This park has grown through recent acquisition of Gray Whale Ranch to the north, and coastal lowlands to the west to 7,000 acres. This particular account is about Wilder Ranch proper. Coastal areas within the newer western parts of the park (Baldwin Creek Beach and Three Mile Beach) are described in the next North Coast entry, and we will turn to birding at the former Gray Whale Ranch in the regional section about “The Mountains”.
Wilder Ranch, once a pioneer dairy farm, extends from the lower slopes of Ben Lomond Mountain to the ocean and boasts a diverse list of bird species: so far an impressive 302 species. Many historic farm buildings near Hwy 1 have been restored. Beyond these human touches, Wilder has 35 miles of trails, most of them shared by hikers, horseback riders, and bicyclists. Facilities include a picnic area and a small gift shop.
Directions. The entrance is on Hwy 1, 1.8 miles from its intersection with Western Dr. There is a day use fee.
Birds. At the parking lot check for raptors, Say’s Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike in the fall and winter. From here, the Old Landing Cove Trail, bordered by agricultural fields and scrub, follows the coastal bluff to form a 2.3 mile loop that offers views of Wilder Beach, spectacular rocky shoreline, and the ocean. Shortly after starting on this trail, look east over the basin of Wilder Creek at a successful habitat restoration project begun in 1994. Former agricultural fields have been returned to thriving wetland and riparian habitats. This area and Wilder Beach itself are a natural reserve area, closed to protect habitat values and give refuge to nesting Snowy Plovers. While overlooking the restoration area, listen for Virginia Rail and Sora calling from the marsh in winter and spring, and look for American Goldfinches in spring. The limited human use at Wilder Beach no doubt contributes its very high bird. View the beach from an overlook on the trail (a scope helps), one can often see Snowy Plovers, numerous other shorebirds, gulls, and terns. A variety of rare shorebirds have stopped here during fall migration. In fall and winter check scrub along the trail for Palm Warbler, House Wren, and Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, and many other raptors frequent Wilder Beach and the surrounding area. During a brief autumn and winter walk an alert birder may see five to eight (or even more) raptor species here.
Continuing along the bluff top to Fern Grotto, scan for loons, grebes, scoters, Red-breasted Merganser, Black Swift (currently very rare), and migrant seabirds. Numerous Pigeon Guillemots and a few small colonies of Pelagic Cormorants nest on the cliffs, and Black Oystercatcher, Surfbird, and other rocky shorebirds are often on the intertidal shelves. In fall and winter the coastal agricultural fields and their weedy margins harbor numerous sparrows: Savannah, Fox, Song, Lincoln’s, Golden-crowned, and White-crowned regularly, but look, too, for Clay-colored, Swamp, and White-throated. Watch also for American Pipit, and (rare) Horned Lark, Lapland Longspur, and Palm Warbler. In September and October un-harvested Brussels sprouts fields may have especially large numbers of sparrows and even various warblers, such as Yellow, Orange-crowned and Palm warblers and Common Yellowthroat. Plowed fields attract Bonaparte’s and Franklin’s (rare) gulls in spring.
The trail goes along the bluffs to Sand Plant Beach. Here it turns inland, passing some settling ponds of a nearby sand quarry. Scan these for ducks and shorebirds, and sift carefully through the birds in the scrub, willows, and weeds along the way. The trail eventually crosses the railroad tracks and joins the park entrance road leading back to the parking lot. Alternatively, you can extend your explorations by crossing Sand Plant Beach and continuing to hike up the coast on the Ohlone Bluff Trail to Three Mile Beach and Baldwin Beach (described in the next account).
Cliff and Barn swallows are common in spring and summer around the old Wilder farm buildings. And this area, bordered on one side by Wilder Creek, has also produced notable flycatchers, warblers, sparrows, woodpeckers, and (rarely) a migrating Long-eared Owl. Check the palm tree on the lawn for a roosting Barn Owl.
Many miles of trails pass through Wilder’s hilly, oak-dotted grasslands inland from Hwy 1. A pedestrian underpass below Hwy 1 leads to this web of trails. Some of the most productive birding is immediately along Wilder Creek, as well as along the Engelsman Loop. The Wilder Ridge Loop Trail is also good. Nesting species include various woodpeckers, Warbling Vireo, Wilson’s and Orange-crowned warblers, Black-headed Grosbeak, and (some years) Lazuli Bunting. The area is excellent in fall and winter for raptors (Ferruginous Hawk, Golden Eagle, and Short-eared Owl are rare but regular), Say’s Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, sparrows, and goldfinches. Grasshopper Sparrow may winter regularly in small numbers along the Engelsman Loop and elsewhere in the grasslands. A few ponds along the Engelsman Loop and the lower part of the Wilder Ridge Loop have Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, and Virginia Rail in winter.