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Spotted Towhee by Vinayak Hebbagil
Field Trip: Beginner-Friendly Birding at Rancho San Antonio (Cupertino)
Join us for an easy, beginner-friendly outing through lower trails of Rancho San Antonio in Cupertino. We will look and listen for year-round resident birds including Acorn Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, and Spotted Towhee, as well as summer visitors such as Ash-throated Flycatcher and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. We'll also keep our eyes open for raptors, including Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, and White-tailed Kite. This trip is geared towards beginning birders, but everyone is welcome!
Trip Difficulty: 1.5 miles, gravel trails, packed-dirt trails, little or no elevation gain, some hills (less than 300 ft elevation gain), some shade
Other Trip Notes: Please bring binoculars. Parking can fill quickly, so try to arrive by 7:45 to secure a spot. Excessive heat will cancel.
Leaders: Susan Tenney (408) 802-6184
Family Friendly Ages 10 and up, Our birding route has minimal elevation gain, but you may need to park in one of the upper lots, which is a short but moderately inclined walk to/from our meeting place.
Meet: Parking Lot 6
Directions: From Foothill Expressway in Cupertino, turn onto Cristo Rey Drive; continue 0.8 miles to the roundabout; take the second exit to stay on Cristo Rey Drive; continue 0.2 miles. Turn left into Rancho San Antonio and at the intersection, turn right and follow the road all the way down to Parking Lot 6. (Latitude/Longitude: 37.332787, -122.087385). Note: In case Lot 6 is full, park in one of the upper lots (2, 3, or 4) that you will have passed on your way in, and walk down the paved path leading from Lot 4 down to Lot 6 (about a 3-minute walk).
Facilities: ADA accessible bathroom, drinking water, cell coverage may be intermittent or non-existent
Parking Type and Fees: paved parking lot, no fees
Questions? Email general questions to fieldtrips@scvbirdalliance.org or contact the trip leader for questions regarding the event.