Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve (Fall/Winter)
by Dani Christensen
No matter the season, Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve (CVOSP) in Morgan Hill is a great place to discover local favorites or special migrants. In fall and winter, this preserve is a perfect spot to watch for resident and migrating raptors, wintering sparrows, and agricultural-field specialties. The preserve is located in Coyote Valley, with open grassland and shrubland nestled in the mixed-evergreen and oak woodlands of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Key Birds: Northern Harrier, Ferruginous Hawk, Burrowing Owl, Loggerhead Shrike, Yellow-billed Magpie, Rock Wren, Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Tricolored Blackbird
Trip Covers: October - February
How to Bird
Historically Amah-Mutsun land, this property was slated for development into luxury homes, until the housing market went bust. Now owned and managed by the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority (OSA), it is part of a protected network of open space in Coyote Valley as a whole (read about conservation in Coyote Valley here). This trip is only about a half-mile round trip on a flat gravel trail, but there is a 4.2 mile moderate loop you can do if you are up for a longer hike. The wide trails and public health protocols in place mean you can feel comfortable exploring this preserve during the pandemic. This little preserve can get crowded, especially on weekends, so get here early on weekends or try for a weekday. This time of year, CVOSP is open 7am-sunset.
Loggerhead Shrike. The “butcherbird” of Santa Clara County is a songbird that hunts open grasslands for lizards, insects, and even rodents. It earns its nickname for the way it consumes its prey. Lacking the talons of a true bird of prey, the shrike will impale its prey on a sharp object, often barbed wire, and rip off bite-sized chunks. Photo: Tom Grey
You might have heard of “parking lot birding,” and may not have a very positive impression of what that is, but this preserve is peak parking lot birding. You don’t have to walk far from your car to observe the coolest birds, like local favorites the Yellow-billed Magpie, Loggerhead Shrike, and Rock Wren. Yellow-billed Magpies can be seen (and heard, and how!) throughout the preserve, but you’ll want to scan the fence posts and phone lines next to the parking lot for the Loggerhead Shrike. The rocky hillside behind the restroom typically has at least one Rock Wren, and you may even see one come down to explore the shade under your car. Also found on this hillside is the Rufous-crowned Sparrow, a specialist of dry, rocky hillsides loosely covered in shrubs. Listen for a high “seep” or sweet “deer, deer, deer” call to clue you in to their hidden location.
Yellow-billed Magpies can’t be missed at Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve. Photo by Sushanta Bhandarkar
The Rufous-crowned Sparrow is not widespread throughout the county, but is locally common in its preferred habitat of rocky sagebrush hillsides. Note its rufous cap, plain chest, white eyering, and buffy malar. Photo by Steve Zamek
Check the long utility poles and wires for Brewer’s Blackbirds, Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, European Starlings, and Western Meadowlarks. This is a great place to practice your blackbird (and starling) ID. Raptors such as White-tailed Kites and American Kestrels are also often seen on these wires. You may even get to see a flock of a California Threatened Species, the Tricolored Blackbird. Look for them near the entrance to the preserve, and don’t forget to walk around the roundabout and scan the fields for them. They have white tips to their red shoulder patches, and have a distinct call. Read “177,000 Tricolored Blackbirds Saved in 2020!” to learn how CA Audubon has worked to save this species and visit our page on the Tricolored Blackbird Survey to learn how you can help right here in Santa Clara County.
A mixed flock of blackbirds and magpies along the flat Heart’s Delight Trail. Photo: Dani Christensen
After exploring your surroundings from the parking lot, walk out to the trailhead, which opens out to a large meadow. You’ll notice a temporary electric fence, which is there to encourage the cattle to munch down those invasive grasses. This is partly for wildfire prevention (reducing fuel load), but also habitat restoration for our local Burrowing Owls. Scan the rocks of the hillside behind the restroom and you may be lucky enough to spot a wintering Burrowing Owl, its round brown head helping it blend in well amongst the rocks. These ground-dwelling owls only visit this preserve in the winter, but OSA is hoping to create quality breeding habitat for future generations. These special birds can be easily flushed from their burrows, so if you do spot an owl please practice good birding ethics, and give it space! Visit Burrowing Owl Protection on SCVAS’s webpage to learn more about our conservation efforts.
This Burrowing Owl was seen at dusk in October 2019 on the rocky hill behind the kiosk. Burrowing Owls are known for being diurnal, but can be active day or night. Note its long legs and round head. Populations are declining in the Western US due to habitat loss, and the species is designated a California Species of Special Concern. Photo: Dani Christensen
You’ll notice there are two parallel trails leading away from the parking lot; these are collectively the Heart’s Delight Trail, the name being an homage to the history of fruit orchards in the Santa Clara Valley. Along the trail, look for wintering White-crowned, Golden-crowned, and Savannah Sparrows. Also possible is the handsome Lark Sparrow and shy Lincoln’s Sparrow. This trail will take us across a large field, where you can watch for Northern Harriers or Red-tailed Hawks hunting the rodents in the grassland. Scan the skies for soaring Turkey Vultures and Golden Eagles, and look for Cooper’s, Sharp-shinned, and Red-Shouldered Hawks in the trees. This time of year you may even find a Ferruginous Hawk!
Northern Harriers can be found flying low over grasslands as they hunt small mammals and birds on the wing. You may see a “gray ghost,” the nickname given to adult males for their slate gray plumage, a streaky brown adult female, a pumpkin-colored juvenile, or something in between, depending on the bird’s age. Photo: Michelle Nelson
Along the trail, you’ll come across a few large Valley Oaks. These trees are hundreds of years old, and are vital for so many species! Look for Oak Titmice, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, White-Breasted Nuthatches, and wintering Yellow-rumped Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets foraging in oaks. Here you’ll find a good diversity of woodpeckers, too: Northern Flickers, Acorn, Nuttall’s, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers. Pileated and Lewis’ Woodpeckers have also been observed here, but they are rare. Red-breasted Sapsuckers begin to show up in the county in fall, and spend the winter here. They aren’t always found at this preserve, but scan the trunks of Bays and other trees for this winter visitor.
Another wintering bird to look for here is Say’s Phoebe. You’ll find them flycatching in the meadow from fence posts. I like to observe their interactions with the resident Black Phoebes, who also hunt insects on the wing out here. Where you would normally see a Black Phoebe months before, a Say’s phoebe is now in the same field, sometimes trying to use the same perch! The resident Black Phoebe is territorial, and must keep harassing the Say’s Phoebe to keep the newcomer off its preferred perch. Other birds to look for here are Western Bluebirds, Mourning Doves, and of course our jays: California Scrub-Jay and Steller’s Jay.
Say’s Phoebes are wintering flycatchers, though there are some that seem to stick around all year. They hunt insects by “aerial hawking,” which just means they pursue and catch their prey in the air. They will often perch on a fence post, “sally” out to catch prey, and return to that same perch or one nearby. Photo: Gena Zolotar
After the winter rains arrive, come out again to the preserve and look for waterbirds and waterfowl on the flooded fields and trickling creeks. Killdeer, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, and Mallard are among the possibilities. Venture up the Arrowhead Loop Trail (about 4 miles round-trip with moderate hills) for better looks at the various woodpeckers, Hutton’s Vireos, Wrentits, and spectacular views of Coyote Valley and Coyote Ridge.
Ready for More?
The agricultural fields of the Coyote Valley floor are excellent birding, especially as the rains bring waterfowl and waders to the fields. Santa Teresa Blvd/Hale Ave and Monterey Hwy run parallel down the length of Coyote Valley, and any of the avenues off this main line are great to explore. Popular stops include eBird hotspots Palm Ave, Richmond Ave, or Laguna Ave.
To get to Laguna Ave (west), drive out of the preserve and make a left onto Hale Blvd (turns into Santa Teresa Blvd), then make a left onto Laguna Ave. You’ll cross Fisher Creek, and the street dead-ends against the foothills, with agricultural fields on either side. Bird the road by car or park off to the side and walk around. You may see more waders and waterfowl than at CVOSP after the rains, such as Long-billed Curlews, Canada Geese, and Cackling Geese, or field-foragers such as American Pipits. Scan the fence posts and utility lines for raptors. Stay until dusk to wait for the Northern Harriers to clock out and then maybe a Short-eared Owl to clock in.
Read “The Birds of Coyote Valley” here, a report written in 2016 by Merav Vonshak, Ryan Phillips, and Shani Kleinhaus detailing the ecological significance of Coyote Valley to birds.
Interactive Map
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
Parking: Gravel lot
Fees: None
Public Transportation: None
Park Hours: 7am to sunset
Facilities: ADA accessible pit toilet, no water, hand sanitizing stations at cattle gates, picnic tables at parking lot and along trail
Trip Mileage: half-mile round trip
Trail Conditions: flat gravel trail, grazing cattle may be present
Accessibility: The paved and gravel parking lots make for great birding
Bikes: Bikes are allowed but not recommended for this half mile trip
Dogs: Not allowed
More Information
Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve Trail Map (showing temporary one-way traffic)
eBird hotspot: Coyote Valley OSP
Read more about Coyote Valley
Birding Basics with SCVAS Education & Outreach Specialist Carolyn Knight: The Shrike
Open Space Authority’s: A Birdwatcher’s Guide to Coyote Valley
Non-profit dedicated to saving Coyote Valley: Protect Coyote Valley
SCVAS video by volunteer Chuq Von Rospach: Yellow-billed Magpie
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, birding identification resources, and more.
Read “What to Look for Now” by SCVAS Executive Director Matthew Dodder.
Banner Photo Credit: Yellow-billed Magpie by Carter Gasiorowski
Last Updated: 12/8/2022
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