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Pam Starr
Alyn Robert Brereton
Julie MacKinnon
Linda Pittman
Parham Pourahmad
Larry Whiting
Randall Finley
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| Pismo State Beach - Site # 166 | |||
| Background: | This site features California's most extensive coastal sand dunes. Eucalyptus trees here shelter the nations's largest population of wintering monarch butterflies. Some years, nearly 200,000 monarchs cluster on trees at the North Beach Campgound. Trails throught the dune preserve reveal the tracks of lizards, mice, black-tailed jackrabbits, bobcats, and coyotes. Also found here is a showy plant, the giant coreopsis. Beavers reside in Meadow Creek, which widens into a lagoon favored by waterfowl. Fifty bird species may be seen here, including yellow-rumped warblers, marsh wrens, and black-crowned night herons. Shorebirds follow beach tides, searching for pismo clams. Offshore waters reveal resident harbor seals and southern sea otters; during winter, watch for humpback whales, endangered California gray whales, and thousands of sooty shearwaters, a marine bird. Other endangered visitors include bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and California least terns. | ||
| Viewing Tips: | Butterflies are abundant November through March. High probability of seeing shorebirds and songbirds year-round. Look for birds of prey year-round, bald eagles in winter. Waterfowl and marine birds are also common in winter. Beavers best viewed at dawn and dusk. DUNE VEGETATION IS FRAGILE, tread carefully. | ||
| How to Get There: | From Pismo Beach on Highway 1, drive south 1 mile to North Beach Campground. | ||
| Contact Information | |||
| Managing Agency: | California State Parks | ||
| Agency Site URL: | |||
| Physical Address: | , CA |
Agency 2: | , CA |
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| Site Phone: | (805) 489-1869 | ||
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