Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve & State Beach

Bird of the Month: Scaly-breasted Munia by Jack Friery; photo courtesy of Herb Knüfken Our star bird this month isn’t native to Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. In fact, it’s not even native to North America. But it’s here, ... and we’re seeing increasing numbers of this little finch at Torrey Pines. The Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata), also known as Nutmeg Mannikin, Spice Finch, and Ricebird, is native to tropical Asia. But, it’s a popular cage bird, and escapees have firmly established populations in San Diego County and elsewhere in the country. (In birders’ terms, it’s now a countable bird for those who keep bird lists.) The Scaly-breasted Munia is about 4 inches long, and weighs 12-16 grams. It’s a seedeater, and its highly social flocks may number up to 100 birds. They like to roost together, sitting side-by-side in close contact to each other. Birds on the outer edges of the roost often try to jostle to the center. The etymology of the word Munia has been obscured by time. (One of its earlier common names, Mannikin, is apparently derived from a Middle Dutch word meaning little man.) The bird’s generic name, Lonchura, may be derived from Greek words meaning spear tail." Sources: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaly-breasted_munia; audubon.org/field-guide/bird/scaly-breasted-munia; ebird.org/species/nutman; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonchura; en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Lonchura.

Good news! The stairs are back and have been reinstalled.

Borrowed from NPS. You'll find these birds up and down Torrey Pines: (NPS / Jessica Weinberg McClosky) Sanderlings run around Southern California beaches. But what would their dating profile look like? Here’s a clue, thanks to this National Park Service post on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice/posts/10157651999806389... Status: Single About me: I like long walks up the beach and down the beach and up the beach and down the beach ... and up the beach and down the beach. Description: My legs are often a blur as I frolic back and forth on the beach, picking and probing for tiny prey in the wet sand left by receding waves. I can usually be identified by my medium-sized build and dark bill. In regards to chasing waves, some might call it obsessive. Red flag? I meant committed. Oooh... look at that wave! P.S. Hobbies are a plus. Do you like birding?

The Los Penasquitos Lagoon Foundation and California State Parks will be conducting an Emergency Lagoon Breech on Monday April 19th. The breech is needed to imp...rove the water quality in the lagoon and reduce the breeding habitat for mosquitos. It is expected that the lagoon will reclose again until the larger-scaled inlet maintenance is conducted in mid-May. See more

As you visit our state beaches in San Diego, we’d like to remind you on the importance of staying away from the bottom of cliffs. Rockslides and cliff collapses occur without notice. To increase safety, time your beach visit for low tide, when there is more sand available between the cliffs and the waves, which should help ensure you can keep a minimum distance of 10 feet from the bluffs. Thank you for recreating responsibly.

For Immediate Release: Dec. 4, 2020 Contact: [email protected] State Parks to Temporarily Close Campgrounds and Keep Day Use Areas Open in Regions Impacted by Regional Stay at Home Order Triggered by ICU Capacity...Continue reading

Do the Stingray Shuffle! Don’t step on a stingray, drag your feet on the sand to give them time to swim away. If you are stung, contact a lifeguard for first aid. Video: Authorized drone flies over Torrey Pines Beach depicting, Bat Rays past wave break in the water, ocean waves on the shore, beach, and sandstone bluff face. Stingrays are in the shallow water.

Dive into our local Marine Protected Area, Swamis with Interpreter Lucy! Established in 2012 this MPA has been hard at work to restore rich biodiversity to the ...surrounding areas of the ocean. Join us next week to discover all the fun ways you can play in Swamis MPA! Want to dive deeper into MPAs? Check out @californiadfw #MPAMonday #CalifMPAs #protectwhatyoulove #getinyourMPA #beautifuldayataMPA

NOTICE FOR JULY 3-5: Our State Beaches are temporarily closed to vehicular access to reduce the density of visitors over the Fourth of July weekend (July 3-5, 2...020). This means there are no public parking facilities, and parking on roadways is prohibited. Although beaches are open to local residents that can walk or bike into these public outdoor spaces provided that they practice physical distance and abide to new visitor guidelines congregating is not allowed. Please visit www.parks.ca.gov/FourthOfJuly2020 to learn about the new guidelines and to find out what other safety measures State Parks has implemented to mitigate the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the outdoors.

Surfer bumped today by shark near Tower 6. Similar event happened on May 30th and 31st. Signs have been posted along the beach

State Parks has received two credible shark sighting incidents at Torrey Pines State Beach. Sightings occurred over two separate days (5/30/2020 and 5/31/2020). Following the sighting, the individuals were bumped by the shark. There was no injury in either incident. To ensure the safety of Torrey Pines State Beach visitors, at this time we have posted a shark warning sign. Advisory warnings are informative in nature only. If you ever see a shark, notify a lifeguard. The frequency of sightings in combo with the size, location, and behavior, are how advisories are issued.

Before you head into the outdoors for this #MemorialDayWeekend please remember to: Plan Ahead -- Before leaving home, visit the webpage of your local destinat...ion to find out if it is open, if parking is available and to learn about the new visitor guidelines. Stay Local -- Stay close to home. Do not take road trips to parks and beaches. Stay Safer at 6 ft. Always maintain a physical distance from others. Visitors are being asked to leave if there are too many people to allow for the required physical distance. Keep Clean Be prepared. Not all restroom are open to the public. Bring soap/sanitizer and pack out all trash. You can find more details here: https://bit.ly/2Zis202

A portion of Torrey Pines State Beach (see map below) will be closed for public use between the lagoon inlet and Lifeguard Tower 3 from May 13 through 15 and again from May 18 through May 22. This temporary beach closure is needed to allow dump trucks to safely haul sand excavated from the lagoon inlet for disposal along the waterline for beneficial reuse. This effort is part of the annual inlet maintenance at Los Peñasquitos Lagoon that occurs every spring to preserve tida...l circulation within lagoon channels through summer months. Tidal circulation during the summer is essential for protecting the Lagoon’s sensitive habitats, migratory birds and endangered species, as well as to reduce the risk to public health and safety from mosquito-borne illness. With the parking closures related to COVID-19 and the inlet maintenance, access to the beach will be more constrained than usual. Visitors can still gain access to the beach North of the Lagoon Mouth and South of Lifeguard Tower 3 using alternative access routes provided by the lower bridge and coastal bluffs adjacent to the beach (see map below). Thank You for your patience.

Torrey Pines State Beach has been opened today! When attending the beach, please adhere to beach guidelines of actively recreating such as walking, jogging, sur...fing, or swimming. . Torrey Pines SNR trails are currently closed along with the parking lots and restrooms to protect public health. We will give an update when we expect trails to open. . Sitting and sunbathing are not allowed as well as bringing coolers, umbrellas, shade tents, barbecues and chairs. Visitors are advised to maintain a physical distance of 6 feet or more. Gatherings, picnics and beach parties are not allowed. Visitors are being asked to leave if there are too many people at the beach or on trails to allow for the required physical distance. Additionally, visitors must be prepared and bring soap/sanitizer and pack out all trash. See more