Self-guided Birding Locations
The highlight of this urban San Jose park is scouring through the hundreds of Canada Geese that cover the lake and lawn areas in hopes of finding a Cackling, Greater White-fronted or even a Snow or Ross’s Goose. Start this trip in the late morning after the geese have flown in.
Visit Almaden Quicksilver County Park in San Jose in the fall and winter months to enjoy the cooler weather, learn a bit about quicksilver mining, and hear the Golden-crowned Sparrows calling “no gold here” from the grassy hillsides.
A lake for winter ducks and summer swallows, a panoramic vista for soaring hawks and cruising vultures, redwoods and oaks for woodpeckers, juncos, and bluebirds, and chaparral for towhees, wrens and jays! Foothills Nature Preserve in Palo Alto, newly opened to the public, has it all, all year round for everyone!
In the mood to get off the rugged trails and try something different? Visit the beautiful grounds of this Saratoga park. Meander the formal gardens of the villa while enjoying the various art installations and the birds.
If you are not sure if you are a larophobe or a larophile then come along the Adobe Creek Loop Trail between the Palo Alto Flood Control Basin and Charleston Slough in Mountain View and watch the antics of the California Gulls in their colony. We find these noisy birds so fun and hope you do too.
Visit the quiet Rosendin Park in the rolling hills of Morgan Hill for a wide variety of birds, the seasonal pond, sweeping views and the wildflowers!
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.
Disfrute de esta área de picnic con sombra en Morgan Hill y tenga la oportunidad de ver Patos Arcoiris (Wood Ducks) en Coyote Creek.
Spring has sprung at Guadalupe Oak Grove Park, an urban park in the Almaden Valley area of San Jose. The grasses are green, the oak trees are leafing out and the birds are active! On this trip, learn about the native oak trees of Santa Clara Valley and observe a variety of oak tree-loving birds.
The drought tolerant gardens of the Valley Water Headquarters (previously known as Santa Clara Valley Water District) off Almaden Expressway have become one of our “go to” spots when we are looking for a quiet place to bird in the Almaden Valley area. The one-mile, maintained trail through the gardens and around the large percolation pond is little used by people, has several benches along the route, and has plenty of suitable habitat for birds and other wildlife. This compact location is easy to get to making it an ideal and quick birding location.
This winter take a leisurely stroll along the paved and flat Coyote Creek Trail in San José. Be on the lookout for Wood Duck in the creek, Hermit Thrush in the understory, and Townsend’s Warbler in the treetops.
This fall and winter, visit the grassy hillsides of the Rancho San Vicente entrance to Calero County Park in San José. Enjoy the wide open skies and beautiful views while looking for raptors and Rock Wrens.
Summer is a fun time to visit Pond A16 at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Alviso. Noisy and active terns and skimmers have arrived to nest on the man-made islands in the salt pond. Come back often to see the birds in different breeding stages, from courtship to nesting to feeding their young.
Wilson’s Snipe really do exist and Los Capitancillos Ponds in San José is my favorite place to hunt for them. Besides finding the elusive snipe, visit these ponds in the winter for ducks, geese, and gulls. The wide gravel travel is uncrowded making it easy to social distance.
McClellan Ranch Preserve in Cupertino is a special place to visit in fall and winter. The SCVAS bird feeders and baths are being filled regularly, our wintering sparrows have returned, and the benches under the SCVAS Nature Shop awnings make a nice place to sit quietly and observe.
McClellan Ranch Preserve en Cupertino es un lugar especial para visitar en las temporadas de otoño e invierno a partir de octubre. Los comederos y baños para pájaros de SCVAS se llenan con regularidad, nuestros gorriones invernales han regresado y los bancos en el porche a las afueras de la tienda natural de SCVAS son un lugar agradable para sentarse tranquilamente y observar.
Vasona Lake County Park in Los Gatos is a great place to visit in September and October if you are looking for warblers and other fall migrants. The route I’m recommending is short with lots of benches along the way making for a peaceful and easy outing.
Birdwatching in the Palo Alto Baylands is excellent year-round but especially nice September through April when a large number of shorebirds are present. Plus, this is the best location in Santa Clara County to spot the endangered Ridgway’s Rail.
¡Es septiembre y las aves de la costa están llegando! Uno de los mejores lugares para verlos es la Reserva Natural de Palo Alto Baylands a mitad de la marea…
Summer is the time to visit Salt Pond A2E in Mountain View. You will have an opportunity to spot up to 6 species of terns plus the Snowy Plovers that are “next door” in Crittenden Marsh (Stevens Creek Nature Study Area). While the parking lot can be crowded at times on the weekends, once you are out on the trails, the crowds disperse.
