Birding "Hot" Spots - California's Central Coast
                               
Morro Bay 2008  Bird Festival  Information

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                       for up to date information on birding the Central Coast check out blog.birdinglady.com   


                                   
Audubon Overlook - Baywood - Santa Isabel to North end of 4th St.
The Overlook is covered and comfortable for birding.  Oct. thru April about 2 hours before a high or a low tide numerous species may be seen.  The Overlook is one of the best birding areas in San Luis Obispo County.

                             
Cloister's Pond - Morro Bay - Hwy. 101 - Turn West at San Jacinto
Take first street on left.  Goes directly into Cloisters. Great-tailed Grackle arrive in April from a winter's vacation in Mexico.  Arriving with the Grackles are female Red-winged Blackbirds. Bring your ear muffs. Sora, Rail, Least Bittern, Black-crowned Night Heron, Snowy & Great Egret, Anna's Hummingbird, Goldfinch, Snow and Ross' Geese, and seasonal waterfowl.  Excellent walking paths lead to beach.

                       
               El Moro Elfin Forest Natural Area, Los Osos.
From So. Bay Blvd. take Santa Ysabel west to 16th, turn north toward bay. A one mile boardwalk meanders through a 90 acre coastal dune natural area. Two overlooks afford excellent views of bay & estuary.- - - Year round residents include Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Song & White-crowned Sparrow, Scrub Jay, Golden Sparrow, California Quail, Anna's Hummingbird, California Thrasher, Ca. & Spotted Towhee.  Winter migrants include, Brant Goose, American Wigeon, Green & Blue-winged Teal, Avocet, Ruddy Duck, Bufflehead, Scaup, Pintail, Yellowlegs, Tern, White Pelican, and a variety of shore birds.

                                       
 Morro Bay St. Pk. Museum of Nat. History, Morro Bay 
                                                            http://www.morrobaymuseum.org

Black-crowned Night Heron in Cypress behind the Museum.  Look up!  Good area for Kingfisher, Brant Geese, White and Brown Pelican, Egret, Heron, Double-crested Cormorant, migrant ducks, gulls, shore birds, and Osprey.  Beginning in August, shore birds are readily seen in Windy Cove.  Across from Windy Cove along the edge of the golf course, look for a flock of Wild Turkey. Check out the marina and the sand
spit.  Trail begins at east end of marina parking area.  Look for the spotted Sandpiper which often hangs out on Windy Cove.

                                                   
Morro Strand State Beach, Morro Bay
Late Summer into fall and early winter the Strand Lagoons are excellent for shore birds. One never knows what they may find.  The lagoons form where the creeks meet the sand.  Usual birds on the Strand - Snowy Plover, Long-billed Curlew, Whimbrel, Willet, Turnstone (north end), Surf Bird, Scoter, Merganser, Pelican, Grebe, Cormorant, Osprey and many species of shore birds.

        Sweet Springs Audubon Nature Preserve - Ramona Ave., 4th and Pine, Los Osos
                                                          http://www.morrocoastaudubon.org/
Year round residents include, Kingfisher, Common Yellowthroat, Black-crowned Night Heron, Snowy & Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Song Sparrow, Red-shouldered Hawks, Kingfisher. Winter migrants include, Brant Goose, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Pintail, Scaup, Blue & Green-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Ruddy Duck, Bufflehead, Pelicans, many species of shore birds, warblers.
               
                     
  For a Bird's Eye View - Go To -  http://maps.google.com/          

                       

 

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