Birding at Foothills Nature Preserve

BY DIANE MCCOY AND EVE MEIER

View from Foothills Nature Preserve

A lake for winter ducks and summer swallows, a panoramic vista for soaring hawks and cruising vultures, redwoods and oaks for woodpeckers, juncos, and bluebirds, and chaparral for towhees, wrens and jays! Foothills Nature Preserve in Palo Alto,newly opened to the public, has it all, all year round for everyone!

Trip Covers: Year-round

Key Birds: Red-tailed Hawk, California Quail, Gadwall (winter), Western Bluebird, Acorn Woodpecker, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Townsend’s Warbler (winter)

How to Bird

After 51 years of a Palo Alto residents-only policy, Foothills Nature Preserve is now officially open to all. Bordered by Portola Valley, Los Altos Hills, Arastradero-Pearson Preserve, and Los Trancos Open Space, Foothills Nature Preserve has over 1,400 acres of diverse habitat, animals, and, of course, BIRDS to explore and discover; upwards of 90 different bird species!

We’ve chosen three stops with a couple of optional walks to help get you started in exploring this park. Your first stop will be just after entering the park where you will take a short, flat walk to the lake. Your second stop will be deeper into the park to explore a shady picnic area and walk through a small valley bounded by chaparral covered hillsides. For your third stop, you’ll drive up a small hill to enjoy the views of the bay.

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