THE TOP DOZEN
MONTEREY COUNTY BIRDING SITES

a page by Don Roberson

Monterey County's top dozen birding sites are:

  1. Monterey Bay pelagic trip [includes Monterey harbor — worth a visit without a boat]
  2. Elkhorn Slough & Moss Landing area [Jetty Road, Elkhorn Slough NERR, Moonglow Dairy +]
  3. Pt. Pinos & vicinty [includes sea-watching; Crespi Pond; Esplanade Park neighborhoods]
  4. Big Sur River mouth [in Andrew Molera SP, also nearby is Pt. Sur, views over El Sur Ranch]
  5. Carmel River mouth [mostly within Carmel River SB, including Carmel Lagoon]
  6. Salinas River mouth [Salinas River NWR & locales (some permit-access-only) within Salinas River—Lower IBA]
  7. Tassajara Road from Carmel Valley to Chews Ridge [dirt road from oak savanna to pine forest]
  8. Nacimiento-Fergusson Road [paved road Ft. Hunter-Liggett to coast, with dirt spur to Cone Peak]
  9. Laguna Grande Park [and nearby Roberts Lake; both in City of Seaside]
  10. Fort Ord National Monument [and neaby Fort Ord SB; Fort Ord NM established in 2012]
  11. Fremont Peak State Park [half of State Park is within San Benito Co., so check map for county lines]
  12. Jacks Peak Regional Park

Individual pages on these sites are found by clicking on the links above, or the photo of a site below. The red arrows radiate from the localities on a Monterey County map [or a Monterey Peninsula map, inset].


Salinas River mouth

& Salinas River NWR et al.

Big Sur River mouth

[Andrew Molera SP]

Tassajara Road

Carmel Valley to Chews Ridge

Nacimiento-Fergussen Road

Ft. Hunter-Liggett / Cone Peak

Carmel River mouth

[Carmel River SB]

TOP

page created 4 June 2012

all photos & text © Don Roberson

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