Calero Reservoir (Late Spring):
Families of Western and Clark’s Grebes with Chicks
by Brooke A Miller
From May to June, Western and Clark’s Grebes are taking care of their downy young. You can see babies on their parents’ backs as well as juveniles on their own in the water near their parents. Calero Reservoir in San José south of Almaden Valley can be a fairly easy place to watch them.
Trip Covers: May - June
Key Birds: Western Grebe, Clark’s Grebe
How to Bird
This field trip covers the Calero Reservoir boat launch area (parking fee required; see below). It is one of three entrances to Calero County Park, and it is open year-round to power and non-power vessels. Mornings are the best time to see the juvenile grebes and weekdays are preferred, as during the weekends there are a lot of boats on the water which can push the bird activity farther away. You will need binoculars and, if you have a scope and/or camera, you may want to bring those as well. Bring a beach chair if you’d like to sit and watch the birds for an extended period of time.
Calero Reservoir by Brooke Miller
Park at the boat launch parking lot, just inside the park entrance (shown on map). After you park, scan the reservoir to determine the general location of the Western and Clark’s Grebes. They tend to be in the areas west of the parking lot, but if you see them close by, head down the short path to the right of the boat ramp (pin 1) to the water’s edge (pin 2) and set up your chair. To check the west areas of the reservoir, use the primitive trail near the group picnic area (pin 3) that follows the reservoir to the west and then southwest. Along this primitive trail there are two dams (pins 4 and 5). Note that the water in front of the second dam cannot be seen from the boat launch area and the grebes can be here or in front of the first dam.
Boat launch parking area for Calero Reservoir. Photo by Brooke Miller.
Once you get to the grebes, you will want to spend some time observing the interaction of the chicks and their parents. You may notice some of the young will be riding the back of one parent. They do this within minutes of hatching to stay warm because the water is too cold for the younger birds. While on one parent’s back, the other parent feeds them. You may also notice that the parents take turns by gently dumping the chick into the water so that they can climb onto the back of the other parent. Once the chicks are 2-4 weeks old, they can swim alongside their parents but continue to be fed by their parents. In about 10 weeks after hatching, the young birds will be able to take their first flight.
Clark’s Grebe Family by Brooke Miller
These two species look very similar, so how do you tell the difference between Clark’s and Western Grebes? Clark’s Grebes have a bright yellow-orange long bill, eyes in the white feathered portion of their face, and their call is a one-syllable “cree”. Western Grebes have a duller green-yellow bill, eyes in the black feathered portion of their face, and a two-syllable “cree-cree” call. The easiest way to remember the difference between the two calls is that “Clark’s” and “cree” each have one syllable while “West-ern” and “cree-cree” have two syllables.
Western Grebe Family by Dee Vee
You may see a lot of discarded fishing supplies along the lake. Did you know that fishing line, weights and hooks that are caught in vegetation, lost in the water, or left behind on the bank pose hazards to birds. See how you can help, read “Fishing Line: Don’t Catch a Bird!”
While at Calero Reservoir you can also bird the parking lot and picnic areas for Tree, Violet-green, Barn and Cliff Swallows; Purple Martin (uncommon); Red-winged, Tricolored and Brewer’s Blackbird; Bald Eagle; White-throated and Vaux’s (uncommon) Swift; Double-crested Cormorant; and Caspian and Forster’s Tern.
Along the primitive trails you may encounter Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Spotted Sandpiper, Song Sparrow, Killdeer, Red-winged Blackbird, and Common Yellowthroat. There is a Red-winged Blackbird colony to the east, near the beginning of a primitive trail (pin 6) that goes east from the boat launch towards the eastern end of the reservoir (pin 7).
Ready for More? Calero County Park has two other areas you may want to explore: the main entrance (SE on McKean Road, Latitude/Longitude: 37.172723, -121.759109) and the Rancho San Vicente entrance (NW on McKean Road, Latitude/Longitude: 37.193987, -121.807061). Rancho San Vicente is a great place to see Rock Wrens. Read more about this location here.
Interactive Map
Directions
The boat launch area is located off McKean Road. Latitude/Longitude: 37.188137, -121.774463
Traveling from Central San Jose, take Almaden Expressway south to Harry Road. Turn right onto Harry Road, then left onto McKean Road. The reservoir is on the right, about 3 miles south of Harry Road.
Alternatively, from US-101, exit Bailey Ave west. Follow Bailey Ave for 3 miles to McKean Rd. Turn right and continue about 0.5 miles. The entrance to the reservoir will be on your left.
Parking: Paved and dirt parking lots, ADA compliant parking spots
Fees: Day-use parking fees. See the park website for more information.
Public Transportation: None
Park Hours: 8 am until sunset
Facilities: Wheelchair accessible porta-potties, drinking fountain, picnic tables, cell phone service.
Trip Mileage: Variable. This location is good for parking lot birding or you can try several short (1 mile or less) primitive trails.
Trail Conditions: Crowded on weekends, no shade, narrow dirt trails.
Accessibility: The parking lot is wheelchair accessible and is good for birding. The short trails to the shoreline and the primitive trails are not wheelchair accessible.
Bikes: Not a bike trip.
Dogs: Dogs are allowed on 6-ft leash
More Information
eBird hotspot: Calero Reservoir
All About Birds: Western Grebe and Clark’s Grebe
More Resources
For more trips like this one, visit Self-Guided Field Trips.
Visit the SCVAS Birding Resources page for more information on where to bird, our birding community, bird identification resources and more.
Read “What to Look for Now” by SCVAS Executive Director Matthew Dodder.
Banner Photo Credit: Family of Clark’s Grebes by Vivek Khanzodé
Last Updated: 4/19/2022
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