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Field Trip: Beginner Birding at Rancho San Antonio

  • 37.332787, -122.087385 (map)

TRIP POLICY: Please limit your sign-ups to 1 weekend trip and 2 weekday trips per month. Also, please take a moment to read our other policies here.

Acorn Woodpecker by Luis Villablanca

Beginner Birding at Rancho San Antonio

Join us for an easy, beginner-friendly outing through lower trails of Rancho San Antonio in Cupertino. We will look and listen for year-round resident birds including Acorn Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Spotted Towhee, as well as some remaining summer birds such as Ash-throated Flycatcher and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. We'll also keep our eyes open for raptors, including Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks, and White-tailed Kites too. This trip is geared towards beginning birders, but everyone is welcome!

Trip Difficulty: 1.5 miles, paved trails and packed-dirt trails, little or no elevation gain, some shade, our birding route has minimal elevation gain, but you may need to park in one of the upper lots, which is a short but moderately inclined walk to/from our meeting place

Other Trip Notes: please bring binoculars

Leaders: Susan Tenney (408) 802-6184, Dan Bloch (650) 862-2178 and Dori Faust (408) 489-9178

Beginner Friendly, Family Friendly Ages 10 and up, Stroller Friendly, Wheelchair Accessible

Meet: Parking Lot 6, by the rest rooms

Directions: From Foothill Expressway in Cupertino, turn onto Cristo Rey Drive; continue 0.8 miles to the roundabout; take the second exit to stay on Cristo Rey Drive; continue 0.2 miles. Turn left into Rancho San Antonio and at the intersection, turn right and follow the road all the way down to Parking Lot 6. (Latitude/Longitude: 37.332787, -122.087385). Note: In case Lot 6 is full, park in one of the upper lots (2, 3, or 4) that you will have passed on your way in, and walk down the paved path leading from Lot 4 down to Lot 6 (about a 3-minute walk).

Facilities: ADA accessible bathroom, cell phone service

Parking Type and Fees: paved parking lot, no fee

Questions? Email general questions to fieldtrips@scvas.org or contact the trip leader for questions regarding the event.