SamTrans Peninsula, South SF - Nov. 14, 2009

Walking Distance: .8 mile
Walking Time: 18 minutes (12:09 - 12:27 p.m.)
Start & End Point: Public Parking Lot, SamTrans Peninsula, South San Francisco, CA

My boyfriend Alec & I power-walked this little leaf-shaped peninsula, on the north side of San Francisco Airport, on our way up to the San Francisco Animation Festival. It was a beautiful day, and there were lots of birds in the more sheltered lagoon-like area (land side) West of the peninsula. (Not bad given how close we were to the airport -- see image of the United Airlines building nearby.) We also had a nice view of the mountain to the West lettered with "South San Francisco" on the hillside, that we frequently see off the freeway, as a blur.

I was excited to see (or more accurately recognize) my first bufflehead (black and white colored) ducks. (See grainy image -- only marginally better than the grainy photos you might see of the Loch Ness monster.)

Wildlife Sightings:
4 Canada geese; 2 pigeons; 5 Western grebes + black & white (bufflehead?) ducks feeding and flying together; 11 black-necked stilts (including 1 very loud one, warning others); 2 little brown jobs (LBJs) and songbirds; 53 very small unidentified brownish shorebirds; 12 American Avocets; 68 medium-larger unidentified brownish shorebirds (including some Willets); 48 ducks + 4 (shoveler?) ducks; 20 sea gulls; and 1 snowy egret

Burlingame to SFO - Nov. 3, 2009

Walking Distance: 2.11 miles
Walking Time: Approx. 1 hr. (5:30 - 7:15 p.m. total time including dinner stop)
Start & End Point: Public Parking near Mahler and Bayshore Highway, Burlingame, CA

I don't recommend walking the Bay Trail at night. But, on warm nights with a full moon, it can be beautiful. I got lucky and found the public parking lot in the dark, and heading Northwest I walked first as far as I could go (to the tidal gate(s), just North of the intersection of Millbrae Ave. and S. McDonnell, south of the San Francisco Airport (SFO). Then I turned around and walked Southeast, until I hit "the gap" zone where I ended up in someone's back parking lot (private property). I enjoyed a dinner stop at Benihana's (Japanese) restaurant, conveniently located right on the Bay Trail, out on a small point, with the moon lighting it from above. And speaking of the moon...

My only heartbreak this evening: not bringing a camera with me, because I thought it would be too dark. As if to mock me, a gigantic, cheddar cheese pumpkin of a moon rose out of the Bay, casting beautiful reflections on the water. Silhouettes of planes landing at SFO started to cross in front of it. Never leave your camera behind. I also have to say, it is impressive watching thundering planes/jets take off in pairs so close-up. Although I wouldn't want to live this close to a major airport without extra soundproofing in all my walls.

One final note: I was struck by how much more foot traffic there was in this segment this evening. Hurray, people walking, and taking advantage of this great resource we have at our disposal.

Wildlife Sightings:
None; I could hear a few shorebirds, but it was too dark to see any creatures - except a few dogs going walking with their owners.