Date: 5/19/26 8:39 pm From: Ginger Langdon-Lassagne via groups.io <binzer...> Subject: [slocobirding] Call for SLO County birders to explore Oceano Dunes before Friday 5/22!
Hi folks! Your friendly neighborhood Bird Atlas Coordinator here, with an exciting opportunity:
I encourage birders to explore Oceano Dunes ON FOOT and enjoy finding the vehicle-free plovers before Friday 5/22!
Call for SLO County birders to enjoy Oceano Dunes and plovers before Friday 5/22!
When: Before Friday, May 22 (the vehicles might be back on the beach this weekend – we’re not sure!)
What part of the beach is vehicle-free? The Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area south of Arroyo Grande Creek is temporarily vehicle-free.
Where do I park/enter? You can enter the park on foot via the Pier Avenue entrance (100 Pier Ave, Oceano, CA 93445) or Grand Avenue entrance (1 W Grand Ave, Grover Beach, CA 93445). Parking can be found near both entrances. You may run into cars for the first bit of your walk, because the northern part of the beach is still open to vehicles. To mostly avoid vehicles on the northern part of the beach, park near the Pier Avenue entrance or bike on the new Pier Avenue bike paths. You’ll see the vehicle closure signs starting a little bit south of the park’s Pier Avenue entrance.
Suggestion to support local businesses: Bonus points if you get coffee or lunch in Oceano or Grover Beach to support local businesses. Let them know you’re there to enjoy the vehicle-free dunes.
REMINDERS to respect the dunes and wildlife:
Listen to signs: Don’t go into any of the western snowy plover closed areas and follow all other State Park signage.
Watch where you step: The dunes habitat is sensitive and rare. Please don’t walk on plants and plover nesting season so please be extra careful wherever you walk
If you spot a plover - congrats! But please continue to keep your distance from plovers and all wildlife.
Take pictures and enjoy the dunes: If you have pictures you’d like to share of plovers or other birds, we encourage you to upload them to ebird and even send them to me to share with the CBA regional coordinators team.
I hope I’ll see lots of Bird Atlas ebird checklists — maybe even with breeding behavior recorded — out there this week!
