Monterey Audubon Society: Wednesday Seawatch at Point Pinos

Jutting out at the extreme southwestern edge of Monterey Bay, Point Pinos is one of the best spots to seawatch on the West Coast. “Seawatching” is a type of birding that’s rather self-explanatory: watching the sea from land with the goal of seeing seabirds! The key to successful seawatching is a mix of geography, seasonality, weather, patience, and persistence. With the deepwater Monterey Canyon and its cold, nutrient-rich waters upwelling just offshore from Point Pinos, which is situated at the outermost tip of the Monterey Peninsula, an immense diversity of seabirds and marine mammals can be seen here throughout the year. In the fall and winter, migrating seaducks, loons, and alcids can be expected in abundance. In the spring and summer, tubenose diversity can skyrocket, with recent sightings including Laysan Albatross and Hawaiian Petrels!