Elkhorn Slough, California by ahochstaedter

Elkhorn Slough is the third largest estuary along the central California coast. It opens into Monterey Bay at Moss Landing where the Moss Landing Powerplant can be seen in this image. In the central background, terrraces separate the slough from the Pajaro River drainage to the north. This image was taken from the overlook near the visitor center of the Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve. In this view, a high tide covers many of the mud flats that typify the slough and provide one if its most widely recognized habitats.

The slough contains many habitats including eelgrass beds, salt marshes, mud flats, and oak woodlands in the surrounding areas. The slough supports a wide diversity of organisms including over 500 species of marine invertebrates, 100 species of fish, and 250 species of birds. In 2000, the slough was designated a Globally Important Bird Area by the American Bird Conservancy. Many of the birds are seasonal visitors during their migrations, while others are winter or summer residents. Although too far away tobe in sharp focus, many birds can be seen upon zooming into the mud flat portions of the image.