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Joseph D. Grant Park (Winter): Grant Lake to McCreery Lake

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Joseph D. Grant Park (Winter): Grant Lake to McCreery Lake

Within the east San Jose foothills lies Joseph D. Grant Park, Santa Clara county’s largest park.  Included in this park are over 50 miles of walking trails and an impressive variety of bird species at  any time of the year. In the winter months two excellent stopping points within Joseph D. Grant Park  are Grant Lake and the more secluded, adjacent McCreery Lake. Just past the main park entrance on  Mt. Hamilton Rd. (Hwy. 130), they are easily accessible and provide a wide variety of waterfowl and  shorebirds in the peaceful oak woodland hills. Within this same area you will also encounter many  raptors, woodpeckers, and songbirds. 

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Sanborn County Park (Spring): John Nicholas Trail

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Sanborn County Park (Spring): John Nicholas Trail

The John Nicholas Trail in the hills of Los Gatos is a fairly flat, wide trail belonging to Upper Sanborn County Park. It is surrounded by native forest, including oak, redwood, fir and pine which provide a nice cover to be enjoyed year-round. This is one of the best places in Santa Clara County for a chance at seeing Pileated Woodpecker or Pacific Wren. In the spring, it’s a great place to find mountain birds returning from the tropics to nest in the area.

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Ed Levin Spring Valley Area (Spring): Hummingbirds at the “Magic Tree"

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Ed Levin Spring Valley Area (Spring): Hummingbirds at the “Magic Tree"

The Spring Valley Area at Ed Levin Park on the east side of San Jose in the Diablo Foothills offers one of the best places in Santa Clara County to observe migratory hummingbirds in spring. Enjoy an easy walk around the Spring Valley Pond and spend some time at the “Magic Tree” watching the hummingbirds come and go, or take the more challenging Spring Valley Trail for a walk in the grassy hills and surrounding woodlands.

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Alum Rock Park (Summer): Creekside Birding

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Alum Rock Park (Summer): Creekside Birding

Penitencia Creek Trail in east San José is a beautiful, shaded creek side trail with easy level walking where wildlife and birds abound. While it can be crowded after 10 a.m. on weekends, early mornings offer solitude and silence and increase the chance for wildlife and bird encounters. Deer (and their fawns) are especially common, and bobcats, snakes, and other creatures are sometimes seen. The creek hosts numerous Steelhead Trout, and in the past may have supported Coho Salmon.

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Stevens Creek County Park (Spring/Summer): A Morning Drive-and-Bird

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Stevens Creek County Park (Spring/Summer): A Morning Drive-and-Bird

Just a short hop off Highway 280 in Cupertino brings you to this, our very first Santa Clara County park. Drive through lower Stevens Creek Canyon, stopping to bird at parking spots and picnic areas. Shady creeksides, a reservoir to scan, and oak and chaparral hillsides are alive with resident and migrant birds. The secret to finding them is to come early to beat the heat and crowds. And don’t forget your picnic lunch!

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Monte Bello Open Space Preserve (Spring): Summer Breeding Birds

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Monte Bello Open Space Preserve (Spring): Summer Breeding Birds

The “Beautiful Mountain” lives up to its name. Located west of Palo Alto, sweeping views and multiple microhabitats make this preserve a visual delight to walk through. Many of our most coveted summer breeding birds are attracted to the richness of this park. Lazuli Bunting is an excellent example of a species that drops in to breed at this location. Sometimes residents such as Pileated Woodpecker can also be seen.

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San Antonio Valley and Del Puerto Canyon (Spring)

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San Antonio Valley and Del Puerto Canyon (Spring)

Much has changed since the fire of 2020, but this area remains productive for birding. Drive through grassland, cottonwood riparian, oak savanna, and canyon habitats in Stanislaus County to search for Grasshopper Sparrow, Blue Grosbeak. There is also a chance of Costa’s Hummingbird and Greater Roadrunner. Continue toward San Antonio Valley for Bell’s Sparrow and Lewis’s Woodpecker.

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Santa Teresa County Park - Pueblo Day Use Area (Spring)

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Santa Teresa County Park - Pueblo Day Use Area (Spring)

This small section of Santa Teresa County Park, located in San José, offers a variety of habitats including oak woodland, grassland, sage scrub, chaparral, riparian, and freshwater seeps, attracting a larger variety of birds than would a single habitat. My favorite of these birds arrives in the second half of April: the Lazuli Bunting, whose song is a complex series of jumbling notes. I get goosebumps when I hear the first bird of the season singing his song.

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Skyline Blvd (Spring) : Birding at the Top of the Santa Cruz Mountains

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Skyline Blvd (Spring) : Birding at the Top of the Santa Cruz Mountains

Skyline Boulevard runs at the top of the Santa Cruz Mountains. This higher elevation area is home to a variety of birds which are harder to find in other parts of the county. This guide covers 3 stops along Skyline Blvd which can be visited by car and with a minimal amount of walking.

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Bald Mountain Trail and Mt Umunhum Trail in Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve (Spring)

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Bald Mountain Trail and Mt Umunhum Trail in Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve (Spring)

This spring trip south of San José gives great vistas of the South Bay and views as far away as San Francisco and Mt Diablo. Butterflies and bees distract as you try to spot the calling California Thrashers, Wrentits and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. Above, ravens and vultures are joined by hawks and swallows. Trails are alive with wildflowers, insects, and birds and if you're lucky, a Merriam Chipmunk or Western Whiptail among the manzanita.

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Hunting Hollow at Henry Coe (Spring): A Nature Lover’s Paradise

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Hunting Hollow at Henry Coe (Spring): A Nature Lover’s Paradise

Hunting Hollow is nature lover’s paradise. Located in the South County east of Morgan Hill, it is a perfect place to bird without the crowds. Even if the parking lot looks full, trail conditions should still be peaceful. The broad trail takes you along a riparian corridor among oak woodlands and meadows, complete with stream crossing and vernal pools. The route covered here ends at a pond that occasionally has Wood Ducks and other surprises.

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Picchetti Ranch OSP (Winter): Oak Woodland Waiting for the Rains

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Picchetti Ranch OSP (Winter): Oak Woodland Waiting for the Rains

Oak savanna, oak-bay woodland and chaparral habitat with spectacular views, uncrowded trails, free parking and good facilities make Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve in Cupertino an ideal place for a birding or nature hike. After heavy rains in the winter a seasonal pond fills, which can bring in ducks and other wildlife.

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Panoche Valley (Winter): A Desolate Paradise

Panoche Valley (Winter): A Desolate Paradise

There’s no winter birding experience quite like the dry rolling ranch lands and deserted flat earth of Panoche Valley. This trip nearly guarantees to provide the brave-hearted with world-class views of Ferruginous Hawk, Greater Roadrunner, Prairie Falcon, and Mountain Bluebird. It’s a magical, barren place!

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Calero Creek Trail (Fall/Winter)

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Calero Creek Trail (Fall/Winter)

Looking for an easy, flat walk that encompasses a variety of birding habitats? The Calero Creek Trail at the end of San Jose’s Almaden Valley encompasses an old orchard, riparian areas, chaparral hillside and suburban plantings that attract a wide variety of smaller perching birds and raptors.

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Sierra Vista OSP (Fall/Winter)

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Sierra Vista OSP (Fall/Winter)

Sierra Vista OSP is in the eastern foothills of Santa Clara County. It is a good location to visit year-round, but especially in the winter when grassland loving sparrows and Ferruginous Hawk may be present. There are few crowds in the early morning and weekdays and the views are fantastic.

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Sanborn County Park (Winter): John Nicholas Trail

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Sanborn County Park (Winter): John Nicholas Trail

The John Nicholas Trail in the hills of Los Gatos is a fairly flat, wide trail belonging to Upper Sanborn County Park. It is surrounded by native forest, including oak, redwood, fir and pine which provide a nice cover to be enjoyed year-round. This is one of the best places in Santa Clara County for a chance at seeing Pileated Woodpecker or Pacific Wren. Visit In the winter months to hear the unusual calls of Varied Thrush.

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Ed R. Levin County Park (Fall/Winter): A Trip Around Sandy Wool Lake

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Ed R. Levin County Park (Fall/Winter): A Trip Around Sandy Wool Lake

Looking for a picturesque “get-away” to a beautiful area in the fall and winter without having to travel too far from home? The Sandy Wool Lake area of Ed R. Levin County Park is a nice escape in the east hills to spot birds and enjoy nature. Take a leisurely, less than 1 mile walk around Sandy Wool Lake in search of resident and returning wintering birds, all while enjoying views of the Diablo Range’s rolling hills.

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Joseph D. Grant County Park (Spring/Summer): Ranch House, Grant Lake, Twin Gates and Smith Creek

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Joseph D. Grant County Park (Spring/Summer): Ranch House, Grant Lake, Twin Gates and Smith Creek

Joseph D. Grant County Park is a large, uncrowded park in the east foothills of San José. It features a variety of habitats, wide trails, and easy access to parking.

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