Redwood Shores - Jan. 22, '12

Walking Distance: 2.9 miles (estim.)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 25, min. (10:40 a.m. - 12:05 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Public parking lot (park across across Oracle), Redwood Shores, CA

Today I thought I might need an umbrella and a plastic bag for my camera, but it just misted lightly.

From the public parking lot, I walked across the Oracle Bridge, turned left (toward Highway 101), and followed a paved (asphalt) trail along the Belmont slough, under an underpass, up to the Belmont Sports Complex. I passed new Childrens Bridge (crossing over Highway 101), then I lost the path/trail around Concourse and Clipper. I passed the Hyatt (hotel). Eventually I found my way back to the Bay Trail to a long straight path (combination bicycle and pedestrian path).

I turned around at a small park (near the intersection of Port Royal Ave. and Rock Harbor Lane), near Lantern Cove Apt. Homes driveway. I walked back, and this time, instead of getting lost as I had on the way -- I easily found a dirt path from the Belmont slough -- passing on the slough side of the Volkswagen America/SunEdison building. I saw several artichoke plants that had gone to seed on my stroll back to the Belmont Sports Complex. From there I made my way back over the Oracle Bridge to the public parking lot, across the street ( from Oracle headquarters.

Wildlife:
88 ducks; 10 snowy egrets, 3 great egrets; 15 Canada geese; 17 little brown jobs (LBJs); 25 coots; 1 black (tree) squirrel; 6 unidentified brownish shorebirds (UBBs); 1 UFO grebe/diver

Preserve Park - Jan. 15, 2011

Walking Distance: .9 mi. (estimate)
Walking Time: 26 min. (12:59 - 1:25 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Public parking lot, Preserve Park, Redwood Shores, Redwood City, CA

A few weeks of warm weather lulled me into thinking I'd become hardy, and immune to winter's chill. But, today it was blustery, cold and overcast, and I realized I'd just been spoiled by all the warm sun.

I walked briskly, with my hands in my pockets to keep warm, from the parking lot in Preserve Park, to the trail, and turned right. The two other walkers I saw were bundled up in hooded, down coats. It's definitely winter now. I walked across this fairly drab terrain along a paved (asphalt) path.

This whole area (including Preserve Park) was the result of recent re-grading and new construction that was not completed the last time I walked through this area two years ago. From what I can remember, the trail has been curtailed a bit (probably to wall off some habitat, perhaps to protect some endangered species like the California Clapper Rail and Salt Harvest Mouse), but the new paved trail is probably more accessible to bikes, wheelchairs, and other types of traffic.

I walked roughly in a loop -- out to trail, following the asphalt trail to the point/intersection where I left off last night. Instead of walking back on Bay Trail (same way I'd come); I walked on Public Access sidewalk then turned right, walked along Shearwater Parkway, past the front of Redwood Shores Elementary School, to Preserve Park, where my car was parked. I'm not sure whether The Bay Trail Map snapshot shown really reflects the current trail exactly, or whether this map was done before construction was completed.

Wildlife Sightings:
3 coots; 50 ducks; 3 great egrets, 7 snowy egrets; 2 turkey vultures; 5 sea gulls; 6 little brown jobs; 2 black-necked stilts; 1 crow.

Redwood Shores/Radio Rd. - Jan. 14, '12

Walking Distance: 2.8 miles
Walking Time: 1 hrs., 15 min. (5:13 - 6:28 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Street parking, near Shore Dogs Park, Redwood Shores, Redwood City, CA

I had some time this evening, so I picked up where I'd left off on an earlier walk this morning. I started at Shore Dogs Park, as the sun was starting to slip below the horizon. I walked past the entrance to Shore Dogs Park out to end of the packed dirt path leading to the levee trail (Bay Trail), and turned left toward the Wastewater Treatment Plant -- where a small flame was rising (burning off surplus methane gas perhaps?).

At the end of this path at Redwood Point, there was a closed gate, announcing this habitat restoration area was closed to the public. The path/area beyond this gate is shown as a gray dotted line on the Bay Trail map.

I returned to Radio Road, and walked northwest on this road past the large duck pond that was chock full of ducks and other birds -- and was filling up with Canada geese who were flying in and landing, presumably to spend the night -- to an old transmission tower and radio station. The radio station is now a church. Then I walked then out to the end of a spur trail (not shown on map) -- to the end of a wood observation platform and back.

I continued northwest crossed a small bridge, turning right, toward the Bay, and began a loop (shown as a red line on map) around a housing tract -- pausing to walk out to the end of two more wooden platform extensions/viewing areas with interpretive signs -- which I couldn't really see in the dark. Eventually I came to a paved (asphalt) section that forked off in another direction. (I'll check this out tomorrow.)

I kept heading around the loop on the map, south and then southeast along a paved (asphalt) path with arrows, until I crossed Redwood Shores Parkway, where I headed back to Radio Road.

I was hoping to stop at The Bay Leaf Cafe (part of a  larger building), but it was closed, so I did not have a chance to stop there to eat. However, there were two rabbits grazing on the lawn nearby, that ringed this set of office/commercial buildings (The Pointe at Redwood Shores).

Wildlife Sightings:
80 unidentified brownish shorebirds (UBBs), flying in mixed flocks near the water; 20 little brown jobs (LBJs); 3 great egrets; 80 American avocets; 56 Canada geese; 93 ducks (mallards, canvasbacks, others); 5 coots; 2 rabbits (nibbling on lawn); 1 cat (feral, tortoiseshell) near waste treatment plant; 2 mosquitos(?).

Redwood City Shore Dogs Pk. - Jan. 14, '12

Walking Distance: 4 miles
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 14 min. (10:31 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Street parking, end of Spar Drive, Redwood Shores, CA

From the end of Spar Drive (cul-de-sac), we climbed up a short dirt rise, up onto the wide, packed dirt/gravel section of the Bay Trail (shown as a red line on Bay Trail map), headed northwest. We passed Mariner Park, and a few other smaller parks along the way.

Thank you to Julie for joining me on this walk today. Sometimes it's fun to just walk and watch what's unfolding around you.  We spotted a white cat dozing in the sun near some homes on the left/north side of the trail. It politely ignored us when we called out to say hello.

We watched a group of little brown birds hopping around -- little "dumplings" with legs and beaks.

Out in the slough/bay there were a few kayakers, and a smattering of American Avocets moving their long curved beaks side-to-side through the mud, along with other shorebirds. We eventually reached Shore Dogs Park (where there was parking available); a bit further on was the Wastewater Treatment plant at the end of Redwood Point.

Shore Dogs Park had separate fenced in areas for smaller and larger dogs. (Dogs were allowed on certain sections of the trail we walked today, but only on-leash, primarily to prevent dogs from going after bird and wildlife nearby.)

Across Radio Road from the dog park, was a large pond that was teeming with birds of all sorts, mostly mallards and canvasbacks and other types of ducks we couldn't identify. Good place for them to hide during duck hunting season.

The first half of January this year has been marked by warm, dry, sunny weather, like today. Great for walking, but rain may be on the way by next week.

Wildlife Sightings:
8 starlings; 34 American avocets; 44 unidentified brownish shorebirds (UBBs); 17 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 hawk; 2 great blue herons; 1 mockingbird; 4 hummingbirds; 44 ducks (mallards, canvasbacks, other); 6 crows; 1 white (domestic) cat; 1 snowy egret; 6 turkey vultures; 15 sea gulls; 1 black-necked stilt

Redwood Shores - Jan. 8, '12

Walking Distance: 2.4 mi. (estim.)

Walking Time: 1 hrs., 53 min. (2:23 - 4:03 p.m.)

Start and End Point: Parking lot, at SW end of Twin Dolphin Dr., Redwood Shores, CA

Another beautiful, sunny winter day; we haven't had much rain yet this month. I started this walk near the edge of the San Carlos Airport. I walked over small cement bridge toward the Marriott TownPlace Suites. On the bay side of the Marriott I found the paved (asphalt) trail, and walked east, then northeast (trail shown as a red line on the Bay Trail map) along the shore (Steinberger Slough). 

I stopped briefly to talk with some kayakers who were bringing up their kayaks up to shore, and then kept walking through a short section hemmed in by wild fennel plants, before enjoying more sweeping views again.

At one point, there was a large body of water on the left and the Bay on the right, making for good bird watching. I could actually hear all the different birds poking around in the mud, presumably for food.

Eventually the paved trail turned into a packed gravel trail. I turned around near the end of cul-de-sac -- Spar Drive (not visible on map), that joined up with the trail via short gravel path; and I walked back to the intersection of Redwood Shores Parkway and Twin Dolphin Drive.

From here, I headed northwest on Twin Dolphin Dr., past several large office buildings. Bird watching along this stretch is generally limited to crows, Canada geese and little brown jobs (LBJs).

I crossed Shoreline Dr., and walked around the back side of the Hotel Sofitel (which faced the large lagoon shown on map), then around to the hotel's front entrance. I went inside to look around; the interior was modern with a European/French flair. I admired their attractive pastry and chocolate case in the guest shop, and bought a bottle of chilled fruit juice, and some green sencha tea instead. I then walked back (southeast) along Twin Dolphin Dr., back to the car.

Wildlife Sightings:

1 great egret; 87 ducks; 12 little brown jobs (LBJs); 4 sea gulls; 3 kayakers; 10 willets; 47 sandpipers; 74 unidentified brownish shorebirds; 36 American avocets; 2 UFO grebes/divers; 12 crows; 30 coots

Redwood Shores - Shore Dogs Park onward - Oct. 1, '09

Walking Distance(s): 2.63 miles total
1.) .8 mile
2.) 1.83 miles
Walking Time(s):
1.) 20 min. (5:46 - 6:06 p.m.)
2.) 44 min. (6:11 - 6:55 p.m.)
Start & End Point(s):
1.) Shore Dogs Park
2.) Public parking lot at other end of Radio Road

On the first leg of tonight's walk, I ambled from Shore Dogs Park, alongside the Wastewater Treatment Plant, to the end of the trail (red line on map) to gate with closed sign. Salt marsh mice and clapper rail birds are trying to make a recovery here on the other side of the fence. The pre-sunset light and view of ducks and other birds on the large pond nearby was great. However, along with some less wonderful smells, I was engulfed in a cloud of small gnats that were flying at ankle-to-eyeball level; and I had to walk around what looked like a lost carpet on the trail. There also seemed to be a brown haze/cloud hovering over part of the Bay, perhaps due to a fire somewhere. Each walk is full of new discoveries.

For the second leg of tonight's walk, I drove down to the other end of Radio Road, and parked in a public parking lot, and followed the trail (red line) closest to the Bay to the second public viewing platform (nearest to the intersection of Canvasback Way and Seabrook Court). From this raised observation area, I could see the San Mateo bridge, and the San Francisco skyline is growing closer each time I get a view of it. It was getting dark, but I was treated to a big moon starting to take shape, and a semi-silhouette view of a great blue heron on top of a chimney, on my way back to my car. Sadly, my camera was sitting at home. I'd left my house in a hurry, hoping to beat rush hour traffic on Highway 101 and to squeeze this walk in.

Combined Wildlife Sightings:
43 ducks; 14 little brown jobs (LBJs); 7 sea gulls; 2 American avocets; 15 black-necked stilts; 1 great egrets and 4 snowy egrets; 2 great blue herons; 4 brownish shorebirds (whimbrels or willets); an uncountable number of gnats; 1 unidentifiable blur in the bushes.

Redwood Shores - to Shore Dogs Park - Sept. 30, '09

Walking Distance: 1.96 miles
Walking Time: 52 minutes of walking + 17 min. break at dog park (2:40 - 3:49 p.m.)
Start & End Point: Visitor Parking, end of Dockside Circle

We (two women and a dog) had sunny, beautiful weather for a walk today along Steinberger Slough to Shore Dogs Park on Radio Road. As before, there were a lot of birds out in the slough that I couldn't identify or count because they were too far away.

Wildlife Sightings: 1 grasshopper; 4 dragonflies; 2 great blue herons; 1 great egret and 2 snowy egrets; 20 ducks; 5 sea gulls; 1 cormorant; and 1 crow.