PACIFIC GROVE — Call it a perch for bird lovers.
For the hundreds of local bird watchers and researchers that descend on Pacific Grove every winter to count a number of important migrating species, the concept of a new observation platform got the thumbs up by elected officials Wednesday.
The concept, which still has to be approved by several state and regional agencies, has birders excited about the opportunity to better view migrating species such as Pacific loons and surf scoters. Point Pinos has been a birder destination for more than 50 years.
No land-based locale on the West Coast offers better opportunities to observe pelagic and migratory bird species than Point Pinos on the outer tip of the Monterey Peninsula, said Blake Matheson, board chairman of the Monterey Audubon Society. Pelagic refers to the types of birds that live most of their lives above the open sea.
In a presentation to the City Council Wednesday, Matheson, who was born and reared in Pacific Grove, explained that Point Pinos is an important place for bird observation for several reasons, including it being on the north-south migratory pathway as well as benefiting from the deep Monterey canyon and its cold upwelling that provides a good supply of nutrients for the fish birds rely on for food.
The council unanimously approved the idea, which will now head to City Hall where Audubon and city staff will begin creating a roadmap on how to navigate the planning process.
It would be on city-owned land that is part of the Pacific Grove Storm Water Treatment Facility at Point Pinos across Ocean View Boulevard from the pull-out where the winter bird count is conducted.
As currently planned, the entire platform would be 20-feet long, 12-feet deep and the deck area will be 5 feet off the ground. One-third of the expanse will have a roof for sun and rain protection.
Bird watching has been exploding in the U.S. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service now estimates that more than 45 million Americans have joined the ranks of binocular-laden enthusiasts. Joining other wildlife watchers, birding contributes some $80 billion annually to the U.S. economy. But numbers don’t tell the entire story.
“There’s hardly anything more important to humans than the experience of awe,” Matheson said. “Really there are few natural spectacles that create a sense of awe as much as bird migrations. With thousands of birds flying over your head, it becomes a transcendent experience.”
And there is critical science the platform could lend itself to. Matheson said one example would be to assist in data collection that would help Audubon and its academic partners to unravel the disconcerting fact that roughly 90% of the loon population has gone missing — from historic levels around a quarter-million to just 20,000 logged in recent counts.
By the end of Matheson’s presentation, all the council members had positive things to say about the observation deck concept or birding in general.
“This makes me want to become a bird watcher, said newly elected Councilman Chaps Poduri. “My kids might want to become bird watchers.”
The observation deck could also play an important role in rescuing whales caught in fishing nets or crab lines, said Kate Spencer, a naturalist and owner of Fast Raft Ocean Safaris in Monterey, who is part of a team that rescues entangled whales.
“It would enable us to track an entangled whale from land until a boat could get to it,” she said.
Jean Anton, the chair of the city’s Beautification and Natural Resources Commission, said the project passed the committee by a 7-0 vote. “It’s an ideal location,” she said. “It’s right on the migratory path and is a win-win for the city and Audubon.”
Amanda Preece, a board colleague of Matheson’s, noted that Point Pinos is the only place “you can see 340 bird species in a .4-mile stretch” of coastline. It can be a place for bird researchers as well as providing a place for collaboration for special events with groups such as the Pacific Grove Natural History Museum and local photography groups.
Jan Loomis, a volunteer naturalist with the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, called it an “incredible educational opportunity” while Audubon member Byron Chin said the nonprofit has a sound track record of following through on projects such as the floating nesting platform on Roberts Lake in Seaside.
There are a lot of details to be worked out. Councilwoman Jenny McAdams wanted to ensure it would be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act while several council members questioned how the public would have access to the observation platform and whether a gate vehicles would have to go through to get to the proposed project would be locked.
City Manager Ben Harvey told council members that he would be concerned about the public’s access to the nearby water project facilities, which need to remain secured and questioned how parking would be designed.
Everyone agrees that these questions and others will be a part of a long haul before the birders’ perch is ready to go.
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Birders flock to idea of Pacific Grove observation platform - Monterey Herald
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