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Palo Alto Baylands (Winter): Emily Renzel Wetlands

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Palo Alto Baylands (Winter): Emily Renzel Wetlands

by Dan Bloch

Welcome back to Emily Renzel Wetlands.  It's changed a bit since we last visited it in summer, but it remains delightful, and is home to many ducks and other waterfowl.  It consists of two freshwater ponds which can be birded easily in an hour and a half.  Located midway between Charleston Slough and Palo Alto Baylands, it combines well (by car) with either of them.

Key Birds: Pied-billed Grebe, Common Gallinule, Green Heron

Trip Covers: November - February

How to Bird

The Emily Renzel Wetlands are a relatively new addition to the bayfront parks, and were only acquired by the city of Palo Alto in 2016. On this trip, you'll be walking a clockwise loop around the outside of the two ponds.  The gate opens onto the trail at about the midpoint of the south pond.  The gravel trails are wide, and there are few people so social distancing is easy.

Northern Shovelers in the Emily Renzel north pond.  Photo by Dan Bloch

Northern Shovelers in the Emily Renzel north pond in December.  Photo by Dan Bloch

Start by walking around the gate and up onto the trail.  Scan to see American Coots, Pied Billed Grebes, and the first of many ducks. Then turn left, toward the island with the little house on stilts and see what you find there.

Keep straight at the causeway between the two ponds, and you'll get your first view of the more active north pond.  In the winter it's just full of Northern Shovelers, which for the most part have replaced Mallards, the abundant duck of the summer.  If you scan the pond you'll also see Gadwall, American Wigeon, and probably Ruddy Ducks.  Also in the north pond, later if not right away, you'll see Common Gallinules, relatives of the American Coot distinguished by their bright orange bills in adult plumage.  They stay closer to the edge of the pond than most of the ducks.

Also watch for American Wigeons, which don't dive, following around American Coots, which do, so that they can try to steal food from them when they come up.  Gadwalls sometimes do this as well.

As you walk, continue to scan the surface occasionally, since occasional visiting diving ducks spend a lot of their time underwater.

A Hooded Merganser, an occasional visiting diving duck.  Photo by Diane McCoy

A Hooded Merganser, an occasional visiting diving duck.  Photo by Diane McCoy

Also as you walk, don't forget about the bushes at the side of the trail, where you'll see various small birds, most frequently White-crowned and Golden-crowned Sparrows and Ruby-crowned Kinglets.  Similarly, check the sky from time to time for hawks.  Red-tailed Hawks and White-tailed Kites are both common visitors.

As you make your way around the pond, there are a number of small islands close to the shore.  These islands, and the channel between them and the shore, have a lot of activity.  You'll see more Common Gallinule and Pied-billed Grebes.  Cinnamon Teal, Green-winged Teal, and Blue-winged Teal are all possibilities.

Cinnamon Teal by Diane McCoy

Cinnamon Teal by Diane McCoy

Past the islands, scan the barbed wire fence on your left.  Various interesting birds hang out on it.  Past that, when you get to the causeway between the ponds, it's worth going onto it for a last look at the north pond

Unless you're in a hurry, come back to the main trail and continue around the south pond.  The south pond doesn't have the sheer numbers that the north pond does, but Belted Kingfishers are a possibility, Great and Snowy Egrets and Great Blue Herons can be found here, and Black-crowned Night-Herons roost on the west (US-101) side of the treed island on the way back to the gate.  Look closely to see the well camouflage juveniles.

Ready for More?  A little less than half a mile south is a pond fronting on the Palo Alto Flood Control Basin (labeled “Egret Pond” in Google Maps). Look for a tiny dirt parking lot with a statue of a bicyclist. This pond has lots of ducks in winter, and a surprisingly different assortment than Emily Renzel. Expect Pintail, Redhead, Bufflehead, and American Widgeon. The best view is toward the end of the short path. A scope helps here, but isn’t required.

You're also about five minutes away from Charleston Slough, Coast Casey Forebay or the Palo Alto Baylands.

Interactive Map

Directions

From the south, take US-101 north to the San Antonio exit.  Turn right onto San Antonio Rd.  Turn left at the first light onto East Bayshore Rd. and drive 1.3 miles till you see cars parked on the side of the road and a sign for Emily Renzel Wetlands.  (Not the little parking lot half a mile before that.  If you see a sculpture of a bicyclist, keep going.)

From the north, take US-101 south to the Embarcadero Rd/Oregon Expwy exit.  Follow signs for Embarcadero Rd East. Turn right at the first light onto East Bayshore Rd. and drive 0.6 miles till you see cars parked on the side of the road and a sign for Emily Renzel Wetlands.  Make a U-turn to park. Latitude/Longitude: 37.441700, -122.114918

Parking: Gravel pullout on side of East Bayshore Rd. 

Fees: None

Trail Hours: 8am to Sunset

Facilities: None

Trip Mileage: 1 mile

Trail Conditions: Wide with a flat gravel surface

Accessibility: Trails around the ponds are wide with a flat gravel surface and they are wheelchair accessible. Enter the area left of the gate where there is a 3 ft wide opening. The entrance to the ponds is a 3% to 15% dirt ramp which is not ADA compliant.

Bikes: Suitable for biking

Dogs: Not allowed

More Information:

More Resources

Banner Photo Credit: Common Gallinule by Tom Grey

Last Updated: 03/23/2022

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