It's Saturday morning at Morro Rock, and three birders are set up in the big dirt parking area under the east face of the Rock. They're looking at peregrine falcons; specifically at a female with a nest; and one of them assiduously takes me through the process of locating her on the vast face of the Rock, crowded as it is with gulls and cormorants, and towering some 200' above us. "See that cave with a gull in it; now go left, across the green area, and there are three little holes: two conjoined and one separate. Now go up at 11 o'clock about ten feet and she's sitting on a little knob, and her nest is in is the hole beside her." And there she is indeed, small and brown, but with the distinctive cheek patches of a peregrine.
Morro Rock is signed with "Ecological Reserve: do not climb," otherwise it would be covered with climbers. The crack systems and overhangs are textbook rock route stuff, and the rock, a dark grey matrix with phenocrysts in it's, looks hard, strong and clean. But the rock, the last of a series of intrusive volcanic plugs along the coast here (neatly arranged in descending size), is reserved for the many species of nesting birds.
A surfing class for kids (it's Spring Break week here), is being held on the beach next to the base of the Rock. Ten small boys in red shirts are organized by four you g men and women in green shirts,
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