Corte Madera, cont. - Jan. 12, 2013

Walking Distance: 3.2 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 34 min. (4:31 - 6:05 p.m.)
Start and End Point: parking lot, Corte Madera, CA

This late afternoon stroll turned into a hustle to get in before dark. This was great for photographing some items at sunset, but not so great for photographing birds.

I started this walk by heading north from The Village Shopping Center to the Bay Trail along the water, passing a small public parking lot (on Bay Trail map). I then passed more stores, including a BevMo, and a car wash.

I turned left on Industrial, and went up and over a combined pedestrian/bicycle overpass that led to a pedestrian/bicycle walkway on the west side of Highway 101. I walked down toward the Marin Rowing Center - turned left, then left again to pathway, past Marin Rowing, and kept following the asphalt trail until I reached the 3rd mast/flagpole (~ .5 mi.?), then turned around.

I started to walk under two big freeway underpasses (a cavernous cement cathedral space, that I'd photographed on my first walk around the bay). But, I turned around and walked back up, to the way I'd come, to Industrial, then taking the same way back to car (in the dark).

I took some really dark pictures of canvasback, teal ducks, a group of white egrets below, and lots of pictures of Mt. Tamalpais (some at, after sunset). Colored street and car lights lit up the foreground as Mt. Tam turned into a shapely silhouette.

Wildlife Sightings:
41 ducks (21 mallards, 11 canvasbacks, 8 teal, 1 bufflehead or duck with similar head); 32 coots; 8 black-necked stilts; 2 killdeer; 11 sea gulls; 1 turkey vulture; 8 little brown jobs (LBJs); 4 snowy egrets

Corte Madera, Coffee and Ducks - Jan. 9, '13

Walking Distance: 1.8 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 15 min. (1:05 - 2:20 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Shopping Center parking lot, near Macy's, Corte Madera, CA

January is the time to see birds on the bay, particularly ducks, that have migrated from other areas. Today there were more ducks than I could identify, paddling around in large, rain-soaked inlets, marshes and the bay.

A large shopping center (where we parked and had coffee and chocolate first) was nearby, providing easy access to the Bay Trail (shown as green line on the new 2012-2013 Bay Trail map set). Thank you Toni for the company today.

We also managed to walk along the marsh (Corte Madera Marsh Ecological Reserve), on a narrow, packed dirt path to the water's edge for the closest view yet of San Quentin Prison. And we caught glimpses of the Larkspur ferry (boat) to the north making its way into port.

It was an overcast day, with rain on the way. We managed to stay dry early on, but it started sprinkling later, forcing us to cut our walk short.

Regarding winter weather, I'm happy to walk with an umbrella
(on the rare occasion when I've needed one), but I occasionally worry about getting my camera wet. Again, January offers great weather for ducks and other waterfowl, so I recommend walking the bay in winter.

Wildlife Sightings: 

66 ducks (14 Canvasbacks, 13 Northern Shovelers, 22 Mallards, 10 small UFOs later identified as teals, 7 UFO ducks); 11 American avocets; 5 black-necked stilts; 9 turkey vultures; 16 sea gulls; 1 snowy egret, 2 great egrets; 6 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 greater yellowlegs; 1 unidentified brownish shorebird (UBB) 

Paradise Drive, Foods - Dec. 30, '12

Walking Distance: 2.6 mi.
Walking Time: 1 hr., 19 min. (4:56 - 6:15 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Parking lot, near Paradise Foods (market), Corte Madera, CA

This evening was clear and cool; it was a great evening for walking. I said farewell to Paradise Drive, where I'd been walking for the past several walks. And I moved back to the official San Francisco Bay Trail (shown as a solid dark green line on 2012 - 2013 Bay Trail maps). This meant I was walking primarily on sidewalks and packed dirt trails, set far back from busy streets, near the Bay, in Corte Madera. This separation from car traffic meant I could walk at night without fear of getting run over.

And, night walking meant I could enjoy views of San Quentin Prison and the Richmond - San Rafael Bridge; both were islands of light surrounded by dark sheets of water, soon to be illuminated by moonlight.

From the Paradise Foods parking lot (5627 Paradise Drive), I walked south on Paradise Drive from the Paradise Foods parking lot, back toward where I left off before. I turned around when I reached Westward Drive, and then headed back in the other direction.

I followed Bay Trail signs, and walked on a levee trail (passing a rest area and some possible trailheads in the dark). I made a note to go back and check later to see if I'd missed any trails, or parts of the Bay Trail. I caught sight of bits of objects left behind, under streetlamps, like a little child's shoe left on a post.

I turned around at a stoplight, at the intersection of Tamalpais Drive and San Clemente Drive, where Mt. Tamalpais appeared, silhouetted, in the distance.

I walked back to Paradise Foods, where I bought a very tasty dinner from the deli section of the market. I concluded this adventure with a roasted chicken dinner, salad and dessert in the comforts of my trusty vehicle with some music on the radio. It was magnificent, with a little touch of hobo heaven.


Wildlife Sightings:
1 little brown job (LBJ); 2 balls (basketball in fennel plant, 1 white ball in creek); 1 hummingbird; 3 black-necked stilts (possibly the same three I saw a few days ago)

Paradise Drive, Triangle Marsh - Dec. 24, '12

Walking Distance: 1.8 mi.
Walking Time: 47 min. (4:18 - 5:05 p.m.)
Start and End Point: side of road, Paradise Drive, Tiburon, CA

For me, there is no better way to celebrate the holidays than to enjoy a walk between festivities. I returned to Paradise Drive for another late afternoon walk -- once again trying to eke out as much daylight time as possible before sunset.

Sometimes you have to squeeze in walking time whenever you can find it during the day. And daytime is the best time for walking or riding on Paradise Drive (not technically part of the SF Bay Trail, and shown as a dotted, dark green line on the newest 2012 - 2013 Bay Trail Maps), due to stretches of winding road through trees, with limited set-backs. However, views of San Quentin, the Richmond - San Rafael bridge, and boats passing below help justify this walk.

I started this afternoon's amble by heading south on Paradise Drive to Ranch Drive (where I'd ended my previous walk last week). I then walked down (and back up) Ranch Drive, back to Paradise Drive.

Along the way, I enjoyed bright spots of winter color. Red berries, evergreen trees and green foliage -- perfect for Christmas week in Northern California, along with interesting mosses and lichens on rocks.

After turning around, I then headed North. I passed my parked car along the way, and continued north on Paradise Drive. I felt I was returning to civilization, or at least a more urban setting. I passed Marin Montessori, and Marin Country Day School (MCDS), and was able to walk on sidewalks for part of the time.

At the other (north) end of today's loop walk, I turned around at the intersection of Paradise Drive and Westward Drive, near the city boundary (cross-over point for me), between Tiburon and Corte Madera.

I enjoyed passing Triangle Marsh, at the base of Ring Mountain on the Tiburon peninsula, where I returned to the shoreline, after enjoying the views from above for the past few weeks, up in the hills and trees. I was rewarded by the sight of a few black-necked stilts (shorebirds) in the marsh, and the sight of a rising moon.

Wildlife Sightings:
2 crows; 3 sea gulls; 3 little brown jobs (LBJs); 2 robins; 3 black-necked stilts

Tiburon - Corte Madera - Feb. 15, 2010

Walking Distance: 4.2 miles
Walking Time: 1 hr., 47 min. (1:48 - 3:35 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Parking spot near 5060 Paradise Dr., Tiburon, CA; and spot on Redwood Highway, Corte Madera, CA

Thank you to Alec for walking with me and setting up a two car system that allowed us to cover roughly double the normal distance (avoiding the need to backtrack, or do a loop back to a single car). It was sunny, warm day, with more green grass and trees in bloom. Definitely feels like spring is in the air.

Lots of bicycles and walkers out today for the Presidents Day Holiday Monday. We walked the remaining stretch of Paradise Drive to San Clemente, and crossed over into Corte Madera. Following the Bay Trail as close to the Bay as possible, we enjoyed some nice views of Mt. Tamalpais (shown). We chose to take an unpaved portion of trail to walk out to a point (looking directly out at San Quentin prison across the way - see image). We then headed back to Redwood Highway, back to where we'd parked car #1, and then drove back to pick up car #2 on Paradise Drive, where we'd started the walk.

Wildlife Sightings:
49 ducks; 2 Western grebes; 6 unidentified brownish shorebirds; 3 great egrets, 8 snowy egrets; 14 sea gulls; 11 little brown jobs (LBJs) plus 1 mockingbird; 5 crows; 8 Canada geese; 1 black-necked stilt; 5 American avocets; 1 big black and yellow bumblebee; 2 lady bugs; 1 coot; 1 hawk; and 1 tennis ball - semi-attached to a (lively) dog - in the Bay.