Sunnyvale, Moffett Field - Aug. 27, 2011

Walking Distance: 5 miles
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 57 min. (2:16 - 5:13 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Dog Park area, near Shoreline Park, Mountain View, CA

Today's walk started near the Stevens Creek Trail (shown as purple line on Bay Trail map at right), in Mountain View. We followed the Bay Trail signs and crossed a bridge in the Whisman Slough area, and continued southeast along the San Francisco Bay to Sunnyvale, on a bay-side trail that ran behind NASA Ames Research Center and Moffett Field.

We were treated to views of massive hangars, capable of holding large blimps and planes. And, we watched a large Navy plane circle Moffett Field multiple times. The pilot was likely logging some flight hours.


This more leisurely Saturday afternoon walk offered views of white egrets, pelicans, ducks, many other birds, and the flutterings of different types of small butterflies and moths. Tiny yellow flowers and patches of red (dodder) and green salt-tolerant plants hugged the dried mud and edges of the packed dirt path -- that was wide enough for bicycles to pass a walker or two.

When we reached the end of the walk (the large interpretive sign with the hunter's sign in box) where I'd ended a previous walk, we turned around and watched Canada geese land on the Moffett golf course, and a small flock of goats, in a fenced area, as they did their job and munched on dry grasses, before heading back to the Shoreline Park area, in Mountain View.

Thank you to Ken who accompanied me on this walk.

Wildlife Sightings:
30 Canada geese; 2 great egrets, 14 snowy egrets; 6 ducks; 3 cormorants; 1 bumblebee; 10 gnat-sized moths/butterflies, 36 white butterflies, 2 orange and brown butterflies; 1 hawk; 20 little brown jobs (LBJs); 27 black-necked stilts; 8 terns; 7 sea gulls; 28 swallows; 4 brown pelicans, 13 white pelicans; 12 tiny unidentified brownish shorebirds (UBBs), 5 med. UBBs; 1 crow; 2 more of the cute, little birds who go around in circles in water; 7 goats; 6 dragonflies; 2 UFO grebes/divers; 2 ground squirrels

Sunnyvale - Aug. 23, 2011

Walking Distance: 2.3 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hr., 15 min. (5:41 - 6:56 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Public parking area, end of Carl Road, Sunnyvale, CA

Close to, even in the heart of, Silicon Valley, there are small undeveloped spaces.

This fairly straight stretch of trail ran from the trailhead close to the Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant north, close to Yahoo! buildings and Moffett Field golf course in Sunnyvale. Actually I walked one trail at the base of a garbage mountain, crossed over to the bay side via a small bridge, and then returned on the trail closest to (and running parallel to) the bay shore.

After catching a glimpse of the two large hangars in the distance at Moffett Field (through the wire fence), I realized I had reached the end of the planned walk.

I turned around at the large Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge interpretive sign and hunter sign-in box, another reminder that in a few months ducks will need to travel with extreme caution in this area. I think the large swarm of red-winged blackbirds will be safe. Interesting to see them mysteriously take over part of a garbage mountain hillside, and then disappear and reappear as a large flock of almost 100 birds. Many, many years ago, early visitors to the San Francisco Bay Area described the area as being "black with birds."
I would have loved to have seen this area a few hundred years ago.


On the way back to the car, I listened to ducks squabbling with each other from somewhere in the nearby marsh grasses, and spotted a pair of green herons fishing/hunting. It was fascinating to watch these greenish brown birds with relatively long golden beaks and yellow legs and squat bodies. They focused so intently on their small fry prey, staying very still for a long time before striking out and capturing tiny fish in their beaks. Herons are nothing if not patient.

Wildlife Sightings:
13 little brown jobs (LBJs); 13 swallows; 95+ red-winged blackbirds; 40 white butterflies and 1 orange and black/brown butterfly; 12
dragonflies; 18 ducks; 1 snowy egret and 2 great egrets; 3 coots; 3 sea gulls; 7 white pelicans; 3 UFO grebes/divers; 3 blurs in the bushes (BIBs); 10 cormorants; 1 black-crowned night heron; 2 green herons; 1 annoying cloud of mosquitos

Sunnyvale loop - Aug. 22, 2011

Walking Distance: 4.5 + miles
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 41 min.
Start and End Point: Public Parking Area, at the end of Carl Rd., Sunnyvale, CA

Tonight we walked the Sunnyvale loop trail in the Sunnyvale baylands -- that starts near the Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant. This packed, dirt 4.5 mile loop trail ran along areas of marsh grasses with large duck and black-necked stilt populations.

This area was a bit greener than surrounding bayland areas given the time of year -- late summer, when dried brown (OK golden) grasses and hills are the norm. If I had to guess why, I'd say it might be due to treated effluent water with residual nutrients.

Regardless, it made for a pleasant walk, and lots of bird activity. If the birds seemed extra wary of people walking by, it might be due to the fact that hunting season is due to open in less than two months, and some of these birds may remember being fired upon in past years. I can hardly blame them.


The trailhead area, at the end of Carl Road, branches out into at least four different trails, and it can be confusing. You might want to look at an aerial map before you go here, so you can verify you're on the correct trail. With baylands trails like this with grasses being fairly flat, it can be difficult to see out ahead of you.

Thank you to Ken who joined me for this loop trail walk.

Wildlife Sightings:

10 willets (or maybe godwits); 26 red-winged blackbirds; 8 doves;
2 pelicans; 8 white butterflies; 2 orange and black/brown butterflies; 2 lizards; 6 little brown jobs (LBJs); 16 swallows; 4 terns; 145 ducks; 55 black-necked stilts; 32 sea gulls; 40 cute little guys (like baby stilts, but not) swimming in small circles; 16 coots; 8 cormorants; 1 turkey vulture; 1 great egret, 5 snowy egrets; 2 jackrabbits; 1 hawk; 1 starling; 1 dragonfly