Valley Water Headquarters (Fall/Winter/Spring):
Urban Birding in San Jose
by Laura Coatney and Eve Meier
The drought tolerant gardens of the Valley Water Headquarters (previously known as Santa Clara Valley Water District) off Almaden Expressway have become one of our “go to” spots when we are looking for a quiet place to bird. The one-mile, maintained trail through the gardens and around the large percolation pond is little used by people, has several benches along the route, and has plenty of suitable habitat for birds and other wildlife. This compact location is easy to get to making it an ideal and quick birding location.
Trip Covers: October - April
Key Birds: Hummingbirds, Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Red-breasted Sapsucker, Purple Finch, Sparrows (Fox, White-crowned, Golden-crowned, White-throated, Song, Lincoln’s), California and Spotted Towhee, Scaly-breasted Munia
How to Bird
Valley Water’s headquarters are located in the Almaden Valley area of San Jose and sit along the Guadalupe River. This property has drought tolerant gardens, two percolation ponds that act as groundwater recharge basins, and trails though the garden and along the river. These trails are seldom used. Mornings tend to be the best times; the birds are most active and there are fewer people around.
Crushed granite trail through drought tolerant gardens. This is a good area to look for sparrows such as Fox Sparrow and White-throated Sparrow. Photo by Eve Meier
Main percolation pond at Valley Water’s headquarters campus. The pond was empty at the time the photo was taken but is now filled (8/16/2022). Photo by Laura Coatney.
Main percolation pond at Valley Water’s headquarters campus (8/23/2022). Photo by Eve Meier
Starting in the visitor parking area in front of the headquarter’s two-story building, make your way to the trail just behind the building (see interactive map); take the trail clockwise for this guided tour. The path is composed of compacted gravel. On rainy days be aware there may be some pooled water on the trails in this section. First, be sure to check out the Chilean pepper trees behind the main building (#1 on the interactive map). On occasion, this is where you might spot the Scaly-breasted Munia that has been known to nest in these trees. These finch-sized birds are native to Southern Asia. Originally escapees from captivity, there are now established local wild populations. If you don’t find the munia here, check the other pepper trees along the route.
Scaly-breasted Munia by Brooke Miller
Pepper tree lined path behind Valley Water’s headquarter building. Photo by Laura Coatney.
The drought tolerant gardens are good areas to spot many of our year-round residents such as Anna's Hummingbird, Black Phoebe, California Scrub-Jay, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, White-breasted Nuthatch, Bewick's Wren, Northern Mockingbird, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, California Towhee, and Spotted Towhee. Purple Finch are here in winter and early spring too. They can easily be confused with the common House Finch, but the Purple Finch has a bulkier beak and a notched tail, the females are coarsely streaked with strong facial markings, and the males’ coloration is pinkish-red on the head and breast.
All along the way, continue to check the main percolation pond. If it has water, it’s a good place to look for wintering ducks such as Gadwalls, Ring-necked Ducks, Buffleheads and Common Goldeneyes to name a few. Egrets and herons can often be found along the banks. When you are on the north side of the main pond, there’s a secondary pond across the paved path. Be sure to check out that pond too. It’s a little hidden behind the bushes.
Female Purple Finch by Brooke Miller
Male Purple Finch by Garrett Lau
The trail joins the paved access road that runs alongside the Guadalupe River. We like to take the short segment of this road north to Blossom Hill Road (#2 on the interactive map). You’ll have good views of the dense riparian area downstream of the dam. Look for Red-shouldered Hawk, Belted Kingfisher, Song Sparrow and Common Yellowthroat. Check the line of pepper and oak trees along the top of the slope for woodpeckers, such as Red-breasted Sapsucker. Red-breasted Sapsuckers are a winter visitor in Santa Clara and will be making their way back to their breeding grounds about March.
Red-breasted Sapsucker in Pepper Tree by Janna Pauser.
After exploring the spur trail, turn around and continue south (towards the hills) on the access road searching the Guadalupe River upstream from the dam for wading birds, the occasional tern, swallows, and waterfowl (#3 on the interactive map). Killdeer and Spotted Sandpiper can often be seen at the spillway. Northern Rough-winged Swallows and Cliff Swallows nest under the nearby Coleman Ave bridge and are often hawking over the river closer to springtime, but may be seen as early as mid-February most years.
Upstream Guadalupe River next to the spillway. Photo by Laura Coatney
At the end of the access road, rejoin the paved trail, and continue through the gardens (#4 on the interactive map). As you continue to make your way around the pond and through the gardens, watch for sparrows. Golden-crowned and White-crowned Sparrows will be here en masse. Song Sparrows are here year-round. And keep an eye out for some less common sparrows such as Fox, White-throated, and Lincoln’s. Fox Sparrows are particularly difficult to see. These birds are often scratching around in the soil underneath the dense shrubs in search of insects and seeds. Their dark backs camouflage well with the dirt.
Sooty Fox Sparrow by Brooke Miller
In March and April, be sure to check out the flowers of the Pride of Madeira in the native garden (#5 on the interactive map). In addition to the year-round Anna’s Hummingbirds, migrating hummingbird species such as Allen’s, Rufous, and Calliope can occasionally be seen enjoying the nectar producing flowers.
Rufous Hummingbird feeding on Pride of Madeira by Alex Tey
Continue through the gardens until you reach your starting point at the visitor parking lot area.
Ready for More? Los Capitancillos Ponds, across Almaden Expressway is an excellent birding location if you have more time. Check out our winter and spring self-guided field trips for that location.
Interactive Map
Address: 5700 Almaden Expy, San Jose, California
Directions: From CA-85, take Almaden Expy south. At Via Monte Dr (first light after crossing Blossom Hill), make a u-turn then make the next right to turn into the headquarters parking lot. Park in visitor parking or other unmarked spot. Latitude/Longitude: 37.248545, -121.874083
Parking: Park in the headquarters visitor parking area. Paved. ADA Compliant. There’s a second visitor parking area on the south end of the parking lot. See the interactive map for both parking locations.
Fees: None
Public Transportation: VTA Bus Lines: 64A, 83
Trail Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Facilities: Bathrooms are open to the public in the administration building (5700 Almaden Expressway) from 7:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
Trip Mileage: 1 mile
Trail Conditions: Combination of concrete paved and hard-packed gravel road/trail, mostly shaded with some areas of full sun exposure.
Accessibility: There are 5 concrete benches along the 1 mile loop trail. Part of the path around the main pond is paved concrete and the other half is a hard-packed gravel road. The trail has a dirt incline (#6 on the interactive map) next to the exercise area. It is slightly steep but manageable if you are in a motorized chair. You might need assistance if you are in a manual chair, the grade is not ADA compliant.
Bikes: Bikes are allowed but not recommended for this trip.
Dogs: Dogs are allowed on six-foot least
More Information
eBird hotspot: Santa Clara Valley Water District
All About Birds: Purple Finch
Audubon: Scaly-breasted Munia
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: Pepper Trees at SCVWD by Laura Coatney
Last Updated: 08/23/2022
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