| Day Planner | Overview | Events | Leaders | Venues |
Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 6:15 AM to 5:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Jeff Miller | Janet Bodle | Richard Cimino
Fee: $130.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Carrizo Plains
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: Bus
Join expert leaders Jeff Miller, Janet Bodle and Richard Cimino for a bus trip to Carrizo Plain. Possible sightings are: Golden Eagle, Merlin, Prairie Falcon, Ferruginous Hawk, Mountain Plover, Bell's and Vesper Sparrow, Roadrunner, and more. This is unique habitat of semi-desert scrub, open grassland and juniper foothills. Time includes 4 hours round-trip travel many in/out bus stops. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 7:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Roy Poucher
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Master Class
Venue: Cerro Alto Campground
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Roy Poucher in the field for the hands-on companion to the Bird Sounds Master Class Workshop. Solidify the general principles learned with practical experience and field identification of specific local bird songs and calls. We will stand at different locations, silently noting bird sounds, then discuss as a group. Notebooks needed, but binoculars are not! The Thursday morning Master Class Bird Sounds Workshop (#112) is a prerequisite for this event. You must attend that class to join this field trip. Total walking distance will be about 1.2 miles. Easy. Travel by personal vehicle to Cerro Alto Campground. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Russ Namitz
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Piedras Blancas Light Station
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
The Piedras Blancas Light Station, located 6 miles north of San Simeon, offers excellent views of pelagic birds on the offshore rock formations and out to sea. Join Russ Namitz and the Light Station rangers for a tour of the grounds and a birding walk around the property.
This trip meets at the Morro Bay Community to arrange carpools to the Light Station; the group must pass through the entry gate at the same time. Likewise, the group will depart together at around 11am for a return to the Morro Bay Community Center (1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay).
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Sally Krenn | Doug Stinson
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Point Buchon
Meet@: Montana de Oro
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Explore the spectacular scenic coastline at Point Buchon with seasoned leaders Sally Krenn and Doug Stinson. Learn the background of this historic ranch and the efforts to regenerate the Bishop pine forest along the ridges overlooking the ocean. Look for marine mammals, gulls and shorebirds -- maybe even a peregrine falcon. Bring your camera to capture the striking sea stacks that dot this coastline and peek into a dramatic sink hole. Be prepared for wind and cool weather. 22 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Active four-mile round trip hike. Active 3.5 mile round trip hike. Meets at the Coon Creek Parking Lot in Montana de Oro. From Los Osos, west on Los Osos Valley Road, the road becomes Pecho Valley Road. The Parking Lot is 5.9 miles from Los Osos.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Max Roberts | Rick Grijalva
Fee: $105.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Multiple Sites
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: Bus
Join Max Roberts & Rick Grijalva 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.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Curtis Marantz | Tom Edell | Wes Fritz | Peter Gaede
Fee: $160.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Morro Bay Landing - Endeavor
Meet@: Morro Bay Landing
Transportation Type: Boat
Join leaders Tom Edell, Curtis Marantz, Peter Gaede and Wes Fritz to search for albatross, shearwaters, kittiwakes, alcids, jaegers, gray whales and more with experienced leaders. Dress for cold and wind, including gloves. The boat is typically used for fishing; no outdoor seating on deck. There is seating available in the cabin, as well as snacks and drinks for sale. Bring lunch, liquids and sunscreen and take motion sickness medication before arriving. Note that the boat does not wait for late arrivals. Meets at Morro Bay Landing, 1213 Embarcadero, Morro Bay. Weather conditions may cancel.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Roger Zachary | Dale Ball
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Multiple Sites
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Bird beautiful wooded habitat in the Atascadero area east of Morro Bay with leaders Dale Ball & Roger Zachary. Stops include Cerro Alto Campground, Atascadero Lake and Creek, Salinas River and nearby oak habitats. Find Acorn Woodpeckers, Yellow-billed Magpies and others. 50 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Moderate. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Scott Stellar
Fee: $45.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Santa Margarita Lake Ranger Station
Meet@: Santa Margarita Lake Ranger Station
Transportation Type: Boat
Join Captain Scott Stellar on a pontoon boat ride adventure birding Santa Margarita Lake. We'll cruise pretty much the entire lake taking in all the migratory and permanent birds as well as shoreline wildlife that abound. Restrooms are available along the route.
Meets at Santa Margarita Lake Ranger Station. 4695 Santa Margarita Lake Road, Santa Margarita.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 7:45 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Bettina Eastman
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Laguna Lake
Meet@: Laguna Lake
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Laguna Lake and the surrounding park is a migratory stop and home to many waterfowl: ducks, gulls, grebes, shorebirds, herons, egrets, Snow Geese. Join Bettina Eastman to see these and other birds like: house finch, goldfinches, meadowlarks, raptors and even a possible loggerhead shrike. Beginners welcome! Includes 1 mile of level walking. 30 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Easy. 504 Madonna Rd, San Luis Obispo, meet at the Laguna Lake bathroom parking lot (lakeside, next to playground and picnic area).
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 7:45 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Eric Wier | Steve McMasters
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Montana de Oro
Meet@: Montana de Oro
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Montana de Oro is a spectacular 8,600-acre state park with untamed coastline and coastal uplands. Join leaders Eric Wier and Steve McMasters 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 if 5.2 miles from Los Osos.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: John Flaherty
Fee: $55.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: MB State Park Kayak Launch
Meet@: MB State Park Kayak Launch
Transportation Type: Kayak
Go on a guided kayak tour of Morro Bay for an up close opportunity to see birds in their natural habitat! You may see: White Pelicans, Brant, Common Loons and a host of other migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. Paddle near the Heron Rookery, Grassy Island oyster farm, mudflats and channels of the Back Bay. Using double kayaks, no prior kayaking experience needed. Dress in layers with the following guidelines: synthetics or wool, no cotton, windbreaker jacket, hat for sun and wind protection, and shoes that can get wet. Weather conditions may cancel. Meets at the Morro Bay State Park Marina Kayak Shop. 10 State Park Road, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Van Pierszalowski
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Fiscalini Ranch
Meet@: Fiscalini Ranch
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Bird with 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.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Nature
Guide/Speaker: Dennis Sheridan
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Morro Bay Multiple
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Explore the world of fungi with a fun guy! Join naturalist and photographer Dennis Sheridan in looking down rather than up under the Cambria pines searching for Boletus, Candy Cap, Honey Mushroom, Jack-O'-Lantern and Amanita mushrooms. 50 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Trip will be cancelled for lack of recent rain. Moderate. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Evan Weissman
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Harmony Headlands
Meet@: Harmony Headlands
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Evan Weissman for a long walk (4 miles round trip), to bird various habitats beginning at a riparian zone, moving through grasslands, past vernal pools, and down to the rocky coast. Meets at the Harmony Headlands trailhead parking lot, Hwy 1, 5 miles north of Cayucos. Look for Linn's billboard.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: R Rouvaishyana | Michael Mulroy
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: SLO Botanical Garden
Meet@: SLO Botanical Garden
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Rouvaishyana and Michael Mulroy to explore the San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden. There are some hummingbird-specific plants which we will visit, hoping to see hummers, flycatchers, and probably other songbirds. We will take a trail that climbs out of the garden and crosses a ridge, which should provide good viewing for raptors and other birds. The trail returns to the east end of the Garden on Dairy Creek Road. We'll walk along this road, looking for woodpeckers, songbirds, and more raptors. We will return along Dairy Creek Rd. to our parking area. Spotting scopes not needed, but optional. VERY IMPORTANT: bring rubber mud boots (such as gum boots). If there has been recent rain, the unimproved portion of the trail will be muddy, and it won't be practical to turn back. BE PREPARED for a great experience.
Meets in the parking lot at SLO Botanical Garden (inside El Choro Park), 3450 Dairy Creek Road, San Luis Obispo.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Ann Stockert | Kristin Loft
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Oceano Lagoon
Meet@: Oceano Lagoon
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Ann Stockert and Kristin Loft for a morning of leisurely birding along the Oceano Lagoon Trail. The lagoon trail is approximately 1.25 miles in length, and located within the Oceano State Parks Campground. The trail will provide the opportunity of observing 60+ species of birds. Commonly found: ducks, grebes, gulls, terns, herons, raptors, kingfisher, woodpeckers, flycatchers, swallows, wrens, sparrows and warblers. There is even the possibility of a rarity of two! Meets in front of the Visitors Center located at 555 Pier Ave., Oceano CA
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Daniel Elting
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Villa Creek
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Daniel Elting 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 Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Jean Pierre Wolff | Ben Kolstad | Griffin Davies
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Wolff Vineyards
Meet@: Wolff Vineyards
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Ben Kolstad, Griffin Davies & owner Jean Pierre Wolff to explore one of the first certified sustainable vineyards on the Central Coast. With native resource enhancement of bird habitat, wildlife corridors, and steelhead trout restoration on boundary creeks, there should be a varied list of different bird species. Vintner, Jean-Pierre Wolff, PhD, will accompany us as we bird along the riparian corridors and to the on-site pond. Approximately 1.5 miles of walking along slightly sloping terrain. Afterwards Jean-Pierre will share a short presentation on ecology, the goals of sustainable farming and a couple research projects at Wolff vineyards. We will finish up with an optional wine tasting at Wolff Vineyards (discounted fee of $10, refundable with bottle purchase), so bring your lunch and enjoy the panoramic view of the Edna Valley and some of Wolff Vineyards award winning wines!
Meets at Wolff Vineyards. 6238 Orcutt Road, San Luis Obispo.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:15 AM to 2:30 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Steve Schubert | Dave Berry
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Multiple Sites
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Steve Schubert and Dave Berry to explore a diversity of coastal and inland habitats within a 15 mile radius of Morro Bay, including coastal estuary and salt marsh, streamside and oak woodlands, coastal scrub and chaparral shrublands, grassland and grazing pastureland, rocky outcrops, freshwater lake and ponds. Search for target birds of prey such as Peregrine Falcon, American Kestrel, Merlin, White-tailed Kite, Red-tailed Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Accipiters, Northern Harrier, Golden Eagle, Bald Eagle, and daytime roosting Owls. Short walks but possibility of moderate hiking off pavement with some uneven ground. Bring lunch. Moderate. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay. Carpooling is encouraged.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Kristina Van Wert | Tyson Baker
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: El Chorro Park
Meet@: El Chorro Park
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Enjoy leisurely in-depth bird observation and enhance your ID skills with the help of Kristina Van Wert and Tyson Baker. This is not a tick and run Big Day, but a stroll through El Chorro Regional Park sharing observations, and checking for positive identification. Be surprised at the variations you see, whether crows or Black Phoebes. Bring binoculars and a favorite field guide. El Chorro Park is located at State Hwy 1 @ Dairy Creek Rd. Meets in the SLO Botanical Gardens parking lot.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM
Event Type: Nature
Guide/Speaker: Faylla Chapman
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Montana de Oro
Meet@: Montana de Oro
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Faylla Chapman for a habitat walk on the Montana de Oro Bluff Trail. The Trail is entirely coastal sage scrub inland and rocky intertidal offshore. Many birds make use of the scrub and the cliffs along the trail. Learn the plants and their uses to man and birds, and hear the history of the Spooner family while also seeing the unique coastal geology. 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 if 5.2 miles from Los Osos. A restroom is available by the Spooner Ranch House. Walk is about 2 miles round trip, on mostly flat trails.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Jessica Griffiths
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Multiple Sites
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Most birds are heard, not seen! Learning to identify birds by sound is fun and rewarding, but it takes practice. Join Jessica Griffiths to work on identifying birds by song and call. Use the tips, tricks and mnemonic devices learned in Birding By Ear Workshop prerequisite (#349). We will search for winter warblers, finches, sparrows, towhees, raptors and any other birds that might be making noise! We travel in personal vehicles to one or more nearby birding locations with a distance of 20 miles max round trip. Easy. Birding By Ear Workshop is a prerequisite for this trip. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:30 AM to 11:30 AM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Rusty Scalf | Richard Neidhardt | Debbie Jo Bird
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Oso Flaco Lake
Meet@: Oso Flaco Lake
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Richard Neidhardt, Rusty Scalf and Debbie Jo Bird to enjoy close views of waterfowl and occasional bitterns and rails from the boardwalk over Oso Flaco Lake and marsh. Bird two prime willow habitats for wintering warblers. Includes 2-3 miles of slow walking. Moderate. Meet at Oso Flaco parking lot, 3004 Oso Flaco Lake Road, Arroyo Grande. State Parks requires a parking fee of $5.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Dean Thompson
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Los Osos Multiple
Meet@: Sweet Springs
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Dean Thompson for a flat 2-3 mile walk birding the diverse shoreline habitats of the Back Bay, including Sweet Springs Nature Preserve, Cuesta Inlet and Pecho Willows. Expect a variety of shorebirds, waterfowl, raptors and passerines. Meets at Sweet Springs, 660 Ramona Avenue, Baywood-Los Osos.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Mike Bush | Bert Townsend | Bill Bouton
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Morro Bay State Park Marina
Meet@: Morro Bay State Park Marina
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Mike Bush. Bert Townsend and Bill Bouton to explore Morro Bay State Park marina boardwalk area to see a wide variety of birds: shorebirds, ducks, geese, loons, grebes, gulls, terns, herons, raptors, warblers, sparrows, finches. Meet at the Peninsula Trail Head, southeast end of the State Park Marina parking lot, across from Morro Bay State Park Campground.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Jon Dunn | Bob Keally | Carmen Keally | Terri May
Fee: $50.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Washburn Creek
Meet@: Washburn Creek
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Jon Dunn, Bob & Carmen Keally and Terri May 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.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Torrey Gage-Tomlinson | Aaron Kreisberg | Joseph Belli
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Washburn Creek
Meet@: Washburn Creek
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Torrey Gage-Tomlinson, Aaron Kreisberg and Joseph Belli to bird San Simeon Creek Road. Search for raptors, songbirds and a chance to see one or more of the California Condors released in the area.
This trip will meet at Washburn Creek Day use area north of Cambria to arrange carpools.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Kara Hagedorn | Augie Hazel | Charlie DeBerry
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Santa Margarita Lake Ranger Station
Meet@: Santa Margarita Lake Ranger Station
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Kara Hagedorn, August Hazel and Charlie DeBerry for a leisurely morning walk along the shore of the lake observing migrating waterfowl. Great marshland and open water habitat. Along the road we will also experience Oak woodland and chaparral habitats. Scopes will be available for up-close looks!
Meets at Santa Margarita Lake Ranger Station. 4695 Santa Margarita Lake Road, Santa Margarita. Past the Ranger Station, drive to White Oak Parking Lot.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:30 AM to 1:30 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: David Lindo | Benny Jacobs-Schwartz
Fee: $95.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Multiple Sites
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: Bus
This is slower paced Big Day for beginning and intermediate birders led by Benjamin Jacobs-Schwartz and David Lindo. Starting at a reasonable morning hour and getting back right after lunch, you will be in a spacious bus with large windows, visiting local birding hot spots, returning with a new long list of birds! Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:45 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Ed Harper | Seth Greene | Harnawaz Boparai
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Morro Bay Multiple
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
This field class is for beginners, but all birding levels are welcomed. Travel to nearby locations where Ed Harper, Seth Greene and Harnawaz Boparai will help you identify some easy-to-see birds around Morro Bay. Bring your favorite field guide and binoculars. 10 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Easy. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 9:00 AM to 10:45 AM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Dave Keeling
Fee: $40.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Sub Sea Tours - Dos Osos
Meet@: Sub Sea Tours
Transportation Type: Boat
Join Dave Keeling for a leisurely boating tour of the bay and estuary in an open-deck 34-foot power catamaran with Chris Cameron. 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.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Maria Montag
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Presentation
Venue: Inn at Morro Bay - Morro Bay Room
Meet@: Inn at Morro Bay
Transportation Type: None
California Condors - Back from the Brink is an introduction to this magnificent, critically-endangered species including a brief overview of the California Condor Recovery Program. Maria Montag's presentation will include natural history details about the critically-endangered California condor from their emergence during the Pleistocene through their decline and their eventual status as "extinct in the wild". The Condor Recovery Program, which has successfully reintroduced California Condors into the wild, will be discussed including captive breeding efforts, how the wild flock is managed, and ongoing threats.
Meets at the Inn at Morro Bay, 60 State Park Road, Morro Bay. Morro Bay Room.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Clara Thomas | Emma Cox | Karen Watts
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Cloisters, Azure Street
Meet@: Cloisters, Azure Street
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Clara Thomas, Emma Cox and Karen Watts at Cloisters Park Azure Street. he 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 a great birding spot for terns and shorebirds. Two miles from the Community Center. Moderate walk, a short distance through sand. Meet at Cloisters Azure Street Park. Meets in the parking lot across from 150 Azure Street, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Virginia Flaherty
Fee: $55.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: MB State Park Kayak Launch
Meet@: MB State Park Kayak Launch
Transportation Type: Kayak
Go on a guided kayak tour of Morro Bay for an up close opportunity to see birds in their natural habitat! You may see: White Pelicans, Brant, Common Loons and a host of other migratory waterfowl and shorebirds. Paddle near the Heron Rookery, Grassy Island oyster farm, mudflats and channels of the Back Bay. Using double kayaks, no prior kayaking experience needed. Dress in layers with the following guidelines: synthetics or wool, no cotton, windbreaker jacket, hat for sun and wind protection, and shoes that can get wet. Weather conditions may cancel. Meets at the Morro Bay State Park Marina Kayak Shop. 10 State Park Road, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Nature
Guide/Speaker: Melissa Gonzalez | Peggy Burhenn
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Journaling / Sketching
Venue: Sweet Springs
Meet@: Sweet Springs
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Are you curious about the migration of the monarch butterfly and the habitats they rely on? Join pollinator garden designer, Melissa Gonzalez and Peggy Burhenn, State Park Docent at the Monarch Preserve, as we "pioneer" through the eucalyptus /pine tree groves to explore this magnificent creature in the field at one of their overwintering sites to observe, draw, write and learn more about the significance of this mysterious phenomenon. Bring: portable tripod stool, water and sun hat, your favorite journal and writing supplies (watercolors and brush pen, colored and graphite pencils, pens for drawing).
Meets at Sweet Springs, 660 Ramona Avenue, Baywood-Los Osos.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Erik Ostrander | Hannah Buschert
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Morro Rock
Meet@: Morro Rock
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Whether you're just discovering the joys of birding, seeking to develop your birding skills, or wanting to share your love of birding with your family, these trips with Hannah and Erik are for you! They are happy to answer any and all questions about birds, birding, gear, and more. Expect a slow-paced walk as we look for birds, talk about IDs, and whatever else comes to mind! Meets at Morro Rock. Coleman Drive, Morro Bay. Meet across from bathrooms, next to Morro Rock.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Claudia Freitas
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Presentation/Field Trip
Venue: Baywood Inn
Meet@: Baywood Inn
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
How do you ever tell one shorebird from another? What is a 'shorebird?' Learn how to tell the most common species apart. Join Claudia Freitas for a photo presentation showing the characteristics of our local shorebirds, followed by a walk along the shore to test your new-found knowledge. Easy. Meets at the Baywood Inn, 1336 3rd St, Los Osos. Conference Room is adjacent to the parking lot.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Tom Graves
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Presentation
Venue: Morro Bay Community Center - Lounge
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: None
Every field guide goes into depth labeling the "topography of a bird", but they have not done so with sounds until recently with the Peterson Field Guide to Bird Sounds of Eastern (and Western) North America by Nathan Pieplow. Today, with easy access to recorders and spectrogram software, birders can now delve deeper into this fascinating topic using this field guide, other online resources, and apps.
In this presentation Tom Graves will help you to learn how to listen for, and to describe the pitch patterns and tone qualities of individual notes, and how to describe collections of notes in a way that will help identify species and to increase your enjoyment of the topography of bird sounds. Meet at Meets in the Lounge at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Jim Burcio | Ken Nelson
Fee: $35.00
Trip Type: Presentation
Venue: Sea Pines Golf Resort - Conference Room
Meet@: Sea Pines Golf Resort
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
You will be introduced to the art of bird carving and guided through the woodcarving process by three expert wood carvers from the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association. After a day of using hand and power tools, participants will leave with a Ruddy Turnstone that they can then paint on their own. "The Concepts of Woodcarving" will be used as a reference. The small-group setting will provide participants with the attention needed to be successful with their project. This workshop is intended for beginners, but those with all levels of experience may participate, (must be 14 years old or older). This workshop includes a one-year membership in the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit art association dedicated to the preservation of wildfowl art through education. To learn more about the association, visit pacificflyway.org.
Meets in the Conference Room at Sea Pines Golf Resort. 1945 Solano St, Los Osos.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Bob Isenberg | Jerry Pyle
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Morro Rock
Meet@: Morro Rock
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Bob Isenberg and Jerry Pyle, Peregrine Watch, for a cup of coffee and 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. For several years, a Burrowing Owl has also been seen on the Rock. 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.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Kate Rutter
Fee: $50.00
Trip Type: Master Class
Venue: SLO Botanical Garden Oak Glen Pavilion
Meet@: SLO Botanical Garden
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Bring your love of birds and nature to a whole new level with a nature journal. Nature journaling is the act of putting pen (or pencil) to paper to observe aspects of nature with curiosity and attention. It's a magical blend of science and art that leads to curiosity, wonder, and a deep connectedness with the living world. At this in-the-field workshop, you'll learn simple tricks and tips to observe and document terrain, plants, and birds, including sights, sounds, and behaviors. Using basic and accessible tools and techniques, we'll focus on having an active experience and visually expressing our curiosity about birds and nature. This workshop takes place both inside and outside, and welcomes all ages and skill levels to participate.
Materials to bring: 1) a pen or pencil; 2) a sketchbook/notebook/journal with unlined pages or about 20 pages of printer paper and a something hard to write on, like a clipboard; 3) colored pencils or watercolors + brush + water container. If possible, also bring 4) a ruler or tape measure; 5) a hand magnifying glass or a loupe. If you already have a sketching practice, a field note-taking practice, or a journaling practice, you can bring any additional tools and materials you like. The instructor will have a limited number of basic kits available for $5 at the session. The basic kit includes a mechanical pencil, small sketchbook, magnifying glass, ruler, and a set of 12 colored pencils.
Meets in the Oak Glenn Pavilion at SLO Botanical Garden (inside El Choro Park), 3450 Dairy Creek Road, San Luis Obispo. Afternoon session will be outside on the Botanical Garden grounds.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Heather Hayes
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Cloisters, Azure Street
Meet@: Cloisters, Azure Street
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Heather Hayes on Morro Strand to observe Long-billed Curlews and other shorebirds. Additionally, make a detailed search for Dozer, a radio-tagged curlew who winters on the Morro Bay beaches and returns in the spring to nesting grounds in southern Idaho.
Meets in the parking lot across from 150 Azure Street, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 10:00 AM to 11:45 AM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Kenn Kaufman | Kimberly Kaufman | Rebecca Heisman | Robbie Revel | Bob Revel
Fee: $50.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Morro Bay Landing - Captain Stews
Meet@: Morro Bay Landing
Transportation Type: Boat
Enjoy a leisurely boating tour of the bay in a spacious boat with the Kaufmans, Rebecca Heisman and the Revel Team. View a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl, often at very 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. The captain may point out special sights and activities of our working harbor including the fishing industry, pleasure boats and more. There will be opportunities to photograph wintering birds, otters, and sea lions that frequent the bay. Easy access for limited mobility. Meets at Morro Bay Landing, 1213 Embarcadero, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Nature
Guide/Speaker: Sharon Lovejoy
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Journaling / Sketching
Venue: Sea PInes Golf Resort - Meeting Room
Meet@: Sea Pines Golf Resort
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join author, illustrator, and naturalist Sharon Lovejoy for a nature journaling workshop. Her tips and simple techniques will inspire you and give you a strong foundation and a set of wings. The workshop will begin with a video that shares dozens of journals. Basic bird anatomy (hand-out included) will jump-start your bird studies. A focus on birds common in gardens will be sketched along with small illustrations of their nesting materials, feathers, and foods-insects, acorns, berries, larvae, and flowers with nectar.
Bring journals, 2 B pencils, kneaded erasers, a pencil sharpener, small watercolor sets, brushes, a ruler and a magnifying glass.
Meets at SLO Botanical Garden (inside El Choro Park), 3450 Dairy Creek Road, San Luis Obispo.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Dawn Beattie
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Cloisters Park
Meet@: Cloisters Park
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Dawn Beatie 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.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Krisztina Scheeff
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Presentation
Venue: Morro Bay Community Center - Multi-Purpose
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Called the 'Grebe Whisperer' by many of her students and fellow photographers, professional wildlife and nature photographer Krisztina Scheeff has spent years studying and photographing grebes on Lake Hodges in San Diego County. The unique mating behavior of grebes, rushing, is one of the most photographed of all animal behaviors. Krisztina will take you on a photographic journey into the world of grebes and provide details on why and how they 'walk on water' to find a mate. Krisztina will also share stunning photographs of some of her other wildlife favorites.
Meets in the Multi-Purpose Room at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Event Type: Nature
Guide/Speaker: Sharon Blakely
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: T Pier at Great American Fish Company
Meet@: T Pier at Great American Fish Company
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Enjoy learning about the Southern Sea Otters at their favorite hangouts in Morro Bay! Sharon Blakely will provide fascinating natural history of these marine mammal superheroes of a healthy kelp forest. 3 miles round trip by personal vehicle; 30-minute walk one way. Easy. Meets at South T pier next to Great American Fish Company, 1185 Embarcadero, Morro Bay
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Event Type: Nature
Guide/Speaker: R Rouvaishyana
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Presentation
Venue: Sea PInes Golf Resort - Meeting Room
Meet@: Sea Pines Golf Resort
Transportation Type: None
An inside look into the muscular and organ systems of birds, this is for you. Expert Rouvaishyana is experienced in preparing birds for museum specimens. A thawed specimen from the Museum's collection will be skinned to demonstrate flight and feather positioning muscles, leg movement, skin and some of the incredible adaptations of bird anatomy to a lifetime of flight. Not for the squeamish, but sure to be fascinating. Meets at Sea Pines Golf Resort Meeting Room. 1945 Solano St, Los Osos.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 1:00 PM to 2:45 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Eva Moylan | Max Taylor
Fee: $40.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Sub Sea Tours - Dos Osos
Meet@: Sub Sea Tours
Transportation Type: Boat
Enjoy a leisurely boating tour of the bay in a spacious pontoon boat with Max Taylor and Eva Moylan. View a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl, often at very 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. The captain may point out special sights and activities of our working harbor including the fishing industry, pleasure boats and more. There will be opportunities to photograph wintering birds, otters, and sea lions that frequent the bay. Easy access for limited mobility. Meets at Sub Sea Tours, 699 Embarcadero, #9, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Erik Ostrander | Hannah Buschert
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Cloisters Park
Meet@: Cloisters Park
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Many enjoy birding to escape the constant nagging of your phone - however, there are lots of ways to use it to enhance your birding! Join Erik and Hannah on a Walk/Field Trip to learn how to use the latest birding technology. We will see what birds we can find and use some technology-based tools, like eBird, Merlin, and iNaturalist to help explore the outdoors. So, charge up your phone and join us!
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.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Cindy Roessler | Emily Brown
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Elfin Forest
Meet@: Elfin Forest
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
The Elfin Forest of Los Osos encompasses 7 habitats visible from a boardwalk, with bay overlooks. Join Cindy Roessler and Emily Brown to see raptors, passerines and shorebirds in this easy-paced walk. Beginners welcome! The 'Magic' of the Elfin Forest is in the adaptability of the various plant communities with hidden beauty found everywhere. This trip is accessible to wheelchairs or people using walkers and canes. Total walking distance will be about 1.5 miles. 15 miles round trip by personal vehicle. Easy. Meets at the entrance on the north end of 16th Street from Santa Ysabel Avenue in the town of Los Osos. Parking at the street end is very limited, however you can park anywhere along 16th Street as long as you do not block driveways or mail boxes. You can even park on an adjacent street and walk the short distance to the 16th Street entrance.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Melinda Nakagawa
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Journaling / Sketching
Venue: SLO Botanical Garden Oak Glen Pavilion
Meet@: SLO Botanical Garden
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Drawing songs? How is that possible? It's not about copying sonograms or knowing musical notes. Drawing, listening, discerning, and singing back to birds will profoundly increase your memory and recall of bird songs.
Join Melinda as she shares her take on intuitively drawing bird songs. You will practice easy, playful ways to capture the sounds of birds and nature in a journal to develop your auditory ID skills. All levels of drawing or birding skills.
Supplies for nature journaling with Melinda - you can see some recommended here - https://www.melindanakagawa.com/supplies
Bring: 1) Sketchbook/journal; 2) Pen (ball point, fountain, felt- your favorite kind); 3) Color media - your favorite: colored pencils, watercolor travel kit with waterbrush (see supplies link), markers, crayons; 4) Folding stool- optional; 5) Binoculars (optional spotting scope); 6) An open, non-judgmental mind and willingness to try something new!
Meets in the Oak Glen Pavilion at SLO Botanical Garden (inside El Choro Park), 3450 Dairy Creek Road, San Luis Obispo.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Sarah Killingsworth
Fee: $100.00
Trip Type: Master Class
Venue: Baywood Inn
Meet@: Baywood Inn
Transportation Type: None
Are you looking for ways to improve your wildlife photography and take it to the next level? Join award-winning wildlife conservation photographer and filmmaker and California Naturalist Sarah Killingsworth for a day-long master photography course. We'll spend the morning in the field, break for lunch, and have a brief classroom session before returning to the field for the late afternoon light. This workshop is designed for photographers who have some basic experience, and will include tips for camera settings for different species of birds and mammals, how to compose images that evoke emotion, post-processing strategies, and gear. You'll learn tips and tricks for improving your wildlife photography in the field, as well as how to approach your subject with ethics and empathy to capture the most compelling images of natural behavior. Sarah is passionate about wildlife photography and an enthusiastic guide and teacher. There will be plenty of time for questions through-out the day. If you love spending time with wildlife and want to improve your photography, this master class will provide what you need to take it to the next level.
Meets at the Baywood Inn, 1336 3rd St, Los Osos. Conference Room is adjacent to the parking lot.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Jim Bland
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Master Class
Venue: Sea Pines Golf Resort - Conference Room
Meet@: Sea Pines Golf Resort
Transportation Type: None
This class is a scaled-down version of a college course on Bird Biology. Topics will be presented at an introductory level, and limited to those of greatest interest to visual artists (painters and photographers); essentially, what you're looking at when you observe birds or bird behavior. There will be two sessions: Part 1 will emphasize external appearances, and Part 2 will emphasize behaviors. Ornithological vocabulary will be introduced and used throughout. The basics of bird identification will also be presented. The class will be led by Jim Bland, a retired avian ecologist, former college lecturer on Ornithology, and experienced wildlife photographer.
Meets at Sea Pines Golf Course. Meets in the Conference Room at Sea Pines Golf Resort. 1945 Solano St, Los Osos.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 2:00 PM to 3:45 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Claudia Freitas | Karen Watts
Fee: $40.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Morro Bay Landing - Captain Stews
Meet@: Morro Bay Landing
Transportation Type: Boat
Enjoy a leisurely boating tour of the bay in a spacious pontoon boat with Claudia Freitas & Karen Watts. View a variety of shorebirds and waterfowl, often at very 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. The captain may point out special sights and activities of our working harbor including the fishing industry, pleasure boats and more. There will be opportunities to photograph wintering birds, otters, and sea lions that frequent the bay. Easy access for limited mobility. Meets at Morro Bay Landing, 1213 Embarcadero, Morro Bay. Weather conditions may cancel.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Ed Harper
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Presentation
Venue: Morro Bay Community Center - Multi-Purpose
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: None
Raptors also known as birds of prey have long fascinated man. Their prowess demands our interest, admiration, and inquiry. But raptors can at times be devilish difficult to identify to species. This offering, presented by Ed Harper, will illustrate raptors one might encounter in California with useful and important identification aid along with their status and distribution. With beautiful images illustrating instructive aspects of raptor identification, this presentation will be very informative. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay. Multi-Purpose Room.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Bettina Eastman
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Morro Rock
Meet@: Morro Rock
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Join Bettina Eastman to view the birds at Morro Rock. Morro Rock is home to Peregrine Falcons, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Common Yellowthroat, various sparrows, the elusive Canyon Wren, and sometimes a Burrowing Owl. You will also see 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.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Russ Namitz
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Presentation/Field Trip
Venue: Morro Bay Community Center - Lounge
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Learn techniques to identify resident and wintering gulls from leader Russ Namitz. Discussion of species, distribution, aging and plumages will be presented immediately followed by a fun afternoon of birding with a focus on our local gulls. You will have a chance to practice identifying and aging the gull species easily viewable on the shore. Binoculars are necessary and scopes are recommended but not required. Meets in the Lounge at the Morro Bay Community Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Rebecca Heisman
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Presentation
Venue: Inn at Morro Bay - Morro Bay Room
Meet@: Inn at Morro Bay
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
Because they're warm-blooded, it's easy to imagine that birds are basically feathery versions of mammals - but in reality, of course, they're dinosaurs. Birds' anatomy and physiology are wildly different from ours, and Rebecca Heisman promises that you'll learn at least one new and surprising fact in this talk (probably more than one!) as we take a whirlwind tour of what birds are, where they came from, and how they breathe, fly, sing, sense the world around them, and more. It's the ornithology course you never got to take in college, condensed into a single entertaining hour.
If you purchased copies of Rebecca's books during the registration process, Jennifer will be available to sign your book(s) at this event. Meets at the Inn at Morro Bay, 60 State Park Road, Morro Bay. Morro Bay Room.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 3:00 PM to 4:45 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Mike Bush
Fee: $40.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Sub Sea Tours - Dos Osos
Meet@: Sub Sea Tours
Transportation Type: Boat
Join Mike Bush for a leisurely 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.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 3:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: R Rouvaishyana | Peggy Burhenn
Fee: $90.00
Trip Type: Field Trip
Venue: Multiple Sites
Meet@: Morro Bay Community Center
Transportation Type: Bus
Join Rouvaishyana and Peggy Burhenn for owling. Leaving from the Morro Bay Community Center at 3:30 PM and returning around 9:00 PM, we begin searching for daytime owls 3:30-5:30 PM, then eat dinner together 5:30-6:30 PM, finishing up listening for nighttime owls 6:30-8:30 PM.
Details: Daytime owling for Short-eared, burrowing and roosting owls. We will stop for no-host dinner to share stories as we wait for dark. After dark, we listen for nighttime owls. Dress warmly in quiet clothes - no nylon. We will be walking quietly through mud, standing silently in cold weather, while it is pitch black, listening for owls! Sounds like a good time to me! Possibilities: Great-horned, Western Screech, Saw-whet, Short-eared, Barn Owls, Poorwill and more. Travel with leader in bus with many in/out stops. Heavy rain will cancel field trip. Meets at Morro Bay Comm. Center, 1001 Kennedy Way, Morro Bay.
Event Day: Sunday
Event Hours: 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Event Type: Birding
Guide/Speaker: Kenn Kaufman
Fee: $0.00
Trip Type: Special Event
Venue: Cuesta College Performing Arts Center - Auditorium
Meet@: Cuesta College Performing Arts Center - Auditorium
Transportation Type: Self-Drive
The shorebirds - sandpipers, plovers, and their kin - are beautiful, but telling the many species apart can be a confusing challenge for birders. However, the level of confusion was much greater in the early 1800s, when naturalists were struggling to classify all these birds for the first time. Some species were described to science over and over, under different names, while some other species were overlooked completely for decades. And for many years, everyone underestimated the amazing migrations of these long-distance travelers. In this program, based on a chapter from his most recent book, Kenn Kaufman will describe the misadventures of early shorebird-watchers, and how those events are reflected in our experience of birding today.
If you purchased copies of Kenn's books during the registration process, Kenn will be available to sign your book(s) at this event. The Keynote address and book signing takes place at the Harold J. Miossi Cultural and Performing Arts Center (CPAC) at Cuesta College, Romauldo Road, SLO (CA-1 & Hollister Road).