Seal Point - Feb. 19, '12

Walking Distance: 2.5 miles
Walking Time: 1 hr., 15 min. (3:15 - 4:30 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Public parking lot, Seal Point Park, San Mateo, CA

Today, my friend Nancy and I walked from Seal Point Park, where we took the Wind Trail up the hill ( (a garbage mountain transformed into a place for trails and public art), and we stopped briefly to ponder many of the stainless steel sculptures on the hill. Most of the hill trails are paved and have wide enough clearance for a group of walkers, or a stroller or wheelchair. There is one set of stairs on the hillside facing the bay, but these can be avoided by taking another trail option.

There is a wind-surfing ramp/launch area at the foot of the hill on the bay side, with a gradual paved ramp, into the water. It looked quite nice, but also to be quite a hike from the parking lot on the other side of the large hill.


Once we returned to the Wind Walk sign, at the north end of the park, we followed the section of Bay Trail (shown as red line on Bay Trail map) over the bridge and past Ryder Park; and we continued on to the south end of Coyote Point, where we encountered a few puffs of wind before turning around and returning the same way.

Thank you to Nancy T. who joined me on this walk.

Wildlife Sightings:
27 ducks; 4 Canada geese; 3 cormorants; 1 bumblebee; 20 unidentified brownish shorebirds (UBBs); 12  coots; 1 tiny caterpillar on trail.

Seal Point Park - Feb. 12, '12

Walking Distance: 4 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 42 min. (12:12 - 2:54 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Public parking lot, Seal Point Park, San Mateo, CA

Today's walk was mostly along a paved (asphalt) combined bicycle/pedestrian path by the Bay. I started this walk at Seal Point Park, where I headed south, passing the large, fenced in dog park (separate areas for big and little dogs) as I headed toward Foster City. I walked over a bridge, out to the end of a Bay Marsh Boardwalk; and around a large Tidal Marsh Restoration area.

When I reached the golf driving range and putting area (marked by tall, netted fencing), I heard a chorus of frogs, in a strip of grassy bog area, in between the trail and the tall fencing. However, I didn't see any frogs. Had I tried to peer into where they were, I'm sure they would have all gone quiet.

Further on, before I turned around and headed north back to Seal Point Park, I spoke to a few kite-surfers who were sitting out near the rocks (by the water), talking, and enjoying the company of three or four feral cats. The cats in this area have been the focus of Project Bay Cat -- an organization that has helped spay or neuter and manage/care for the population the cats who are wild or abandoned in this area. I was surprised to learn that some of these cats have managed to survive for many years. It can be a very tough life.

I also enjoyed taking a few pictures of three dogs out on a walk with their owners. Thank you JustPam.

Wildlife Sightings:
35 ducks; 53 pigeons; 14 little brown jobs (LBJs); 6 snowy egrets; 65 sea gulls; 1 Western/Clarks grebe; 4 unidentified brownish shorebirds (UBBs); 2 hawks; 1 hummingbird zooming by; 4 balls (1 soccer, 2 golf, 1 plastic); 1 ground squirrel; 4 feral/abandoned cats; 28 blackbirds; 1 bumblebee; 3 chairs