Henry Coe State Park, Morgan Hill, CA - May 4, 2003

05/04/2003
Henry Coe State Park is an 81,000 acre gem in the California state park system. It is bigger than Bermuda and most of the park is only accessible by hiking one of its many trails. Take 101 South, take the East Dunne Avenue exit, and proceed 10 miles east on a winding country road to the park entrance. There is a $2 per person entrance fee. From the parking lot take the Spring Trail or Forest Trail (a self-guided nature trail that orients you to the park's trees) to see the many birds attracted to this remote park. The park is mostly Oak Savannah habitat with several species of oak, as well as madrone, Bay Laurel, California Buckeye and the usual coyote brush, toyon, and chemise and sage brush.

After snooping out all the birds and wild flowers on these short relatively flat trails, if you are feeling adventurous then take the 10 mile loop trail to China Hole and look for the resident Northern Pygmy Owl. Beware though of the 1400 foot elevation change on this dramatic and beautiful trail as well as bicyclists on the single track trail to the creek. In the spring the park vibrates with wild flowers and birds but by mid June the hills have turned brown, the birds have departed, the creek has dried up, and it has turned scorchingly hot. On a recent trip May 4, 2003 we saw the following:

Bullock's orioles, Western Tanagers, Black-headed grosbeaks, Black-throated grey warblers, orange-crowned warblers, Titmice, bushtits, Lesser goldfinches, Acorn woodpeckers, California Quails, Stellar's jays, Scrub jays, Dark-eyed juncos, Ash-throated flycatchers, blue-grey gnatcatchers, one hermit warbler, Wild turkeys, Red-tailed hawks, scores of Turkey vultures some of which were munching on a dead deer half submerged in the creek, ravens, house wrens, purple finches, warbling vireos, cassin's vireos, Hutton's vireos, Anna's hummingbird, Northern flicker, Western-wood peewee, black phoebe, tree swallow, White-breasted nuthatch, Chesnut-backed chickadee, Bewick's wren, Western Bluebird, Wrentit, European Starling, Rufous-sided towhee, California Towhee, Red-winged blackbird, Western meadowlark.