Coyote Pt., North Side - San Mateo, CA - Oct. 30, 2009

Walking Distance: 2.34 miles (7,443 steps)
Walking Time: 1 hour, 35 minutes (4:15 - 5:50 p.m.)
Start & End Point: Coyote Point Parking lot, San Mateo, CA

Today I walked around the North/West side of Coyote Point - up to, and around, the Yacht Harbor area and back. There were some nice views of the Bay, boats, and windsurfers. And I enjoyed seeing the distant San Francisco skyline appearing ever closer. However, I'll need to take fewer pictures or walk faster if I'm going to make it through San Francisco by the end Dec. 2009.

Make sure you get to Coyote Point relatively early in the afternoon. (Yesterday, (10/29) I attempted this same walk. However, due to the Bay Bridge closure for repairs, thousands of cars were trying to squeeze onto the nearby San Mateo bridge, and by the time I negotiated my way through traffic to the Coyote Point park entrance kiosk, the park person wouldn't let me through as it was too close to closing time. Ah well. I'm determined to keep going, despite natural and man-made inconveniences. Speaking of which, there was construction going on and some detour signs (to to some erosion and collapsed asphalt path) in a few sections (see image). So, make sure you look at a current map first.

Wildlife Sightings:
22 ducks; 60 Canada geese; 7 Western grebes (in water/Bay); 22 sea gulls; several planes flying overhead (into San Francisco Airport); and 3 crows.

Seal Pt. Park - Coyote Pt. Marina - Oct. 26, 2009

Walking Distance: 2.25 miles
Walking Time: 1 hr., 25 minutes (3:45 - 5:10 p.m.)
Start & End Point: Seal Point Park parking lot, in San Mateo, CA

I walked from the Seal Point parking lot across the creative little bridge and along the Bay toward the Coyote Point Marina. The sun was out, but gusty winds kept wildlife sightings to a minimum along some stretches here. My attention was focused on hanging on to my hat and belongings, and some birds took cover, and were less visible.

I walked out to the end of the Coyote Point marina/jetty,
and then turned around to walk back to Seal Point Park.

Wildlife Sightings:
3 crows; 14 little brown jobs (LBJs); 38 sea gulls; 7 snowy egrets; 2 ducks; 66 unidentified brownish shorebirds; 17 American Avocets; 1 great blue heron; 3 terns (flying); 1 Western grebe (on water/in Bay)

Foster City Blvd - Seal Pt. Park, San Mateo - Oct. 26, 2009

Walking Distance: 3.61 miles
Walking Time: 2 hrs., 26 min. (11:22 a.m.- 1:48 p.m.)
Start & End Point: Parking near golf course, in (near Mariners Blvd & 3rd Ave.), Foster City, CA

This past week, I took a few days off (to walk other areas in the Bay Area); but today I'm back to walking the Bay. Thank you to Marlene, who joined me on my walk today. We first walked south/east (to point where I left off last week), and then north/west, as far as Seal Point Park. The weather was nice, although the breeze was starting to pick up a bit. We saw quite a few feral cats (6). A man appeared to be feeding them, which is probably why they'd come out into the open.

(Note: I thought I left my camera at home, but I found it later, and took these snaps of 1.) the sculptures in Seal Point Park near my car, in the parking area at the top of the hill, and also 2.) the San Mateo Bridge between and behind another sculpture that looks like a pair of cymbals.)

Wildlife Sightings:
65 sea gulls; 6 feral cats; 49 little brown jobs (LBJs); 1 white-tailed kite; 2 crows; 1 hawk; 7 unidentified brownish shorebirds; 3 killdeer; 1 great egret; 1 turkey vulture; 3 snowy egrets; 12 black-necked stilts; 25 cormorants; 2 butterflies; 1 Western grebe in water; 6 pigeons

Foster City - San Mateo Bridge - Oct. 20, 2009

Walking Distance: 2.61 miles
Walking Time: ~ 1 hr., 27 minutes (4:11 - 5:38 p.m.)
Start & End Point: Street parking, across from Beach Park Plaza Shopping Center, Beach Park Blvd., Foster City, CA

Thanks to Sandy D. for joining me in this walk, where we had a chance to catch up while walking under the San Mateo bridge (see picture) and exploring realms beyond. (The San Mateo County Fishing Pier was closed, so we couldn't walk out onto it.) It was a sunny, breezy day, with fairly clear visibility (due to rains yesterday). Two windsurfers zipped along the surface of the Bay in the distance,

Wildlife Sightings:
5 crows; 3 cormorants; 2 sea gulls; 4 Western grebes (in the Bay); 2 little brown jobs (LBJs); 3 brown pelicans; 4 snails; 55 unidentified brownish shorebirds; and 15 American avocets -- seen from a distance (and they could have been unidentified brownish shorebirds). The one mystery animal I can identify (see image at right) is the feral cat that was rooting around in the rocks.

Foster City; rest of Lagoon/Slough Purple Line - Oct. 18, 2009

Walking Distance: ~ 2.1 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 1 hour, 13 minutes (5:32 - 6:45 p.m.)
Start & End Point: Street parking (legal visitor spot) on Beach Park Boulevard, Foster City, CA

Today, I finished up the asphalt path (purple line on the map above) running parallel to Port Royal Ave. and Beach Park Boulevard. I dubbed this place big bird land. There were more large egrets and herons (and many other birds) in this lagoon/slough than almost any other place on my walk to date. I actually walked past the north end of the purple line, under the Hillsdale Ave. overpass (white line on map), and kept going a big longer, before turning around and heading back to where I parked the car.

Wildlife Sightings:
4 cormorants; 3 crows; 89 ducks; 10 snowy egrets; 3 terns; 3 unidentified brownish shorebirds; 2 sea gulls; 16 great egrets; 2 great blue herons; 29 black-necked stilts; 36 coots; 1 brown pelican; 2 killdeer; 1 American avocet; 9 Canada geese; 1 mini-cormorant (under water most of the time, so difficult to study more closely); and 1 black-crowned night heron who appeared to have an egret pal (but, more likely, unwanted competition for a hunting/fishing spot).