MCAS Field Trip - NOV 23 - Morro Strand Fall Shorebirds

Elegant Terns along Morro Strand [photo by Bob Revel]
Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents   

 

Field Trip:     Morro Strand Fall Shorebirds  

Date:             November 23, 2025  

Time:             9am to 12 Noon  

Leader(s):     Revel Team  

 

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. 

 

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

 

Registration: Registration will open on the morning of 11/13/2025 with notification sent to MCAS members and those on the MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST. Not on the MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST? CLICK HERE to add your email to this list. 

 

Some field trips are for MCAS Members only. Consider becoming a MCAS member to support our mission and activities and enjoy these member-only field trips. CLICK HERE to join.

 

Questions? Send email to: robbie.revel@morrocoastaudubon.org

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MCAS 2025 MB CBC Registration is OPEN!

Those were the days my friends... [courtesy of National Audubon]
2025 Morro Bay Christmas Bird Count

 

Registration for the 2025 Morro Bay Christmas Bird Count is now OPEN!

 

This year’s Morro Bay CBC will be held on Sunday, December 14th.

 

There is no fee to participate in the CBC and all skill levels are welcome. MB CBC Registration is required for you to participate. You are asked to register by Monday, December 1st so that the 54 sectors can be organized in order to provide thorough coverage of the entire circle. After you register your Area Leader, who coordinates multiple sectors, will contact you in early December. Full MB CBC Details

 

Please take a few minutes to Register Here and scratch it off your TO DO list.

 

A few Reminders...

 

Partner With:

If you are partnering with others, please check that those individuals have also registered. They must register separately from you.

 

Bird Feeders:

If you live within the count circle and have bird feeders, yet do not want to do a sector count, you can still participate and share your bird-watching talents by counting birds at your feeders (full-day sector counters can do Both). Just check "Only" (or “Both”) in the Bird Feeder question when you register.  Read eBird article "Counting 102--birds at feeders" for more information. 

Questions: contact Jay Carroll at CBCMBCompiler@morrocoastaudubon.org

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MCAS Field Trip - NOV 20 - Habitat - Windy Cove Mud Walk

Mud Flats at Windy Cove [photo by Faylla Chapman]

Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents   

 

Field Trip:     Habitat - Windy Cove Mud Walk  

Date:              November 20, 2025  

Time:             2pm to 4pm  

Leader(s):     Faylla Chapman & Sharon Iranpour  

 

Description: Take a walk down to Windy Cove, located below the Morro Bay State Park Natural History Museum, where we’ll explore the plants, mud, and the fascinating organisms that inhabit this unique environment. We’ll also search for creatures living in the upper intertidal zone on the rocks around the base of the Museum and into the Marina. Restroom facilities are available at the Museum.

 

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

 

Registration: Registration will open on the morning of 11/10/2025 with notification sent to MCAS members and those on the MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST. Not on the MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST? CLICK HERE to add your email to this list. 

 

Some field trips are for MCAS Members only. Consider becoming a MCAS member to support our mission and activities and enjoy these member-only field trips. CLICK HERE to join.

 

Questions? Send email to: robbie.revel@morrocoastaudubon.org

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MCAS Community Program - NOV 17 - Saving Birds from Window Collisions: Simple Solutions for a Big Problem

Two Birds Killed in Window Collision [photo by Travis Longcore]  
MCAS November 2025 Zoom Community Program  

Date:         Monday, November 17th, 2025, 7:00 pm  

Title:          Saving Birds from Window Collisions: Simple Solutions for a Big Problem  

Presenter: Travis Longcore, Ph.D.  

 

Join Zoom Meeting Zoom Meeting ID: 949 5768 7990; Passcode: 052674

 

Please consider becoming a Member of MCAS to support MCAS’s mission and activities, including Community Programs.

 

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

 

Description: 

Each year, millions of birds die from colliding with glass windows, unable to perceive the transparent or reflective surfaces as barriers. These fatalities pose a serious threat to bird populations, but simple, effective solutions—such as patterned window films, external screens, and strategic lighting adjustments—can dramatically reduce collisions. This presentation will explore the science behind bird-window strikes, highlight successful mitigation strategies, and provide practical steps that individuals and communities can take to make their buildings bird-friendly.

 

Bio:

Travis Longcore, Ph.D., is an expert in urban ecology and conservation science, with a specialty in the impacts of artificial light and human-built environments on wildlife. He is Senior Associate Director of the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability at UCLA and Co-chair of its Environmental Science and Engineering doctoral program.

 

If you have questions, email Wendy McKeown, Community Programs Chair: wendy.mckeown@morrocoastaudubon.org

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MCAS Field Trip - NOV 16 - La Lomita Ranch Bird & Wine

La Lomita Ranch [courtesy of lalomitaranch.com]
Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents   

Field Trip:                 La Lomita Ranch Bird & Wine  

Date:                         11/16/2025  

Time:                         9:00am to 12:00pm  

Leader(s):                 Claudia Freitas & Revel Team  

 

Description: La Lomita Ranch sits nestled between Islay Hill—the southernmost peak in the chain of volcanic cones known as the Nine Sisters—and the Edna Valley Wine Region. Once part of the historic Mexican land grant Rancho Corral de Piedra, La Lomita was originally developed as a ranch and breeding facility for Arabian horses. Still a working ranch today, it has grown to include a wedding venue, a charming Bed & Breakfast, and a vineyard on Islay Hill. Visitors can enjoy the beauty of its large pond, grand oaks, and lush gardens, while wine enthusiasts will savor the elegant estate wines crafted exclusively from its vineyard. Join Claudia Freitas and the Revel Team for a birding adventure around the ranch followed by wine tasting. Note that La Lomita does not serve lunch; you are welcome to bring a picnic lunch to enjoy. The registration fee for this trip is $25 and it includes wine tasting.

 

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

 

Registration: Registration will open on the morning of 11/6/2025 with notification sent to MCAS members and those on the MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST. Not on the MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST? CLICK HERE to add your email to this list. 

 

Some field trips are for MCAS Members only. Consider becoming a MCAS member to support our mission and activities and enjoy these member-only field trips. CLICK HERE to join.

 

Questions? Send email to: robbie.revel@morrocoastaudubon.org

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

Pontoon Boat on Lake

REGISTRATION CLOSED.

Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents a Members-Only Event  
 

Field Trip:     Santa Margarita Lake Pontoon Boat Birding  

Date:              November 13, 2025  

Time:             8am to 12 Noon  

Leader(s):    Scott Stellar  

 

Description: Join Morro Coast Audubon on a pontoon boat ride adventure birding Santa Margarita Lake. We'll cruise pretty much the entire lake taking in all the migratory and permanent birds as well as shoreline wildlife that abound. Restrooms are available along the route. The registration fee for this trip is $40. Note that this is a $12 per vehicle entry fee at the campground kiosk. Carpools from the Santa Margarita Park & Ride will be arranged. Participants selected for this trip will be sent a link for the registration fee payment.

 

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

 

Registration: Registration will open on the morning of 11/3/2025 with notification sent only to MCAS members. Not a MCAS member? Consider joining MCAS to support our mission and activities and enjoy these member-only field trips.

 

Questions? Send email to: robbie.revel@morrocoastaudubon.org

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VIDEO now available for OCT 20 Community Program - Dragonflies and How to Attract Them with a Wildlife Pond

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View Video on MCAS YouTube Channel

Description: 

This program will introduce the fascinating biology of the Odonates - the dragonflies and damselflies. Attendees will learn about the dragonfly’s life cycle which includes an underwater nymph stage, much like a butterfly's caterpillar stage. The different families of dragonflies will be introduced and the most common species to be attracted to a pond in the Morro Bay area will be presented. The use of ponds to attract the Odonates, the ideal size and depths, the best plant species to use and maintenance techniques will be explored along with positioning the pond on your property. Dragonflies are beautiful - Ponds are peaceful - Having both is a true joy!


Bio:

Kathy Biggs has been a nature lover all her life. When she built a wildlife pond in her backyard in 1996, dragonflies arrived and she found her true passion. She then created several websites: wildlife ponds, California Dragonflies & Damselflies, and Dragonflies of the Greater Southwest which grew into several books including guides to dragonflies of California, the Southwest and Jalisco, Mexico, each a first for its area.

 

When the Pandemic stopped all the programs and walks she was giving, Kathy thought she was retiring, but her friend Sandra von Arb talked her into co-authoring a new guide, Dragonflies (Anisoptera) of California. This guide includes distribution maps besides descriptions and large photos of both sexes and other necessary information including a nymph or exuvia for each genus, a first for any dragonfly guide.

 

An eGuide, Dragonflies of the Greater Southwest, which is completely interactive and includes California, is another accomplishment that Kathy is proud of. She is also the author of the CD Build a Pond for Wildlife which explains how that differs from building Koi and Tropical lily ponds, and an educational coloring book, Dragonflies of North America with art by Tim Manolis.

 

Kathy surveys for dragonflies in California and the greater southwest. She manages the Yahoo Group CalOdes and she tracks flight data and distribution for California and Jalisco. Kathy is a member and vetter for Odonata Central, iNaturalist and for the Western Odonata Facebook Group. She also has a Facebook group, Building Ponds for Wildlife, that helps newbies and provides a forum for members to share their successes and the wildlife that visits.

 

The TV program "Deep Look" filmed Kathy’s Pond and its inhabitants in 2017 and again just this year. The 2017 program can be seen from this link: Deep Look - A Baby Dragonfly's Mouth Will Give You Nightmares. The 2025 footage is still in progress.

 

Kathy has worked with the Bureau of Land Management in protecting habitat for the rare Black Petaltail dragonfly and has discovered new breeding areas where the rarest dragonfly in North America (the San Francisco Forktail) lives. She hopes she can inspire you to get to know the dragonflies and possibly to build a habitat that supports them.

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MCAS Field Trip - NOV 9 - Laguna Lake Birding

Open Fields at Laguna Lake Park [photo by Robbie Revel]
REGISTRATION CLOSED.

Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents   

 

Field Trip:     Laguna Lake Birding  

Date:              November 9, 2025  

Time:             9am to 12 Noon  

Leader(s):    Will Knowlton & Morgan Bing  

 

Description: We’ll explore the park’s trees and meadows in search of wintering songbirds, flycatchers, and raptors. Open spaces and power poles offer great vantage points for spotting raptors during the winter, while marshy areas can be productive for warblers, wrens, and munias. The Lake will offer sightings of wading birds and ducks. The trail is flat, and we’ll cover approximately 1.5 to 2 miles.

 

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

 

Registration: Registration will open on the morning of 10/30/2025 with notification sent to MCAS members and those on the MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST. Not on the MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST? CLICK HERE to add your email to this list. 

 

Some field trips are for MCAS Members only. Consider becoming a MCAS member to support our mission and activities and enjoy these member-only field trips. CLICK HERE to join.

 

Questions? Send email to: robbie.revel@morrocoastaudubon.org

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