MCAS Field Trip - SEP 15 - Villa Creek Snowy Plovers

Looking North Along Beach Leading to Villa Creek [photo by Mike Bush]
Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents   

 

Field Trip:                 Villa Creek Snowy Plovers  

Date:                          September 15, 2025  

Time:                         10:00am to 12:00pm  

Leader(s):                 Sharon Iranpour  

 

Description: The western snowy plover lives and breeds on the sand on just a few of our local natural beaches. A small federally threatened shorebird, this grey/brown and white bird with darker breeding plumage blends in well on the sandy beach, often making it difficult to locate. There will be a short talk before we walk out to examine a replica nest and learn about them. We’ll walk across the grassland to the bluff and down onto the beach to look for the plovers and possible other shorebirds. If there is time, we can also check out beach drift and some interesting rock formations.  

This is an easy walk, partially on soft sand and the distance is approximately a mile roundtrip. Bring binoculars, wear sturdy shoes and layer up. 

 

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

 

Registration: Registration will open on the morning of September 5, 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

Read More

MCAS Field Trip - SEPT 9 - Morro Rock Fall Birds

Whimbrel [photo by Bob Revel]  
Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents   

Field Trip:                 Morro Rock Fall Birds  

Date:                          9/9/2025  

Time:                         09:00am to 11:30am   

Leader(s):                 Claudia Freitas & Karen Watts  

 

Description: Enjoy a leisurely walk around both sides of the rock for excellent birdwatching opportunities. We'll observe cormorants, pelicans, sea ducks, various gull species, and a range of migratory shorebirds. Keep an eye out for our resident Peregrine Falcons and land birds that inhabit the coastal sage scrub on the rock. Special emphasis will be on the “Fall Birds” that are returning to Morro Bay from their nesting grounds in the north. This easy, one-mile walk follows a flat dirt path and paved surfaces. 

 

This field trip is ADA accessible, bathrooms are available, and the trip is open to all levels of experience.

 

Registration: Registration will open on the morning of August 30, 2025 with notification sent to MCAS members and those on the MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST. Not on the MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST? CLICK HEREto 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

Read More

Cuesta College - California Naturalist Course - SLO

Move cursor over displayed PDF below and click the "Pop-out" icon in the top-right corner.

From the now newly opened window, you can read the Flyway Newsletter OR use the icons in the top-right corner to DOWNLOAD or PRINT this PDF.


Read More

MCAS Zoom Community Program - SEP 15 - Coexisting with Rattlesnakes on the Central Coast

Emily Taylor and a Northern Pacific Rattlesnake [Photo by Gregg Segal]  
MCAS September Zoom Community Program  
 

Date:            Monday, September 15th, 2025, 7:00 pm  

Title:             Coexisting with Rattlesnakes on the Central Coast  

Presenter:    Emily Tayor, Ph.D. California Polytechnic - SLO  

 

Join Zoom Meeting Zoom Meeting ID: 956 2250 6662; Passcode: 978601

You can also find the link in the MCAS Events Calendar entry for 9/15/2025. 

 

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

 

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

 

Description: 

Central Coast Snake Services was founded by Cal Poly Professor Emily Taylor in 2019 with the goal of promoting peaceful coexistence with rattlesnakes on the Central Coast. They provide free snake identification, rescue of injured snakes, and relocation of rattlesnakes from residences in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties. In addition, they provide numerous educational programs and consulting, as well as snake safety training and rattlesnake exclusion fencing. This presentation will describe the challenges and solutions they have faced and developed over the years.

Bio:

Emily Taylor is a Professor of Biological Sciences at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California, where she conducts research on the physiology, ecology, and conservation biology of reptiles and amphibians with her students. She received her bachelor’s degree in English at UC Berkeley and her PhD in Biology at Arizona State University. She is the author of the books California Snakes and How To Find Them (2024), California Lizards and How To Find Them (2025), an

d California Amphibians and How To Find Them (2026). She lives in Atascadero with her husband Steve in their madhouse of rescued creatures, including Pax the dog, Aperol Spritz the bearded dragon, Baby the Boa constrictor, Buzz and Snakeholio the rattlesnakes, and Helmut and Bill the tortoises. Learn more at www.EmilyTaylorScience.com and follow her on social media @snakeymama.

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

Read More

MCAS Field Trip - SEPT 5 - Estero Bluffs

Looking south along Estero Bluffs [photo by Joanne Aasen]

Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents 

Field Trip:                  Estero Bluffs 

Date:                          September 5, 2025  

Time:                          9:00am to 12:00pm  

Leader(s):                  Jim Bland & Bob Revel  

 

Description: Estero Bluffs, one of California’s newer State Parks, features a stunning grassland marine terrace that slopes down to wild and scenic ocean bluffs. Enjoy a slow-paced walk of 1.5 to 2 miles along flat trails through a rich diversity of coastal habitats. The area’s sea stacks and intertidal zones attract a wide variety of birds. Look for rock-loving shorebirds and keep an eye out for turnstones, surfbirds, whimbrels, sea ducks, terns, sandpipers, and gulls.

 

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

 

Registration: Registration will open on the morning of August 26, 2025 with notification sent to MCAS members and those on the MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST. Not on the MCAS ALERT EMAIL LIST? CLICK HEREto 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

Read More

MCAS Beginning Birding at SLOBG - SEPT 6th

Townsend's Warbler on Aloe at SLOBG [photo by Joanne Aasen]
New to birding? Join our beginner-friendly workshop on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at the SLO Botanical Garden. Learn to identify birds by sight and sound with our experts.

LEARN MORE AND REGISTER

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

Read More

MCAS Fall Pelagic Birding Trip - SEP 27

,

Morro Coast Audubon Society: Fall Pelagic Birding Trip

Join Morro Coast Audubon Society for a memorable day of open-ocean birding off California's spectacular Central Coast. This full-day trip will take you 20-30 miles offshore into the Pacific Ocean.

Experience the thrill of a day on the water led by a team of experts, including Tom Edell, Curtis Marantz, Wes Fritz, Russ Namitz, and Kevin Zimmer.



Trip Details:

●      Date: Saturday, September 27, 2025

●      Time: Full day, with a 7:30 AM departure

●      Pricing: $200 per person; $180 for MCAS Members

●      Capacity: Limited to 30 participants

Reserve your spot now for this unique adventure. For more information, you can contact fieldtrips@morrocoastaudubon.org.

Click Here to Register

Read More

MCAS Field Trip - AUG 29 - Shorebird Habitats

Long Billed Curlew on Beach with Sand Crab in its Bill [photo by Mike Baird]  

REGISTRATION CLOSED.


Morro Coast Audubon Society Presents  


Field Trip:                 Shorebird Habitats 

Date:                          Friday, August 29, 2025  

Time:                         9:00am to 11:30am  

Leader(s):                 Karen Watts & Robbie Revel  

 

Description: Morro Bay, located along the Pacific Flyway, is a vital stopover for thousands of migrating birds—especially during peak migration. The beaches may look quiet, but they are teeming with life just beneath the surface. Ever wonder what birds are poking for in the sand or digging through rotting seaweed? Join us as we explore the sandy beach and wrack line ecosystems to discover what’s attracting so many shorebirds. Learn how detritus, algae, bacteria, and piles of rotting seaweed (wrack) support a thriving community of invertebrates—providing a feast for migrating birds. We'll walk 1–2 miles along a combination of hard-packed and soft sand. 

 

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

 

Registration: Registration will open on the morning of August 19, 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

 

Read More