Moss Landing

I arrived at San Jose airport in the late morning of Thursday September 27th and drove my rental car down Highway 101 to the coast at Moss Landing. My only stop en route was at a dairy farm a mile or so inland where I knew Tricolored Blackbirds would be easy to find in with the Red-winged Blackbirds. They did not disappoint.

I parked at the beach  where I immediately had Marbled Godwit and Willet along the water's edge. It did not take long to find Black-bellied Plover - the Grey Plover I had seen on Mersea Island, Essex, UK in late July - and Heerman's Gulls.

Marbled Godwit

Willet

Black-bellied Plover

Heerman's Gull

Harbor Seals

California Sea Lions

I spent a little more time in the area, first crossing the main road to visit a marsh and then driving to the beach. Besides a Long-billed Curlew, the highlight of the mash was seeing a small dog harassing a sea lion.

Long-billed Curlew

American White Pelicans

Turkey Vulture

Having had a surprisingly good stop at Moss Landing, I then headed to my hotel in Seaside and, after tea, drove to Monterey Wharf to make sure I know where I had to go to catch my boat in the morning. I found a bunch of Elegant Terns on the beach, buoys and boats as I arrived at the wharf.

Elegant Tern