Fall in the Back Bay

photo by Mozaic Studio

We took advantage of a break in the rainfall Saturday to stop by the Back Bay in Newport Beach, one of our favorite spots. The Back Bay—or more properly the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve—is an estuary and a critical winter stopover for thousands of migratory birds. The Back Bay Loop is a 10-mile trail that winds past the Newport Dunes, a couple of parks, an interpretive center, and a nature center. It’s easily accessible from Pacific Coast Highway, but feels far removed from the public beach.

On this wet fall day, we had the place to ourselves, and most of the birds apparently have not shown up yet for wintering. We did see some gulls, a hawk, and plenty of herons. Mostly we just enjoyed the cool fresh air, a walk in the rain, and the quiet.

photo by Mozaic Studio