Aquatic Park - May 2, '11

Walking Distance: 4 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 23 min. (4:17 - 5:40 p.m.)
Start and End Point - the intersection of Addison and Bolivar Dr., Berkeley, CA

Today I completed my last planned walk in the city of Berkeley. This loop trail around Aquatic Park in Berkeley was a "purple line trail" (as shown on Bay Trail map) -- that ran parallel to Bolivar Drive, and joined with a pedestrian/bicycle overcrossing bridge to the Bayside Bay Trail (red line) near University Avenue.

Aquatic Park was apparently built in the 1930s by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the last great economic downturn. The Park consists of a large, elongated water feature that is home to a waterski club, a rowing club, and a number of different birds. (No swimming signs were posted, but I did see at least one dog taking a dip.) The park also had a children's playground area,  picnic tables, and BBQ area.

A freeway (Interstate Highway 80) lies west of the Park, and the San Francisco Bay is located to the west of the freeway.

This week continued to be a great week to spot goslings and ducklings. I saw one duck with a brood of 8 ducklings. This seemed to be a big responsibility for a single duck, especially with a few cats spotted nearby, and bicycles, dogs and pedestrians whizzing by the shore.

Wildlife Sightings:
2 cats; 20 ducks; 4 cormorants; 2 Canada geese; 10 sea gulls; 4 crows; 2 snowy egrets; 1 hummingbird; 4 little brown jobs (LBJs); 2 blackbirds; 2 terns; 2 finches; lots of dogs out walking with their owners (including Miss Jackie Brown and Frida -- shown).

Golden Gate Fields - Apr. 26, '11

Walking Distance: 3.6 mi. (estim.)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 35 min. (2:01 - 3:37 p.m.)
Start and End Point: University Ave. and I-80 Frontage Rd., Berkeley, CA

Today's walk covered the section of trail (red line extending north from University Ave., and part of what was shown as a dotted line (future or undeveloped trail) on the Bay Trail map. Thank you to Rhoda who joined me this afternoon.

From the Berkeley Marina area (University Ave. near I-80 freeway), we walked north along the paved bike path toward Golden Gate Fields (horse racing venue/track). There was just enough room to step just outside the path to let bikes pass; however, on a crowded weekend day, I imagine this might be a little less fun to do. In my dreams, this bikepath would have been just a bit wider to better accommodate pedestrians as well as cyclists, but then more wildlife habitat would have been paved over. Trade-offs and small quibbles.

It was another good day to scan for little fuzzballs (baby birds) in the grass in the Eastshore Park area. Some goslings (baby Canada geese) were spotted with a parent.

It turns out that even though there is a dotted line running behind Golden Gate Fields, there is still a way to (I think legally) negotiate through to the beach (adjacent to the Albany Bulb peninsula) on the north side of Golden Gate Fields.

Sea gulls are funny birds. We were almost hit by a falling mussel -- dropped by a sea gull flying above; it was trying to dislodge a little meal from the shell by dropping it and cracking it open on hard pavement. Or at least that explanation made more sense than it was trying to hit us for laughs.

Wildlife Sightings:
5 Canada geese (2 adults, 3 goslings); 4 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 lizard + 1 BIur in Bushes (BIB); 11 sea gulls; 8 pigeons; 12 ducks; 2 snails; 1 crow