Photo by Cleve Nash:                        Bobcat

Photo by Cleve Nash:                        Bobcat

Photo by Alan Schmierer:     Snowy Egrets

Photo by Kevin Cole:      
F emale Elephant Seals in dispute over space

A Bird's Eye View by Mike Stiles

Birding opportunities do not end at the shoreline. This month we will explore the rewarding, but often challenging, world of pelagic birding. Pelagic birds—the albatrosses, shearwaters, petrels, and others—are a diverse group of birds that are rarely seen by most birders. They have one thing in common—they spend most of their lives on the deep, open ocean waters, coming to shore only to breed and lay eggs.  Read More

A Sense of Place: Your California State Parks by Mary Golden

Is there anything better than getting dirty?  Mud between your toes, watching fireflies at night, letting your shirt dry on your back in the sun, learning something about the natural world from somebody older and wiser, perhaps even as old as 25?

Luckily, here on the Central Coast, our play time is all year, but this month, I want to highlight summer activities for families and kids in our local State Parks. Read More

Elfin Forest by Jean Wheeler

Sketch Walk: Join artist and naturalist Barbara Renshaw for a stroll along the Elfin Forest boardwalk.  Take in views of the Morro Bay estuary, oak groves, expanses of coastal sage scrub and chaparral, and the volcanic Morros beyond.  You'll stop in the Rose Bowker Oak Grove, made accessible for all with a recently built boardwalk extension, to enjoy the ancient gnarled coast live oak trees.  Barbara will tell you a bit about the native plants that you see along the way. Read More 

Exploring the Coast by Ruth Ann Angus

When the wind is up on the Central Coast, a small cadre of individuals break out an interesting combination of equipment, go down to the ocean, and take flight. Read More

Eye on the Estuary by the Morro Bay National Estuary Program by Shari Sullivan

Sorry - taking a break - back next month. Promise!

Marine Sanctuaries by Carol Georgi

As we work toward establishing a Marine Sanctuary on our central coast, some background history will provide a context for the potential benefits and safeguards a Marine Sanctuary could provide.

Our hearts, minds, and prayers go out to the residents of the Gulf  Coast who suffer due to the blowout gusher in the Gulf of Mexico. We are also heartbroken over the environmental damage occurring and will continue to occur for years to come. We know this heartache from direct experience. Read More

Ocean Creatures by Carol Georgi

An Abalone is a snail, an invertebrate, with a big muscular foot, covered for protection by a beautiful spiral shell 5-12 inches (13-30 cm) in size . The shell has several holes along the edge that function for releasing eggs or sperm, discharging metabolic wastes and allowing water to flow out after passing through the animal’s gill chamber. Rarely moving, and clinging to rocks, abalone eat seaweed by clamping down on the kelp with its foot and then munching on the seaweed with its radula—a rough tongue with many small teeth. Read More

State Parks Events

A visit to the Central Coast of California is not complete without a stop at the Museum of Natural History in Morro Bay State Park. The museum offers activities for all ages: nature walks, exhibits, lectures, puppet shows, videos, docent led tours and special events.

Visit the Chumash garden along the side of the museum and learn how the Chumash used native plants of this area in their daily lives.

The Museum of Natural History is within minutes of the Heron Rookery, Morro Bay State Park, Montaña de Oro State Park, the El Moro Elfin Forest and Audubon's Sweet Springs Nature Preserve. The museum overlooks Morro Bay which is both a State and National Estuary. The museum and gift shop are open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm daily. See What Else Is Happening

Great Egret image on banner by Mike Baird