Point Lobos State Nature Reserve

A Foggy Day on the Point

January 19, 2014

The 49ers lost to the Seahawks yesterday.  Bummer.  Not that I saw any of the game.  I was down in Pacific Grove and Point Lobos.  I listened to the game on the radio while I drove around.  That's how I follow all of my sports these days.

Monarch Butterfly -- Pacific Grove, CA

I started the trip off at the Monarch Grove Sanctuary to take in the annual gathering of the butterflies.  In normal years they'll clump together in huge groups hanging from branches in the grove.  For some reason that no one knows the butterflies return to the same areas to winter every year.  I say return, but the butterflies that show up every year are four or five generations removed from the butterflies that wintered in the areas the previous year.  A monarch butterfly's life is measured in weeks, not years.  Except for the wintering butterflies, that is, they may live up to six months.  There were no large clumps of butterflies when I got there, though.  The docents that were there said there's reason for grave concern.

I should probably point out that the docents are worried every year that I've visited.  Make of that what you will.

Monarch Butterfly -- Pacific Grove, CA

On January 8, the estimated count for the monarch population at the grove was 11,000 butterflies.  That's better than some previous years, but way down from what was normal a couple of decades ago.  The bigger concern was the behavior the butterflies have been exhibiting.  They're showing mating behavior at least a month ahead of schedule.  It's been an exceptionally warm, dry winter and the docents think it's confused the monarchs.  Unfortunately, the Central Valley milkweed isn't ready for them yet and won't be for a month or two.  If they mate too early, they'll have no place for their eggs.  The life cycle of the monarch is not the most flexible of things, it seems.

Pacific Grove, CA

After visiting the butterflies I drove around Point Pinos.  The stretch of coastline from the Monterey Aquarium to Point Lobos is the most amazing stretch of shoreline that I've ever seen.  The rocks are shaped like no place else that I've ever been and are full of wildlife.  The surf can be huge in the winter.  It was pretty big on Sunday, although I've seen bigger there.

White-tailed Kite -- Pacific Grove, CA

Southern Sea Otter

Are white-tailed kite's only around in the fall and winter?  It seems that's when I see them.

After driving around Point Pinos I headed out to Point Lobos.  While Pacific Grove and Monterey had been sunny and warm, Point Lobos was socked in with fog.  That's not a problem as far as I'm concerned.  I like the fog.

Point Lobos State Nature Reserve, CA

The fog is a bit of a double-edged sword when it comes to taking pictures.  Everything comes out gray and dark.  Getting pictures of animals in the fog can be tough because they tend to be far away, meaning the fog will have a strong impact on their appearance.  However, if the fog isn't too dense it can add a lot of drama to landscape shots.

Point Lobos State Nature Reserve, CA

It was another great trip to Point Lobos.  Now, let's get that snow going up in the Sierras so I can make a trip up to Yosemite.

Point Lobos State Nature Reserve, CA