Valle Vista EBMUD Watershed

Trip leaders: ​​JoAnneTillemans@gmail.com. 510-918-5644, Jessica Campbell - jessicahcampbell@comcast.net,  Melisa Kaye - gr8blueheron13@gmail.com

Date: Sunday May 17 -- 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. We often get counts as high as 60 in this location. New arrivals we would expect to see or hear in May include the Ash-throated Flycatcher, Black-headed Grosbeak, Warbling Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Western Tanager and Western Flycatcher. We should also see many types of Swallows, various Woodpeckers, the California Thrasher and Western Bluebirds. For raptors, we will often spot the Bald and Golden Eagles as well as the Red-Tailed and Red-Shouldered Hawks. 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.  We will walk about one mile out and one mile back. There is one bench at the turn around spot. Parts of the trail can be muddy. There is a pit toilet in the parking lot, but there is no drinking water.  

Limit: 15

Valle Vista is located near the town of Moraga.  If you are using Google or Apple maps, search for EBMUD Valle Vista Staging Area.From the west,  take CA-24 through the Caldecott Tunnel, to exit 9, the Orinda-Moraga exit, and turn right on Camino Pablo toward Moraga. Go straight for about 4.5 miles to the T intersection, then turn right onto Canyon Road. Go about 1 mile and turn left into the Valle Vista Staging Area parking lot. 

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

Registration opens Tuesday April 21 at 1 pm and closes on Thursday May 14 at 11 pm