La Rinconada Park in Los Gatos (Spring):
Oak Woodland Specialties
by Lisa Myers
This is a delightful little park located in a quiet neighborhood adjacent to open space. Packed with many species, it a wonderful place to relax and bird when you have limited time. In the springtime be on the lookout for breeding activities including nest building and the raising of young. Practice your birding by ear as bird song fills the air. While the lawn may be occupied by people having a picnic or a quick volleyball game, the paved trail is never crowded.
Trip Covers: April - August
Key Birds: Acorn Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, California Thrasher, Spotted Towhee, Black-headed Grosbeak
How To Bird
La Rinconada Park is a 14-acre neighborhood park located in the northwest corner of Los Gatos. The park consists of a riparian oak woodland habitat situated between the La Rinconada Country Club golf course and a quiet neighborhood. The park runs north to south and is long and narrow as it follows along Smith Creek. Granada Way runs the entire length of the park providing easy street parking. There is lawn running almost the entire length of the park on the west side (street side) of Smith Creek, while the paved walking path takes you through the forested section of the park along the east side of the creek. At the very south end of the park the trail turns to gravel and has you walking directly next to the creek on one side with water district land on the other. The gravel trail stops once it ends at the adjacent neighborhood. The length of the park is roughly ¼ mile so, no matter where you park on Granada Way, you can start a loop which will be just under a ½ mile walk.
Large expanse of lawn runs between the street parking on Granada Way and the trail.
Once out of the car, scan the expanse of lawn for any birds that might be hunting around the grasses including Western Bluebirds, Black Phoebes and American Robins. At the same time be sure to listen for what may be in the established trees found here including White-breasted Nuthatch and Nuttall’s Woodpecker. Northern Mockingbirds are usually singing from a nearby rooftop, and Brown-headed Cowbirds appear each spring. At the edge of the lawn where it enters the tree line you can often find Dark-eyed Juncos and other sparrows depending on the season. Listen for Spotted Towhees vocalizing or digging here through the leaf litter.
Spotted Towhee by Deanne Tucker
After birding the lawn area, access the paved trail on the east side of Smith Creek using one of the three footbridges. Smith Creek is not a very big creek and at times is dry. It is always a good idea to look into the creek to see if there is any water and if there are any birds like Wilson’s Warbler, Bewick’s Wren or Pacific-Slope Flycatcher along the shaded creek bed. Warbling Vireos can often be heard, but are harder to find.
One of 3 footbridges that crosses Smith Creek.
Once on the trail be on the lookout for Black-headed Grosbeak, Northern Flicker, California Thrasher, Oak Titmouse, Chestnut-backed Chickadee and both Steller’s Jay and California Scrub-Jay. On the east side of the trail there is a steep rise up to a chain link fence that defines the golf course. It is always good to look up the hill to see if there are any birds perched above in a tree or on the fence line.
California Thrasher by Brooke Miller
Paved trail on the east side of Smith Creek.
View up the hill towards the golf course.
At the south end of the park you’ll cross the southernmost bridge and the trail turns to gravel. If you continue south the trail opens up and takes you along Smith Creek a short distance before ending in the adjacent neighborhood. On this part of the trail look for the few nesting boxes placed on the side of the hill. In the spring they may be home to Western Bluebirds or one of the swallow species. This is a good location to look up into the sky to see if there are any Vaux’s Swift or Violet-green Swallows. You may also find a Turkey Vulture, Red-tail Hawk or Cooper’s Hawk circling above.
Smith Creek along the trail on the south side of La Rinconada Park.
From here you should turn around to go back. You can either cross back over the southernmost bridge and take the paved trail back the way you came, or continue on the gravel trail to the street (Granada Way) where you will find yourself back on the lawn. You can bird your way back to your car and finish your loop. Keep an eye out for species that might be found on the edge of the tree line and the lawn like California Quail or California Towhee.
California Towhee by Tom Grey
Interactive Map
Directions: From Highway 17 in Los Gatos exit West onto Lark Ave. and follow a short distance to Winchester Blvd. and turn right onto Winchester Blvd. Quickly get to the left lane before you get to the light and turn left onto Wimbledon Dr. Follow Wimbledon as it takes you past several townhouse complexes and dead ends at Wedgewood Ave. Take a left onto Wedgewood Ave. You will pass the golf course on your left and continue to Granada Way. Turn left on Granada Way and you will see the park on your left. Latitude/Longitude: 37.260180,-121.980837
Parking: Convenient street parking
Fees: None
Park Hours: 7am to ½ hour after sunset
Facilities: There are no bathrooms. This park has one tennis court, a playground and a drinking fountain on the north end. There are several concrete picnic tables and BBQ’s located near the playground. There are more than a dozen concrete benches scattered along the trail. Additional picnic tables, concrete benches and BBQs are also scattered along the edge of the lawn. There is cell coverage here.
Trip Mileage: The length of the park is roughly ¼ of a mile.
Trail Conditions: This neighborhood park has a lot of lawn from which you can bird. The lawn is flat, but you always have to look not to trip in any divots. The paved walking trail has a slight rise and fall but is an easy walk.
Accessibility: The paved walking trail does go up and down in elevation as it follows along the contours of the landscape. If in a wheelchair by yourself it might pose some challenge. To reach the trail you have to walk across the expanse of lawn, however there is one area for wheelchair access to the paved trail located at the sidewalk near the tennis court.
Bikes: Not specified and not recommended for this trip.
Dogs: Dogs are allowed on a 6-foot leash, but many neighborhood dog owners use this park to let their dogs romp off leash. Everyone is usually very friendly and will put their dogs back on leash when they see folks approaching.
More Information
eBird hotspot: La Rinconada
Birding Basics with SCVAS Education & Outreach Specialist Carolyn Knight: The Woodpecker
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: Oak Titmouse by Steve Zamek
Last Updated: 05/23/2022
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