Walking Distance: 3.9 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 3 min. (4:40 - 6:43 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Isherwood Staging Area (off Isherwood Way), Alameda Creek Regional Trail, East Bay Parks Rec. Dept. (EBPRD), Fremont, CA
The walk up/east toward the headwaters of Alameda Creek continued this evening. I walked on the north side of the Alameda Creek Regional Trail, on a (primarily) packed dirt levee path from the Isherwood Staging Area public parking lot up to Niles Community Park (in the Niles district of Fremont) -- where there was a field of small children suited up and practicing football before dark.
Most of this trail is shown as a pair of purple lines (connector trail) on the Bay Trail Map.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWpY6SG_hWOxOgmCTbDGsvkzRqRMQCD07DIghd97zNsk9-wXcoYnvrGr6MY86dsYszcsLdA-ySmpaQzdGZyqnAOhyphenhyphenhZqXw9NgjBLLU651b11iolOb1gL9ZYhqb-S_kuZ1hxohQUdcpFY/s200/AlamedaCreek.Mtn.Creek.9.16.11.600.jpg)
After walking east from the Isherwood Way Staging area, and passing relatively near a few houses, the terrain became a bit more undeveloped. Trees, including pepper trees (pink peppercorns), provided intermittent shade.
This was a pleasant, evening walk, with a fair number of dog walkers, bicyclists, walkers and joggers. There were also scenic views of the Quarry Lakes along the way. Although separated from some of these lakes by a wire fence, there was an opportunity to go through a few gates to take a closer look -- and walk parallel to the Bay Trail on a packed dirt path -- for at least a half mile.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZg_EE-9L8iUH1_JIhmXYSG9J1aptqQYojJhQg3j5PRp4x3haJfa62wd17VfqxKYX7wstK3KujEHsC_1XOvj3WPMUq0TQyPHrBzZiD-LVnSFh73X_7xU7cAVi-uczYwl9zhSFOG08ZrJ8/s200/AlamedaCreek.QuarryLakeSpit.9.16.11.600.jpg)
There was a steady smattering of birds, especially in the Alameda Creek Channel. In one section of the trail, a large number of turkey vultures circled overhead. A group of vultures group is called a venue, committee, wake, or -- if circling in the air, a kettle.
Regardless of what you call them, I feel a bit uneasy when I see them circling -- knowing they may be closing in on a carcass with their ultra-developed sense of smell. Fortunately, for me, all I could smell was the smell of some hickory smoke and a barbecue wafting over from a cook-out.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXtAynwGfEbjy0jwxThbCqhuIE5xM3fK-4tGTYyu4KsNFx06Tg9kFA_oWVFGWfBd5RAmntfDrAyuuvA2X5p093uImh2qCpPJt5jCgRA9epeW5UMGu4XKtaWk8hl_6LkSxzt513WUUi6w/s200/AlamedaCreek.GraffitiBridg.9.16.11.600.jpg)
Out on the gravel islands in one of the Quarry Lakes, there were visible white specks (birds) of different sizes. I later determined that these "specks" included white pelicans, egrets and sea gulls. I was able to take a few pictures of these small lakes by holding my camera through or over sections of wire/barbed wire fence.
The railroad/rail bridges were marked with interesting graffiti art, and carried the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) trains; a few whooshed by during the time I was walking back and forth.
Wildlife Sightings:
2 blue jays; 28 ducks; 11 little brown jobs (LBJs); 56 crows; 2 butterflies (orange and brown/blk); 7 black-necked stilts; 5 snowy egrets, 1 great egret; 5 unidentified brownish shorebirds (UBBs); 3 dragonflies; 5 killdeer; 2 white pelicans; 3 cormorants (+ 2 others diving birds?); 5 turkey vultures; 1 dove; 5 Canada geese; 22 sea gulls
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 3 min. (4:40 - 6:43 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Isherwood Staging Area (off Isherwood Way), Alameda Creek Regional Trail, East Bay Parks Rec. Dept. (EBPRD), Fremont, CA
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSyiapQu970mX1k3xKho6Bh5QFZaJ6bbEYf59DQ_urUVhk05F8qBg_sjCQy92qsQrwRI08m-nvi45H_AuRSSfCZgiXrJbOf7brRFtaRS3eycq4AHo_c-JimgP8FH4PekBCYD0cAa1_okQ/s200/AlamedaCreek.PinkPepprcornsOnTrail.9.16.11.600.jpg)
Most of this trail is shown as a pair of purple lines (connector trail) on the Bay Trail Map.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUWpY6SG_hWOxOgmCTbDGsvkzRqRMQCD07DIghd97zNsk9-wXcoYnvrGr6MY86dsYszcsLdA-ySmpaQzdGZyqnAOhyphenhyphenhZqXw9NgjBLLU651b11iolOb1gL9ZYhqb-S_kuZ1hxohQUdcpFY/s200/AlamedaCreek.Mtn.Creek.9.16.11.600.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk5NHTcb-AtjiedlMVm1VTMHyIq311TqEh6Wh3r8RiXwaSn9N0zaKMsbXG2gGd8RN85j32uxqiBI_SxKnBWpbgirZjJtAshzv5SlK4_Z8BawfpvwVZhEMXD4_aFBvalPQ-I9tXKRcm04I/s200/AlamedaCreek.HillsLightWatr.9.16.11.600.jpg)
This was a pleasant, evening walk, with a fair number of dog walkers, bicyclists, walkers and joggers. There were also scenic views of the Quarry Lakes along the way. Although separated from some of these lakes by a wire fence, there was an opportunity to go through a few gates to take a closer look -- and walk parallel to the Bay Trail on a packed dirt path -- for at least a half mile.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZg_EE-9L8iUH1_JIhmXYSG9J1aptqQYojJhQg3j5PRp4x3haJfa62wd17VfqxKYX7wstK3KujEHsC_1XOvj3WPMUq0TQyPHrBzZiD-LVnSFh73X_7xU7cAVi-uczYwl9zhSFOG08ZrJ8/s200/AlamedaCreek.QuarryLakeSpit.9.16.11.600.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjEl_ZOXY4WY3Ce4JrQWDRcmIXnIDboa9dSqnG0TSPfEQej3BkymW87UkpEnzCVyVYQRW1O2Sy5N-nLskB_xKrHxx7WWzejZ9i5ylOD_-xTAEfkRitJNHB7tgmIr39kkcq3HeL_aEq_VU/s200/AlamedaCreek.BARTTrainBridg.9.16.11.600.jpg)
Regardless of what you call them, I feel a bit uneasy when I see them circling -- knowing they may be closing in on a carcass with their ultra-developed sense of smell. Fortunately, for me, all I could smell was the smell of some hickory smoke and a barbecue wafting over from a cook-out.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXtAynwGfEbjy0jwxThbCqhuIE5xM3fK-4tGTYyu4KsNFx06Tg9kFA_oWVFGWfBd5RAmntfDrAyuuvA2X5p093uImh2qCpPJt5jCgRA9epeW5UMGu4XKtaWk8hl_6LkSxzt513WUUi6w/s200/AlamedaCreek.GraffitiBridg.9.16.11.600.jpg)
Out on the gravel islands in one of the Quarry Lakes, there were visible white specks (birds) of different sizes. I later determined that these "specks" included white pelicans, egrets and sea gulls. I was able to take a few pictures of these small lakes by holding my camera through or over sections of wire/barbed wire fence.
The railroad/rail bridges were marked with interesting graffiti art, and carried the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) trains; a few whooshed by during the time I was walking back and forth.
Wildlife Sightings:
2 blue jays; 28 ducks; 11 little brown jobs (LBJs); 56 crows; 2 butterflies (orange and brown/blk); 7 black-necked stilts; 5 snowy egrets, 1 great egret; 5 unidentified brownish shorebirds (UBBs); 3 dragonflies; 5 killdeer; 2 white pelicans; 3 cormorants (+ 2 others diving birds?); 5 turkey vultures; 1 dove; 5 Canada geese; 22 sea gulls
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