College Lake is one of the outstanding birding sites in the county, but unfortunately public access with good views of the lake is limited to three spots. All require a spotting scope to enjoy the birds. The lake floods with the rains of late fall and winter, and is pumped dry for agricultural use in spring. This annual pattern helps to make it attractive to birds. Conditions are best for wintering waterbirds during a dry early winter, when the lake fills gradually during December and January. It has hosted more waterfowl species (28) than any other spot in the county. In many winters it has more waterfowl than any other area in the county. In spring the receding lake may draw many hundreds of shorebirds and dozens of herons, egrets, and terns.
Directions. Take the Airport Blvd exit off Hwy 1 and go east 3.5 miles to Hwy 152. (Airport Blvd becomes Holohan Rd after crossing Green Valley Rd.) Turn left (east) on Hwy 152. After 0.3 mile turn left at the prominent Our Lady Help of Christians Church and park to the left of the church. A path skirts around the cemetery behind the church and offers lake views from either end of a eucalyptus grove. This site is worth a visit from November to April or May, as long as the lake has water. Morning light is best. Also check the eucalyptus trees, nearby old walnut trees, and adjacent shrubs and weeds for landbirds.
Birding from the north end of the lake is productive in winter. To reach the north side, return to Green Valley Rd and turn right (east). Go 1.0 mile to Paulsen Rd and turn right. Turn right again on Lapis Dr, then left on Agate Dr. Park near the small shed on the left and scope the lake from there, checking also the adjacent grassland, shrubs and apple orchard. Return to Paulsen and go east 0.6 mile to another view of the lake and a good spot for sparrows.
Birds. The flooded lake attracts hundreds to thousands of ducks and hordes of American Coots. Most winters there are flocks of Canvasback, Ring-necked Duck, Ruddy Duck, American Wigeon, and Northern Shoveler; other species may also be common. Hooded Merganser is regular. Redhead, Eurasian Wigeon, and Blue-winged Teal have been found repeatedly. There are single records of Tufted Duck, Barrow’s Goldeneye, and Eurasian Green-winged Teal. While scoping for ducks, look also for geese and swans (scan adjacent slopes and fields, too), herons and egrets, and raptors. Greater White-fronted, Snow, Ross’s, Cackling, and Canada geese are all annual here, although only Canada is numerous. Osprey, Peregrine Falcon, and Merlin often perch on the tall transmission towers, and Bald and Golden eagles and Ferruginous Hawk appear from time to time. Northern Harrier, White-tailed Kite, Sharp-shinned, Cooper’s, Red-shouldered and Red-tailed hawks may be seen in areas around the lake.
Thousands of shorebirds occur in April or May if water conditions are right. Western and Least sandpipers and Dunlin are most numerous then, along with good numbers of Semipalmated Plover, Whimbrel and Greater Yellowlegs. Caspian and Forster’s terns, Bonaparte’s Gull, and Great and Snowy egrets may also be plentiful at that time, along with an occasional visit by a Black Tern.
Look carefully for sparrows and other landbirds near the cemetery. Fourteen species of sparrows have been recorded around the lake and Lincoln’s Sparrow is usually easy to find here. Swamp Sparrow is annual; its favored spots are not readily accessible, but it is sometimes along the lake edge near the cemetery. Allen’s Hummingbird nests there, and House Wren appears in winter. Tree and Violet-green swallows winter here; other swallow species are in the air by late February. Check also along Paulsen Rd and at the overlook on Agate Dr for sparrows, Western Meadowlark, Say’s Phoebe, Loggerhead Shrike, and raptors.