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American Wigeon by Tom Ford-Hutchinson
Los Capitancillos Ponds - Meridian Ave Entrance (San Jose)
The Los Capitancillos percolation ponds, located between the Cambrian and Almaden Valley areas of San Jose are a great birding location for wintering ducks. We’ll spend the morning scanning the ponds for American Wigeons, Ring-necked Ducks, Buffleheads, Gadwalls, Wood, and Ruddy Ducks. May be able to check out some gulls, see crowned sparrows and will check out the pond edges for Wilson’s Snipe, Killdeer, and Spotted Sandpiper. We'll bird the West ponds first and then the East ponds.
Trip Difficulty: 2.5 miles, gravel and dirt trails, muddy or possibly muddy after rain, little or no elevation gain, little to no shade
Other Trip Notes: There will be an opportunity to leave the trip midway. There are some homeless camps alongside the Guadalupe Creek. There are no restrooms available on this trip - plan accordingly!
Leaders: John Harshman (408) 406-4733, Bilal Al-Shahwany (408) 482-0396
Beginner Friendly, Family Friendly Ages 14 and up
Meet: Guadalupe Creek Trail entrance on Meridian Ave, west side
Directions: From CA-85 in San Jose, exit Camden Ave. Drive south on Camden Ave for 0.7 miles. Turn left onto Kooser Ave, drive for 0.8 miles. Turn right onto Meridian Ave. Drive for 0.6 miles. The trail entrance will be on your left between Oslo Ln and Coleman Rd. Park anywhere on Meridian Ave or Oslo Ln. Latitude/Longitude: 37.238543, -121.886929
Facilities: cell phone service, no restrooms
Parking Type and Fees: Street parking on Meridian Avenue or Oslo Lane off Meridian. Please be respectful of local parking restrictions and driveways.
Questions? Email general questions to fieldtrips@scvas.org or contact the trip leader for questions regarding the event.