Self-guided Birding Locations
Pearson-Arastradero Preserve is located in Palo Alto and is a great place to go birding if you live in Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto, or San Mateo. The park features a range of habitats from grasslands to oak woodland, and a small lake, all of which are home to a wide variety of birds throughout the year. In the spring, many birds arrive from the tropics and make this their home for a few months when they build their nests and raise their young before heading back south in the fall.
The John Nicholas Trail in the hills of Los Gatos is a fairly flat, wide trail belonging to Upper Sanborn County Park. It is surrounded by native forest, including oak, redwood, fir and pine which provide a nice cover to be enjoyed year-round. This is one of the best places in Santa Clara County for a chance at seeing Pileated Woodpecker or Pacific Wren. In the spring, it’s a great place to find mountain birds returning from the tropics to nest in the area.
In the mood to get off the rugged trails and try something different? Visit the beautiful grounds of this Saratoga park. Meander the formal gardens of the villa while enjoying the various art installations and the birds.
Just a short hop off Highway 280 in Cupertino brings you to this, our very first Santa Clara County park. Drive through lower Stevens Creek Canyon, stopping to bird at parking spots and picnic areas. Shady creeksides, a reservoir to scan, and oak and chaparral hillsides are alive with resident and migrant birds. The secret to finding them is to come early to beat the heat and crowds. And don’t forget your picnic lunch!
The “Beautiful Mountain” lives up to its name. Located west of Palo Alto, sweeping views and multiple microhabitats make this preserve a visual delight to walk through. Many of our most coveted summer breeding birds are attracted to the richness of this park. Lazuli Bunting is an excellent example of a species that drops in to breed at this location. Sometimes residents such as Pileated Woodpecker can also be seen.
Skyline Boulevard runs at the top of the Santa Cruz Mountains. This higher elevation area is home to a variety of birds which are harder to find in other parts of the county. This guide covers 3 stops along Skyline Blvd which can be visited by car and with a minimal amount of walking.
This spring trip south of San José gives great vistas of the South Bay and views as far away as San Francisco and Mt Diablo. Butterflies and bees distract as you try to spot the calling California Thrashers, Wrentits and Blue-gray Gnatcatchers. Above, ravens and vultures are joined by hawks and swallows. Trails are alive with wildflowers, insects, and birds and if you're lucky, a Merriam Chipmunk or Western Whiptail among the manzanita.
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.
The John Nicholas Trail in the hills of Los Gatos is a fairly flat, wide trail belonging to Upper Sanborn County Park. It is surrounded by native forest, including oak, redwood, fir and pine which provide a nice cover to be enjoyed year-round. This is one of the best places in Santa Clara County for a chance at seeing Pileated Woodpecker or Pacific Wren. Visit In the winter months to hear the unusual calls of Varied Thrush.
En las colinas de Los Gatos se encuentra el John Nicholas Trail, un sendero ancho y bastante nivelado, que pertenece al Upper Sanborn County Park. El sendero está rodeado de un bosque nativo compuesto de robles, secoyas, abetos y pinos….
Pearson-Arastradero Preserve is an open space preserve on the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The preserve is located in Palo Alto and is a great place to go birding if you live in Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto, or San Mateo.
La reserva natural Pearson-Arastradero es un parque ubicado en los pies de las montañas de Santa Cruz. La reserva está ubicada en Palo Alto y es un gran lugar para observar aves si usted vive en Mountain View, Los Altos, Palo Alto, o San Mateo. El parque posee una variedad de hábitats que incluyen praderas, bosques de robles y un pequeño lago, los que atraen a una gran variedad de aves durante todo el año.
The Wood Road entrance is a quiet, less-trafficked entrance to the expansive Almaden Quicksilver County Park. This short out-and-back trail is wide and mostly shaded by blue oaks, live oaks, madrones, and bay laurels, until you emerge into open chaparral. Come here to enjoy a peaceful morning…
