Central Coast Wildlife

The casual observer might be lucky enough to catch sight of the gray whale as it makes its way from its cold summer habitat in the Arctic ocean to the warmer waters of Mexico. Gray whales migrate fairly close to the shore, allowing observers to catch frequent glimpses during December to April. For those who want a more educational look at the migrating whales, check out the Avila Marine Institute which is dedicated specifically to the marine habitat that can be found in Avila.

Dolphins can be seen off of Avila Bay Pier generally during the summer months. Not particularly shy, they can be seen by visitors walking to the end of the pier or by visiting one of the scenic trails in and around Avila. Boats can also be chartered for dolphin (or whale) watching. However, they both swim close enough to shore that a visitor can see them with careful observation and a good pair of binoculars.

Not too far from Avila Beach is Morro Bay Bird Sanctuary. If you visit in the spring and summer, you should be able to find hawks and eagles nesting or working to repair last year’s nest.

Sea otters abound at local venues including the Avila Bay Pier and Harford beach. Making their home on or near the beach, they are nary bothered by visitors so long as the visitors don’t get too close.

The monarch butterfly grove in Pismo beach is a site to see during the monarch butterfly migration season. Some 25,000 butterflies have aggregated in Pismo beach and to that end, Pismo beach is the largest aggregation of butterflies in the United States. The grove is unique to the state of California as well.

The time to go is during the winter, from about late October to February. During this time, volunteer staff lead visitors through the eucalyptus groves that are home to thousands of monarchs each year.

The monarchs here are a special variety that have a lifespan of six months instead of the typical six weeks. Scientists are not sure why the monarchs call Pismo beach home each winter, but they are certainly a site to visitors.