Fisherman's Pt. - Feb. 26, '12

Walking Distance: 4.6 miles
Walking Time: 3 hours, 17 min. (12:02 - 3:19 p.m.)
Start and Stop Point: Public parking lot, Fisherman's Point, Burlingame, CA

From the public parking lot at Fisherman's Point, I walked south toward to Coyote Point, passing a few fishermen along the rocks, and -- further along -- the Spay/Neuter Clinic (for animals). I left the main Bay Trail (shown as a red line trail on the Bay Trail map) to walk through Coyote Point, along the shore and stopping briefly at the Boardsports School and Shop and Snack Bar along the way.

The Snack Bar is open on most weekends and variable hours during the week -- depending on time of year, wind and weather conditions (and size of the boardsports crowd). I then walked back to the main trail and around the golf course, south, until I reached the spot where my friend Nancy and I had stopped (at the south end of Coyote Point) on a previous walk last weekend. After turning around here, I walked out onto some unpaved wildlife viewing trails/spurs and to the Coyote Point harbor/launch area.


On the way back, I walked around Coyote Point on the north side, and back to the Bay Trail, and back to Fisherman's Point -- which I passed and kept walking toward Burlingame. I passed The Sherman (docked dinner ship) and eventually turned around when I reached Kincaid's restaurant. I had a nice full walk today, with only a bit of cool and breezy on the return walk from Coyote Point. Not bad for February.

Wildlife Sightings:
163 ducks; 4 Western/Clarks grebes; 54 medium unidentified brownish shorebirds (UBBs) 55 tiny UBBs; 4 willets (1 with a bad wing); 171 sea gulls; 1 great egret, 6 snowy egrets; 13 brown pelicans; 7 cormorants; 9 Canada geese; 1 ladybug; 17 crows; 18 little brown jobs (LBJs)/songbirds; 5 UFO grebes/divers; 9 coots; 3 hummingbirds; 4 fabric kites; 39 pigeons

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.

Coyote Pt. - Feb. 18, '12

Walking Distance: 1.1 miles
Walking Time: 28 min. (4:20 - 4:48 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Public parking lot, Coyote Point, CA

This afternoon I left the main Bay Trail (red line on Bay Trail map) to walk out to Coyote Point (green area on map) -- where I found myself being blown up hill as I made my way along the narrow winding path out to the end of the point, through a grove of swaying and creaking eucalypus trees, toward the marina.

I also had to brace myself to get a few, non-blurry pictures of the bay and skyline to the north. There is a reason why this area (from the San Francisco Airport to the San Mateo bridge) is well-appreciated by wind surfers and kite surfers.

Despite the 40+ mile-per-hour gusts, I did enjoy views of planes landing (to the north) at San Francisco International airport.

I passed the World War II Merchant Marine Cadet Corps memorial eagle statue; and I rounded the point, past the Coyote Point Museum (recently re-named the CuriOdyssey). I turned around once I reached the picnic table and restroom building that was part of Coyote Point Park.

Wildlife Sightings:
7 little brown jobs (LBJs); 2 tree squirrels; and 10 sea gulls

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

Foster City - San Mateo - Feb. 11 '12

Walking Distance: 1.9 miles (estimate)
Walking Time: 56 min. (3:00 - 3:56 p.m.)
Start and End Point: Street parking on Beach Park Boulevard, Foster City, CA

Today I reached the end of Beach Park Blvd., and crossed under San Mateo bridge (Highway 92), where I continued toward San Mateo. I turned around at a bench before a golf driving range/putting complex with high net fence, and I walked back the same way.

Wildlife Sightings:
33 ducks (mixed); 22 sea gulls; 11 little brown jobs; 4 pigeons; 4 crows; 3 feral cats; 2 cormorants; 1 kite (bird); 1 bumblebee; 1 brown rat