Live Oak Group Area in Anderson County Park (Year-Round):
Picnic with the Wood Ducks
by Eve Meier
Picnic at the shady Live Oak Group Area near the Anderson Lake County Park Visitor Center in Morgan Hill and get a chance to view Wood Ducks in Coyote Creek.
Trip Covers: Year-round
Key Birds: Wood Duck, California Quail, Wild Turkey, Steller's Jay
How to Bird
The Live Oak Group Area of Anderson Lake County Park, located along Coyote Creek, remains open while earthquake retrofitting of Anderson Dam continues. This area has a short paved ¼-mile loop trail and plenty of shady picnic tables. After birding other nearby locations, I often stop here to have lunch.
Before starting your picnic, check the creek for Wood Ducks. Starting from the parking lot, walk along the flat dirt trail that runs through the picnic area on the street side of the park. Once you reach the last picnic table, scan the quiet parts of the creek for Wood Ducks (#1 on map). These ducks prefer places where they can hide in and around the dense vegetation of the creek banks. They are often sitting on top of low logs that jut out over the water. These birds flush easily, so be sure to move slowly and quietly.
Follow this flat dirt trail through the picnic area to look for Wood Ducks in the quieter areas of Coyote Creek. Photo by Eve Meier.
Have you noticed the tall trees with mottled grey, white, and tan bark? These are Western Sycamore Trees. They need more water than other trees, so they are commonly found beside creeks or wetlands. Wood Ducks use Sycamore Trees for nesting sites. Unlike woodpeckers, Wood Ducks can not make their own tree cavities. A typical nesting cavity is created when a heavy branch has broken off and some of the tree’s wood has rotted. Wood Ducks will also use nest boxes, many of which have been installed along the creek banks near the Anderson Lake Visitor Center by Girl Scout Jordan Murphy. To learn more, watch her video.
Wood Duck pair in quiet waters of Coyote Creek. Photo by Brooke Miller.
After checking for Wood Ducks, return the way you came and cross over the pedestrian bridge. From the bridge, scan the more open waters of the creek for Common Mergansers, Ring-necked Ducks (winter) and Mallards.
This pedestrian bridge over Coyote Creek leads to the rest of the picnic area and a ¼ mile paved loop trail. Photo by Eve Meier.
Now follow the ¼ mile paved loop trail through the rest of the picnic area. American Robins and Steller’s Jays are seemingly everywhere here. The robins sing and call from the tops of the trees or forage on the ground while the Steller’s Jays noisily scold any passersby.
Steller’s Jay by Janna Pauser
As you continue on the trail, you may hear some rustling in the underbrush. Look for a small covey of California Quail. These birds form flocks, especially in the fall and winter, and roam the area picking the ground for food. If you accidentally flush these birds, they may burst into flight. But more often than not they will simply run away moving surprisingly fast despite their short legs. I often hear a male or two calling “Chi-ca-go, Chi-ca-go, Chi-ca-go” from the hillside.
California Quail by Dave Zittin.
Paved loop trail running through the picnic area. Photo by Eve Meier.
Wild Turkeys also enjoy this location. Like the quail, these birds travel in flocks while searching the ground for food. In early spring, males gather in clearings to perform courtship displays. They puff up their body feathers, flare their tails into a vertical fan, and strut slowly while gobbling.
A flock of Wild Turkeys including the male fanning his tail. Photo by Eve Meier
Also watch for the less conspicuous but common oak woodland species such as Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Hutton’s Vireo, Oak Titmouse, Nuttall’s Woodpecker and White-breasted Nuthatch in the trees. Dark-eyed Juncos and California Towhee are also plentiful and will be foraging through the leaf litter underneath the oaks.
These year-round residents are joined by Hermit Thrush and Ruby-crowned Kinglet in the fall and winter. In the spring and summer months, watch for Orange-crowned Warbler, Cassin’s Vireo, Bullock’s Oriole and Black-headed Grosbeak.
Now that you’re done birding, settle in for that picnic!
Ready for More? Head on over to the Anderson Visitor Center. If you didn’t find Wood Ducks in the Live Oak Group Area, they can often be spotted in Coyote Creek right across from the parking lot. Have even more time? Try out our self-guided field trip along the quiet nature trail that starts just behind the visitor center.
Interactive Map
Directions: From US-101in Morgan Hill, exit Cochrane Road east. Follow Cochrane Rd for 2.5 miles then turn left into the Live Oak parking lot. Latitude/Longitude: 37.164555, -121.640212
Parking: Large paved parking lot with several ADA compliant parking spots available.
Fees: Day-use parking fees. See the park website for more information.
Public Transportation: Nearest VTA stop at Mission View Dr and Mission Avenida, 0.8 miles away
Park Hours: 8 am - sunset
Facilities: Drinking water, restroom with ADA stall and lots of picnic tables
Trip Mileage: 1/2 mile
Elevation Gain: none
Trail Conditions: dirt trail and/or asphalt, lots of picnic tables along the route for resting, plenty of shade
Accessibility: This park is wheelchair accessible with flat asphalt trails and no trail barriers. The dirt trail through the street side of the picnic area is smooth and flat.
Bikes: Bikes are allowed but not recommended for this trip
Dogs: Dogs are allowed on 6-ft leash
More Information: links to trail maps, park websites, ebird hotspot, All About Birds for special birds, etc. Examples:
Anderson Lake County Park Trail Map
Anderson Lake County Park Website
eBird hotspot: Anderson Lake CP--Live Oak Area
All About Birds: Wood Duck
Open Space Authority: Western Sycamore
More Resources
For more trips like this one, visit Self-Guided Field Trips.
Visit the SCVAS Birding Resources page for more information on where to bird, our birding community, bird identification resources and more.
Read “What to Look for Now” by SCVAS Executive Director Matthew Dodder.
Banner Photo Credit: Male Wood Duck by Luis Villablanca
Last Updated: 6/28/2022
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