Page 48 - SLO Visitors Guide - Spring 2025

48 SPRING 2025 slovisitorsguide.com
Los Osos
Serving delicious local food and craft beer!
Outdoor Fireplaces & Live Music
945 Los Osos Valley Rd, Los Osos • theoldealehouse.com
Sweet Springs Nature Reserve—
a birdwatching paradise
Sweet Springs Nature Preserve in
Los Osos is one of the top bird-
watching locations in SLO County.
With 464 species of birds recorded
in SLO County, birdwatching is the
perfect outdoor activity for families
and another reason for hiking and
beach strolls. Individual birds num-
ber in the thousands, and at certain
times of the year, include migrating
birds not normally seen in the area.
The Central Coast is one of the four
main migration routes for birds in
the Americas.
Birds that can be seen at Sweet
Springs Nature Preserve include
a rich variety of water birds and
shore birds, bald eagles, ospreys,
hawks, hummingbirds, woodpeck-
ers, and many bird species some of
us may have never seen before.
Spring and summer are nesting
seasons when birders look forward
to returning birds that have been
gone all winter. Along with Central
Coast birds that don’t migrate, nest-
ing season is an excellent opportu-
nity to watch and learn. Species you
might see during nesting season
include the hooded oriole, Bullock’s
oriole, black-headed grosbeak, cliff
swallow, tree swallow, and Allen’s
hummingbird.
According to Susie Reddy,
outreach coordinator for the Morro
Coast Audubon Society (MCAS)
and the Morro Bay Bird Festival,
SLO County has some excellent
locations for bird watching. Pack
up the kids, binoculars, cameras, a
picnic, and head out!
Adding a different
experience to
hiking, beach
strolls, and family
time
Birdwatching on the coast
For easy-to-reach locations
in addition to the Sweet Springs
Preserve, check out Oso Flaco Lake
in Oceano. Favorite spots in Morro
Bay are the marina boardwalk and
Morro Rock. Farther north, visit
Estero Bluffs State Park in Cayucos,
the Harmony Headlands in San
Simeon, and the Fiscalni Ranch
Preserve near Cambria.
Birdwatching inland
For great inland locations, check
out Meadow Park, El Chorro Park,
or Laguna Lake in San Luis Obispo.
The Bob Jones Trail at Avila Beach
and Atascadero Lake in Atascadero
are also easy to get to locations.
Getting to know the birds
Learning to identify each unique
species can range from curiosity
about what’s in your backyard, to
day trips, and vacations to observe
many different birds in their natural
habitats. “The easiest way to get
started is to look out your windows,”
says Reddy. “You don’t even need
binoculars. You might be surprised
at what you see and hear, birds are
all around us!”
Joining a group is a family-fun
way to learn and make new friends.
The MCAS offers several monthly
bird walks, beginner workshops, and
in-depth learning classes.
The Sweet Springs Nature Preserve
is located in Los Osos off Ramona
Avenue and has been owned and
managed by MCAS since 1989. The
preserve offers hiking trails, beautiful
views of Morro Bay and Morro Rock,
and excellent birding opportunities.
No pets please! For more information
about birdwatching locations, mem-
bership, and programs, visit
morrocoastaudubon.org.
—By Jackie Iddings
Watch for the mountain bluebird (Sialia currocoides).