Baywatching

Visit Monterey Bay to go birdwatching? Why not! Avoid the tourist packed Fisherman's Wharf and go to the neighboring pier instead. Yes, there were still some people and yes, lots of boats and yachts moored close by but birds there were! We got a lifer even!

Half asleep on the calm waters of the bay was a bird we had not seen before.

Cynthia: What bird is that?
Me: Scuzza me, but in old Monterey that's a Murre.

Common Murre

Then there were the usual gulls mostly Ring-billed and Western. But also an uncommon Heerman's.

Pelagic Cormorants were busy diving for fish.

No trip to Monterey would be complete without seeing those utterly adorable Sea Otters!

A surprise was when we saw a Pigeon Guillemot! We saw one several years ago on a distant cliff near Santa Cruz. But this one was so charmingly close!

Finally as we were about to leave...

Cynthia: What bird is that?
Me: Like the sea and sand, in a very public wonderland, a Loon at last!

Pacific Loon