Protect the ducks in Morro Bay 

Come to the Morro Bay National Estuary and celebrate the returning of the magnificent migrating birds, while you can. I’ve seen the first brant pair, the lovely pintail duck, curlew, godwits, brown and white pelicans, and a lot of large and small sandpipers. The bay is alive with all kinds of birds. You can walk along the State Park Marina Boardwalk; bring binoculars and you’ll be able to see groups of common egrets as well as avocets. We have an osprey perching in the trees to the west end of the marina parking lot (up in the cypress trees near the museum). Also, a kingfisher looks over the water for fish. Black-crowned night-herons are sleeping in the eucalyptus trees above our heads. The bay is full of interesting birds.

Yesterday I saw a stately Western grebe, a beautiful loon, a great blue heron, and a common heron looking for fish in the marina area. There were three sea otters frolicking near a “raft” of seaweed. We are blessed with such a wonderful variety of wildlife in our area, so it is too bad—really awful—that any day now a group of camouflage-dressed hunters will come and kill our precious ducks. Yes, almost every duck in the bay is considered “game” to them. 

If you want to help ban killing of wildlife in our bay, please write to Morro Bay Mayor Jamie Irons and City Council members at [email protected], and state Assemblyman Katcho Achadjian, and ask them to join those who oppose this killing of wildlife. If you are planning to kayak, paddle board, or canoe in the bay, beware of hunters with guns. The hunting area is noted on the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website and is dangerously close to the marina entrance. 

I love watching wildlife but am saddened the shooting will soon begin.

-- Lynda Merrill - Morro Bay