WEEKEND IN MORRO BAY ON CALIFORNIA'S CENTRAL COAST: Guest Post by Susan Kean

Morro Bay is known for Morro Rock, an ancient volcanic mound at the end of Morro Rock Beach. The rock sits within Morro Bay State Park, home to lagoons, trails and a bird-rich saltwater marsh.

Recently, my friend Susan Kean traveled up the California coast to Morro Bay, stopping along the way at Pismo Beach and Ventura. I thank Susan for sharing her experience and photos with The Intrepid Tourist.

Whimbrel and a little plover

Morro Bay and the surrounding area is an idea spot for avid birders. Located on the Pacific Flyway, Morro Bay is a Globally Important Bird Area and a designated State and National Estuary.  In most years in January, The Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival promotes an understanding and appreciation of birds and other wildlife and an awareness of environmental and conservation issues of the Central Coast. This year, because of Covid, the festival was cancelled. (Despite the cancellation, The Morro Bay Bird Festival volunteers put on a virtual bird festival at the last minute and links to recordings of their free presentations may be found at Morrobaybirdfestival.org .)

Morro Beach at low tide.

Susan writes: Sadly the Morro Bay Winter Bird Festival was cancelled because of COVID but we still came up to Morro Bay for the weekend.  As the hotel registration person said, the birds haven’t cancelled.  Most exciting for me was seeing my first pair of bald eagles.

Silhouette of bald eagle in tree.

Old wrecked ship at Estero Bluffs

The tsunami hit at about about 8 am, which for Morro Bay amounted to unusual wave formation! Later in the day we did a boat ride and the boat guy said the water in the bay was still rocking back and forth, like in a bowl. As far as we were concerned we didn’t notice anything other than very cloudy water. [Susan's trip was the same weekend as the volcanic eruption in Tonga that resulted in a tsunami that impacted the California coast.]

Sea Lions, Morro Bay

On the way up to Morro Bay we visited the monarch butterfly grove at Pismo Beach. They are pleased with the numbers of butterflies this year. Last year they had none.

Monarch butterflies in eucalyptus trees at Pismo Beach. During migration the butterflies hang in clusters.

Entrance to the Pismo State Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove

 

Giant Coreopsis in a Channel Island native plant garden at the visitor center in Ventura.