Guadalupe Creek off Guadalupe Mines Road
by Ann Verdi and Janna Pauser
Enjoy some interesting birding on this short half-mile easy-paced paved loop in a quiet San José neighborhood. Those of us who have birded this area for many years have discovered a mix of montane, riparian and lowland birds throughout the seasons including migrants and occasionally an unusual vagrant.
Trip Covers: Year-round
Key Birds
Resident (year-round sample): Anna’s Hummingbird, Red-shouldered Hawk, Acorn Woodpecker, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Black Phoebe, Hutton’s Vireo, Common Raven, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, White-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick’s Wren, Lesser Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Junco, California Towhee, Spotted Towhee
Spring/Summer (sample): Black-chinned Hummingbird, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Warbling Vireo, Violet-green Swallow, House Wren, Swainson’s Thrush, Orange-crowned Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Western Tanager, Hooded Oriole
Fall/Winter (sample): Red-breasted Sapsucker, Brown Creeper, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Hermit Thrush, Cedar Waxwing, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Townsend’s Warbler, Hermit Warbler, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Purple Finch, Pine Siskin, American Goldfinch
Uncommon (sample): Wood Duck, Wild Turkey, California Quail, Cooper’s Hawk, Golden Eagle, Merlin, Barn Owl, White-throated Swift, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Cassin’s Vireo, Steller’s Jay, White-throated Sparrow
Rare: Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Willow Flycatcher, Pacific Wren, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Summer Tanager
Additional Surprises: Purple Martin, Varied Thrush and Red Crossbill have all made an appearance here.
How to Bird
The Guadalupe Creek begins at the top of Mount Umunhum working its way down the slopes through a corridor heading west. Near the intersection of Hicks and Shannon Roads, the creek turns east to flow through Almaden Valley merging with Los Alamitos Creek just north of Almaden Lake and then continuing as the Guadalupe River north to the San Francisco Bay. The focus of this guide is on the small transitional portion of the Guadalupe Creek where it comes out of the mountains turning east toward the lowlands. Those of us who have birded this area for many years have discovered a mix of montane, riparian and lowland birds throughout the seasons including migrants and occasionally an unusual vagrant.
Trailhead to the paved Guadalupe Creek Trail. Photo by Janna Pauser.
This trip is a short loop of about half a mile centered primarily at the Brookside residential neighborhood at the end of Guadalupe Mines Road. The entries to Brookside are Sycamore Creek and Lavender Creek, both of which have open access to Guadalupe Mines Road. There are no parking lots here, so you will need to park along the street at Brookside. Sycamore Creek has a paved path throughout the length of the development with benches along the way where you can view the creek and the riparian woodlands at mid-level looking down toward the creek and looking up to the tops of the tall trees along here.
Dark-eyed Junco, a year-round resident easily spotted in this neighborhood, by Dave Zittin.
Here is a suggested loop: Park along Guadalupe Mines Road near Sycamore Creek. Turn right on Sycamore Creek just past the Guadalupe Landfill and walk down Sycamore Creek to access the Guadalupe Creek Trail (1 on interactive map). Walk this path throughout its length. After you get to the end of the paved trail (2 on map), walk Lavender Creek back up to Guadalupe Mines Road for more birding along this road before returning to your car. The loop can be reversed, starting at Lavender Creek instead.
Guadalupe Creek Trail running between Guadalupe Creek and the road, Sycamore Creek. Photo by Janna Pauser
Trail Notes: Brookside is a well-maintained safe quiet residential neighborhood. It is not a public park so there are no restroom facilities available at this location. All sidewalks and paths are paved here and are wheelchair accessible. While you will see bicycle riders here, we recommend that bicycling not be done by birders here. Those who ride bikes in this neighborhood are usually kids on their smaller bikes often with a parent on a bike following closely behind – so let’s leave the bicycling for the neighborhood families only.
Townsend’s Warbler, a common winter visitor to this location, by Dave Zittin
Many of the birds listed above in “Key Birds” have been seen along the Sycamore Creek path at various times of the year. The riparian corridor along here is dominated by large trees (sycamore, valley oak, coast live oak, pine and fir trees). Understory growth includes willow, ash, buckeye, elderberry, blackberry, and big-leaf maple. Take your time along this path and enjoy bench-sitting for a while to see and hear what birds may show up within all the foliage. Also, check the creek itself for possible Wood Duck or Common Merganser as well as Mallard.
Wood Ducks are occasionally spotted in the creek. Brooke Miller
If you enter from Sycamore Creek, you will see a small children’s playground also with benches. This is another good place to watch for birds as you will be close to the bushes and trees. Birds that have been seen here include Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Hutton’s Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Lazuli Bunting, and White-throated Sparrow. At the eastern end of the Sycamore Creek path there is a large sycamore where Barn Owl has been seen and where Hairy Woodpeckers used to be found regularly (they seem to be not so common these days, but they’re still around).
Pacific-slope Flycatcher, a spring and summer visitor, by Janna Pauser
Playground alongside Guadalupe Creek Trail
By walking up Lavender Creek at the eastern end of the Sycamore Creek path you will come to Via Lugano at Guadalupe Mines Road. These are more residential neighborhoods with large eucalyptus trees (3 on map), and this where a Summer Tanager spent some time several years ago. While walking toward the locked gate at the Guadalupe Landfill (4 on map) you will pass plantings of dense hedges which are favored by Golden-crowned Sparrows, Hermit Thrush and towhees. The oaks on the Brookside side of the street are where Acorn Woodpeckers can often be seen.
Guadalupe Landfill gate. Photo by Janna Pauser.
The area around the locked gate at the Guadalupe Landfill can be interesting depending on what day of the week you are there. If you decide to bird on a Sunday, there will be no traffic as the landfill is closed on that day. A few large evergreens including a redwood tree are nearby. Birds seen here have included Wild Turkey, California Quail, and Hairy Woodpecker. If you choose another day when the landfill is open, the traffic will be heavier and you will need to stay back from trucks and other vehicles moving through, but watch the skies from a safe distance as gulls stream in and you may also see Common Raven, Golden Eagle and White-tailed Kite.
Summer Tanager, one of the rare birds that have turned up in this area, by Janna Pauser
We hope you enjoy some interesting birding on this short half-mile easy-paced loop in a quiet neighborhood; however, we need to add one final word of caution. Depending how intense you are about birding, you may be tempted to get closer to the creek by trying dubious small pull-outs along Hicks Road which is close to the creek, but this is definitely not recommended. You will be way too close to traffic and the blind curves on Hicks Road. Birding is much safer and more relaxing along Sycamore Creek at Brookside. Take care and stay safe!
Ready for More? To continue your exploration of Guadalupe Creek, you can also visit Los Capitancillos Ponds. This series of percolation ponds run alongside Guadalupe Creek on the other side of Coleman Ave. To learn more about this area, see our self-guided field trips.
Interactive Map
Directions: From Hwy 85, take the Camden Ave exit and head south. Go past the Hicks Road turnoff, and Guadalupe Mines Road will be the next right. Follow Guadalupe Mines Road for about a mile where it ends just after the locked gate to the Guadalupe Landfill. Latitude/Longitude: 37.218806, -121.907542
Parking: Street parking on Guadalupe Mines Road. Please do not park in the neighborhood.
Fees: None
Public Transportation: None available
Trail Hours: One hour before sunrise, one hour after sunset
Facilities: No bathrooms. Several benches and a couple of picnic tables are along the paved trail that runs alongside the creek.
Trip Mileage: ½ mile loop
Trail Conditions: Paved sidewalks, little shade, many benches along the trail. The trail alongside the creek is flat. If you do the recommended loop through the neighborhood, there is some slope to the sidewalks.
Accessibility: This trip is partially wheelchair accessible. The trail alongside the creek is paved with many curb cuts and benches. The sidewalks that run between the trail and Guadalupe Mines Road have a slope that might be too steep for some but otherwise wheelchair accessible.
Bikes: Bikes are allowed but not recommended for this trip.
Dogs: Dogs are allowed on 6-ft leash
More Information
eBird hotspot: Guadalupe Creek Trail
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: Guadalupe Creek by Janna Pauser
Last Updated: 4/10/2022
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