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Ring-necked Duck by Tom Grey

Winter Ducks for Beginners at Los Capitancillos Ponds (San Jose)

Learn birding basics and your waterbirds on this beginners bird walk, meet some new people, and experience the joys of birding! This event will start at the Los Capitancillos percolation ponds, located between the Cambrian and Almaden Valley areas of San Jose (park on Oslo Lane, off Meridian). The ponds are a great birding location for wintering ducks. We’ll spend the morning scanning the ponds for American Wigeons, Ring-necked Ducks, Buffleheads, Gadwalls, and Ruddy Ducks. And, we will check out the pond edges for Wilson’s Snipe, Killdeer and Spotted Sandpiper, egrets, and herons: Black-crowned Night Herons, Green Herons, and Great Blue Herons. We may also see some raptors. Afterwards, we’ll email you a list of the bird species observed and a guide to additional birding resources.

Trip Difficulty: less than 2 miles, flat, gravel access road; no elevation gain; no shade, loaner binoculars available

Other Trip Notes: No bathrooms

Leaders: Peg Albrets (408) 891-3554 and Eve Meier (408) 569-9391

Beginner Friendly, Family Friendly Ages 10 and up

Meet: 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: No facilities

Parking Type and Fees: Street parking on Meridian Avenue or Oslo Lane off Meridian, no fees

Questions? Email general questions to fieldtrips@scvas.org or contact the trip leader for questions regarding the event.