Jetty Road, which crosses Moss Landing's north harbor and then turns south between the harbor and the State Beach beach and sand dunes to the west, ending at the north jetty, might be the most-often publicly birded location in Monterey County. Currently, the narrow road is eroding at spots, and after storms some sand gets on the road, but remains heavily used not only by birders, but seal-and-otter watchers, beach-comers, fishermen using the north jetty, and many tourists.

The harbor is tidal and constantly changing. The state of the tides is the most important factor for birders. At the right tide, especially on an in-coming tide that has not reach high tide, a multitude of waders and shorebirds can be closely observed and photographed from the edge of the road. At low tide, the shorebirds are in the distance and scope is essential, especially to see tidal mudflats in the distance north of Jetty Road. At high tide, shorebirds will be at roost in the salt marsh north of Jetty Road, or have left this Hotspot to use "high tide roosts" in the old salt ponds east of Highway (now called Moss Landing Wildlife Area, and a separate Hotspot). The boundaries of both this Hotspot (in red) are shown on the second map adjacent [boundaries of the Wildlife Area are purple].

About half-way to the end of Jetty Road there is a large gull roost at harbor's edge (except at the highest tides) that is viewed from road in an overlook above the Harbor Seal pull-out. Lighting is best in the afternoon. In the morning, views of the gull roost are best from a large parking area next to the boat ramp, kayak launch, and public restrooms on the east side of the harbor, accessed from Highway 1. At any time of day, these parking areas, plus the parking for Sea Harvest Restaurant, provide fine views of Moss Landing's north harbor.

At the end of Jetty Road there is a rapidly-eroding parking area, with more parking near road's end. One can walk to the jetty on the north side of the harbor, or northwards on the State Beach. It is a good idea to watch for alcids, gulls, terms, cormorants, and sea-ducks coming and going out to sea via the Moss Landing channel between the north and south jetties. A scope is very useful to view scoter and gull flocks on the sea just offshore, or to watch for shearwaters and other seabirds when the wind is up. The rocky jetties may have "rocky shorebirds" in migration (e.g., turnstones, Surfbird). At time when fisherman are not present, a gull roost develops at the tip of the north jetty, and occasionally attract a vagrant gull or booby.

Migratory shorebirds are usually around in good numbers, at the right tides, except in May- June, when most shorebirds depart (only a few non-breeders summer locally). The standard migrant and winter shorebirds are Black-bellied and Semipalmated Plovers, Willet, Marbled Godwit, Long-billed Curlew, Western & Least Sandpipers, Dunlin, and both dowitchers (Short-billeds are restricted to tidal mudflats in winter). The sandy shore or tidal flats have resident Snowy Plover (some areas are closed off for nesting in spring/summer); Sanderlings run along the waves most of the year. In spring and fall migration look for Ruddy Turnstone and Red Knot.

In winter, flocks of scoters (mostly Surf) as just offshore, and may include a rare Long-tailed Duck or Harlequin Duck. Scaup (mostly Greater), Bufflehead, and Common Goldeneye frequent the harbor; a few Brant may appear in migration. All 3 cormorants are resident but Brandt's and Pelagic forage mostly as sea, while Double-crested abounds on Elkhorn Slough. In winter, all 3 loons may be present, as well as Eared, Horned, Western, Clark's and a very few Red-necked Grebes. Great Blue Heron and both egrets are seen year-round. Numbers of Brown Pelican peak in late summer and fall; a few American White Pelican can be present at any date. 

Western Gull nests here and is resident; California Gull is common but in summer numbers are reduced when breeders leave the area. The winter gull flocks are best from November-February, and regular species are Glaucous-winged (and various hybrids and intergrades), Herring, Iceland (Thayer's), and Ring-billed Gulls. In summer, Heermann's Gull arrives after breeding in Mexico, and linger into fall, while Bonaparte's Gull are just migrants. Forster's Terns are present most of the year in varying numbers; in summer Caspian Tern become common; and huge numbers of Elegant Terns appear from July to October, sometimes forming large single-species roosts. Many rare species have visited this here. A few Black Skimmer visit from April to October enroute to and from breeding areas in San Fransisco Bay; in recent years a very few Royal Tern appear in winter. Very rare gulls in the harbor have included Franklin's and Laughing Gull in spring/summer; Glaucous and Slaty-backed in winter; and even the State's first Swallow-tailed Gull

The entire stretch of the ocean-edge State Beach itself can be full of birds -- gulls, terns diving offshore in season, shorebirds, flocks of Snowy Plover in season, and rarities such as Wilson's and Mongolian Plover have been with these flocks. Huge swirling flocks of Sooty Shearwaters can be just offshore in spring through fall when the wind is up; Common Murres are often present in winter, and in summer Pigeon Guillemots nest around the harbor and can often bee seen flying over the harbor channel.

With the sheer number of waders, predatory raptors routinely observed include Peregrine Falcon and Merlin; Northern Harrier and White-tailed Kite, and Osprey. Among passerines, Savannah Sparrow is resident breeder in the salt marsh; "Nuttall's" White-crowned Sparrow is resident and breeds in the coastal dunes.

Jetty Road is a paved road that exits Highway 1 about a half-mile north of the Highway 1 bridge over Elkhorn Slough, and continues a little bit more than a half-mile  to a dirt parking area at the base of the north jetty of Moss Landing harbor. There are several pull-offs/parking areas with portable toilets. Sometimes the wind blows sand across the road and the road can be closed for some time. A tidal gate under the road near the entrance lets the tide run either way, and whether there are mudflats (and waders) or salt water depends on the tide.

Parking areas are scattered along Jetty Road, with several well-marked sandy trails crossing the dunes to the State Beach. Movable pit-toilet restrooms are usually present as marked on the adjacent second map on this page. Flush toilets are near the kayak launching area.