DISCOVER MAGNIFICENT MORRO
ROCK – Explore the beauty of Morro
Rock and learn about its geology and history and the species that live on and
around the rock. Meet near the rest rooms at the northeast parking lot in front
of the Rock. Bring binoculars and a jacket. (E) .5 mi., 1-1.5 hours
·
Welcome
and Introductions
·
Hand
out binoculars
·
THEME: Magnificent Morro
Rock, standing as a sentinel at the entrance to Morro Bay harbor for centuries,
supports a unique ecosystem and several endangered and threatened species that
live in its shadow. Please enjoy your visit here and help us preserve its
beauty and its many species for future generations.
·
The
name El Moro or Morro – domed turban or knoll
·
The
nine sisters – the Morros of San Luis Obispo County
(Move
to Morro Strand State Beach near the rock and the water)
·
The
Rock and its sisters were born 20+ million years ago in Southern California
near Baja.
·
Plate
tectonics simply put.
·
Composed
mainly of igneous dacite rock.
·
Chumash
Indians used the Rock as nautical landmark and revered it.
·
First
European Juan Cabrillo sights the Rock in mid-1500s.
·
Portola
land expedition from San Diego to Monterey encounters the Rock about 200 years
later. The Rock was noted as an island then.
·
Man’s
degradation of the rock, blasting begins in 1891 (blasting party).
·
Northern
entrance closed, causeway built 1933-36.
·
Blasting
ends in 1963 more than 70 years after it began, 20 percent of the rock removed
·
The
Rock becomes a California State Historical Landmark in 1968 and five years
later an Ecological and Natural Preserve protecting the endangered Peregrine
Falcon
·
Peregrine
Falcon facts (color, weight, wingspan) & photo (observe nest on this side
if in season) Discuss brush with extinction due to DDT & what can we do to
help the Peregrine falcon. There were 2
nests with 4 fledglings this year (2002) and in 2001.
·
Mention
the Western Snowy Plover (photo) ,a threatened species nesting on Morro Strand
State Beach and the sand spit
·
Show
where the tide pool is located on this side of the rock (observe creatures if at minus tide).
(Move to the path head on the northeast side of the
rock)
·
Observe
chaparral vegetation, warning about climbing and fire danger from cigarettes.
Mention the butterflies, moths & dragonflies that visit.
·
Observe
gull and cormorant nests visible here and cormorants on Pillar Rock
·
Cormorant
facts (photo) – heavy fishing bird, see them drying out wings.
·
Show
and handle the dacite rock material that the Rock is made of.
(Move
to the parking area on the side of the road facing the harbor near the kelp
beds)
·
Sea
otters may be present – Facts about sea otters (photo). Member of weasel family took to the sea.
Fur, eating habits, size, mating, pups, etc. Threatened species, number &
location. What can we do to help the
sea otters and other marine mammals.
·
Facts
about harbor seals (photo) – color & where to see them.
·
Morro
Bay - town history
2.
Rev.
Alden B. Spooner I
3.
Incorporation
as city of Morro Bay (1964)
·
Other
birds visible
·
Brown
& white pelicans
·
Egrets
& great blue herons double crested cormorants and black crowned night
herons and the rookery
·
Audubon
Christmas count and other bird species
·
Other
animals, butterflies & insects
·
Duke
Energy plant
·
The
Sand spit – Morro Dunes Natural Preserve (brown pelicans & snowy plover)
(Walk
to rocky area above the beach and near the breakwater – show Peregrine nest))
·
Danger
of harbor entrance and information about wave trains
·
Morro
harbor facts and dredging requirements due to silting and shifting sand.
Discuss influence of the manmade breakwaters and closure of the north passage.
·
Times
that the gray whale passes the coast & whale watching from Morro Bay
·
Sea
lion visits Bay and humpback whales off beach and rock during anchovy season
and elephant seal viewing site.
·
Holes
in Morro Rock on this side, nesting birds and bird droppings as fertilizer.
·
What
can we do to help the birds and animals living in the shadow of the Rock?
(Return to starting point or
at harbor entrance area)
·
Thank
you for visiting Morro Rock
·
Remember that the Rock
supports a unique environment and several endangered and threatened species
that live in its shadow. Please enjoy your visit here and help us preserve the
Rock and the animals that live here for future generations to enjoy.
·
Retrieve
binoculars, answer any other questions
·
Handout
CCNHA newsletter, application
·
Other
handouts (Welcome map. Morro Bay National & State Estuary)
·
Encourage
a visit to the museum – directions
·
Come
again
Sources:
Gates
& Bailey, Morro Bay’s Yesterdays
Krause,
Anthony, Wildlife Watches Guide to San Luis Obispo County
Dickerson,
Sharon, Mountains of Fire
Items
needed:
(Refer to the Morro Walk photo archive (this is a password protected directory only, no web page) of photos for docent training and visitor education for Morro Rock walk (docents can request a user-id and password to browse this directory))
Photos
of:
·
Peregrine
falcon
·
Snowy
plover
·
Sea
otter
·
Harbor
seal
·
Gray
whale/ humpback whale
·
Sea
lions & elephant seal
·
Blasting
at Morro Rock
·
Morro
Rock without causeway and breakwaters
·
Morro
Rock after
CCNHA
newsletters
Other
handouts
morro-bay.com
Docent Pages
Revised
Monday, February 18, 2008 01:27:43 PM