Birding at Point Reyes National Seashore, California

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Point Reyes National Seashore offers some of the finest birdwatching in the United States. More than 70,000 acres of habitat harbor an incredible variety of bird life. Nearly 490 avian species have been observed in the park and on adjacent waters. Point Reyes National Seashore easily claims the prize for the greatest avian diversity in any U.S.national park. The species total here, in fact, is larger than the species total in each of forty of the United States. Some of the factors responsible for attracting this amazing diversity are Point Reyes' location at an optimal latitude its diverse habitats, its location along the Pacific Flyway, and the shape of the peninsula which acts as a geographic magnet. The park's coastal location and its wealth of unspoiled habitats, estuaries, grasslands, coastal scrub and forest all attract many migrating and wintering birds. The projection of the peninsula some 10 miles seaward from the "mainland" makes Point Reyes National Seashore a landing spot for many vagrants—birds that may have made errors in navigation and thus are unexpected in this area. Two threatened species from quite diverse habitats, the Northern Spotted Owl and the Snowy Plover, are the subject of ongoing studies at Point Reyes. There are many great places to view birds within the park and the following are some of the best: Bear Valley is great variety of land birds frequent the numerous habitats along the trails over Inverness Ridge to the ocean—warblers, sparrows, kinglets, thrushes, wrens, woodpeckers, hummingbirds, and owls. A variety of habitats converge in the Limantour area, resulting in an abundance of birds species. Look for wading birds in the marshes, waterfowl on the ponds, shorebirds on the beach, brown pelicans cruising over the breakers, and birds of prey soaring over dunes and wetlands. Bolinas Lagoon attracts cormorants, pelicans, kingfishers, and a variety of waterfowl and shorebirds. Audubon Canyon Ranch's Bolinas Lagoon Preserve protects heron and egret rookeries. In winter, Five Brooks Pond gets reen-backed heron, hooded merganser, ring-necked duck, and grebes can be seen. In grasses and trees, watch for pileated woodpeckers, swallows, accipiters, warblers, and thrushes. Abbotts Lagoon offers xcellent for winter ducks and raptors. Black-shouldered kites are commonly seen in winter and fall. This is also a sensitive nesting area for the threatened western snowy plover. Please tread carefully on the sandy beaches during the spring and early summer months. An old pine plantation along Estero Trail provides winter roosting habitat for long-eared and great-horned owls. Look for water and shore birds such as great egrets, great blue herons, and loons in the Estero. Watch for hawks above the grasslands. Lighthouse rocks and cliff area has Brown pelicans in fall, numerous pelagic and migrating species in spring. Some of the most common spring pelagics include pelagic and Brandt's cormorants, common murres, pigeon guillemots, loons and surf scoters. Keep your eyes open for black oystercatchers all year. Peregrine falcons are occasionally observed. Tufted puffins are infrequently seen in the spring and early summer. Point Reyes National Seashore is a short drive from San Francisco.

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