It’s a common sight in California wetlands: tall, long-legged, long-necked birds wading in the shallow waters, searching for fish. Even after years of living in California, I can’t resist that moment of wonder when I see them.
If those long-legged beauties are white, they are probably egrets. The handsome grays are herons. They are often found together.
There are so many people living near the coast in Southern California that you won’t find many places to spot herons and egrets there. Most of the best places are in central and northern California. They are listed in order here from north to south.
Herons and Egrets in Marin County
Audubon Canyon Ranch on the edge of Bolinas Lagoon is a favorite nesting spot for herons and egrets, who love the trees on its slopes. It’s right off the CA 1 freeway about an hour’s drive north of San Francisco. During nesting season it is a sight to see if you love wildlife. Trees seem to have more birds than leaves, and babies are adorable.
The ranch is open only on weekends and holidays, from late March to early July, or Tuesday through Friday by appointment. Teachers are available with telescopes set up, ready to answer your questions, making it an especially good place to see them.
Herons and Egrets in Elkhorn Slough
The shallow waters of the Elkhorn Slough at Moss Landing are a perfect place to see herons and egrets at any time. The slough is about a 1.5 hour drive south of San Francisco and about a half hour north of Monterey.
Often all it takes to see birds in this area is a look out your car window. For a better view, you can kayak the slough, either alone on a group trip, or go on a naturalist-led boat trip with Elkhorn Slough Safari.
More than 7,000 acres of land around Elkhorn Slough are protected by conservation organizations. You’ll find a visitor center a few miles off the CA 1 freeway where you can learn more and explore the marshes on foot. To get there, turn at the power plant onto Dolan Road, then turn left onto Elkhorn Road.
Herons and Egrets at Gray Lodge Wildlife Area
Gray Lodge Wildlife Area is not on the coast but in the central valley, 60 miles north of Sacramento in Butte County. Located on the Pacific route, it attracts nearly 40 types of waterfowl and provides winter habitat for approximately 5 million birds each year. In addition to the more common blue herons and great egrets, you can also see green herons, black-crowned herons, blue herons, and snowy egrets at Gray Lodge.
Herons and egrets in other parts of California
California Watchable Wildlife lists more places to see herons and blue egrets. They include K Dock near Pier 39 in San Francisco, the Audubon Kern River Reservation northeast of Bakersfield, and the Palo Alto Baylands Reservation in San Francisco Bay.
Tips for observing herons and egrets
If you want to make sure you correctly identify the birds you see, check out the species identification pages at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. To identify them on the go, I like their Merlin Bird ID app, which is available for both iPhone and Android.
- Don’t get too close to the birds. Stay at least a quarter of a mile apart when they nest, so as not to disturb them or their babies.
- Bring binoculars or a bird watching telescope. You can see them better.
- Photographing moving birds is difficult. Practice ‘panning’, following the birds with your camera, before you leave, and remember: be sure to follow when you press the shutter. If you are photographing white herons, set your exposure a little lower than normal to avoid losing details in those white feathers.
- Herons and Egrets are wild creatures that are free-spreading and sometimes they just don’t appear, no matter where you are, who you are, or how much you want to see them.
