Field trip with Joan Lentz and Larry Ballard.

Sunday, December 11,  9:00 a.m. to  4:00 p.m.
Participation is limited to 25.
Advance registration required at synature@west.net or 805 693-5683.
Member registration begins: August 16. Non-member registration begins: August 26.
Members free/non-members $20.

We’ll spend the morning looking for birds in the rich avian habitats around the Morro Bay salt marsh, the pines by the campground, and the tidal areas near the Morro Bay Museum of Natural History. After lunch we’ll drive to Montaña de Oro State Park and hike a short distance through dune habitat to Hazard’s Reef to examine the prolific life in the tide pools. With luck we’ll see Black Oystercatchers and find the foot-long Gumboot Chiton, largest in the world.

Joan Lentz is an author, teacher, and research associate at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. For over 35 years, she has been a serious student of the natural history of the Santa Barbara region, concentrating on its bird life. Lentz has written three books, including A Naturalist’s Guide to the Santa Barbara Region and Introduction to Birds of the Southern California Coast. Larry Ballard has an interest in all aspects of the region’s natural history, and has led many natural history trips for our organization as well as for other groups and institutions in Santa Barbara County.

We’ll meet at the marina opposite the entrance to the Morro Bay State Park campground at 8:45 a.m. for registration; the field trip begins promptly at 9:00 a.m. Bring lunch, water, sun protection, and dress in layers for weather that could be windy and/or cold. The trail to the tide pools is not long, but may be slippery, muddy and/or steep, and the beach may be rocky and uneven. Bring hiking poles if you wish, and footwear appropriate for wet, rocky scrambling.

Photo: © Stuart Wilson