Exploring the Bluffs at Montaña de Oro
Montaña de Oro State Park is one of my favorite stretches of California coastline. South of Los Osos, the park protects rugged sea cliffs, rocky shoreline, rolling grasslands, and chaparral-covered hillsides that meet the Pacific in dramatic fashion.
Most of our time here has been spent walking the Bluff Trail and Point Buchon Trail. Neither is especially difficult, but both encourage the kind of slow wandering that these coastal wildlife-filled places deserve. Every overlook deserves another scan of the cliffs below or another look across the kelp beds stretching offshore. These places are amazing for the wildlife and beauty they hold, and are well worth protecting.
Birds Along the Coast
Brandt's, Pelagic, and Double-crested Cormorants all nest or gather on the rocky ledges below the bluffs. Seeing all three species together turns every stop into a fun identification challenge as differences in size, posture, and preferred nesting spots begin to stand out.
Brown Pelicans drift along the coastline using the ocean winds before occasionally folding into spectacular plunge dives offshore.
One of my favorite encounters came from a surprisingly large group of Black Oystercatchers. They chased one another across the rocks with bright orange bills held forward, behavior that looked very much like courtship rather than simple feeding.
Farther from the shoreline, the trails pass through coastal scrub and chaparral where Wrentits announce themselves with their familiar bouncing song, even if they refuse to show themselves. California Quail wander through the vegetation in family groups, and at the start of the Point Buchon Trail we found an entire flock gathered around nearby feeders.
White-crowned Sparrows are common along the trails, sometimes joined by Golden-crowned Sparrows. Overhead, Turkey Vultures ride the rising air along the bluffs, occasionally dropping low enough to appreciate just how graceful they are at close range.
Wildlife Along the Bluffs
Sea Otters are always one of the highlights of visiting California's Central Coast. Floating among the kelp beds, they rolled, groomed, and disappeared beneath the surface before popping back up somewhere completely different. Sharing the same stretch of coastline, California Sea Lions cruised through the water and hauled out on the lower rocks.
Several Mule Deer watched us from the grasslands beside the Bluff Trail while keeping a close eye on one another. At one point it looked as though two bucks might settle a disagreement, but both quickly returned to feeding as if they'd changed their minds.
Southern Alligator Lizards also seemed to enjoy the trails, crossing the path during each of our visits. Coyote wander up on the hills. But always watch the water, where a whale might even pop out!
Montaña de Oro is place we visit and re-visit. There is always just an amazing display of wildlife here!
