Outdoors in Fall

The weather this month is so wonderful. Crisp cool nights and clear sparkly days. The wildlife watching is focused on the birds with plenty from the Inn itself and from the nearby Elkhorn Slough environs. The migration of birds is well underway. The weather has been so fine we have been having picnics in the backyard. Here is an egret off our back deck and a red shoulder hawk silouette on our rooftop.

Rare and Unusual Birds

Birding is always a fun and successful undertaking in Moss Landing, Elkhorn Slough, and at the Captain's Inn. We have a bird checklist for the bed and breakfast with over 190 species!! This last week has been no exception with two strange sightings. The first is a rare bird, generally occurring on the East coast. This Rose-breasted Grosbeak decided to drink from our water trough just long enough for the innkeeper to snap its photo and prove it was here. There is a new stranger sighted by guests outside the boathouse windows - a Swan!! This is most likely an escaped domestic swan, it is a mute swan. There is always wildlife to watch here.

Fall Migration

The fall migration of birds is well underway with thousands of birds of many varieties using our wetlands. One of my favorites are the "peeps". These are the small tiny birds that madly feed on small worms and crusteans of our shore. They always seem to be in large groups and move in unison. Most are least sandpipers and western sandpipers but many others are mixed in. This season is a favorite time to take trips on Elkhorn Slough Safari boat tours, for the birds and for the seals, sea lions, and sea otters.

Fall on the Marshlands

Our Fall colors are upon us in Moss Landing. Our Fall colors are no ordinary occurrence like changing leaves, oh no. Instead, our vast Pickleweed marsh goes from deep green to apple red and then yellow and brown. The succulent tidal Pickleweed is quite full of salt by the end of the summer. The salt goes to excess and the chlorophyll can not take it, the chlorophyll is the green and with its loss only red pigments remain. Later in the Fall, the entire succulent flesh will fall off to rid the plant of the extra salt altogether. Rain will bring quick new green growth. All this can be viewed from our waterfront rooms. Fall is also the start of the bird migrations, guests this weekend sighted over 30 species without leaving our yard. The mild sunny days of Fall are some of our favorites.