February Recommendations

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Joseph D. Grant Park (Winter): Grant Lake to McCreery Lake

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Joseph D. Grant Park (Winter): Grant Lake to McCreery Lake

Within the east San Jose foothills lies Joseph D. Grant Park, Santa Clara county’s largest park.  Included in this park are over 50 miles of walking trails and an impressive variety of bird species at  any time of the year. In the winter months two excellent stopping points within Joseph D. Grant Park  are Grant Lake and the more secluded, adjacent McCreery Lake. Just past the main park entrance on  Mt. Hamilton Rd. (Hwy. 130), they are easily accessible and provide a wide variety of waterfowl and  shorebirds in the peaceful oak woodland hills. Within this same area you will also encounter many  raptors, woodpeckers, and songbirds. 

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Calero Reservoir (Late Winter/Early Spring): Dancing Western and Clark’s Grebes

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Calero Reservoir (Late Winter/Early Spring): Dancing Western and Clark’s Grebes

January through March, Western and Clark’s Grebes are performing their spectacular courtship displays. Calero Reservoir in San José south of Almaden Valley can be a fairly easy place to watch them.

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Picchetti Ranch OSP (Winter): Oak Woodland Waiting for the Rains

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Picchetti Ranch OSP (Winter): Oak Woodland Waiting for the Rains

Oak savanna, oak-bay woodland and chaparral habitat with spectacular views, uncrowded trails, free parking and good facilities make Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve in Cupertino an ideal place for a birding or nature hike. After heavy rains in the winter a seasonal pond fills, which can bring in ducks and other wildlife.

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Raynor Park in Sunnyvale (Winter): Let’s Find Birds… and DINOSAURS!!

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Raynor Park in Sunnyvale (Winter): Let’s Find Birds… and DINOSAURS!!

Getting young kids excited about birding is easy, when you can show the link between normal playground/park birds and their ancient dinosaur cousins! This neighborhood park in the heart of Sunnyvale’s suburbia has everything to recommend it for a family outing to explore birding with the youngest. Just over a mile of flat, stroller-friendly sidewalks, adjacent farm fields & orchard, and two dinosaur-themed playgrounds make this destination a winner.

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Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant (Fall/Winter): Ducks for Days

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Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant (Fall/Winter): Ducks for Days

You wouldn’t think that sewage treatment would be a travel-worthy destination, but Sunnyvale Water Pollution Control Plant’s large variety of waterfowl and passerines is well worth a trip. Whether you’re looking for a 100-yard stroll from the car or a 4-mile hike, this spot provides excellent views of a large variety of bird species, all in a beautiful bay-front environment.

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Coyote Valley (Late Winter/Early Spring): Love & Raptors in the Air

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Coyote Valley (Late Winter/Early Spring): Love & Raptors in the Air

The agricultural fields of the Coyote Valley floor in South San Jose/Morgan Hill are excellent birding for raptors and grassland specialties. A popular stop is Laguna Ave, where with luck you can watch courting Red-tailed Hawks, Golden Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, and more! This trip is best done by car or by bike as it involves scanning long sections of fields along roads.

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Pond A4 (Winter/Early Spring): A Wintertime South Bay Birding Sampler

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Pond A4 (Winter/Early Spring): A Wintertime South Bay Birding Sampler

Walk or bike around Pond A4 in Sunnyvale for a broad birding sample of southern San Francisco Bay in winter. Diving ducks blanket the pond, terns and pelicans fly overhead, marsh birds lurk in the surrounding channels, raptors perch on utility towers, and—as a reminder of the human footprint on the landscape—crows and blackbirds scavenge around the adjacent landfill.

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Lake Cunningham Park (Winter): Wintering Waterfowl and Gulls

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Lake Cunningham Park (Winter): Wintering Waterfowl and Gulls

Are you looking for a place to go birding in San Jose during the winter? Look no further! Lake Cunningham Park in East San Jose’s Alum Rock neighborhood is a winter waterfowl oasis with gulls galore.

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