Palo Alto Airport - Dec. 24, 2011

Walking Distance: 3.0 mi. (1.8 = "new" miles)
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 12 min. (2:30 - 4:42 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Public parking lot, Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center, Palo Alto, CA

Today I was joined by family in town for the holidays. Thanks to mom, sister Lisa and nieces and nephews for accompanying me on the packed dirt portion of this loop trail (shown as red line on the Bay Trail map shown at right).

We walked from the Lucy Evans Interpretive Center, which was located at the end of Embarcadero Road, past the Duck Pond.

We headed (northish) on the packed dirt portion of this trail, around the Palo Alto Airport. We stopped at the point where we were even with the end of the runway and watched small planes take off above us.

I continued to walk around this loop (red line on Bay Trail map), around the golf course to the Baylands Athletic Center, to Geng Rd., to Embarcadero Rd., past the Duck Pond (pictured), and back to the Lucy Evans Interpretive Center parking lot. Some of this loop (along Geng and Embarcadero) I'd actually covered already earlier today. After saying good-bye to family, I decided to visit "Rail Alley" behind the Interpretive Center.

The California Clapper Rail is an endangered bird that lives in very few places around the Bay; and in part because of its rarity and brownish coloring, it can be hard to spot. The clapper rail's relatively loud and distinctive cry/call is what birders are often more familiar with. Sightings are rare.

So, when I walked along the wood plank pier to Rail Alley behind the Interpretive Center, I wasn't expecting much. However, there were two clapper rails mucking about in the mud at low tide, and feeding on -- or at least poking around -- shells/shellfish with their beaks. It was a rare treat to see (and hear) them.

Wildlife Sightings:
2 killdeer; 1 kite; 220 ducks; 45 sea gulls; 58 unidentified brownish birds (UBBs); 10 American Avocets; 3 black-necked stilts; 1 great egret; 28 little brown jobs (LBJs); 4 cormorants; 2 California Clapper Rails

Palo Alto Baylands - Dec. 18, '11

Walking Distance: 6 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 3 hrs., 21 min. (1:24 - 4:45 p.m.)
Start and End Point: public parking lot, Byxbee Park, Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve, Palo Alto, CA

Today I covered more of the Palo Alto Baylands (the lower of two) loop trails (shown as red lines on Bay Trail map).

I parked at Byxbee Park -- a hilly, former garbage dump, compost and recycling area (much of it now closed). The sculpted mounds are topped with rows of posts and cement berms arranged in sculptural fashion. The audio component of this experience was provided by small airplanes coming in for a landing at the nearby Palo Alto Airport. I walked around Byxbee Park -- toward the bay and roughly southeast. I had hoped that I'd be able to walk to the point where I left off yesterday; however, this Adobe Creek loop trail led toward Highway 101 and the trail continued along the Bayshore Frontage Road. I walked north on this trail, past the Renzel Wetlands, up to Embarcadero Road.

I crossed Embarcadero (no crosswalk, so look both ways) to walk to the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course. I stopped at the Bay Cafe at the Golf Course for a late lunch (fresh, carved turkey and vegetables).

This time of year it's been getting dark a few minutes before 5 p.m., so by the time I finished lunch, and spent some time at the Palo Alto Duck Pond, and arrived at Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center, the sun was setting. But, I made it in time to visit the Center, hear bird calls, look at bird exhibits (including a tiny little sandpiper), and a small aquarium. (They also have a few maps of the area.)

I walked south along the bay to a sailing dock, and came across a pheasant that seemed fairly tame. After that I walked back to the car at Byxbee Park, to make it back at before dark. It was also a record day for ducks -- lots of ducks; there were at least 5 different varieties (mallards, scaups, shovelers, etc.).

Wildlife Sightings:
412 ducks; 68 unidentified brownish shorebirds (UBBs), 1 Willet; 48 sea gulls; 14 ground squirrels; 48 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 brown pelican; 3 cormorants; 2 pheasants; 1 Western/Clarks grebe; 19 coots; 15 killdeer; 1 hawk/kestrel/falcon; 2 snowy egrets, 1 great egret; 6 black-necked stilts; 26 American avocets; 5 crows; 2 kite birds; 5 miscellaneous geese, 1 Canada geese; 10 pigeons