MCAS Field Trip - NOV 10 - Habitat: Shark Inlet

View North Over Shark Inlet During Low Tide [by Faylla Chapman] 

Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents   

Habitat - Shark Inlet  

November 10, 2026  

9:00am to 11:00am  

Inyo Street & Monarch Lane, Los Osos  



Description: Join MCAS Leader Faylla Chapman on a guided walk to Shark Inlet, located at the southernmost edge of the Morro Bay Estuary in Los Osos—a secluded and rarely visited spot. The journey begins at the Coastal Access Butterfly Grove, where you’ll pass through stands of stately eucalyptus trees and learn about the area's rich natural and cultural history. From there, enjoy sweeping views of protected coastal land teeming with dune and shoreline plant life. You’ll encounter towering sand dunes up close and may even spot sharks gliding through the warm, shallow waters. Along the way, look for rare native plants, an ancient shell midden, and local bird species flitting through the coastal scrub. Loose, deep sand makes this walk very challenging and is not advised for anyone with walking problems. This field trip is not ADA accessible and the trip is open to all levels of experience.



Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Nzc87nz781rauJhN6


Directions: Meet at Monarch Grove access on Inyo Street, the last street off Monarch Lane in Los Osos. Be prepared for walking in very soft sand, roiled up by the horses that use this trail. 


Bring water, snacks and binoculars. Wear layers and appropriate shoes.


No restroom is available.  


Not ADA accessible


Questions? Send email to: fieldtrips@morrocoastaudubon.org


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MCAS Field Trip - NOV 13 - Santa Margarita Lake Pontoon Boat Birding

Birders on Pontoon Boat at Santa Margarita Lake [by Bob Revel] 

Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents  

Santa Margarita Lake Pontoon Boat Birding  

November 13, 2026  

8:00am to 12:00pm  

Santa Margarita  

Leaders: MCAS Leaders  


Description: Join Morro Coast Audubon on a pontoon boat ride adventure birding Santa Margarita Lake. We'll cruise the entire lake taking in all the nesting birds as well as shoreline wildlife that abound. We will be on the lake for about 3 ½ hours, returning before midday heat. In our most recent visit, we saw lots of Grebes still in their nests, but we also saw baby Grebes on mom’s back. We also saw an adult Black Bear and her 3 cubs. 


The registration fee for this trip is $40. Note that there is a $12 per vehicle entry fee at the campground kiosk. Participants selected for this trip will be sent information on the method of payment for the event. 


This field trip is not ADA accessible, restrooms are available, and the trip is open to all levels of experience.



Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/GsjyXDzJAD2LCvS76


Directions: Meets at the Marina store at Santa Margarita Lake Marina, 4695 Santa Margarita Lake Road, Santa Margarita. After checking in at the campground kiosk, drive down to the boat dock and Marina store parking area. Bring a hat, water, snacks, sunscreen, binoculars and dress in layers to accommodate wind and changing weather. Cameras are welcomed. 


Restrooms are available at the Marina store and on the lake. 


ADA: not accessible


Questions? Send email to: fieldtrips@morrocoastaudubon.org


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MCAS Field Trip - NOV 14 - Villa Creek

Beach at Villa Creek with Oyster Farm on Hill [by Mike Bush]

 Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents

Villa Creek  

November 14, 2026  

8:00am to 11:00am  

Mark Mushkat  


Description: Join Mark Mushkat 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.  


Be prepared to walk through sand, wear layers, bring water, snacks, and binoculars. 


This field trip is not ADA accessible, restrooms are NOT available, and the trip is open to all levels of experience.



Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/bReEnDCnbZRKsPAb9

 

Directions: The Villa Creek location is a bit obscure and is not marked. Download the Google Maps app beforehand on your phone and use this “pin” for the exact location. Press, hold and tap “Open in Google Maps”.  It is the last, most northern parking pull out at Estero Bluffs State Park. 


Questions? Send email to: fieldtrips@morrocoastaudubon.org


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MCAS Field Trip - NOV 21 - Montaña de Oro & Islay Creek

Bluffs at Montaña de Oro [by Bob Revel]
Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents

Montaña de Oro & Islay Creek

November 21, 2026  

9:00am to 12 Noon  

Michael Moss 


Description: Join Michael Moss for a scenic, bird-filled walk through the diverse habitats of Montaña de Oro State Park! We’ll start by following Islay Creek back through the pine-dotted campground, searching for passerines, woodpeckers, and other birds of the coastal scrublands.


Next, we’ll return to the coast and scan Spooner’s Cove for shorebirds and gulls before heading out along the Bluff Trail. We’ll explore the coastal sage scrub and continue to the rocky point, looking for shorebirds that favor rocky shores, sea ducks, and soaring raptors. 

This relaxed outing covers approximately 1–2 miles on mostly flat trails and paved roads, offering a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the park’s beautiful scenery and birdlife.



Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/FxLQvaCCZSJzxCyu7

 

Directions:  Meet in front of the Visitors Center / Spooner Ranch House across from Spooner’s Cove. From the main business district of Los Osos go west on Los Osos Valley Road. Los Osos Valley Road becomes Pecho Valley Road and curves left (south). Continue to the park entrance sign. From the park entrance sign drive about 2.4 miles, turn left (east) toward the campground and park in front of the Visitors Center. Wear layers, walking shoes, bring snacks, water and binoculars. 


Restrooms are available.


ADA accessible 


Questions? Send email to: fieldtrips@morrocoastaudubon.org


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MCAS Field Trip - NOV 25 - Marina Boardwalk King Tide Stop & Scope

Looking over the Estuary at King Tide (by Bob Revel]
Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents  

Marina Boardwalk King Tide Stop & Scope

November 25, 2026  

8:30am to 11:00am  

Marina Boardwalk, Morro Bay State Park

MCAS Leaders


Description: Experience the King Tide at the Marina Boardwalk! Drop in anytime between 8:30–11:00 AM. Take a break from the turkey stuffing —bring the kids and grandkids and enjoy nature’s spectacle at its finest! Join us at the Marina Boardwalk to witness one of the first King Tides, the highest tide of the year, peaking at 6.9 feet at 9:13 AM. This isn’t a traditional field trip—just stop by and take in the view! We'll have spotting scopes set up along the boardwalk and at the back platform, offering up-close views of winter shorebirds and migrating species as the high tide brings them in. Leaders will be on hand to help identify birds, including those found in the surrounding coastal sage scrub habitat.


No Registration Required. Just Stop & Scope.


Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/wzjGKyDERi8jphUz9


Directions: The Morro Bay State Park Marina is located across from the entrance to the Morro Bay State Park Campground. The address is: 10 State Park Road, Morro Bay, CA 93442. We will start at the South end of the Marina parking lot and bird our way around the boardwalk loop trail which is level. This loop provides us with views of the bay, estuary, and the coastal sage scrub community of the peninsula. 


Restrooms are available at the trailhead.


The Boardwalk is ADA accessible, but tight.


Questions? Send email to: fieldtrips@morrocoastaudubon.org


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Gearing up for 2026 CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT - Save the Date!

 


Save the Dates!

Morro Bay CBC and Carrizo Plain CBC

 

Morro Bay

The 73rd Annual Morro Bay Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is scheduled for Saturday December 19th, dawn to dusk, rain or shine! Online registration will open on November 1st on the Morro Coast Audubon website. We ask that you please register before Saturday December 4th so that Area Leaders can insure that there are participants to cover all 54 sectors in the count circle. All experience levels are welcome, and once you participate you'll want to come back and do it again next year!

This year's Community Program and MB CBC compilation event will be held on Sunday, December 20th at 1:00 pm at SLO Botanical Gardens in the Oak Glenn Pavilion. As the time approaches, more information will be sent out from MCAS and SLOCOBIRDING as well as posted to MCAS website and the MCAS Events Calendar.

Thank You in advance for making this year’s annual CBC a success!

Contact Jay Carroll, Count Compiler, or Joanne Aasen, Count Registrar, if you have questions.

Carrizo Plain

The 55th Carrizo Plain CBC will be held on Monday January 4, 2027 from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. with a chance to bird before and after. We will decide whether to carpool or not, as the date approaches. Please contact Russ Namitz at CBCCarrizo@morrocoastaudubon.org to participate and be paired with another birder for the count.




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MCAS Zoom Community Program - OCT 19 - Raptor Quest: Chasing America’s Raptors

Scott Harris in the field.  

MCAS - October 2026 - Zoom Community Program

Program: Raptor Quest: Chasing America’s Raptors

When:         Monday, October 19th, 2026, 7 pm - 8 pm

Presenter: Scott Harris


Join Zoom Meeting Zoom Meeting ID: 922 0801 0147; Passcode: 906442

You can also find the link in the MCAS Events Calendar. 


To support MCAS’s mission and activities, including Community Programs, please consider becoming a member of MCAS.


All MCAS Community Programs are free and open to the public. All ages are welcome. No signup/registration required to attend.


Description: 


Scott Harris spent 17 months chasing 53 Raptor species across 34 states—his version of a Raptor Big Year. RaptorQuest is about his adventures, misadventures, successes and failures. From -36℉ days, to ones over 100℉, to getting on the bird just in time, to the frustrations of missing one by minutes. It’s about the birds—of course—but it’s also about the people he met, the things he learned, and why he’s already working on his next adventure.

Bio: 

Scott Harris became an avid birder when he and his wife, Randi, retired to South Carolina in March of 2020. It was a hobby he never imagined himself participating in, but now can’t imagine living without. He has since added a fascination with mammals and has sold his photographs around the world.

His most recent book, RaptorQuest: Chasing America’s Raptors, is the story of his year-long adventure tracking down every species of Raptor in the Lower 48 states.


In addition to his writing, Scott also hosts a podcast – NaturallyScott – that focuses on birds, wildlife and the great outdoors, and just signed a multi-book deal that includes his upcoming book – Why We Love Birds: 52 Birders on Birding.


His interests and hobbies include the largest collection of John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley in the world, playing harmonica in a blues band, and he has written more than fifty books in the past ten years - though the one he’ll be discussing today is his first entrée into the world of birding and birds.


If you have questions, email commprograms@morrocoastaudubon.org


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VIDEO for SEPT 21 Community Program is now available

Mexican Free-tailed Bats - Packed in like Sardines [photo by Robb Hirsch]  

View video on MCAS YouTube Channel

Program: Yosemite Wildlife - Stories in Front of, and Behind, the Lens  

Presenter(s):    Robb Hirsch


Description: 

Yosemite is primarily known for its world class scenery and, as a result, the park’s wildlife is unfortunately often overlooked. Join Robb Hirsch for a presentation highlighting the diversity of Yosemite’s incredible wildlife and how he creates images that tell their stories. He’ll share natural history anecdotes, ethical wildlife photography tips, and the experiences behind capturing images over the past 30 years. Robb is the photographer of the recently published Yosemite Wildlife written by conservationist extraordinaire, Beth Pratt, and he’s the author/photographer of The Nature of Yosemite- A Visual Journey, both published by the Yosemite Conservancy.


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MCAS Field Trip - OCT 23 - Los Osos Oaks

Oak Tree at Los Osos Oaks [by Robbie Revel]

REGISTRATION CLOSED.


Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents  

 

Habitat - Los Osos Oaks 

October 23, 2026  

9am to 12 Noon  

Los Osos Oaks

Leader: Faylla Chapman

 

Description: Join naturalist Faylla Chapman for a guided tour through the diverse habitats of The Oaks Reserve. Along the way, you'll learn about both native and invasive plant species and their importance to humans, animals, and birds. The trail is a 2-mile round trip with moderate elevation changes and sections of loose sand. While the path is well-marked and generally easy to walk, it is narrow in places. Please be aware that poison oak is present along the route, so appropriate clothing is recommended.

 

Please note: there are no restroom facilities available at this location.

 

 

Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Zhgeya5rGpRwkHN4A 

 

Directions:  Meet at the parking lot of the Los Osos Oaks Reserve, off Los Osos Valley Road about 1 mile south of South Bay Blvd. If for some reason, you need to cancel your reservation(s), please contact Robbie Revel (robbie.revel@morrocoastaudubon.org) ASAP as others on the “waitlist” may be able to take your place. 

 

ADA - not accessible

 

Questions? Send email to: fieldtrips@morrocoastaudubon.org

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MCAS Field Trip - OCT 24 - Morro Strand Fall Shorebirds

Long-Billed Curlew eating Sand Crab [by Mike Baird]

REGISTRATION CLOSED.

 Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents  

Morro Strand Fall Shorebirds

October 24, 2026  

9 am to 12 Noon  

Morro Bay State Park Strand Campground

Leaders: The Bird Nerds


Description: Enjoy a leisurely stroll along Morro Strand and through coastal sage scrub habitat in search of arriving fall migrants and beach-dwelling shorebirds. We'll explore the pond and outflow of Alva Paul Creek, a freshwater source that attracts a variety of birds—including gulls, terns, and more. This easygoing walk covers about 2 miles along a flat trail and beach, with some sections of deep sand. We’ll move at a relaxed pace, allowing plenty of time for observation.



Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/8KfCKBhQ9wZL9Yph8 


Directions: We will meet at the day parking area of the Morro Strand State Park Campground, next to the Kiosk. Take Highway one north of Morro Bay and exit west on Yerba Buena St. Turn left on Trinidad and park in the day use area. If the lot is full, you may go back up Trinidad and park on the street. 


Bring a hat, water, snacks, sunscreen, binoculars and field guides (if you have them) and dress in layers to accommodate wind and changing weather. Cameras and Scopes are welcome. Scopes are helpful to spot birds on the beach without disturbing them. Expect to walk about two miles(total) on the beach with some areas of deep sand. Sturdy shoes are recommended.  Restrooms are available.


ADA - not accessible


Questions? Send email to: fieldtrips@morrocoastaudubon.org


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