The Morro Bay Bird Festival is taking place over the next few days bringing people in from far and wide to get a glimpse at the rich bird life in the area.
Several early birds showed up to the festival’s first day of events Friday morning. Nearly 800 people are registered for the festival and around two-thirds of those people are from out of state.
Experts from around the country guide tours both in and out of San Luis Obispo County.
Mike Bush, who lives in the area, led a group through the bluffs at Montaña de Oro, sharing information about birds and pointing out birds within the park.
“They’re real fun to see — black birds with bright orange feet and when they open their mouth, the inside of their mouth is bright orange against all that black,” Bush told the group of hikers.
Robert Groos lives near Yosemite and is an avid birder who came to Morro Bay for the festival. He enjoys connecting with other birders while also learning something new about birds and taking in the natural beauty of the Central Coast.
“The weather is really great today. I’m hoping to have some opportunities to get some great photographs of birds and learn a lot from the people that are leading the tour. That’s the real draw. If you want to learn more about the birds, these experts can find things that you never see,” Groos said.
The festival, which started in 1996, has more than 200 events to choose from, including guided birding walks and tours, presentations by expert birders, workshops on bird identification, photography and conservation efforts, and an exhibit hall with information about local birding organizations.
“I know exactly how exciting it is to go out on one of those trips with an expert to not only help identify but observe the birds, learn more about each individual bird," said Jeanette Stone, Morro Bay Bird Festival Chairperson. "It’s a great experience. You get to see all the wonderful areas on the Central Coast. Montaña de Oro — gorgeous place to go. So you not only get to see birds there, but you get to see the beautiful coastline.”
Bayside Café is one of the restaurants in Morro Bay offering discounts to those who are registered for the festival.
“Since we are situated right next to the bay and the bay is such a great area to view the local birds, we offer a discount because we like to support that recreational activity and enjoyment of the natural landscape,” said Kyle Sweasey, Bayside Café employee.
Community Family Day is this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is free for anyone to attend. The event will include nature journaling, dissecting an owl pellet, visiting live critters, and vendors will also be there with goods for purchase.
The Morro Bay Bird Festival runs through Monday. For more information on this event click here.
