VALLE VISTA EBMUD WATERSHED FIELD TRIP (MORAGA)

Trip Leaders: TRIP LEADERS: JESSICA CAMPBELL (JESSICAHCAMPBELL@COMCAST.NET)
AND JOANNE TILLEMANS (JOANNETILLEMANS@GMAIL.COM)

Date: Sunday February 8 – 8 to 11 a.m.

Description: 
Valle Vista is an EBMUD protected watershed near the town of Moraga. It offers a
wonderful combination of forest, open, and aquatic habitats, which means we can hope
to see a wide variety of birds. It is not unusual for us to gather fifty species over the
course of an outing at this time of year. All of the varieties of ducks are in now, including
Gadwalls, American Wigeons, Ring-necked Ducks, Wood Ducks and Ruddy Ducks.
Also, we often see Hooded-Mergansers and Common Mergansers. The other species
we may pick up are a variety of Woodpeckers, a Kestrel, a California Thrasher (hard to
spot, but could hear it's lovely song), the White-breasted Nuthatch, and a very active
Belted Kingfisher. You may also see deer, coyote, rabbits, feral pigs or even an
occasional bobcat. We will walk for one mile along Rimer Creek to a view of Upper San
Leandro Reservoir, then return down the same route. The walk is mostly level with
some gentle up and down. Parts of the trail can be muddy. There is a pit toilet in the
parking lot, but there is no drinking water.

Trip Size: 15 maximum

Take Highway 24 to Orinda/Moraga exit (exit 9).  Head southeast on Moraga Way towards Moraga and proceed approximately 4.5 miles.  Turn right onto Canyon Road.  Proceed approximately 1 mile to EBMUD Valle Vista Staging Area (on the left).

Google Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/A7HehdUc8wQSVsmp9

Registration opens on Tuesday January 20 at 1 pm and closes on Thursday February 5 at 11 pm.