Best Bird Watching Area Fremont Near Me

4worldlovers: In case if you see overlapped lines of text or some lines of text become obscured behind a picture on this web

Page, please change the page magnification (zoom) factor to eliminate such problems by pressing these two

Keys "Ctrl +" simultaneously or these two keys "Ctrl -" simultaneously. Depending on your PC setting, it may

Be necessary to reduce the magnification factor several steps down in order to eliminate the overlap and

Please press the F11 key (Fn key and F11 key on laptop PC) on your keyboard to get full-screen view of

Photos and web page. Pressing F11 key again will return to your normal screen with various tool bars.

One of many avocet that we saw when we came for bird watching in Eden Landing Ecological Reserve in

San Francisco Bay at Hayward, California on November 22, 2020. The avocet is a distinctively-patterned

Zoom in for a close up view of the long, thin, up-curving bill of avocet. Avocet sweep their curved beaks from

Side to side underwater as they slowly walk through shallow water – often times in groups. This sweeping

Action stirs up aquatic insects, crustaceans, small fish and seeds which allow the birds to filter and eat.

This is the Eden Landing Ecological Reserve Parking lot on Eden Landing Road between Arden Rd and San

Francisco Bay Trail in Hayward, California 94545 as shown on this interactive Google Map. It has parking

Space for about 22 cars. It took us only 25 minutes of driving to reach this parking lot.


From the parking lot, visitors walk on this Eden Landing Road for about 360 yards to the end which is a

Staging Area at Mt Eden Creek. Then visitors take a short bridge to cross the Mt. Eden Creek to reach the


San Francisco Bay Shore for bird watching as shown by the Pin on this interactive Map. The Eden Landing

Bay Trail primarily follows the perimeter of the restored and managed wetlands and provides year-round

One of several wetlands and Wildlife Ponds in the 6,000 acres of former Salt Evaporation Ponds in Eden

Landing Ecological Reserve in San Francisco Bay near the east end of San Mateo Bridge in Hayward as

Shown in this interactive Google Map. Even thought there are many birds in here, they are spread out in very

When Avocet are out of water, we can see that they have very long legs as waders.

Managed salt ponds and diked areas in Eden Landing Ecological Reserve support resident shorebirds such as

Many avocet are busily eating something in the shallow water. Avocet forage in shallow fresh and saltwater

I took a movie of these avocet busily eating something in the water as shown in the following YouTube movie.

It was a windy day such that there are a lot of wind noise in the movie sound.

Zoom in on the distinctive black and white patterns of avocet in the air very far away.

Top-down view of the black and white patterns of avocet in the air.

I zoomed in and took a movie of many avocet in the air and on the water very far away as shown in the

Following YouTube movie. There were also some other kind of brown colored birds in the air near the end of

Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owr7UzGs1eQ&feature=youtu.be


I had to use the 65X optical zoom of my compact super-zoom camera to zoom in to be able to see them well.

There are many miles of hiking trails on the levee and dikes for bird watchers, hikers and bikers to enjoy.

We also saw some egrets in action in this Ecological Reserve.

I zoomed in and took a movie of two groups of dark colored water birds flying low just above the water

Surface as shown in this YouTube Movie. Again, there are a lot of wind noise in the movie due to a windy day.


Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUyHDkdYM0A&feature=youtu.be

From time to time, large groups of water birds fly high in the sky over Eden Landing Ecological Reserve. I

Zoomed in and took some pictures of them flying high and far away.

I zoomed in and took several movie clips of these high flying groups of water birds above Eden Landing

Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VtTlmwM7fI&feature=youtu.be

Some stilts with very long legs. When they are sleeping, they stand on a single long leg.

I zoomed in and took movie clips of a stilt and a shorebird busily eating something in the shallow water as

Https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIqT4UZGi1E&feature=youtu.be

Zoom in on two of several terns in action far away.

One of the great blue herons with long legs as waders in Mt. Eden Creek.

One of the egrets with long legs as waders in Mt. Eden Creek.

4worldlovers: Did you know that you could survey for bats using acoustic detectors that record echolocation calls? The calls are unique to each species so it's a valuable non-invasive technique to survey for bats. This year, the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay NWR was part of the North American Bat Monitoring Program. Staff from Bat Conservation International deployed a single recorder for one week at Bair Island and recorded two bat species: the Hoary Bat (Lasiurus cinereus) and the Brazilian free-tailed Bat (Tadarida brasiliensis). Bats play an important role in the ecosystem by consuming insects and pollinating plants. To learn more about bats, visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service story about bats and Bat Conservation International (batcon.org).

Mallard Slough Trail and sections of Alviso Slough Trail are Closed due to construction at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Alviso California. South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project (Phase I) between the Alviso Slough/Guadalupe River and Coyote Creek is underway.

For more information see the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Fact Sheet

In the heart of California's high-tech industry lies a wildlife oasis in an urban sea with 30,000 acres of habitat for millions of migratory birds and endangered species. Established in 1972 through local activism, the refuge provides not only critical habitat for threatened and endangered species, but opportunities for people to enjoy the benefits of nature.

We are so excited to welcome your campers back for another year of Marsh-In Summer Camp at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. This is the 44th year of free Summer Camp being offered to Bay Area youth entering Grades 1-6. Campers will have the opportunity to learn, complete fun self-guided activities, interact with Refuge Rangers & Biologists, learn to fish, explore the Refuge in Fremont, and much more!

Applications are due on June 9th. Here is the application link: https://forms.gle/cq6vCc9uYtM37ddR6. The form provides the rest of the camp details.

Please reach out to summercamp@sfbayws.org if you have any questions.

Sits on the southern end of San Francisco Bay. It is indeed a wildlife oasis in an urban sea. The refuge, created in 1972, was largely the result of grassroots efforts by the local community to protect the San Francisco Bay ecosystem. Today, it provides not only critical habitat for threatened and endangered species, but opportunities for people to enjoy the benefits of nature.

Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge was established to preserve and enhance wildlife habitat; protect migratory birds and threatened and endangered species; and provide opportunities for wildlife-oriented recreation and nature study for the surrounding communities.

Fifteen habitat types exist on the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, contributing to the diversity of wildlife on the refuge. More than 340 plant species and 280 species of birds call the refuge home, and millions of individual birds fly through the area during peak migrations. In addition to plants and birds, the refuge provides habitat for fish, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates!

4worldlovers: This 1,249-acre regional park provides tremendous views from its setting in the Fremont Hills. The plateau rises quickly and steeply from the bay plain to an elevation 1,000 feet above the streets below, overlooking Niles Canyon, Fremont, Union City, Newark and the San Francisco Bay beyond. Atop the plateau a pastoral landscape predominates, and golden eagles, hawks, deer, bobcats, frogs, snakes and a variety of other animals make their home in the open grasslands, ponds and steep wooded canyons. These characteristics, with the Bay Area Ridge Trail along the ridgetop, make the park a great place for outdoor recreation and nature appreciation on the urban/wildland threshold.


Due to steep grade, the trails are generally not suitable for wheelchair users.

Vargas Plateau Regional Park has a diverse array of wildlife habitats typical of the inner coast ranges, including grassland, seasonal wetlands, stock ponds, perennial and ephemeral drainages, northern coastal scrublands and oak woodlands, with some low rock outcrops.

The parkland provides an important ridgetop link between ridgeline parks to the north and south (Garin, Pleasanton Ridge, Mission Peak, Sunol). This makes it an important corridor connecting habitats for threatened species, allowing genetic mixing between populations and encouraging their recovery. The ponds in Vargas Plateau provide habitat for several special-status species, including the threatened California red-legged frog and the Alameda whipsnake, and for the federally threatened California tiger salamander.

Ground squirrels are easily found in the highest elevations of the plateau. Their burrow chambers may be inhabited by the California tiger salamander and the California red-legged frog, and by reptiles such as the Pacific gopher snake and the Northern Pacific rattlesnake. Many insects also utilize the burrows, including crickets, ants and beetles, which serve as food for non-breeding tiger salamanders. The ground squirrels, along with the California meadow vole, attract a wide array of predators such as the white-tailed kite and Northern harrier.

Wetland habitats within Vargas Plateau include several ponds and seasonal wetlands. Upland, tributary drainages serve as the headwaters of various streams, all of which drain into Alameda Creek. The dense stands of coast live oak and interspersed California bay located in the drainages and on the plateau’s steep slopes support a wide array of species, including the gray fox, black-tailed deer, dusky-footed woodrat, red-tailed hawks, Cooper’s hawks, the great-horned owl and tiny pygmy owl, and wild turkeys.

The park’s steep topography has contributed to the plateau remaining somewhat isolated from major human encroachment, save for mostly agricultural uses such as ranching and dryland farming. This in turn has preserved the plateau’s integrity as a favored foraging area for golden eagles and other raptors, and for far-ranging mammals such as coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions.

There are more than six miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails. This is a prime location for birdwatching, especially raptor viewing, and the ridgetops offer panoramic views westward towards San Francisco Bay. Facilities include only a trailhead with a wayside panel and a restroom. Bring sufficient water for you and your animals, as drinking water is not available.

The Park District’s Phase Two plans for Vargas Plateau Regional Park include group and trekking camps, which are dependent on the construction of an upper staging area. More significant road improvements will likely be needed prior to opening these areas to the public. This phase could take years to implement.

This parkland appears to be located within the homeland of the Tuibun, an Ohlone-speaking tribe with villages in the Fremont Plains, or the Causen, an Ohlone-speaking tribe or village in the Sunol Valley. The Tuibun and Causen lived with the land rather than on it, managing it with specialized horticultural techniques that increased the numbers and health of the innumerable plants and animals on which they relied. The 1772 and 1776 arrivals nearby of Spanish expeditions foreshadowed a time of severe dislocation and suffering for the Tuibun and Causen under the Spanish, Mexican, and early American governments. Despite the changes of history, today’s Ohlones continue to maintain cultural communities and traditions.

4worldlovers:
Welcome to Alviso Marina County Park, gateway to the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. This 20.6 acre bayside park, located along Alviso slough and adjacent to the salt ponds and marshes of Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Though small in size, the Park offers a great deal of activities within its boundaries and on into the Wildlife Refuge. The pathways and boardwalks of the County Park and trails around the ponds in the adjacent Wildlife Refuge, and the regional trails which include the San Francisco Bay Trail and San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail, offer fantastic views of the mountains surrounding the bay, and of the wildlife that call these ponds home.​


Take Highway 237 (Alviso-Milpitas Road) west to North First Street exit. Turn right on North First Street (which becomes North Taylor); turn right on Gold Street, left on Elizabeth Street and right on Hope Street.

Take Highway 237 (Mt. View-Alviso Road) east to Great America Parkway exit. Turn left onto Great America Parkway, turn right on Gold Street connector, left on Gold Street, left on Elizabeth Street and right on Hope Street.

Join park staff on an interpretive boat ride through Alviso Slough to learn how the South San Francisco Bay’s shoreline has changed over time. Click HERE to register for a spot on the FREE Alviso Boat Tour! if you are an educator for grades 6+ and would like to bring your class out on the slough, please check out the EDUCATION PROGRAMS page HERE and scroll down to Exploring Our Changing Bay.

Hiking, biking and bird watching are favorite activities in both the park and the refuge, while picnicking and strolling along the manicured pathways can be enjoyed within the County Park. Dogs are allowed in the County Park's pathways and picnic areas, but are not allowed on the trails, levees and boardwalks. While bikes are allowed on all pathways and trails in the park, please walk your bikes on the boardwalks.

The boat launch ramp provides one of the few clear routes in the San Jose area through the salt marshes of Alviso slough out to the open waters of the San Francisco Bay. The boat launch ramp provides access for both motorized and non-motorized boats and includes concrete launch ramps and two floating docks. Alviso Marina County Park is a Designated Site in the San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail Network. Please see the San Francisco Bay Trail or San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail websites for more information about these regional trails. Navigational charts can be obtained through NOAA or a local retailer (Ref. No. 18AHA18651). When using the waters of the bay, please respect the sensitive nature of this unique ecosystem.

For more information about the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, visit their website HERE. For inquiries about the Environmental Education Center, field trips, trails, and interpretive programs, call (408) 262-5513.

The park is open year-round from 8 a.m. to sunset. There are no fees collected at this time for vehicle entry or launching.

Santa Clara County's Alviso Marina is the primary access in Santa Clara County for vessel owners to launch into San Francisco Bay. Fishermen and hunters who want access to the launch ramp after hours will need to purchase an annual Gate Key.

To purchase a Gate Key, you must complete the Alviso Marina County Park Gate Key Form, (see below) read, sign and submit with current payment to the Santa Clara County Parks Administration Office, Attention: ALVISO, 298 Garden Hill Drive, Los Gatos, CA 95032. Annual fee is $75.00.

Mallard Slough Trail is closed due to construction as well as sections of Alviso Slough Trail at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Alviso California. South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project (Phase I) between the Alviso Slough/Guadalupe River and Coyote Creek is underway. For more information, see the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project fact sheet.

In compliance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ('ADA'),the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its programs, services, or activities. The Department will make reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disability have an equal opportunity to enjoy our programs, services, facilities, and activities. If you need assistance with an ADA request, please contact our ADA Coordinator​.