hike through grassland, mixed oak/Monterey pine forest and coastal bluffs. Expect a diversity of birds, including sparrows, birds of prey, Pygmy Nuthatches and rocky shore shorebirds. Pace will be determined by leader and desires of the group. 50 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Meets at Fiscalini Ranch south end, 2799 Windsor Blvd, Cambria.
Join Rouvaishyana and Michael Mulroy to explore the Estero Bay Community Garden looking for hummingbirds, songbirds and others species. The walk will continue through Del Mar Park, then along Panorama Drive to see raptors, meadowlarks, and possibly some non-avian wildlife. The trip will end by backtracking along the same route. Spotting scopes not needed, but optional. Meets at Del Mar Park, Morro Bay, north entrance at east end of Island Street. Past 500 Island Street, Morro Bay.
Join Ann Stockert & Todd Easterla to explore the birding hot spots in Los Osos. Expect to find birds in a variety of habitats including coastal scrub, beach, tidal marsh, mudflats, open bay, and willow thickets. Explore 6-8 birding hotspots including Elfin Forest, Audubon Overlook, Back Bay, Sweet Springs, Doris Ave Marsh, and Pecho Willows. Meets at Sweet Springs, 660 Ramona Avenue, Baywood-Los Osos.
Bird with Eva Moylan & Teodelina Martelli at Pecho WIllows & Cuesta Inlet. This small but highly important bay habitat is an ebird hotspot where shorebirds and ducks gather during migration and in the winter. The Pecho Marsh is thick with willows and a special birding spot for locals where a number of rare birds have been seen over the years. Meets in the parking area at the north end of Pecho Road, address is 2-1798 Pecho Rd, Los Osos. If the parking lot is full, park out on inscarth Road.
Get a jump start for your bird festival experience. Join Robbie Revel and Karen Watts to learn the techniques needed to boost your birding skills and get a preview of the birds you are likely to see during the weekend. The presentation includes slides, videos, demonstrations of Merlin App and a number of bird mounts that will be used to illustrate the criteria for bird identification. You will practice making observations, learn to use binoculars and field guides and learn about resources available for ongoing skill building. Easy, family oriented, but not appropriate for children younger than 9 years of age. Meets at Morro Coast Audubon, 601 Embarcadero #14, Morro Bay. The office is on the second floor of the Gallery at Morro Bay.
Laguna Lake and the surrounding park are a migratory stop and home to many waterfowl, including ducks, gulls, grebes, shorebirds, herons, egrets, Snow Geese. Join Greg Miller & Mark Mushkat to see these and other birds like House Finch, Goldfinch, meadowlarks, raptors and even a possible Loggerhead Shrike. Beginners welcome! Includes 1 mile of level walking. 30 miles round trip by bus. Easy. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
Join Jon Dunn & Bob Keally to observe birds at the Washburn Day Use area of San Simeon State Park. Moderate 1.5- 2 mile walk by riparian areas by creek, wetlands, shoreline, then onto chaparral, and pine forest habitats to discover a variety of land, shore and ocean birds including mergansers, terns, Pygmy Nuthatches, and a variety of raptors. Meets at Washburn Day Use parking lot, on Hwy 1, 1.8 miles north of last traffic light in Cambria. Right turn into the parking lot with public bathrooms available.
Join Dave Berry & Steve Schubert for a leisurely boating tour of the bay on the Dos Osos, an open-deck 34-foot power catamaran. Identify a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl in winter plumage at very close range as the boat moves slowly to see details of many species normally seen from shore. Good photo opportunities, but no tripods. Dress warmly. Meets at Sub Sea Tours, 699 Embarcadero, #9, Morro Bay.
Join Sharon Stiteler & Claudia Freitas to explore the pine woods on the slopes of Black Hill in Morro Bay, where you will hike trails searching for towhees, finches, woodpeckers and other birds of this habitat. Easy to moderate hiking for advanced beginner to intermediate birders. 5 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Easy. Guide is able to present this walk in Spanish. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
Join Ed Harper on an unhurried walk around the edges and through the heart of the Morro Coast Audubon Sweet Springs Preserve. This trip will look for wintering songbirds as well as waterfowl and shorebirds in the nearby estuary. Previous trips have seen hawks, falcons, owls, osprey and kingfishers in this area. The effort will be easy to moderate and the walk should appeal to all birding levels. Meets at Sweet Springs, 660 Ramona Avenue, Baywood-Los Osos.
Join a guided kayak tour of Morro Bay for an up-close look at birds in their natural habitat. Possible sightings include White Pelicans, Brant, Common Loons, and a variety of migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. Along the way, you’ll paddle past the Heron Rookery, Grassy Island oyster farm, expansive mudflats, and winding Back Bay channels.
The tour uses stable double kayaks, and no prior kayaking experience is required. Please dress in layers and follow these guidelines: wear synthetic or wool clothing (avoid cotton), bring a windbreaker jacket, a hat for sun and wind protection, and shoes that can get wet. Note: trips may be canceled due to weather conditions.
Meets at the Morro Bay State Park Marina Kayak Shop. 10 State Park Road, Morro Bay.
Join Scott Weidensaul, Rick Grijalva & Rachel Clark at Cloisters Park Azure Street. The coastal scrub to the beach will offer a variety of birds, such as White- and Golden-crowned Sparrows, California Thrasher, Yellow-rumped Warbler and possible Ospreys in the nearby trees. On the beach, expect to see a myriad of shorebirds and waterfowl in the surf line. Further north on the beach, the Alva Paul pond is an excellent birding spot for terns and shorebirds, Two miles from the Community Center. Moderate walk, a short distance through sand. Meets in the parking lot across from 150 Azure Street, Morro Bay.
Join Harnawaz Boparai, Seth Green and Griffin Davies to explore San Simeon Point.
Meets at the entrance to the pier in the upper parking lot, 750 Hearst Castle Drive, San Simeon. Enter the parking lot via the State Park kiosk.
The Morro Bay State Park Marina boardwalk provides opportunities for viewing a variety of shorebirds, ducks, geese, loons, grebes, gulls, terns and herons. Peregrine Falcons and other raptors are often seen. Led by Elana Keeling & Kriistin Loft, the level half-mile walk is especially suited for photographers, wheelchairs and those using walkers and canes. Easy. Meets at the Peninsula Trail Head, southeast end of the State Park Marina parking lot, across from Morro Bay State Park Campground.
Join Janney & Steve Tillmann to explore the Villa Creek headlands, beach and estuary, part of Estero Bluffs State Park. This will be a slow-paced walk of 2-3 miles along a beautiful and wild ocean bluff trail along with a sandy beach stroll to Villa Cove. Expect rock-loving shorebirds such as Black and Ruddy Turnstones, Surfbirds, Whimbrels, scoters, terns, gulls. Look for herons and egrets in the estuary created by Villa Creek. Moderate hike due to hiking through sand for 1/2 mile. 21-mile roundtrip carpool from Morro Bay. Meets at the Villa Creek parking lot on CA-1 north of Cayucos. The parking lot is the fourth parking area 3.3 miles north of where CA-1 becomes single-lane.
Join Bob Isenberg and Jerry Pyle, Peregrine Watch, for pastries (while they last) and to search for owls and Peregrine Falcons at Morro Rock. Morro Rock is home to two pairs of breeding Peregrine Falcons. NOTE: this is a stop and scope event, not a planned walk. Stop by anytime from 9am and 2pm. Meets at Morro Rock. Coleman Drive, Morro Bay. Meet across from bathrooms, next to Morro Rock. Look for Bob's van with awning, scopes and Peregrine statue.
Jim May Park is an urban park featuring a large fresh water lake. Join Tony Gayfield for this easy, .65 mile walk around the lake taken at a slow to moderate pace, depending on bird activity and sightings along the way. The route follows gentle terrain over flat surfaces, making it accessible for most participants. Winter brings a number of gulls and geese to the area. A few different species of both have been found on the lake, along with a variety of other waterfowl. American White Pelicans may be present. The White-faced Ibis is an occasional visitor. Likely species would include the Great-tailed Grackle. Jim May Park has one of the largest Great-tailed Grackle colonies in the county. Bathrooms are available, and the trip is open to all levels of experience. This trip is intended for Sountern California birders traveling northbound to the festival. Meet at Jim May Park, 809 Stanford Drive, Santa Maria, CA 93454.
Join Sharon Iranpour to learn about the life of the threatened Western Snowy Plover and walk south on Morro Strand Beach. We will then explore more of the beach and examine what else might be found in this sensitive environment. This event requires walking a short distance in soft sand. Walking distance about 1 mile. Meets in the parking lot across from 150 Azure Street, Morro Bay.
Join Dawn Beattie at Cloisters Park. The Park, with pond and nearby dunes, offers an interesting variety of birds, such as White- and Golden-crowned Sparrows, California Thrasher, Yellow-rumped Warbler and Black-crowned Night-Heron. The pond also attracts migratory ducks and geese. People in wheelchairs or using walkers or canes will find all paths accessible. Two miles from the Community Center. Easy. Meet at Cloisters Park. From Hwy 1 at the north end of Morro Bay, turn west (toward the water) at the San Jacinto traffic light, then take first left (south) on Coral Avenue; in a few blocks enter the parking lot on the right, next to the restrooms.
Morro Rock is home to Peregrine Falcons, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Common Yellowthroat, various sparrows, and the elusive Canyon Wren. Join Bettina Eastman to look for cormorants, various species and age classes of gulls, Brown Pelicans and maybe a Common Murre. Meets at Morro Rock. Coleman Drive, Morro Bay. Meet across from bathrooms, next to Morro Rock.
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Join expert photographer Dave Keeling to enjoy a leisurely photography focused boating tour of the bay and estuary in an open-deck 34-foot power catamaran. View a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl, often at close range. The boat will move slowly enough for you to see details of many species that you normally see only through a scope from shore. Good photo opportunities, but no tripods. Dress warmly. Meets at Sub Sea Tours, 699 Embarcadero, #9, Morro Bay.
This is a scaled-down version of a college class on Bird Biology. Topics will be presented at an introductory level. The class is comprised of two afternoon sessions: Part 1 (day 1) will focus on the external appearances of birds, and Part 2 (day 2) will focus on bird behaviors. Ornithological vocabulary will be introduced and used throughout. The basic principles of bird identification will also be presented. The class will be presented by Jim Bland, a retired avian ecologist, former college lecturer on Ornithology, and experienced wildlife photographer. Meets at in the Meeting Room at Sea Pines Golf Resort. 1945 Solano St, Los Osos.
The Morro Bay State Park Marina boardwalk provides opportunities for viewing a variety of shorebirds, ducks, geese, loons, grebes, gulls, terns and herons. Peregrine Falcons and other raptors are often seen. Led by Dale & Jamie Ball, the level half-mile walk is especially suited for photographers, wheelchairs and those using walkers and canes. Easy. Meets at the Peninsula Trail Head, southeast end of the State Park Marina parking lot, across from Morro Bay State Park Campground.
Join Steve Schubert and Dave Berry for a walk adjacent to the coastal sand dunes and southernmost reaches of Morro Bay during a falling to a minus tide, focusing on upland passerines, raptors in flight, aquatic waterfowl, shorebirds, and long-legged waders. Overview of the natural history, flora and fauna will also be discussed. Habitats will include: estuary, coastal salt marsh and mudflats, coastal dune scrub, and planted eucalyptus trees. Note: hiking in loose sand on gently undulating terrain for 1.5 - 2.0 miles, moderate difficulty. Optional continuation to crest of the dunes overlooking the sandy shore and Pacific inshore waters of Estero Bay. Meets at Sea Pines Golf Resort. 1945 Solano St, Los Osos.
Enjoy a leisurely boating tour of the bay and estuary with Jon Dunn, Scott Weidensaul and Tom Edell in an open-deck 34-foot power catamaran. View a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl, often at close range. The boat will move slowly enough for you to see details of many species that you normally see only through a scope from shore. Good photo opportunities, but no tripods. Dress warmly. Meets at Sub Sea Tours, 699 Embarcadero, #9, Morro Bay.
Join Greg Miller, Jon Dunn & Bettina Eastman for a birding stroll on the Morro Bay State Park Marina Boardwalk. The Boardwalk provides opportunities for viewing a variety of shorebirds, ducks, geese, loons, grebes, gulls, terns and herons. Peregrine Falcons and other raptors are often seen. this is a level half-mile walk especially suited for photographers, wheelchairs and those using walkers and canes. Meets at the Peninsula Trail Head, southeast end of the State Park Marina parking lot, across from Morro Bay State Park Campground.