An Arctic Loon, very unusual in California and worthy of a state-wide rare bird alert, brought people from far and wide to observe it in San Simeon Creek lagoon. The creek bank was lined with rapt observers and their spotting scopes and high-end cameras after the loon arrived on January 13th and lingered for three days —
coinciding with the annual Morro Bay Bird Festival. Seemingly unperturbed, the bird swam and dove in the lagoon, which is part of the San Simeon Creek Natural Preserve in San Simeon State Park.
Some thought the loon appearing as it did was especially significant given the Coastal Commission's vote on January 12th about the other Natural Preserve in Cambria at Santa Rosa Creek. The Commission voted to accept revised findings (pages 26-29) which supported their December decision against the Army Corps/Cambria CSD plan for desalination test well drilling there.
The loon's appearance seemed to continue the theme that titled last month's article Animals_Rejoice by Catherine Ryan Hyde about that December decision. In any event, remembering that the San Simeon Creek Natural Preserve beach was the target of an earlier 2007 Cambria CSD desal test well drilling plan (which was rejected as violating the Coastal Act), it's understandable that coastal advocates might view and enjoy the visiting Arctic Loon as an affirmation of coastal stewardship!
Note: Both natural preserves adjoin the Cambria State Marine Park created in the summer of 2010- the first such marine state park in California.
