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Jump to: Scenic Shots Raptors Herons & Egrets Ducks & Geese Shorebirds Songbirds Pelicans Non-Birds
Scenic Shots
View of development site with the Shell Mound and Dust Marsh in the foreground. One can see how close the development area is to the sensitive wetlands of Coyote Hills Regional Park.
Two shots of Crandall Creek on the West side of Ardenwood.
And two from the East side of Ardenwood. Almost no buffer is provided between the creek and the proposed residential development East of Ardenwood. Some of this development is three story townhomes.
The tract to the south of the proposed developement is immediately adjacent to the quarry. Much of this site is wetlands.
The developable land has been kept plowed and denuded.
These six shots are all of the Patterson Ranch property itself.
A number of landscape shots showing the beauty of Coyote Hills and close much of the proposed development area is to the park.
Just a few more scenics. The last three of these are taken from very close to the boundary between the park and Patterson Ranch.
Raptors
Coyote Hills is well-known for the wide variety of birds that can be seen there. Here is a group from the Audobon Society.
Goshawks can be seen regularly near the propsed development area.
Black-Shouldered Kites are a frequent site in the park. The latter photo was taken on the edge of Crandall Creek directly adjacent to the proposed project.
There is a Red-Tailed Hawk's nest on the site that has been used for the last two years. Homes are proposed within a few hundred feet of this nest. The photo of the chick is from May of 2005. The parents have been seen in the nest this year (2006).
A pair of Peregrine Falcon's can be see occasionally at the Ardenwood overcrossing of Alameda Creek. This one was observed from the underside of the overcrossing.
Marsh Hawk. Also known as a Norther Harrier. Easily seen within the park.
Turkey Vulture
Herons and Egrets
Great Blue Heron
Green Heron
This juvenille Black-Crowned Night Heron was playing around while an adult slept near by.
The magnificent Great Egret is a regular to Crandall Creek and the site as a whole. All of these shots are taken on the Patterson Ranch properly or directly adjacent to it.
The smaller Snowy Egret is also very commonly seen near the site.
Ducks and Geese
The Coyote Hills area is home to a large number of migrating waterfowl. Some other species seen but not pictured here are Green-Winged Teal, Bufflehead, and American Widgeon. Below are Canvasbacks.
Northern Pintail
A family of Cinnamon Teal has been observed in Crandall Creek this year and last. The first shot is from Crandall Creek
Northern Shoveler
Common Goldeneye
Seeing a Common Merganser is rare for this area. Mergansers typically avoid developed areas. This one was observed in Crandall Creek on the East side of Ardenwood, directly adjacent to where the three story townhomes would be.
Canada Geese are very prevalent in the park and on the Patterson Ranch property.
Canada Geese and Ruddy Ducks
Shorebirds
A number of shorebirds enjoy the Coyote Hills area. Below is a Greater Yellowlegs. The first shot is taken from Crandall Creek.
The reclusive Common Moorhen
Eared Grebe
Killdeer. Both of these photos are from the Patterson Ranch property. The mother with the two chicks was observed in May of 2005.
Pied-Billed Grebe.
Songbirds and Others
California Quail
Tree Swallows abound in the park near numerous bird houses that were created for them.
The Phoebe is a regular at Crandall Creek.
The beautiful Say's Phoebe is also a regular near Crandall Creek.
Red-Winged Blackbird (female)
Common Yellowthroat
American Pipit in Crandall Creek
Yellow-Rumped Warbler
Bluebird
Song Sparrow
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
Marsh Wren
Scrub Jay
Northern Junch
Pelicans
Pelicans are often seen in great numbers, up to 120 at a time, in the Dust Marsh directly adjacent to the Patterson Ranch property.
Other Animals
There are a number of animals that can be seen at the park including Skunk and Muskrat.
There is a group of about eight White-Tailed Deer that frequent the Patterson Ranch site adjacent to the park. They can often be seen from the entrance road to the park or from the Crandall Creek trail
Gray Fox.
Butterfly.
Bunny Rabbit on path next to Crandall Creek.
Crawdad in Crandall Creek
