Despite the canine frolics, one might see a good variety of beach-loving shorebirds and seabirds including Whimbrel, Sanderling, and Heerman’s Gull. Black Turnstone and Black Oystercatcher are regular on the rocks. Just offshore is a wide variety and quantity of seabirds including scoters, loons, grebes, cormorants and the rest of the expected inshore multitude. The dunes and plantings on the sandy bluff above—and on the bluffs themselves—have a surprisingly large variety of landbirds.

Diligent or lucky watchers have seen a number of less common species amongst the regulars, including Harlequin Duck, White-winged Scoter and Red-necked Grebe (probably more regular than the records show), Wandering Tattler, Rhinoceros Auklet, Bonaparte’s Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake, a scattering of seabirds including on one lucky occasion Blue-footed Booby, Hooded Oriole and Palm Warbler.

Carmel Beach is not exactly a birding destination, but is a place where one might see a lot of birds. Carmel Beach is famous for its fine, sugar-like, white sand, its epic views of Pt. Lobos and Carmel Bay, and for the Pebble Beach Golf Course on the bluffs above the northern stretch of beach. Eclipsing those wonders is its status as one of the finest and most thoroughly enjoyed off leash areas for dogs—dog heaven!  Dogs in large quantities do chase the birds endlessly and unsuccessfully up and down the beach, but there are still many birds to be enjoyed there. eBird alone has a list of 155 species for this location.

With or without binoculars and even in the company of birding-reluctant companions, or with an ecstatic dog under your nominal control, it is worth opening an eBird list whenever you find yourself at this gorgeous location.

Access is simple. Drive to the foot of Ocean Avenue, and walk down the sandy hill to the beach. Or enjoy the overlook from equally world-famous Scenic Drive. Or walk down any of the stairways along the stretch of the cove. Access is variable as is the condition of the beach, from broad sand and easy access to no beach and no access at all. Some winters are hard on the beach and its infrastructure, sweeping away footings, stairways, and pulling the sand out into the Bay. Be mindful of warnings on storm surge and sneaker waves. This is no innocent and harmless paradise!