BIRD REFUGES
Pescadero Marsh
(650) 879-2170
On Hwy 1, 16 miles south of Half Moon Bay
Pescadero Marsh is on the pacific Flyway. Every year thousands of
birds (nearly 200 species) rest and feed here. Great blue herons
nest in the northern row of blue gum eucalyptus trees; great egrets and
snowy egrets stalk shallows, and northern harriers glide over the meadows.
The best bird watching times are late fall and early spring. The
trail leads you along an old dike between marshlands and the musical
rattle of marsh wrens accompanies your every step. Pescadero Marsh
is one of the most important remaining wetlands on the California Coast.
The Audubon
Society offers docent-led walking tours in the Pescadero Marsh.
Pillar Point Marsh
(650) 728-3584 (Fitzgerald Marine Reserve)
Between Pillar Point Harbor and Mavericks
Although tiny, Pillar Point Marsh is a paradise for lucky bird watchers,
who have sighted here nearly twenty percent of all North American bird
species. Look for great blue herons, snowy egrets, and red-winged
blackbirds. This unique marsh is fed by both fresh water and salt
water. For unmatched views of Pillar Point and the Coastside, be
sure to follow the trail around the point to the breakwater and tide pools
on the far side. California sea lions bask on the jagged offshore
rocks. Surfers catch the famous Mavericks Wave just west of the
marsh.
In the Fall and Winter months you can expect
to see:
Birds of Prey: Northern Harrier, Sharp
Shinned Hawk, Ferruginious Hawk,
Rough-Legged Hawk
Shorebirds: Dunlin, Common Loon,
Pacific Loon, Great Egret, Surf Scoter, Semi-palmated
Plover, Black bellied Plover, Willet, Whimbrel, Long-billed
Curlew, Black Turnstone, Surfbird, Western Sandpiper
Click here for a list of Ecotourism Guided Tour Companies.
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