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California Brown Pelican, California seagull, Sandpiper, Albatross, Petrels, Brandt’s Cormorant, Egrets, Herons, American Avocets, Plovers, Willets, Godwits and many, many more birds are seen at Bird Rock (photo) along 17 Mile Drive in Pebble Beach. The Monterey Bay Audubon Society reports that in recent months visitors have seen rare or unique birds such as a Glaucous Gull, Tropical Kingbird and Brant along this portion of the beaches. Call MONTEREY RARE BIRD ALERT (831) 626-6605 to report your sightings.

Visitors not only can drive and stop along 17 Mile Drive’s many landmark spots to view wildlife, but can also sign up for the Pelagic Seabird Trips. Pelagic means “of, relating to, or living in open oceans or seas rather than waters adjacent to land or inland waters”.  Just offshore of Monterey Bay where Pebble Beach sits, there is a 6,000-foot deep submarine canyon running right down the middle of the bay. Similar in size to the Grand Canyon, this geologic feature creates cold-water upwellings, rich in nutrients that foster a remarkable diversity of seabirds and cetaceans. The combination of these elements within a semi-protected bay makes Monterey a worldwide destination for pelagic birding. Just a few miles from shore one can observe pelagic seabirds that travel across both the hemisphere and the ocean to feed in the bountiful waters of Monterey Bay. Call (831) 375-4658 to learn about making reservations for trips to see the sea birds!