Russian Time Magazine

The 5 Best Places in California for Birdwatching in December

December in California is unlike December anywhere else in the country. While much of the United States settles into winter storms and frozen mornings, California becomes one of the most important winter sanctuaries for birds. Millions of species — from northern migrants to rare raptors — choose our coasts, valleys, forests, and deserts as their seasonal home. And that’s exactly why December is one of the best months of the year to witness nature in motion.
Winter birdwatching in California is different from birding in summer. December brings no bright wildflower fields, no crowded beaches, no blazing desert heat. Instead, it offers quiet sunrises, long bluish shadows, cool air that feels heavier with moisture, and birds that seem to fill the stillness of the season. These are the five places where winter birding becomes a true December journey.

1. Monterey Bay

A winter ocean that becomes a stage for seabirds

In winter, Monterey Bay doesn’t lose its energy — it shifts into something softer, mistier, more atmospheric. December brings shearwaters, wintering cormorants, large gulls, and a variety of shorebirds feeding in the nutrient-rich waters of the bay.
Point Pinos and Point Lobos are especially striking this time of year. Morning fog clouds, the cool marine wind, the sharp cries of gulls over cold water — together they make it easier to spot rare species that don’t approach the shoreline in other seasons. Even a short walk along the cliffs can bring encounters with wintering terns and black-throated murres.
For dedicated birders, winter pelagic tours are a highlight. December seas are calmer, birds often fly much closer to the boat, and the silvery winter light turns the entire scene into something almost cinematic.

2. The Central Valley

The peak of winter migration in California’s heartland

If there is one place where December feels like a massive natural event, it’s the Central Valley. This is the month when millions of geese, ducks, and cranes transform the valley into an enormous migratory corridor. The V-shaped flocks of white-faced geese and the graceful lines of sandhill cranes in the sky are as much a symbol of the season here as holiday lights in the cities.
Merced National Wildlife Refuge and Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge are the top spots for December birding. The most unforgettable moment is the dawn liftoff. Hundreds of birds rise from the water all at once, and the sound resembles a sudden sweep of wind over the land.
Winter is also the most active season for raptors. December is one of the best months to spot a bald eagle or a Harris’s hawk perched silently on a bare tree.

3. Big Bear and the San Bernardino Mountains

Winter stillness and rare bird guests

In winter, Big Bear becomes a true alpine island. Cold nights, crisp air, and snow-shadowed slopes create perfect conditions for watching raptors and mountain species. December is the ideal time to see great horned owls, red-tailed hawks, mountain chickadees, and the rare snow buntings that move down from higher elevations in search of winter food.
Without leaves on the trees, birds are easier to spot. Their silhouettes stand out against the pale winter sky, and shorter daylight hours make their activity more concentrated. You may even hear winter versions of songbird calls — briefer, sharper, but surprisingly bright.
And while it’s still a lucky encounter, seeing a California condor glide over cold mountain ridges in December is not impossible. Winter air currents help them travel longer distances with less effort.

4. Torrance Beach and the Los Angeles Coast

Winter migrants in the middle of the city

The Los Angeles coastline looks different in winter: the air is clearer, the beaches quieter, and the birds far more numerous. December brings sandpipers, wintering loons, gray terns, brown pelicans, winter owls, and wave after wave of swallows and coastal migrants using the shoreline as a protected stopover.
Torrance Beach is one of the few spots where you can birdwatch right in the urban landscape. Every tide brings new species. The strip of wet sand becomes a feeding zone, while rock jetties turn into resting platforms after long flights.
For Los Angeles residents, this is one of the easiest ways to weave nature into daily life. Arrive early in the morning, before the city wakes up, and the calls of pelicans echoing over the water will feel like winter’s own soundtrack.

5. Anza-Borrego

A winter desert that quietly fills with life

December in Anza-Borrego is remarkable. Days are mild, nights are cool, and the birds use seasonal water sources and desert plants as their ideal winter shelter.
This is the season for roadrunners, desert hawks, Anna’s hummingbirds, buntings, and rare desert owls. Because winter temperatures are gentle, birds remain active throughout the day. Roadrunners are especially visible — they move more confidently across open space and frequently cross hiking paths in plain sight.
Winter winds also bring in passing migrants: songbirds and small raptors that use the desert as a rest stop before continuing south.

Why December is the perfect month for birdwatching

Winter in California isn’t about snow — it’s about migration. December is the month when many species choose the state as a refuge, and birdwatchers get the rare opportunity to see them closer than at any other time.
It’s the season of calm landscapes, clean air, and shorter days that make bird activity more concentrated. It’s a time when nature moves more slowly, but with deeper rhythms. And for anyone watching, it offers intimate encounters that no other season can replicate.
December weekends fill up quickly, but even a spontaneous morning with a pair of binoculars can become the highlight of the month. Nature is especially generous to those who arrive without hurry. And somewhere in this winter light you may see a scene that won’t repeat in summer or spring — a reminder that California’s wild life is at its most vivid when the year draws to a close.
2025-12-12 03:46 VISTA POINT