Yesterday, I visited the MBMS on the recommendation of an aquaintance that knows the area well. He told me about a special moon/star/sun/cosmos alignment that was going to result in a very high tide in the morning and a very low tide in the afternoon. The high tide would likely flush in a huge load of fodder (in the form of anchovies, makerels and sardines) for the dining pleasure of the agressive pelicans and other shorebirds that operate out of the bay this time of year. Shorebirds also feed on various crustaceans,sand crabs, sea slugs, burrowing shrimp and other delicacies that I’m only beginning to learn about. I was told by my informant that arriving about midday as the tide shifted back out of the bay should reslult in quite a ornithological show.
I did as instructed. After arriving at the Morro Bay Natural History Museum parking lot, I readied the camera gear and set out walking around towards the wind protected backbay. The scene was unlike any I’d seen previously as tens of thousands of shorebirds, herons, pelicans, seagulls, ospreys and other birds scrambled furiously to fill their bellies before the tide took the fish away.
Cabrillo Pk w/ Hollister Pk distant
Shorebird Frenzy
When this came into view, I was shocked to see this many birds in one place. The only place I’ve seen that might compare was Everglades NP in Florida and that place does not have the spectacular background scenery that Morro Bay does. These photos do not, by any means, fully capture the experience.
Birds came in all sizes. From the tiny Least Sandpipers to the American Pelicans (slightly larger than the ubiquitous Brown Pelicans) each bird seemed to be somewhere along a spectrum between absoulutely frantic feeding and complete and relaxed post-meal repose. The most frantic were the Brown Pelicans as they plunged into the shallows and filled their pocketed bills with fish – up to 4 lbs in a scoop i’m told.
The other stand out fishermen/women today were the Ospreys. While they seemed to concentrate on one fish at a time – unlike the Pelicans – they were just as fun to watch. This one stopped on top of a sailboat mast in the marina to enjoy her catch. TBC….