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Slow Birding at Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve (Morgan Hill)

Yellow-billed Magpie by Vinayak Hebbagil

Join us for a relaxing morning of slow birding at the grasslands of the beautiful Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve in Morgan Hill. This trip’s priority will be a slow pace and short distance (0.5 mile round trip on an “out-and-back” trail). As a reference for those with varied physical abilities who may be considering signing up, this field trip was designed by an independently ambulatory SCVBA volunteer who requires trails of minimal to no elevation gain and who uses a collapsible stool to take sitting breaks typically every 0.1-0.2 miles.

We’ll start the morning with a bird sit at a collection of picnic benches right at the parking lot. We’ll follow this up with a 0.25 mile stroll down a gravel/packed dirt path of no elevation gain to a bird sit at another collection of picnic benches. Both picnic bench areas are located under partial shade. See photos below.

We hope to see some fan favorites of this hotspot (Yellow-billed Magpie, American Kestrel, Northern Flicker, Western Meadowlark, California Quail, White-tailed Kite, and more!). Hope to see you there!

Trip Difficulty: 0.5 miles, gravel trails, packed-dirt trails, little or no elevation gain, some shade

Leaders: Eve Meier (408) 569-9391, Subha Mohan, and Amanda Newlove (408) 809-5969

Beginner Friendly, Family Friendly All Ages, 1 mile or shorter, 2 hours or less, No elevation gain

Meet: Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve parking lot

Directions: Directions: From US-101 in Morgan Hill, exit Bailey Ave. Travel west for about 0.7 miles then turn left onto Santa Teresa Blvd. Continue for about 2 miles then turn right onto Palm Ave. The preserve is at the end of the road. Latitude/Longitude: 37.171062, -121.727388

Facilities: bathroom, cell phone service

Parking Type and Fees: Please use the dirt equestrian parking lot if you are able. If you need an ADA spot, use those.

Picnic Area #1

Picnic Area #2

Trail between picnic areas

Banner Photo: Yellow-billed Magpie by Vinayak Hebbagil

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